The Project Manager, Forest and Climate Conservation will be based out of Marquette, MI, and will be a member of the Conserving Resilient Lands and Waters team. Duties will include conservation planning and management of the Michigan Business Unit’s Natural Climate Solutions and Forestry Strategies with the goal of improving forest health and resiliency and sequestering and storing more carbon. It will also include oversight of forestry related restoration projects on TNC, private, or partner lands to meet Michigan, Midwest, and North America goals and objectives.

This position will oversee planning and implementation of our Forest, Natural Climate Solutions, and Northwoods conservation strategies where they touch down in Michigan including protecting resilient, connected and climate adapted corridors, advancing natural climate solutions, improving forest health through partnerships, sustaining forest product markets, and disseminating forest climate science. The Project Manager, Forest and Climate Conservation will work with multiple partners, private and industrial landowners to accomplish Michigan’s goals associated with TNC’s 2030 goals. They will build strategic, scientific, and technical capacity around sustainable forestry practices, forest carbon sequestration and storage, climate resiliency, and carbon markets.

The Project Manager, Forest and Climate Conservation will implement and manage the Michigan Business Unit’s Conserving Resilient Land and Water’s Forest Strategy by:

• Overseeing carbon mitigation, adaptation, and restoration work in Michigan’s forests and providing technical input for forestry-related management activities on TNC preserves, and on private and partner lands through various programs, agreements, and contracts.
• Leading carbon project enrollment and assisting with carbon project and land deals related to the Forest Strategy, on TNC land, or for partners, private or industrial landowners, and assist with project related documentation, contracts with developers, and documenting and receiving approvals through the Carbon Project Review Committee with the Director of Land Protection.
• Managing projects that support Natural Climate Solution practices on private forest land across the Northwoods (Michigan, Wisconsin, and Minnesota) including but not limited to Family Forest Carbon Program.
• Negotiating and overseeing the management of multiple large forest adaptation and management related restoration grant agreements with the USDA Forest Service, the State of Michigan, and other partners.
• Contributing to larger TNC Forest and Climate goals by participating as a member of the Northwoods, U.S. Forest Carbon, and U.S. Forest Policy teams.
• Fostering partnerships in the working forest landscape with Federal, State, Tribes, Land Trusts, and industrial and private forest landowners.

The Project Manager, Forest and Climate Conservation, will also supervise two positions that are focused on: 1)  executing multiple agreements with the Forest Service and Partners designed to increase the pace and scale of forest and water restoration in Michigan and Wisconsin, and 2) executing forestry-related, infrastructure and property management activities on TNC’s Forest Reserves that total 47,000 acres.

Essential Position Functions include:

• Manage multi-disciplinary administrative and professional staff, with responsibility for performance management, training and career development.
• Gain cooperation from outside parties to accomplish program goals.
• Produce and organize written documentation relevant to strategies, projects, and legal compliance.
• Develop and implement forest strategies that mitigate, restore and promote biodiversity benefits.
• Financial responsibility may include working within/managing a budget to complete projects, negotiating, and contracting with vendors, assisting with budget development, and meeting fundraising targets.
• Ensures program compliance with internal policies and external requirements.
• Under minimal supervision, makes independent decisions based on analysis, experience, and context.
• May work in variable weather conditions, at remote locations, on difficult and hazardous terrain and under physically demanding circumstances.