Join the big world of land conservation from our little neck of the woods!
Current Openings:
Title: Conservation Easement Manager
Introduction
The Northern Neck Land Conservancy is a nationally accredited, nonprofit land trust that helps individual landowners and monitors conserved property, while also fostering community conservation in the region.
Position Summary
The Northern Neck Land Conservancy seeks a self-motivated, personable and detail-oriented Conservation Easement Manager to help accelerate the protection of open land along and between the Potomac and Rappahannock Rivers, while increasing regional and organizational capacity to sustain land protection and stewardship in the future.
The successful candidate will support landowner interaction, and easement lifecycle management. Under the supervision of the Stewardship Director, this position supports the identification and consideration of potential easement properties, the establishment of new conservation easements, and the stewardship of existing easements managed and monitored by the Land Conservancy. Under the supervision of the Executive Director, the Conservation Easement Manager will help increase outreach to landowners through special events, including targeted outreach in underserved areas, and a new forum for professional advisors.
Job Status: Full-time at 40 hours per week, to include some evenings and weekends.
Location: Office hours in Warsaw, VA, remote and on-site work
Compensation: Starting at $50,000, salary is commensurate with applicant experience.
Benefits: Northern Neck Land Conservancy provides health insurance, a generous leave/PTO policy and continued opportunities for professional development (e.g. paid workshops, training.)
Roles & Responsibilities
Easement Opportunity Development
Using available maps and analytical tools, and working with and for the Stewardship Director, Executive Director, Board of Directors and appropriate committees, identify, analyze, assess and prioritize high-risk or high-value properties for pursuit in preservation easement activities.
Landowner Outreach
With support from the Executive Director and Board of Directors, plan, organize, and oversee existing and new special events. Identify, understand and engage landowner audiences. Initiate and maintain persuasive and positive communications with individuals and partner organizations.
Using strong relationship-building and public relations skills, the Community Easement Manager will also play a supporting role in fund development for the organization.
Easement Lifecycle Management
With support from the Stewardship Director, play a key role in acquiring and stewarding conservation easements, with an emphasis on information management including document acquisition and configuration management, organization, and updates. Maintain accurate records of all communications, records, and decisions.
Assist the Stewardship Director to educate easement donors about Land Conservancy policies and processes.
Execute real estate transaction due diligence to include ensuring accuracy by reviewing all conservation easement proposal documents; and recording all work and communications in Landscape conservation easement database software.
Conduct and/or equip appropriate volunteers to conduct annual conservation easement monitoring site visits to determine landowner compliance with easement terms.
Ensure all landowner relationships are positive, constructive, and current.
Incorporate best practices in the field: policies, news, updates, legislation, strategies, and other information related to conservation easement stewardship.
Additional duties that support the Northern Neck Land Conservancy mission may be assigned.
Position Requirements
- A strong sense of commitment to the Land Conservancy’s mission to preserve the rural heritage of the Northern Neck by conserving its lands, water, economies and culture for future generations.
- Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience; skills in conservation, land use, environmental best practices.
- Experience with project management processes and tools; ability to work on multiple projects at one time and adhere to priorities.
- Proven organizational skills, attention to details and focus on quality.
- Creative thinking and problem-solving skills
- Excellent interpersonal skills; ability to interact with a wide range of personalities.
- Computer proficiency; familiarity with Microsoft Office; conservation software/apps such as iNaturalist.
- Has a valid driver’s license and access to a car.
- Able to occasionally hike 3 miles in a day
Additional desired skills:
- Experience with Landscape conservation software is a plus.
- Ability to identify plants and animals is a plus.
- Experience working with volunteers is a plus.
Application Process
Interested applicants, please submit a cover letter and resumé by email to lisa@nnconserve.org. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis. Open until filled.
Northern Neck Land Conservancy strives to involve everyone in its land conservation mission. The organization is an equal opportunity employer. It recruits, hires, compensates, and promotes employees regardless of race, religion, ancestry, orientation/identity, age, health or other characteristic.
Northern Neck Land Conservancy is a nationally accredited, member-supported, nonprofit conservation organization. Its service area includes Lancaster, King George, Northumberland, Richmond and Westmoreland counties, along with Essex on the Middle Peninsula.
Download PDF: Conservation Easement Manager Job Description