Director of Conservation and Stewardship

Purpose: Manages the Conservation and Stewardship Team to implement proactive, conservation efforts to protect wildlife habitats and private lands throughout Georgia and the Southeast. Member of the SCT Leadership team.

About the Organization: The Southern Conservation Trust (SCT) is a 501-c(3) non-profit headquartered in downtown Fayetteville, Georgia.  SCT is the fastest growing land trust in Georgia and elevates nature through the exceptional stewardship of conserved land, providing environmental education and access to public nature preserves.  SCT works throughout the southeast to conserve over 15,000 acres annually.  We are seeking a dynamic leader to oversee the management and implementation of our Conservation and Stewardship Program. The director will work with the Executive Director, Senior Conservation Biologist and Stewardship Coordinator on a daily basis.  The Director of Conservation and Stewardship will be based in Fayetteville, Georgia. 

Our Culture: Staff work collaboratively in a team environment, yet remain responsible for completing their individual tasks and projects. Regular interaction with other staff includes bi-weekly team meetings, monthly one-on-one scheduled supervisory check-ins, regular constructive brainstorming and problem solving, and daily communication so that we can achieve our goals together. We are all self-starters who can remain flexible to ever-changing circumstances. We value integrity, demonstrate an impeccable work ethic, trust, and personal responsibility. SCT staff and board have mutual respect for one another and demonstrate discretion in all of our work and communication.

SCT’s office is a dog-friendly, people-friendly, positive environment where good humor and frequent laughter, hard work, reliability, and kindness are valued. The successful candidate will contribute to our diverse skill-set and embrace and contribute to the creative, productive, problem solving culture we intentionally foster at our work place.

Position Details: The Director of Conservation and Stewardship will work hand in hand with SCT’s Executive Director and will lead and facilitate a set portfolio of conservation easement projects from inception to closing; and oversee their perpetual stewardship by SCT. Specific tasks include managing the acquisition of conservation easements consistent with SCT’s policies and our commitment to the highest land standards. This position offers a tremendous career opportunity for an energetic and accomplished conservation professional to lead the next generation of the Southern Conservation

Trust’s conservation initiatives. The Director of Conservation and Stewardship will work hand in hand with SCT’s Executive Director and will lead and facilitate a portfolio of between 50 – 90 conservation easement projects from inception to closing throughout the Southeast each year. The position is also responsible for the overall management of SCT’s nearly 200 and growing conserved properties and the stewardship program for each.  Director must have strong verbal, written and interpersonal communication skills, sound judgment, and an ability to read, understand and draft complicated real estate legal documents.

As part of the SCT team, the Director of Conservation & Stewardship will help host and participate in SCT’s events and community outreach activities. All staff on our team embrace public speaking and networking opportunities as we work to develop and sustain relationships with funders and community partners, grow our base of supporters in both size and diversity.  The Director of Conservation & Stewardship will attend outreach events focused on conservation in Georgia.

Essential Job Duties and Responsibilities:

• Negotiate, and manage a portfolio of SCT’s conservation easement acquisitions. This includes: meeting with landowners, site visits, drafting and quality assurance of conservation plans or assessments for a property; supervising property due diligence, including title investigation with legal counsel; negotiation and drafting of conservation easement deeds.
• Effectively manage stewarding, monitoring and compliance of SCT’s conservation easements and private properties, consistent with SCT’s stewardship related policies and procedures.
• Represent SCT’s Conservation and Stewardship program in stakeholder meetings.
• Maintain and improve SCT’s conservation and stewardship policies, procedures and detailed, meticulous records in compliance with SCT standards.
• Ensure that the Stewardship Coordinator conducts all annual monitoring of SCT properties and submits monitoring reports.
• Responsible for the management of the Landscape database with all conserved properties.
• Serve as the project manager for active conservation projects.
• Responsible for coordinating multiple sub-contractors to complete due diligence and ensure thorough, timely, and ethical completion of conservation projects.
• Review and report on due diligence progress for land projects including appraisals, title review, environmental site assessments/hazardous materials assessments, and preliminary project budgets.
• Draft conservation easements (based on SCT’s template) and other documents related to land conservation projects, and facilitate negotiations related to the documents. This work is often done in consultation with SCT’s legal counsel, other staff, and Executive Director.
• Maintain SCT’s conservation easement template and stay current on trends and guidelines associated with land transactions.
• Work with SCT’s Executive Director to assess and prepare conservation easement amendments as necessary and to manage SCT’s response to violations of existing conservation easements if/when they occur.

• Contribute to SCT Board of Directors and Lands Committee reports and meeting presentations regarding the status and progress of active conservation projects.
• Maintain compliance with SCT standards including maintaining SCT’s project-related recordkeeping; evaluate, draft, and update SCT policies as needed.
• Contribute to grant proposals and funder reports for project and organizational funding.
• Work with SCT’s team of staff to host a variety of events, activities, and community outreach.
   

Qualifications:

• Minimum of a Bachelor’s degree in related field, masters or equal experience preferred.
• Minimum of 3 years experience in land conservation with a background in an appropriate combination of land planning, land management, law, real estate, or related field.
• Willingness to travel locally and regionally.
• Proven track record in building relationships and partnerships with a broad spectrum of stakeholders.
• Strong interpersonal skills and ability to interact and communicate with a variety of public and private interests, partners, and constituents.
• Strong computer proficiency and office skills.
• Willingness to work in the field (often alone), as well as in an office environment.
• Willingness to work occasional nights and weekend volunteer workdays.
• A valid driver’s license and willingness to use personal vehicle when necessary (with mileage reimbursement for out of county travel).
• Ability to lift up to 30 pounds and walk on uneven terrain.
• Possess and utilize a collaborative project management style; demonstrated ability to organize, motivate, and support contractors and partners to complete complex land transactions on schedule.
• Ability to exercise independent judgement, discretion, and decision making. Maintain confidentiality and professional work standards and ethics.
• High-energy, creative, self-starter with excellent time management and organizational skills; proven ability to meet deadlines and maintain flexibility in a fast-paced work environment.
• Proven ability to work independently with minimal supervision and to work effectively, positively, and collaboratively as part of our dynamic team.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS:  

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job.  Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to stand, walk, sit, use hands and fingers to type, handle or feel, reach with hands and arms, talk and hear. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, color vision and ability to adjust focus during significant computer related work.   May work in variable weather conditions, at remote locations, on difficult and hazardous terrain, and under physically demanding circumstances and may require long hours in isolated settings.

To Apply: Please submit your cover letter, resume and contacts for three references in ONE document to conservation@sctlandtrust.org with “Director of Conservation & Stewardship” in the subject line. Applications will be accepted and reviewed on a rolling basis until the position is filled. Preference will be given to those applications that are submitted before December 1st, 2019.