World Wildlife Fund (WWF), one of the world’s leading conservation organizations, seeks a Sustainable Ranching Initiative Senior Specialist, Montana

Major Function

World Wildlife Fund (WWF), one of the world’s leading conservation organizations, seeks a Senior Specialist for the Sustainable Ranching Initiative, based out of Montana. The Senior Specialist provides technical expertise to develop, prioritize, and coordinate private-land conservation projects for WWF’s Sustainable Ranching Initiative (SRI). The Senior Specialist will manage relationships with local ranchers, rancher-led collaboratives and agricultural communities, being the primary point of contact for SRI in the region. The Senior Specialist will also assist with fundraising proposals, individual project management, event coordination, and communications.

Salary: The expected compensation range for this position is $82,300 – $102,900

• Implement conservation programs designed to restore and protect grasslands, and assist ranchers and local collaboratives in pursuing their land-management goals.

• Conduct outreach with landowners in central and eastern Montana to inform them of WWF programs and identify participants who may be a good fit for WWF’s programs.

• Assist local collaboratives by providing technical assistance, support in fundraising and project evaluation efforts, and offering expertise and guidance to partner-driven strategic planning efforts.

• Act as the primary organizational contact with ranches in the region by building relationships to better understand individual needs and assessing opportunities to pursue additional resources for ranch sustainability.

• Support the SRI team and collaboratives with strategic planning at the landscape scale to identify and address conservation challenges such as declining wildlife populations, at-risk grassland habitats, drought resiliency, ranch viability and transition planning, food-chain transparency, ranch infrastructure, and public perceptions of food production.

• Build and maintain relationships with local and regional ranching partner organizations and government agencies like Winnett ACES, Eastern Montana Regenerative Agriculture, BLM, NRCS, USFWS, and others. Coordinate with individual ranches on the implementation, monitoring, and reporting for projects intended to restore grasslands and improve grassland management across Montana, including tracking progress in conjunction with the SRI and science team.

• Support the SRI team with strategic planning for landscape-level grassland conservation, partner engagement, program communication, public and stakeholder education, technology transfer, metric evaluation and reporting, and other relevant topics.

• Communicate results to local and regional audiences through a variety of channels including public speaking and published writings and provide perspective and technical insights to the SRI team as needed/requested. In coordination with the SRI team, assist in fundraising, including providing content for proposals and reporting on progress.

• This position may allow for leadership and staff management responsibilities based on performance, and applicants with this experience are encouraged to indicate as such.

• Other responsibilities, as needed and assigned.

Key Competencies

1. Interpersonal and Communication Skills: Communicates effectively with other people, both internally amongst SRI and WWF colleagues, and externally to funders, ranchers, organizational partners, and the public; adapts communication style to the appropriate audience, and understands the value of different communication and behavioral styles
2. Innovation and Strategic Thinking: Understands the importance of and distinction between long-term organizational strategic plans and annual work plans, and is capable of projecting forwards to assist in development of the SRI program for the next 5 years; able to distinguish clearly between current strategies and prospective strategies, weigh the value of each, suggest and implement adaptations for current strategies, and initialize new projects/workstreams when appropriate”
3. Independence and Initiative: Thinks proactively about how to advance both personal workplan and the strategic plans of the SRI and NGP teams; pursues and manages workstreams independently of external input when appropriate; adapts to situations where making progress demands both independent and team-based strategies, and understands the strengths and weaknesses of both approaches
4. Collaboration and Inclusion: Fosters a culture of collaboration both internally with WWF and SRI colleagues, and externally with ranching and organizational partners
5. Time management and accountability: Establishes and re-evaluates work plan and short-term goals proactively; thinks adaptively about personal and organizational workload and delegation amongst colleagues; implements measures to consistently track and managed multiple workstreams and tasks simultaneously and over long periods of time

• The ideal candidate would have between 6 and 8 years of experience in program management, biodiversity conservation, natural resources management or range management.

• Requires a bachelor’s degree in a relevant field, such as natural resources management, environmental science, or conservation policy. A graduate degree with applied experience in a related field may substitute for some years of experience.

• Frequent travel within central and eastern Montana will be required to perform the duties of this position. During the growing season up to 50% of time spent traveling should be expected, with up to 25% of time expected in the winter months.

• Experience working with ranchers and agricultural communities is required.

• Experience working with Native Nations, particularly in the context of agricultural production, is preferred.

• Knowledge of Northern Great Plains, and specifically Montana is required.

• Demonstrated technical writing skills are required, as evidenced by examples of land management plans.

• Experience working with other organizations and agencies in the NGP is preferred.

• Experience administering or coordinating ranch assistance programs, such as educational events or conservation and restoration projects is preferred.

• Demonstrated fundraising skills and grant management experience are preferred, as evidenced by examples of fundraising proposals and/or awards.

• Excellent interpersonal skills and the ability to exercise good judgement. Willingness and ability to think outside the box, be innovative, and work with ranchers and a diverse audience of stakeholders and land managers.

• Ability to work independently, as well as with a team.

• Excellent organizational and project management skills.

• Excellent communication skills, both one-on-one and in a group setting.

• Ability to take initiative and pro-actively advance workstreams and strategic goals.

• Committed to building and strengthening a culture of inclusion within and across teams.

• Identifies and aligns with WWF’s core values:
  • COURAGE – We demonstrate courage through our actions, we work for change where it’s needed, and we inspire people and institutions to tackle the greatest threats to nature and the future of the planet, which is our home.
  • INTEGRITY – We live the principles we call on others to meet. We act with integrity, accountability and transparency, and we rely on facts and science to guide us and to ensure that we learn and evolve.
  • RESPECT – We honor the voices and knowledge of people and communities that we serve, and we work to secure their rights to a sustainable future.
  • COLLABORATION – We deliver impact at the scale of the challenges we face through the power of collective action and innovation.

Non-negotiable: This position is remote, but must be based out of central or eastern Montana.

WWF is committed to maintaining a safe and healthy workplace and requires all US-based staff to be fully vaccinated for COVID-19. WWF will consider requests for accommodation from the vaccine requirement based on disability, medical contraindication, sincerely held religious belief, or any other category protected by federal, state, or local law.

To Apply:

• Submit cover letter and resume through our Careers Page, Requisition #25004
• Due to the high volume of applications we are not able to respond to inquiries via phone

As an EOE/AA employer, WWF will not discriminate in its employment practices due to an applicant’s race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, marital status, genetic information, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, disability, or protected Veteran status. WWF values diversity and inclusion and welcomes diverse candidates to apply.