This position based in the beautiful mountain community of Flagstaff, Arizona-but will consider living in close surrounding communities. The Forest Project Director oversees implementation of the Conservancy’s Future Forest Project with the U.S. Forest Service (USFS) in northern Arizona. This includes implementation of the Master Stewardship Agreement, a project designed to accelerate the pace and scale of forest restoration within the Four Forest Restoration Initiative, the largest restoration effort undertaken by USFS to date. The position also leads efforts to scale up the digital harvest management technology platform the Conservancy has developed on a national level and may have responsibility for other components of the Conservancy’s efforts to advance forest restoration at scale, including a regional approach to influence the forest service, statewide policy efforts and collaborating with industry and other stakeholders on the economics of forest restoration. The position advances innovation and transformation in the preparation, administration and implementation of forest restoration projects. The position serves as the primary internal and external contact for the forest program, is responsible for completing multi-year and annual plans for the program, managing complex budgets and agreements and working with operations, finance, development and leadership staff to ensure smooth operation of the program.
ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS
The position works as part of a larger cross-functional team of Conservancy staff and external partners including the Conservancy’s contractor and agent overseeing restoration work. Primary areas of focus for the Forest Project Director include:
1) Working with USFS to streamline business practices associated with preparation of timber sales to achieve the supply certainty needed to reach the restoration goals of the Four Forest Restoration Initiative. The position is responsible for driving technological and business practice innovations to reduce the time and cost of releasing timber for harvest, and for documenting efficiencies to facilitate time and cost-comparisons with traditional practices.
2) Working with USFS and industry partners to simplify implementation of forest operations and reduce the cost of mechanically harvesting timber. The position manages the contract and relationship with the Conservancy’s agent, providing input and oversight for implementation of the Conservancy’s agreements with USFS. The Project Director serves as liaison to the USFS coordinator responsible for the Stewardship Agreement.
3) Leading efforts to scale up the technology platform the Conservancy has developed on a national level. This includes working with the Washington, DC office of the US Forest Service.
4) Other work, as necessary, to achieve the Conservancy’s forest restoration goals in Northern AZ. This may include statewide policy work, working with industry on the economics of forest restoration, and working to develop a coordinated approach across the Western Region of TNC.
The position works alongside the Conservancy’s agent to negotiate work plans and related budgets with USFS and is responsible for tracking financials and project accomplishments to fulfill reporting requirements. The Project Director may manage multiple government and private grants and awards, as well as multiple vendor contracts. The Project Director manages project staff and is the primary internal and external contact for the Conservancy’s Forest Restoration work and collaborates with External Affairs and Communications to promote the project, including making presentations and sharing information with public agencies, elected officials and TNC funders. The position serves as part of the Chapter’s Land and Water and Senior Leaders Groups. The Project Director collaborates with Development and Finance staff on funding proposals and grant/award reporting.
RESPONSIBILITIES AND SCOPE
- Responsible for leading a project across a 2.4 million-acre forested landscape managed primarily by USFS.
- Supervises project staff; Works as part of a larger team focused on innovation and transformation of agency business controls and forest operations.
- Collaborates closely with agency, industry and other stakeholders to accomplish project goals.
- Negotiates complex agreements, in a dynamic environment.
- Responsible for administration and oversight of contractors, contracts and agreements.
- Prepares budgets, reviews financials and responsible for project reporting.
- Makes independent decision based on analysis, ambiguous information and context.
- Frequent travel locally within Arizona which may include occasional overnight/weekends; and occasional travel out of state.
- May work in variable weather conditions at remote locations, on difficult and hazardous terrain, and under physically demanding circumstances. May be walking or standing on varying types of terrain.
- May Occasionally lift 25 pounds.