Nature United is a national organization committed to reimagining conservation across Canada. Our mission is to create solutions for people and nature by building diverse partnerships to protect lands and waters and to ensure nature is the foundation of healthy communities, economies and future opportunities. Our areas of focus are to advance sustainable management of lands and waters by supporting Indigenous leadership and authority and responsible resource use, and to harness the power of nature to address the climate crisis by advancing natural climate solutions.
Our organization is honored to work with many Indigenous partners. We recognize and respect the Indigenous Peoples of Canada—First Nations, Inuit and Métis Nations—as the original rights-holders of the lands and waters in Canada. We have an ongoing commitment to continue to strengthen our awareness of the history and enduring impacts of colonialism, and to build partnerships based on reconciliation, as well as respect, equity, open dialogue, integrity and mutual accountability.
As an affiliate of The Nature Conservancy (TNC), what we do is informed by the best global science and supported by the leadership of the world’s largest conservation organization. Nature United is headquartered in Toronto and builds on the Conservancy’s long history of conservation achievements in Canada.
Visit www.natureunited.ca and www.nature.org to learn more.
YOUR POSITION WITH TNC
The Interim Director of Strategic Partnerships leads the Strategic Partnerships program of Nature United. They provide leadership of corporate engagement, national and subnational government relations, and organizational management to deliver against Nature United’s conservation, funding and brand awareness goals.
With the launch of its new Natural Climate Solutions (NCS) program and continued history in supporting Indigenous-led conservation, stewardship, and economic development, Nature United is poised for significant growth over the next year. The Interim Director of Strategic Partnerships will play a critical role in advancing highly visible and influential government, corporate and NGO partnerships, leveraging:
- -Federal government commitment of $4 billion for NCS and planting 2 billion trees.
- Commitments by corporate leaders for net-zero emissions and deploying NCS in Canada.
- $20+ million Bezos Earth Fund grant for NCS in British Columbia.
- Ground-breaking NCS science led by Nature United/TNC launching in Spring 2021 followed by an ambitious corporate, government and Indigenous community awareness campaign.
This is a 12-month term position, with possible extension. Location is flexible.
ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS
The Interim Director of Strategic Partnerships will be responsible for:
- Leading Nature United’s strategic engagement of government and corporate sectors as well as engagement in national-scale NGO coalitions to advance organization-wide conservation, philanthropy, and communications objectives.
- Supervising the Senior Conservation Scientist, Corporate Engagement Manager, and Provincial Policy Advisor and managing contract lobbyist(s).
- Ensuring Strategic Partnership strategies and projects adhere to our principles of Being a Respectful Partner with Indigenous peoples and that Strategic Partnership approaches are fully integrated with the conservation, philanthropy, communications, and Leadership teams.
The Interim Director of Strategic Partnerships will work in close collaboration with conservation, fundraising, communications and Leadership teams, to advance the following strategies in support Nature United’s goals:
Government Relations
- Oversee engagement on federal government relations initiatives, including implementation of $4 billion NCS funding, 2 billion trees initiative, and other initiatives.
- Ensure Provincial Policy Advisor is successful in advancing government relations initiatives in priority geographies and representing Nature United on the Green Budget Coalition and other NGO collaborations.
- Liaise with the global organization on climate and biodiversity policy and initiatives.
Corporate Engagement
- Oversee implementation and refinement of new corporate engagement strategy, aligning with philanthropy, conservation and communications. With Corporate Engagement Manager:
- Advance pipeline of corporate practice partnerships.
- Ensure partnerships meet principles for working with Indigenous peoples.
- Develop internal procedures for managing corporate engagement opportunities across the organization.
Organizational Management
- Represent Strategic Partnerships on the Leadership Team.
- Supervise Corporate Engagement Manager, Provincial Policy Advisor and Senior Conservation Scientist.
- Coordinate with conservation, philanthropy, and communications to develop and track work plans and budgets.