[Coral-List] Job Announcement from The Natura Conservancy

[Billy Causey]

The Nature Conservancy
Saving the Last Great Places

JOB DESCRIPTION



TITLE:   Marine Habitat Leader
SUPERVISOR: Director, Global Priorities Group
LOCATION:  open
DATE POSTED: December 18, 2003


The Marine Habitat Leader is a new, estimated 12-month position
developed to lead The Nature Conservancy in setting outcome-based
conservation goals, including priority conservation strategies and
places, for all of the world’s marine biomes ? called Major Habitat
Types.  Marine goals will be informed by global scientific assessments
of habitat status, threat and conservation progress, and calibrated
against advancements to be made through TNC and partner efforts.  The
objective of this position is to conduct an expansive and inclusive
process that builds both institutional support and partner engagement
for the conservation of the world’s marine ecoregions.  Responsibilities
include: 1) leading a science-driven assessment of each Marine Major
Habitat Type that culminates in an authoritative “state of the habitat”
report;  2) conducting a conservation gap analysis to identify priority
areas and priority strategies; 3) articulating initial habitat goals for
TNC; 4) facilitating the establishment of longer-range goals for
relevant TNC programs; 5) contributing to a framework to help inform
Conservancy FY06 planning; and 6) making structural or process-related
recommendations relevant to implementation of these goals.

The Marine Habitat Leader will work with four other habitat leaders to
lead TNC in setting comprehensive conservation goals for all Major
Habitat Types.  In addition, the Marine Leader will ensure integration
and collaboration with the Marine Initiative in both the design and
execution of this process.  Within that broader framework, the Marine
Leader will provide overall leadership on behalf of TNC for Marines
Major Habitat Type goal setting.  It is conceivable that TNC might
co-lead each process with individuals from other institutions.
Specific duties require building and managing a small core ad hoc team
of partners, key TNC staff, senior managers, trustees/Board of
Governors, and Global Priority Group (GPG) staff.   The Marine Leader is
expected to work with other habitat leaders to identify crosscutting
issues and ensure consistent methods.  The Leader will work closely with
the GPG on data management and analysis, mapping, and the overall
process.  The Leader ensures the goal-setting process for marine
habitats remains within budget.  The Director of Global Priorities
supervises the Marine Habitat Leader.


DUTIES:

1. Advance habitat goal-setting for marine within a broader
organizational effort that will set coherent goals and define priorities
for all Major Habitat Types organized under five different habitat
groups (grasslands, deserts, freshwater, marine, and forests).
Collaborate with other Habitat Leaders to ensure learning across groups
and to balance efforts and priorities across and between groups.
2. Work with other institutions to conduct global habitat assessments,
insuring the use of existing information to document and analyze the
status, distribution, threats, geographic priorities, dominant
strategies, level of conservation investments and established
international goals, and gaps relevant to Marine Major Habitat Types.
3. Solicit input from the field to produce a preliminary draft outline
of TNC specific goals, outcomes, priorities and approach to gaps for
conservation of Marine Major Habitat Types.
4. Facilitate a habitat conference with field practitioners from TNC,
trustees, key partners, and potential donors to peer-review a draft
‘state of the habitat report’, to refine initial recommendations for TNC
goals and priorities, to galvanize goal setting for programs across TNC,
and to build networks of collaboration across practitioners.
5. Finalize a global context and conservation vision for all Marine
Major Habitat Types (in the form of the state of the habitat report),
including TNC’s goals and contributions to the vision with relevant
measures, clear organizational priorities for discretionary resources,
and collective commitments overall organization.
6. Recommend ongoing operational or structural implications of pursuing
conservation goals for Marine Major Habitat Types.

ENTRANCE REQUIREMENTS:
1. Credible conservation experience within Marine ecoregions and
familiarity with Marine biogeography. At least 10 years experience in
the conservation field and applying ecological concepts to conservation
decision-making or biodiversity management, particularly as it relates
to Marine habitats.
2. Highly skilled at effective communication with diverse people and
institutions. Experience translating information and ideas between
disciplines or stakeholder groups and excellent speaking and writing
skills required.  Past success in marketing concepts and approaches to
various audiences in building positive and lasting relationships with
people and organizations.
3. Track record of delivering results in a complex process.   Proven
understanding of how organizations work and of how to design program
structures and functions to accomplish specific goals. Ability to
operate effectively in a non-confrontational style in diverse
institutional settings.  Comfort with ambiguity and institutional
change.
4. Excellent management skills.  Knows how to set priorities well,
manage an ad hoc with no direct management authority, and manage
finances.  Able to set and fulfill meaningful goals and objectives, to
develop realistic schedules, to anticipate and solve programmatic or
people-related problems, and to objectively measure performance against
goals and institute changes when merited.
5. Works well independently but is also a good team player.  Able to
accomplish individual and programmatic goals while making a significant
contribution to the broader goals of the organization.
6. Strong commitment to conservation.
7. Willingness to travel frequently, often on short notice.

PLEASE SUBMIT COVER LETTER, RESUME OR CURRICULUM VITAE,  AND A LIST OF 3
OR MORE REFERENCES BY JANUARY 30, 2004 TO jobs at tnc.org  (please include
job title in subject line).

THE NATURE CONSERVANCY IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER
Visit us at www.nature.org/careers



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Billy D. Causey
Superintendent
Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary
P.O. Box 500368
Marathon, FL  33050

phone: (305) 743-2437 x26
fax: (305) 743-2357

http://floridakeys.noaa.gov