Colorado River Indigenous Partnerships Program Manager

At The Nature Conservancy, our goal is to ethically and effectively support and partner with Indigenous Nations, communities, and organizations in the Colorado River Basin to co-create a shared future of healthy lands, waters, and communities. The Colorado River Indigenous Partnerships Program Manager will lead TNC’s Colorado River Program in becoming a trusted and value-added partner working in support of Indigenous conservation priorities and advocating for Indigenous-led conservation overall. The Colorado River Indigenous Partnerships Program Manager will manage Colorado River Program’s (CRP) strategic conservation, policy, science, and community relations engagements with Tribal Nations in the Colorado River Basin (the Basin). The Program Manager will serve as a liaison with Indigenous nations, communities, and organizations and help to foster effective relationships. They will also work with TNC teams across the Basin to build capacity and to facilitate co-creation of mutually beneficial conservation projects. They establish and execute overall water conservation and policy priorities with Tribal Nations in the Colorado River Basin for the Colorado River Program, as well as advise and support TNC’s water engagements with Tribal partners in the Basin. The Indigenous Partnerships Program Manager will also draw on Tribal and Colorado River experience to advise and support CRP colleagues on advancing CRP’s wider range of Colorado River work (including Colorado River Basin-wide policy, freshwater conservation, environmental water transactions, and infrastructure activities.

The Colorado River Indigenous Partnerships Program Manager maintains CRP as a major conservation partner in Tribal water-focused engagements by leading the Colorado River Program’s (CRP) Indigenous Partnerships Strategy and team, including: defining priorities and developing strategies; managing high-impact, strategic projects that achieve TNC’s freshwater and people outcomes; advising and serving as a thought partner with colleagues on projects and strategies involving Tribal water, Tribal policy, environmental flow restoration with Tribal Nation partners, or engaging Tribal Nation partners that are also engaged in TNC’s freshwater work; integrating Tribal strategies and goals into CRP’s broader policy efforts; managing the Tribal Water Fluency Training; informing and guiding CRP’s Tribal policy engagements; building connections to other BUs, Emerald Edge, Western Division, North America Region, and Global programs to elevate CRP's Tribal Water Initiative work as North America’s largest Indigenous People and Local Communities (IPLC) freshwater engagement; and increasing funding and support for CRP's Tribal Water Initiative through public and private fundraising.

The Program Manager will be a key point of contact with a wide range of public and private organizations and engage in support of public policy and outreach that supports the voice, choice, and action of Indigenous people including various government agencies, other conservation organizations, foundations, and the academic community – as pertains to Tribal Water Initiative efforts and projects. They establish the Conservancy as a major conservation partner with Tribal Nation partners, define conservation priorities in their area of responsibility, develop key partnerships with public & private organizations in order to identify and resolve relevant technical and policy issues and to widely communicate solutions and best practices. They negotiate complex and innovative solutions with government agencies and water managers to conserve and protect natural communities and develop and implement conservation strategies.

The Program Manager may supervise staff and lead and manage the work of other professionals and partners. This position reports to TNC CRP’s Conservation Director and works collaboratively with TNC programs at the multi-state, national and global levels, including TNC’s North America Indigenous Lands and Communities Program.

The Program Manager’s primary office may be located anywhere within the Colorado River Basin, or an area that uses Colorado River water, but they must be able to travel periodically within the Basin and work occasional nights and weekends in support of position duties. For candidates who wish to be located near an existing TNC office, there is a list of offices available on request.

RESPONSIBILITIES & SCOPE

• Supervise and manage 1-3 direct reports, including fellows and interns.

• Lead CRP’s Tribal Water Initiative team as well as cross-boundary project teams and external coalition teams. Includes managing budgets and being accountable for progress against strategic plan goals.

• Manage or advise on Colorado River Basin projects involving Tribal water, Tribal policy, environmental flow restoration with Tribal partners, or engaging Tribal Nation partners that are also engaged in TNC’s freshwater work and integrate Tribal projects into CRP’s broader strategies.

• Participate in and inform CRP’s Tribal policy engagements and integrate Tribal strategies and goals into CRP’s broader policy efforts.

• Manage CRP’s Tribal Water Fluency training.

• Participate in developing and executing fundraising strategies including direct donor interactions.

• Elevates the Colorado River Program and the Tribal Water Initiative within TNC’s North American Region, Western Division, and Global programs and leadership.

• In partnership with Development staff and CRP colleagues, writes and manages funding proposals, contracts, and grants for the Tribal Water Initiative in compliance with all required TNC SOPs and approval processes.

• Frequently makes independently strategic decisions based on analysis, experience, and context.

• Negotiates complex solutions with partners.

• Travel as required, evening and weekend hours.

• May work in variable weather conditions, at remote locations, on difficult and hazardous terrain, and under physically demanding circumstances.

• BA/BS degree in conservation, Indigenous studies, public policy or related field and 5 years of experience or equivalent combination of education and experience.

• Experience building relationships and working with multiple Indigenous nations, communities and organizations, and/or working with Indigenous nations, communities, and organizations on complex, cross-boundary projects or policy engagements.

• Experience managing complex or multiple projects, including staffing, workloads and finances, under deadlines.

• Supervisory experience, including motivating, leading, setting objectives and managing performance.

• Experience in partnership development with non-profit partners, community groups and/or government agencies.

DESIRED QUALIFICATIONS

• More than 5 years of experience in a relevant field, which would preferably include working on watershed health and river management issues in the Colorado River Basin or Western U.S. and/or working with Tribal government and/or Indigenous-led organizations.

• Established relationships with Indigenous nations, communities, and organizations in the Colorado River Basin.

• Experience communicating the priorities and interests of Indigenous nations, communities, and organizations to a variety of audiences, including decision-makers.

• Experience in Tribal food sovereignty, universal access to clean drinking water, Tribal climate resilience, Tribal community development, or Tribal economic development.

• Knowledge of relevant laws, treaties, and policies that affect Indigenous nations, communities, and organizations in the Colorado River Basin and/or the Western U.S.

• Demonstrated understanding of Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK), Tribal data sovereignty, and associated protocols for engagement.

• Experience identifying, developing, and delivering trainings and/or resources that support effective partnership with Indigenous nations, communities, and organizations.

• Knowledge of conservation and natural resource management issues in the Colorado River Basin and Western U.S.

• Experience developing and/or influencing public policies, plans and projects.

• Experience leading and managing complex and/or multiple projects with attention to budget, accountability, and timely outcomes.

• Experience with public or private fundraising

• Ability to communicate clearly via written, spoken, and graphical means.

Salary Information: