Senior Conservation Manager

Brevard Zoo•Melbourne, FL

7d•Hybrid

About The Position

Located along the Space Coast in Melbourne, Florida, East Coast Zoological Foundation (ECZF) is best known for its flagship campus, Brevard Zoo, an AZA-accredited facility with a diverse collection of over 900 animals representing nearly 200 species. ECZF is also known for its large portfolio of conservation projects, including endangered species breeding, imperiled species rehabilitation, wide-scale habitat restoration and monitoring of threatened species. ECZF’s Restore Our Shores program has engaged tens of thousands of citizens in science-based restoration of our local estuary, the Indian River Lagoon (IRL). We have a unique opportunity to dramatically improve the health of the IRL, which was once considered the most biologically diverse estuary in North America, by working to support restoration projects. Currently, ECZF is engaged in restoration work focused on oysters, clams, seagrasses, and mangroves, as well as other native shoreline plants. The Senior Conservation Manager, Restore Our Shores (ROS), is responsible for overseeing these restoration efforts, as well as managing staff associated with the Restore Our Shores (ROS) program.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in related field (Biology, Conservation, Environmental Sciences, Oceanography, Marine Sciences, Project Management, etc.) or relevant experience.
A minimum of two years of field work experience required.
Experience managing staff, including experience with scheduling, training, performance evaluations, and disciplinary actions.
Experience with project, grant and/or contract management and reporting.
Significant experience with public speaking.
Experience coordinating and collaborating with external stakeholders and government agencies.
Experience with grant writing and reporting.
Experience working with volunteers, interns, and partners.
Knowledge of the Indian River Lagoon and Florida’s estuarine flora and fauna.
Ability to manage staff successfully through strong leadership skills, including creation of activities to continue fostering team cohesion and professional development of staff.
Ability to work outside in Florida for extended periods of time with the associated hazards-severe heat and humidity, rain, mosquitos, stingrays, etc.
Ability to work confidently with volunteers, interns, and community members.
Ability to work professionally and efficiently with partners.
Excellent organizational skills and ability to coordinate a diverse project portfolio.
Knowledge of and comfort working with Microsoft Office, Adobe Acrobat, and basic mapping software like Google Earth.
Strong interpersonal, written, and oral communication skills.
A positive, flexible, and proactive attitude.
Ability to take initiative, multi-task, work independently and within a group, and lead a team of staff, interns and volunteers.
Ability to work long hours on a boat in normal wind and wave conditions.
Ability to pass a swim test and snorkel in the lagoon, sometimes in turbid water.
Ability to work independently and in a team environment.
Valid driver’s license and safe driving record.
Willingness to obtain any/all certification/licenses necessary.

Nice To Haves

Two years’ experience designing, installing, and monitoring estuarine restoration projects.
Experience with oyster, clam, seagrass and/or living shoreline restoration techniques.
Experience collecting and organizing environmental and biological data.
Experience with permit applications and compliance.
Experience with GIS mapping software.
Experience being interviewed by media.

Responsibilities

Work collaboratively with the ROS Management Team to build a healthy pipeline of habitat restoration projects and support research objectives.
Manage ROS Conservation Staff, including conservation managers, successfully: creation of schedules, coordination of time-off, payroll management, performance evaluations, staff training, disciplinary actions, etc.
Provide oversight and guidance to staff to grow leadership abilities within the team.
Manage grants and contracts to ensure deliverables are being met on time and on budget, creating and utilizing systems designed to increase efficiency of tracking this information across the program.
Work with Director of Conservation to implement ECZF’s conservation mission and goals specifically related to the IRL.
Ensure staff is effectively moving forward all aspects of permitting applications and compliance with the FL Department of Environmental Protection (Environmental Resource Permitting), the U.S. Army Corps of Engineer (Nationwide Permits), all Special Activity Licenses (FWC), and any other permits/licenses required for all programs.
Serve as the representative for the ROS program with partners, regularly attending partner meetings, collaborating on current and future projects, and working across organizations for lagoon health.
Serve as the ‘face of the program’ for the ROS program, taking interviews with media and presenting to various groups as needed.
Oversee events to promote ECZF projects, educate the public on status of the lagoon, and provide opportunities to involve the community in hands-on restoration.
Support a safe, transparent, and rewarding work culture.
Manually participate in the construction of oyster reefs and other restoration projects, and project related materials, alongside the team you will be managing, as needed to provide guidance, support and collaboration with your team.
Ensure the team is performing duties with the highest quality and standards, both in the field and in the research arm of the program.
Attend meetings, conferences, and outreach events to represent the program and ECZF efforts; present project information and updates; facilitate partnerships with local groups.
Provide Director of Conservation scientific background/research, labor requirements, maps, project designs, and other supporting materials, as needed, for grant applications, reports, and contracts.
Take a leading role in grant writing, report writing, and contracting for projects.
Work from land/water/boat on a regular basis.
Operate a flat-bed truck, skid steer, forklift, boat, and boat trailer as part of regular job duties.
Work as part of the larger, ECZF team, working cooperatively with other ECZF staff.
Other duties as assigned.