Midwest Program Manager

The Alliance’s Midwest Program offers an exciting opportunity to play a leadership role in the delivery of exceptional programming and support to further strengthen land trust capacity, advance equitable conservation outcomes, and increase the sector’s impact. The successful candidate must have working knowledge or previous experience working with land trusts and the ability to build and sustain close, working relationships with diverse stakeholders in the context of complex regional conservation and land use issues. Coordinating with member organizations, state associations and other key partners is an essential responsibility, to strengthen the land trust community in the region.

The Midwest Program Manager reports to the Eastern Division Director of Field Programs and is primarily responsible for developing, managing and delivering Alliance programs and services to strengthen and support more than 130 Alliance member land trusts in Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Ohio and Wisconsin. The person in this role is responsible for identifying the needs of the land trust community in the region, developing new and/or strengthening existing programs to meet these needs, and delivering and evaluating a suite of related tools and resources to land trusts, such as training and mentoring, one-on-one technical coaching and assistance, peer networks, targeted capacity building, and financial assistance through grantmaking. The Program Manager will manage consultants and work with partners to develop and deliver training and will have demonstrated knowledge and experience in such areas as strategic planning, fundraising, climate change, community conservation and strategic conservation planning.

The Midwest Program Manager also plays an essential role as part of the Eastern Division Field Programs team and will work collaboratively with other regional Program Managers and the Easten Division Director to design and deliver cross regional programs. The full-time position requires 37.5 hours per week with approximate travel of 20%, including some evenings and weekends.

Specific Responsibilities:

• Land Trust Relationships: Develop and sustain relationships with Alliance member land trusts and partners in the region through regular face to face visits, zoom meetings, and emails. Respond to inquiries and requests for assistance in a timely manner. This includes providing direct services for land trust staff and boards of directors, and making recommendations about organizational development, strategic collaboration and mergers, risk management, climate change, community-centered conservation and technical issues based on Land Trust Standards and Practices.

• Program Development and Implementation: Help set a strategic vision for the Alliance’s work with the land trust community in the region and manage all elements of day-to-day implementation. Develop, implement, and evaluate organizational development programs, including grantmaking programs (as funding is available) and training and technical assistance programs at various levels of organizational growth to help land trusts build strong enduring organizations.

• State Land Trust Associations & Landscape Scale Partnerships: Sustain and grow partnerships with the state and regional land conservation partners to collaboratively advance programs focused on land trust support and to identify, investigate and elevate key conservation issues that are emerging in the field.

• Trainings: Lead or assist other Alliance staff and partners to implement training and networking programs. This includes developing new trainings that reflect known training needs in conjunction with Alliance staff and experienced practitioners, assisting with the design of new and efficient ways to deliver trainings to land trusts, and evaluating topics, speakers and locations for training events. This also includes participating in and leading trainings at state and regional land trust conferences.

• Fundraising: Partner with the Eastern Division Director and Alliance development staff in identifying and cultivating relationships with key foundations, corporations, individuals, and public agencies, conducting research, and writing development proposals and reports. Help foster a culture of philanthropy throughout the Alliance.

• Communications: Work with the Alliance Communications team to design and implement communications strategies to advance land conservation success and assist in coordinating internal and external communications to engage a broader community in land conservation. This will include developing and submitting articles for Alliance publications, Field Notes (e-newsletter), the Alliance website, and other external outlets.

• Ambassadorship: Represent the Alliance as a spokesperson at select conferences, events, coalition meetings, land trust gatherings and other venues as warranted. Communicate the Alliance’s strategic priorities in adherence with messaging approved by the executive management team that presents a coherent, united organization.

• Budget Management: Works collaboratively with the Eastern Division Director, Finance and Development departments, and other program staff to ensure sound budget management, reporting, and grant stewardship. Actively manage the budget for funding dedicated to the region served by the position.

• Administrative: Lead or assist with grant program administration, evaluation of grant proposals, meeting logistics, mailings, accounting, reporting and other administrative responsibilities as needed or assigned.