The Manager will connect staff internally to sustain a system-level perspective for the Mississippi River as it relates to TNC’s 2030 Goals, especially with regard to science, policy and communications. This includes supporting members of the leadership group and others to collaborate efficiently and effectively around these topics, and serving as an internal and external point of contact for TNC’s work on the Mississippi River.

The Manager supports internal engagement on emerging conservation initiatives, coordinates and manages the flow of work among staff leaders, supports leaders and project teams in the identification and development of key performance indicators and metrics, and reports to key stakeholders on progress towards achieving priority goals.

The Manager partners with leaders in the leadership group to strategically assess opportunities and determine the most effective manner to participate and represent TNC and the program internally and externally as necessary. The Administrator develops a strong internal network to match external relationships and partnerships with the right internal leader, handing off requests quickly to the best lead or representative. They connect our leaders and ensure we’re responding to existing and emerging strategic external opportunities.

The Manager synthesizes information to support fundraising requests or influence key internal priorities, and they can convey compelling stories about our work across this basin that inspires donors and partners. The Manager will support development staff with stories and information about the Mississippi River, and they may meet directly with interested donors.

The Manager connects with the broad community of staff working within the Mississippi River system and helps them understand how their work fits into the larger agenda for the river and TNC’s 2030 Goals. The Manager is cautious about time spent in meetings, so looks to create essential connections and communications. The Manager may host a “river rally” to bring together all who “touch” this system every two years or so.

The Manager works in partnership with a finance manager, marketing lead and other functional positions, and supervises the program administration team. The Manager leverages resources from other parts of the organization and finds ways to connect and embed the knowledge and experience gained at the Mississippi River Program level into the funding and strategic work of divisions, regional programs, and more, and to strongly communicate how all this fits together and transcends the parts to achieve our 2030 Goals.

RESPONSIBILITIES & SCOPE

• Support the development of a Mississippi River science team in sharing systems level scientific information that influences internal and external priority setting;
• Support successful collaboration of the Mississippi River policy team in identifying and pursuing opportunities to influence federal, state and local policies that affect the system;
• Support a marketing and communications team in developing and sharing a comprehensive story about TNC’s efforts to simultaneously protect the Mississippi River and advance our 2030 Goals in a manner that supports fundraising, policy, and partner engagement;
• Support the collaboration among teams working in the upper and lower Mississippi River systems on protection and restoring natural infrastructure in the 100-year floodplain, and enable a system-level perspective on how this work integrates to make a strong contribution to helping people and nature thrive in the Mississippi River and advance TNC’s 2030 Goals;
• Support the connection between NA Agriculture Program and the Mississippi River Program to ensure systems-level work in regenerative agriculture remains a key part of the Mississippi River story;
• Integrate all the above in an efficient and essential manner by connecting an internal network of staff working in the Mississippi River system, helping them to see the system level context in which they are working, and enabling internal engagement and collaboration among divisions as needed to deliver complex conservation and organizational strategies;
• Act independently with a high level of organizational agility, and exercise independent judgment to identify and solve problems early to enable efficient and effective communications and collaboration that is nimble and adaptive to changing internal and external demands;
• Support division conservation managers in preparing reports that informs priority setting, tracks progress and informs portfolio reviews, and which measures and analyzes program effectiveness when necessary;
• Support fundraising by developing and providing information to fundraisers so they can convey compelling stories about our work across the Mississippi River system that inspires donors and partners, and possibly meet directly with interested donors;
• Serve as external contact for the Mississippi River system and work with the leadership group to assess opportunities and determine whether and how to participate and represent TNC and the program internally and externally as necessary;
• Match external relationships and partnerships with the right internal leader, handing off requests quickly to the best lead or representative.
• May supervise one or more administrative or professional staff, including training and professional development;
• Travel occasionally, working long and flexible hours as needed;
• Work environment involves only infrequent exposure to disagreeable elements and minor physical exertion and/or strain;
• Work is diversified and may not always fall under established practices and guidelines;
• Work within scope of program’s strategic goals.