Landscape-Scale Restoration Manager

The Nature Conservancy•Cle Elum, WA

14d•Hybrid

About The Position

The Landscape-Scale Restoration Manager leads one of the most ambitious forest and fire restoration efforts underway in Washington State's dry forests. This role focuses on advancing equitable, climate-resilient cross-boundary restoration from planning through implementation on federal lands, in close partnership with Tribes, the U.S. Forest Service, WA State and regional partners. The manager serves as a practical integrator across forestry, prescribed fire, science, and partnerships, working to resolve bottlenecks, align projects and partners, and ensure restoration work moves forward at the pace and scale required. This role is both strategic and deeply operational, requiring the ability to navigate federal systems, advance complex agreements, and deliver real on-the-ground outcomes. This role is critical to ensuring that decades of investment in forest restoration translate into durable, on-the-ground outcomes. The Landscape-Scale Restoration Manager helps translate restoration priorities into implementable projects on the ground. They coordinate with Tribal, federal, state, and community partners to refine priority landscapes, support National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA)-ready restoration pathways, oversee key agreements and deliverables, and help design implementable treatment packages that integrate mechanical thinning, prescribed fire, cultural burning opportunities, workforce development, and community-informed smoke management. The role focuses on removing barriers to delivery, including aligning partners, advancing agreements, coordinating contracting and implementation pathways, and ensuring that NEPA-ready work progresses through thinning, prescribed fire, and follow-on stewardship. This role requires a strong understanding of how restoration work is implemented on federal lands, including familiarity with stewardship contracting, partner agreements, and agency processes. The manager works closely with agency staff, contractors, and partners to align timelines, resolve constraints, and maintain momentum through complex, multi-party projects.

Requirements

BA/BS degree and 5 years’ experience in conservation, forestry, fire, natural resources, landscape restoration, or equivalent combination of education and experience.
Experience managing complex or multiple projects, including scopes, timelines, budgets, agreements, and deliverables under deadlines.
Experience working with or within federal land management systems (e.g., U.S. Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management, or similar)
Experience negotiating contracts, agreements, or implementation pathways for natural resource projects.
Experience developing partnerships with Tribes, government agencies, community organizations, contractors, and/or other external partners.
Skilled and clear communicator able to represent program goals and outcomes effectively via written, spoken, and presentation formats with internal and external audiences.
Valid driver's license and compliance with TNC’s Auto Safety Program.
Must meet the requirements of The Nature Conservancy's background screening process.
Must complete a Vehicle Use Agreement, which may include a review of the prospective employee's motor vehicle record.

Nice To Haves

Experience with stewardship contracting, Good Neighbor Authority, or other federal restoration delivery mechanisms.
Direct experience advancing forest restoration, fuels reduction, or prescribed fire projects from planning into implementation.
Demonstrated ability to work across agencies, contractors, and partners to deliver tangible project outcomes.
Experience working in landscapes with complex wildfire risk, community interface, and/or Tribal stewardship priorities.
Multi-lingual and multi-cultural or cross-cultural experience appreciated.
Ability to use science, data, and local context to inform restoration strategy, implementation planning, and adaptive management.
Politically savvy, adaptable, diplomatic, and able to navigate complex external relationships with sound judgment.

Responsibilities

Leads and coordinates landscape-scale restoration initiatives that advance cross-boundary forest health, wildfire resilience, and community wellbeing across priority geographies.
Identifies and resolves implementation bottlenecks across partners, contracts, and workflows to keep restoration projects moving from planning to completion.
Advances federal restoration projects through contracting and agreement pathways, including stewardship contracts, partner agreements, and related mechanisms.
Builds and maintains strong working relationships with Tribes, federal and state agencies, collaboratives, contractors, community partners, and other stakeholders to support shared restoration goals.
Supports development and implementation of restoration strategies that connect NEPA-ready opportunities with on-the-ground delivery, including mechanical treatments, prescribed fire, cultural burning opportunities, and follow-on stewardship needs.
Oversees or coordinates agreements, scopes of work, partner deliverables, and budget tracking associated with restoration projects and partnership commitments.
Applies ecological, operational, and community context to inform restoration sequencing, implementation feasibility, smoke management considerations, and workforce opportunities.
Represents the Conservancy in collaborative forums and communicates program objectives, progress, risks, and opportunities to internal and external audiences.
Helps identify and advance policy, funding, and partnership opportunities that increase the pace, scale, and durability of restoration outcomes.