Interim Director of Strategic Partnerships

OFFICE LOCATION

Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Toronto or Ottawa preferred; flexible within Canada.

A LITTLE ABOUT US

Nature United is a national organization committed to reimagining conservation across Canada. Our mission is to create solutions for people and nature by building diverse partnerships to protect lands and waters and to ensure nature is the foundation of healthy communities, economies and future opportunities. Our areas of focus are to advance sustainable management of lands and waters by supporting Indigenous leadership and authority and responsible resource use, and to harness the power of nature to address the climate crisis by advancing natural climate solutions.

Our organization is honored to work with many Indigenous partners. We recognize and respect the Indigenous Peoples of Canada—First Nations, Inuit and Métis Nations—as the original rights-holders of the lands and waters in Canada. We have an ongoing commitment to continue to strengthen our awareness of the history and enduring impacts of colonialism, and to build partnerships based on reconciliation, as well as respect, equity, open dialogue, integrity and mutual accountability.

As an affiliate of The Nature Conservancy (TNC), what we do is informed by the best global science and supported by the leadership of the world’s largest conservation organization. Nature United is headquartered in Toronto and builds on the Conservancy’s long history of conservation achievements in Canada.

Visit www.natureunited.ca and www.nature.org to learn more.

YOUR POSITION WITH TNC

The Interim Director of Strategic Partnerships leads the Strategic Partnerships program of Nature United. They provide leadership of corporate engagement, national and subnational government relations, and organizational management to deliver against Nature United’s conservation, funding and brand awareness goals.

With the launch of its new Natural Climate Solutions (NCS) program and continued history in supporting Indigenous-led conservation, stewardship, and economic development, Nature United is poised for significant growth over the next year. The Interim Director of Strategic Partnerships will play a critical role in advancing highly visible and influential government, corporate and NGO partnerships, leveraging:

• Federal government commitment of $4 billion for NCS and planting 2 billion trees.
• Commitments by corporate leaders for net-zero emissions and deploying NCS in Canada.
• $20+ million Bezos Earth Fund grant for NCS in British Columbia.
• Ground-breaking NCS science led by Nature United/TNC launching in Spring 2021 followed by an ambitious corporate, government and Indigenous community awareness campaign.

This is a 12-month term position, with possible extension. Location is flexible.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

The Interim Director of Strategic Partnerships will be responsible for:

Leading Nature United’s strategic engagement of government and corporate sectors as well as engagement in national-scale NGO coalitions to advance organization-wide conservation, philanthropy, and communications objectives.

Supervising the Senior Conservation Scientist, Corporate Engagement Manager, and Provincial Policy Advisor and managing contract lobbyist(s).

Ensuring Strategic Partnership strategies and projects adhere to our principles of Being a Respectful Partner with Indigenous peoples and that Strategic Partnership approaches are fully integrated with the conservation, philanthropy, communications, and Leadership teams.

RESPONSIBILITIES AND SCOPE

The Interim Director of Strategic Partnerships will work in close collaboration with conservation, fundraising, communications and Leadership teams, to advance the following strategies in support Nature United’s goals:

Government Relations

Oversee engagement on federal government relations initiatives, including implementation of $4 billion NCS funding, 2 billion trees initiative, and other initiatives.

Ensure Provincial Policy Advisor is successful in advancing government relations initiatives in priority geographies and representing Nature United on the Green Budget Coalition and other NGO collaborations.

Liaise with the global organization on climate and biodiversity policy and initiatives.

Corporate Engagement

Oversee implementation and refinement of new corporate engagement strategy, aligning with philanthropy, conservation and communications. With Corporate Engagement Manager:

Advance pipeline of corporate practice partnerships.

Ensure partnerships meet principles for working with Indigenous peoples.

Develop internal procedures for managing corporate engagement opportunities across the organization.

Organizational Management

Represent Strategic Partnerships on the Leadership Team.

Supervise Corporate Engagement Manager, Provincial Policy Advisor and Senior Conservation Scientist.

Coordinate with conservation, philanthropy, and communications to develop and track work plans and budgets.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

Bachelor’s degree in political science, environmental policy, business or related field and 6 years of senior management level experience in government relations, corporate sector, or equivalent combination of education/experience.

Supervisory experience.

Federal agency or congressional staff experience or equivalent experience for positions with a global focus and/or experience in a corporate environment with business development, banking, corporate social responsibility, or corporate sustainability.

Experience working directly with partners and government agencies.

Project management experience including coordinating the work of other professionals inside and outside an organization.

Experience in strategy development and implementation.

Experience with relationship building skills.

Experience negotiating complex high profile or sensitive agreements.

Experience with written and verbal communication and presentation skills.

Fluency in English.

DESIRED QUALIFICATIONS

Master’s degree appreciated (MBA or other).

Familiarity with social, economic and political conditions and issues in Canada (national and/or sub-national).

Familiarity with Indigenous peoples’ rights and history in Canada.

Experience managing projects in a decentralized organization, working across teams, operating units and functions, coordinating the work of other professionals inside and outside an organization, to achieve optimal results.

Outstanding written and oral communication, negotiating and organizational skills.

Experience presenting to and communicating with executive levels in a corporate setting. Excellent presentation skills.

Excellent team player with experience working in multi-disciplinary groups, using influence and interpersonal skills, listening, diplomacy and tact to build strong relationships with corporations, governments, partners, and colleagues.

Experience conceiving of and implementing strategic initiatives.

Significant experience in business development, general management, management consulting, or investment banking. Experience with corporate social responsibility or corporate sustainability.

Outstanding analytical and project management capabilities. Demonstrated ability to successfully develop and implement complex projects in an unstructured environment.

Independent and self-motivated with the ability to participate effectively in a remote team environment.

ADDITIONAL JOB INFORMATION

ORGANIZATIONAL SHARED VALUES

RESPECT – Practice Extraordinary Respect

We respect different work styles and are mindful of this within our interactions. We assume best intentions and can disagree productively, treating each other with kindness and equality. This practice builds trust and resilience

APPRECIATION – Appreciation and Celebration

We create an inclusive, supportive and fun workplace where diversity is valued, and all team members feel appreciated. We celebrate milestones and successes to honour the long timelines of this challenging and rewarding work

INNOVATION – Excellence, Adaptability, Risk-taking

We know excellence and innovation happen only through taking thoughtful risks and being open to failure as an honest teacher. We are a learning organization that values evidence in decision-making. When things don’t go as planned, we apply our learnings and adapt

COLLABORATION – Work Together with Clear Communication and Decision-making

We come to our work knowing that recognizing and including various perspectives as we tackle complex projects, issues, and relationships makes our work better. We use clear processes for decision making and communication that ensure they are efficient, transparent, and productive.

EMPOWERMENT – Balance and Support

We feel confident to take risks, ask questions, and have room to make honest mistakes. We are empowered to make decisions, set boundaries and are actively supported in these decisions. We value our own non-work time and that of others. This practice fosters the long-term health of staff and an environment where we bring our absolute best when we are at work.

CURIOSITY – Foster Curiosity, Creativity and Critical Thinking

We are curious and brave with our questions. We encourage creative ideas while being grounded in critical thinking. We are open to different forms of knowledge and have a responsibility to deliver high-quality work that builds an evidence base for conservation and capitalizes on our collective experience and knowledge.

HOW TO APPLY

To apply to position number 49716, submit resume (required) and cover letter separately using the upload buttons. Applications will be reviewed in the order they’re received and the position will remain open until filled.

If you experience technical issues, please refer to our applicant user guide or contact [email protected].

The Nature Conservancy is an Equal Opportunity Employer and committed to building a globally diverse and culturally competent workforce, based on the recognition that our conservation mission is best advanced by the leadership and contributions of people of diverse backgrounds, beliefs and cultures. Recruiting and mentoring staff to create an inclusive organization that reflects our global character is a priority and we encourage applicants from all cultures, races, religions, sexes, national or regional origins, ages, disability status, sexual orientation, or gender identity.