Coastal Restoration Project Director

The Nature Conservancy•George, TX

4d•$65,000 - $85,000•Onsite

About The Position

The Coastal Restoration Project Director develops, manages and advances coastal conservation and restoration programs, plans and methods for large-scale geographic areas across the Texas coast. They identify coastal restoration priorities and areas of opportunity to support restoration efforts across broad ecosystems and at a watershed scale, facilitate trainings and workshops to scale up restoration, support collaborative coastal restoration and monitoring projects, and stay up to date on the latest trends and science related to coastal restoration and management. They develop resources to support collaborative restoration, such as recommendations, restoration plans and/or guidance documents. The Coastal Restoration Project Director will research and identify complex, innovative solutions to coastal restoration challenges to fill knowledge gaps and build a stronger basis for current and future restoration projects. They will build relationships with coastal communities and facilitate collaborative, inclusive problem-solving. They will develop restoration and monitoring plans that prioritize scientific data, equity, and long-term resilience through adaptive management. The Coastal Restoration Project Director guides the development and implementation of conservation and restoration projects related to oyster reefs, coastal marshes, seagrasses, and coastal shoreline protection and restoration efforts, including living shorelines and other nature-based solutions. They address critical threats to natural systems and individual species, and foster cross-site learning related to coastal restoration and adaptive management strategies. The Coastal Restoration Project Director provides technical leadership and support to the Texas business unit, the Texas Resilient Coast Program, and the Texas Landscape Initiatives team by planning, directing and implementing coastal and near shore restoration and monitoring programs, projects and stewardship. They coordinate with internal conservation leadership, the Texas Resilient Coast team, and colleagues within the Ocean and Coasts Program and the Great Plains and Southern U.S. Divisions to facilitate collaboration and promote awareness of Texas coastal conservation and restoration efforts. The Coastal Restoration Project Director works with external partners to develop, manage, and advance conservation and restoration programs, plans, and methods for small- to large- scale coastal restoration projects and implements a variety of strategies to secure public and private support for TNC conservation and restoration priorities. They work closely with partners, contractors and consultants, and funders of coastal restoration projects, coordinate community support and maintain preserve and or leased areas, including restored oyster reefs, frequented by the visiting public. The Coastal Restoration Project Director must be located on the Texas Coast or the surrounding community.

Requirements

BA/BS, law or business degree and 5 years' experience in natural resource management or related field or equivalent combination of education and experience.
Experience negotiating complex agreements.
Supervisory experience.
Experience communicating with the public and/or media both in writing and verbally.
Experience using applications such as Microsoft Word, Excel, and Web Browsers.
Experience with principles of coastal restoration and monitoring.
Experience in training and curriculum design, including workshop organization and facilitation.
Valid driver's license and compliance with TNC’s Auto Safety Program.
Ability to meet the requirements of The Nature Conservancy's background screening process.

Nice To Haves

Master’s degree in marine or coastal science and management and/or relevant years of experience in coastal restoration project management.
Relationship building experience to work closely with a variety of partners, i.e., media, government officials, internal scientists.
Experience in field data collection, data compilation and analysis of data sets.
Experience in fisheries management.
Ability to use and interpret statistical and spatial data sets in ArcGIS.
Multi-lingual skills and multi-cultural or cross-cultural experience appreciated.
Knowledge of coastal restoration principles, including oyster reef restoration, living shorelines and natural and nature-based solutions.
Ability to explain conservation and restoration practices to technical and non-technical audiences.
Excellent communication skills via written, spoken and graphical means in English and other relevant languages, including Spanish.

Responsibilities

Develops, manages and advances coastal conservation and restoration programs, plans and methods for large-scale geographic areas across the Texas coast.
Identifies coastal restoration priorities and areas of opportunity to support restoration efforts across broad ecosystems and at a watershed scale.
Facilitates trainings and workshops to scale up restoration.
Supports collaborative coastal restoration and monitoring projects.
Stays up to date on the latest trends and science related to coastal restoration and management.
Develops resources to support collaborative restoration, such as recommendations, restoration plans and/or guidance documents.
Researches and identifies complex, innovative solutions to coastal restoration challenges to fill knowledge gaps and build a stronger basis for current and future restoration projects.
Builds relationships with coastal communities and facilitates collaborative, inclusive problem-solving.
Develops restoration and monitoring plans that prioritize scientific data, equity, and long-term resilience through adaptive management.
Guides the development and implementation of conservation and restoration projects related to oyster reefs, coastal marshes, seagrasses, and coastal shoreline protection and restoration efforts, including living shorelines and other nature-based solutions.
Addresses critical threats to natural systems and individual species, and fosters cross-site learning related to coastal restoration and adaptive management strategies.
Provides technical leadership and support to the Texas business unit, the Texas Resilient Coast Program, and the Texas Landscape Initiatives team by planning, directing and implementing coastal and near shore restoration and monitoring programs, projects and stewardship.
Coordinates with internal conservation leadership, the Texas Resilient Coast team, and colleagues within the Ocean and Coasts Program and the Great Plains and Southern U.S. Divisions to facilitate collaboration and promote awareness of Texas coastal conservation and restoration efforts.
Works with external partners to develop, manage, and advance conservation and restoration programs, plans, and methods for small- to large- scale coastal restoration projects.
Implements a variety of strategies to secure public and private support for TNC conservation and restoration priorities.
Works closely with partners, contractors and consultants, and funders of coastal restoration projects.
Coordinates community support and maintains preserve and or leased areas, including restored oyster reefs, frequented by the visiting public.