The Nature Conservancy’s California Water Program is working to secure a more resilient and sustainable water future by defining nature’s water needs and developing the science, tools, demonstrations and enabling conditions to ensure nature’s needs are met along with communities and the economy. Our multi-disciplinary team employs a variety of innovative strategies to provide freshwater ecosystems with the water and habitat they need, including by developing ground-breaking science, through policy engagements, by influencing implementation of groundwater and other water reform, and by collaboratively managing water resources with communities and agriculture.

In order to achieve the Water Program’s ambitious goals, the team must successfully secure public and private funding, as well as meet core business obligations within TNC. The Conservation Associate is central to ensuring these functions are met. They do this by filling a range of roles, from supporting all stages of fundraising from both public and private sources, to helping the team to meet annual planning and budgeting responsibilities. The Program Associate serves as a liaison to the Climate, Land and Oceans teams, and to other Conservancy departments such as Development, Marketing, Finance, and Operations. The Program Associate works closely with and reports to the Director of the Water Program.

 

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

• Coordinates the Program’s public and private fundraising activities by tracking grant opportunities, and managing the development of proposals and reports to funders
• Helps fulfill administrative functions, including by coordinating budget development, managing and tracking contracts, and supporting budget managers throughout the year.
• Supports annual planning and performance evaluation processes
• Manages projects and tracks deliverables, including the Water Team’s newsletters to water industry professionals
• Serves as liaison to the Conservancy’s Development team to keep fundraisers abreast of Water Program strategies and successes. With Water leadership and Development, manages donor engagement plan.
• With the Conservancy’s Marketing and Development teams, identifies opportunities to share Water Program efforts with donors and other key internal and external audiences
• Manages content updates for several websites
• With other Program Associates, assists with broader Conservation Programs & Science department coordination, meeting execution, and general support.

RESPONSIBILITIES & SCOPE

• Supports Water Program to track, raise and manage public and private funding.
• Helps ensure compliance with internal procedures and processes by tracking and coordinating deliverables and timelines.
• Coordinates teams to meet desired outcomes.
• Manages projects independently, and with teams.
• Plans, prepares for, manages and follows-up on meetings and events.
• Serves as liaison to Development and Marketing teams, with a goal to ensure media coverage and donor engagements on Water.
• Supports development of communications to advance strategic outcomes and increase support for Water Program objectives.
• Manages tools and mechanisms to improve collaboration within the Water Program, such as Box and Slack.
• Works closely with Operations, Finance and other Program Associates to continually improve support for the Water Program.
• Performs tasks with minimal supervision and makes independent decisions based on analysis, experience and judgment.