Chesapeake Bay Program Director

Office Location:

The preferred location for this position is in a TNC office in Pennsylvania, Maryland, Delaware, or Virginia with the flexibility for working remotely a portion of the week.

Who We Are:

The Nature Conservancy’s mission is to protect the lands and waters upon which all life depends. As a science-based organization, we create innovative, on-the-ground solutions to our world’s toughest challenges so that we can create a world in which people and nature thrive. We’re rooted in our Mission and guided by our Values, which includes a Commitment to Diversity and Respect for People, Communities, and Cultures. Whether it’s career development, flexible schedules, or a rewarding mission, there’s lots of reasons to love life #insideTNC. Want a better insight to TNC? Check out our TNC Talent playlist on YouTube  or on Glassdoor.  

Our goal is to cultivate an inclusive work environment so that all our colleagues around the globe feel a sense of belonging, and that their unique contributions to our mission are valued. We know we’ll only achieve our Mission by hiring and engaging a diverse workforce that reflects the communities in which we work. In addition to the requirements in our postings, we recognize that people come with talent and experiences outside of a job. Diversity of experience and skills combined with passion is a key to innovation and a culture of inclusion! Please apply – we’d love to hear from you. To quote myriad TNC staff members, “you’ll join for our mission, and you’ll stay for our people.”

What We Can Achieve Together:

Join TNC’s Chesapeake Bay Program! Provide inspirational leadership to a highly functioning team that is working to restore a healthy Chesapeake Bay that supports over 3,700 species of plants and animals, thriving local communities, and sustainable industries such as fisheries, farming, and tourism. The Chesapeake Program Director will lead a team of colleagues working across the Chesapeake Bay watershed and coordinate the integration of TNC’s human and financial resources across multiple state borders to improve water quality and enhance and restore key Bay habitats. The Chesapeake Bay Program Director plays a key leadership role to support organizational effectiveness and excellence efforts to build a transparent, inclusive, and equitable culture with Maryland and D.C.’s Chesapeake Bay program. This role will lead and collaborate with program teams on incorporating and implementing equitable conservation principles into conservation work.

We’re Looking for You:

By joining TNC’s Chesapeake Bay Program, you will become part of a dedicated group of professionals who are among those leading the effort to advance agricultural sustainability and resilience, improved stormwater management, sustainably managed fisheries, and restoration of key Bay habitats including oyster reefs, wetlands, floodplains and streams across the Chesapeake Bay watershed. This is an exciting opportunity to build on existing efforts as well as develop and grow emerging strategies to catalyse and deliver meaningful conservation outcomes. We seek a Chesapeake Program Director who will complement and build on our team’s existing strengths by providing:  

Inspirational Leadership

• Continue to establish the Conservancy as a major conservation partner within the Chesapeake Bay Watershed
• Empower and motivate teams including at least 3 direct reports and a team of over 30 colleagues from across TNC chapters (PA/DE, MD/DC, VA), regional, and global teams to advance strategies and deliver conservation outcomes.
• Provide input and guidance to Executive Leadership that oversees the program (the State Directors of the PA/DE, MD/DC, and VA Chapters) on program accomplishments and needs.
• Negotiate complex and innovative solutions with government agencies, private businesses, and landowners to conserve and protect natural communities.
• Serve as the principle contact to government agencies, other conservation organizations, foundations, and the academic community to advance collective strategies and goals

Strategic Vision and Identification of Opportunities to Scale Outcomes

• Lead Chesapeake Program visioning, strategic planning, and alignment with other TNC programs at the chapter, division, and North America region level.
• Identify timely topics that may be “Key Topics” for TNC to engage in and developing corresponding strategies, and overseeing implementation.
• Work with TNC’s Policy and Government Relations colleagues, develop and implement a Policy Agenda for the Chesapeake Program.
• Make independent strategic decisions frequently based on analysis, experience, and judgment.

Effective Communication

• Develop a compelling communication strategy for internal and external audiences that integrates the collective efforts of the Chesapeake Program.
• Maintain communications with other TNC programs that touch down in the Chesapeake Bay
• Analyze policies and advocate for Bay Program efforts internally and externally.

Fundraising and Financial Management

• Raise private and public funds to support program efforts.
• Support donor identification, cultivation, and stewardship for the program.
• Manage program finances, including setting financial goals, annual budgeting, analyzing results, and taking corrective actions.

What You’ll Bring:

• BA/BS degree and 10 years’ experience in conservation practice or equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Fundraising experience, including identifying donor prospects and donor cultivation.
• Experience directing a major program or project of strategic importance, including management/supervision of multi-disciplinary teams and meeting deadlines.
• Experience implementing landscape scale strategies with tangible outcomes, preference in estuarine systems.
• Demonstrated leadership and visionary qualities and able to work effectively with and through others in a decentralized and geographically dispersed organization.
• Perspective as an equity-minded candidate focused on conservation issues who will thrive in an environment that is committed to advancing the principles of social equity and inclusion, and equal access to resources and opportunities.
• Knowledge of current trends and practices in relevant discipline(s) and geographic regions.
• Supervisory experience, including motivating, leading, setting objectives and managing performance.
• Partnership development experience with non-profit partners, community groups and/or government agencies.
• Experience negotiating contracts.
• Familiarity with advocacy and influencing, developing and implementing conservation policy and plans at scale.
• Experience with financial management and oversight of a large program.
• Project management experience.

What We Bring:

Since 1951, The Nature Conservancy has been doing work you can believe in protecting the lands and waters that all life depends on. Through grassroots action, TNC has grown to become one of the most effective and wide-reaching environmental organizations in the world. Thanks to more than 1 million members, over 400 scientists, and the dedicated efforts of our diverse staff, we impact conservation throughout the world!

The Nature Conservancy offers a competitive, comprehensive benefits package including: health care benefits, flexible spending accounts, 401(k) plan including employer match, parental leave, accrued paid time off, life insurance, disability coverage, employee assistance program, other life and work wellbeing benefits. Learn more about our benefits at in the Culture Tab on nature.org/careers.

We’re proud to offer a work-environment that is supportive of the health, wellbeing, and flexibility needs of the people we employ!