The F&WH Manager provides technical leadership and support to the New Mexico Field Office (NMFO) by creating and engaging in a broad array of strategies directed towards maintaining and improving forest and watershed health and resilience in a context of broad-scale climate change. This includes planning, directing, and implementing the agreements, projects, monitoring, partnerships, and planning necessary to achieve the Rio Grande Water Fund goal of restoring 600,000 acres of at-risk forests as well as contributing to TNC’s overarching 2030 goals. The F&WH Manager addresses critical threats, including climate change, to natural systems, especially the fire-adapted forests that are predominate in southwestern US and New Mexico and fosters cross-site learning among the diverse partners, including Native American tribes and traditional Hispanic communities. The F&WH Manager develops and implements conservation strategies, employs a full range of conservation tools, and implements a variety of strategies to secure public and private support for the NMFO and TNC conservation priorities.  They coordinate partner engagement and provide accountability to and transparency for investors and conservation partners.

 

• Gains cooperation from forest restoration partners and investors to accomplish program goals.
• Represents TNC in large landscape collaboratives relevant to forest and watershed health in New Mexico, such as the Southwest Jemez and Rio Chama CFLRs, & 2-3-2, Taos Valley Watershed Coalition, and the Santa Fe Fireshed.
• Helps plan, develops content, and assists with logistics for the RGWF signatories’ meetings and annual report, and other TNC sponsored meetings and events.
• Works closely with other State and Federal agencies to coordinate projects, share data, and work across boundaries.
• Participates with NM communications team to promote forest conservation and the RGWF internally and externally and presents frequently to external audiences.
• Financial responsibility includes managing the Forest and Watershed Health budget, ensuring that projects and monitoring are completed, negotiating and contracting with vendors and sub-awardees
• Supports fundraising targets, through grant writing and private donor funding solicitations as well as securing public sector funding for the RGWF, and responsible for meeting all reporting commitments.
• Supports external affairs to advance policy that addresses Forest and Watershed health and management needs.
• Ensures project compliance with internal policies and external requirements.
• Manages RGWF team and supports communication between team members and program areas.
• Works within TNC to support the (North American Region) Living with Fire priority strategy and networks with other forest and watershed health projects and programs along with other water funds.
• Works with TNC staff in neighboring states and within TNC’s Rocky Mountain Division to design science-based, and large-scale practices and programs.
• Under minimal supervision, makes independent decisions based on analysis, experience, and context.
• May manage multi-disciplinary administrative or professional staff, with responsibility for performance management, training and career development.
• May work at times in variable weather conditions, at remote locations, on difficult and hazardous terrain and under physically demanding circumstances.