Center for Conservation Innovation Coordinator

Defender of Wildlife•Washington, DC

2h•$29 - $31•Onsite

About The Position

The Coordinator, Center for Conservation Innovation (Coordinator), provides program and administrative support to CCI. Based in Defenders of Wildlife’s Washington, DC office, CCI leads and manages a multidisciplinary team working at the intersection of science, technology, and policy to find creative, practical solutions for better conservation outcomes. We identify current and emerging conservation challenges, develop solutions that improve conservation outcomes, and use a suite of techniques and partnerships to advocate for those solutions. Reporting to the Vice President, Conservation Research & Innovation, the Coordinator assists with program work and provides support to CCI staff. They are responsible for maintaining general knowledge of CCI’s key projects to help communicate our work with internal and external partners and provide administrative assistance. This position also serves as a “trouble-shooter” in helping to solve problems and completing various tasks. Assignments are results-oriented, requiring substantial discretion on the part of the coordinator in determining how to meet identified goals (e.g., researching a factsheet, organizing a meeting). Many assignments will also involve substantive analysis of conservation data, policies, laws, and other materials with guidance from senior staff. The Coordinator will bring one or more particular skills—such as experience with GIS or data science, communications skills, or training in literature review—to the team. At the same time, they will have opportunities to learn and apply new skills and technical knowledge.

Requirements

Bachelor’s (B.A./B.S.) degree or equivalent
2 years of relevant experience
program management and/or environmental policy experience or an advanced degree in policy, law or natural resources preferred.
Previous experience managing an operational budget also preferred.
An equivalent combination of education and experience may be accepted as a satisfactory substitute for the specific experience listed above.
Skills and abilities with a specific domain, such as map development with ArcGIS or QGIS; data science with python or R; literature and data discovery; writing and editing; or similar.
Experience with creating interactive website charts and maps.
Demonstrated interest in conservation technology development.
Ability and willingness to learn new concepts and to model projects around frameworks and laws such as the Endangered Species Act.

Responsibilities

Undertake duties as needed to implement CCI goals, including conducting research (both long- and short-term), writing and editing CCI factsheets and reports, drafting letters, providing other logistical support to CCI staff.
Represent Defenders in coalitions, attending conferences and meetings, providing other logistical support to CCI staff; and compiling and analyzing data with guidance from senior staff.
Assist with research and provide analyses to promote Defenders’ and CCI’s goals and contribute to the mission of conserving wildlife broadly.
Support the director and CCI staff in new project development, planning and outreach. Work with staff members to implement changes that will improve workflow within the context of institutional culture.
Identify opportunities for skills training and new resources, including seeking out external partners to support Defenders’ work where appropriate.
Research common procedures and tasks across the program teams and identify efficiencies and best practices.
Provide basic technical support in an area of their skills and interests. For example, if the Coordinator has a background in GIS they will assist in creating basic maps; if they have data science skills they may assist with analytics; if they have a communications background they may help with popular and scientific writing.
Work closely with the Director and accounting staff to develop the annual budget, closely track spending throughout the year, maintain a clear understanding of funds available, and solve problems that may arise, including overspending and coding mistakes.
Develop materials for the Director to illustrate various aspects of each budget, as needed.
Maintain knowledge of all organizational administrative procedures in order to assist CCI staff in completing necessary administrative forms, process expenses, and coordinate contracts.
Work with other coordinators to fill in on the front desk and manage calls from the public.
Serve as the liaison for CCI for staff across Defenders, including facilitating communications with headquarters staff in other departments, reviewing and delivering contracts, processing accounting forms, and addressing other needs as they arise.
Helps arrange meetings, manage the Vice President’s schedule, and provide logistic and IT support for meetings.
Perform all other related duties as assigned.