Regional Collaboration Project Manager

Posted Date: August 6, 2024
Position Closing Date: August 30, 2024
Location: Colorado Springs
Job Type: Full-Time, Exempt
Salary: $80,000

Project Background

Palmer Land Conservancy, The Trust for Public Land, and The Nature Conservancy recently launched the SOAR initiative – Security, Open Space and Agricultural Resilience. Through this joint venture, the organizations are partnering with military installations in the region to achieve significant on-the-ground land conservation.  One primary role of the partnership is to raise the capital necessary to conserve 80,000 acres of high-priority lands; to do that, a Sentinel Landscape Designation is critical.

Sentinel Landscapes are the product of a multi-federal agency effort to collaboratively manage areas where conservation, working lands, and national defense interests converge. Sentinel Landscapes are anchored by at least one high-value military installation or range and contain high-priority lands for USDA, DOD, and DOI. El Paso, Pueblo, and Fremont Counties in Colorado have numerous high-valued Federal assets that require strengthened resilience. A Sentinel Designation will attract additional federal resources towards the SOAR Initiative to conserve those high-priority lands to avoid incompatible development near military installations for national security and ecological significance In addition, it will allow over 30 local organizations and government agencies to gain access to federal funds to increase the region’s resilience to wildfires, drought, and other extreme weather events.

The Opportunity

The Regional Collaboration Project Manager will join the Palmer team and work on behalf of the SOAR partnership to establish a Sentinel Landscape Designation in this three-county area.  This position will build and implement a regional conservation vision that prioritizes sustainable land management, military readiness, preservation of natural resources, agricultural productivity, recreation, and climate change resilience.

The Role

The Regional Collaboration Project Manager will assume leadership over the Sentinel Landscape Designation project, helming the initiative from the current partnership-building phase to the submission of the Expression of Interest (due July 2025) and Full Proposal in winter 2025. The Expression of Interest requires collaboration with multiple local, state, and federal community partners. The Project Manager will become intimately familiar with project opportunities and application steps to execute each phase in collaboration with identified partners. 

Applicants should possess the vision, knowledge, and leadership skills necessary to lead the community effort to apply for and establish a Sentinel Landscape Designation in the Pikes Peak Region.  The ideal candidate is an experienced project manager, skilled at collaborating with multiple partners on a shared goal.  This position will competently represent the organization in interactions with our non-profit partners, funders, and government partners.  Demonstrated experience working with the Department of Defense and/or other federal agencies and a strong background in landscape conservation, ecology, or a related field is preferred.

Primary Responsibilities

Project Management
  • Become deeply familiar with the criteria and application process for Sentinel Landscape Designations. Set, track, and meet deadlines.
  • Build a vision for the project that encompasses SOAR’s strategic goals and the Sentinel Landscape mission; Identify the co-benefits a Sentinel Designation in this area would provide that meet the Sentinel Landscapes Partnerships’ criteria.
  • Craft an Expression of Interest that reflects a cohesive vision of the Sentinel Landscape and capacity to carry out the project from designation to stewardship. Build the community partnerships necessary for the Expression of Interest.
  • Build a Full Proposal that competently outlines how Palmer and our partners will establish and implement a Sentinel Designation and the strong co-benefits such a designation offers for the Defense installations and local community.
  • Ensure the project aligns with the SOAR initiative to conserve 80,000 acres of land surrounding military installations.
  • Ensure that all projects and services comply with applicable policies, procedures, and best practices of the Palmer Board, State of Colorado, Land Trust Alliance, etc.
Partnership Building
  • Cultivate deep and meaningful relationships with key funding partners – both public and private – to advance critical conservation initiatives.
  • Cultivate strong working relationships with agency partners at the Department of Defense and conservation non-profit partners.
  • Build support within the community for the project; Craft an engaging and compelling project narrative to share with stakeholders, including funders, community partners, and Palmer’s Board of Trustees.
Desired Qualifications
  • Demonstrated commitment to land and water conservation and the values of the nonprofit sector. Informed passion and sense of urgency for conservation in southern Colorado
  • Bachelor's degree in a relevant field (e.g. conservation, environmental science, public policy). A master's degree or J.D. is preferred.
  • Three plus years of project management experience; the ability to set and meet deadlines and deliver results and clear program outcomes. Proven experience in conservation, water, real estate, land use planning, defense, or a related field preferred.
  • Ability to motivate, lead, set objectives, and manage staff, contractors, and partners.
  • Strong communication skills; superb writing and editing ability; demonstrated experience as an effective public speaker; and demonstrated cultural competency.
  • Entrepreneurial spirit and drive; an eye for creative opportunities tied to a commitment to accountability and results.
  • Excellent relationship builder and steward; ability to establish, sustain, and strengthen relationships with public and private funders, regulators, partners, and public officials.
  • Experience and a proven ability to develop dynamic and complex community conservation initiatives for impact.
Other Requirements
  • Valid driver’s license
  • Physical demands may involve:
    • Lifting materials and equipment – including, but not limited to, office supplies, event supplies, and boxes of swag – up to 25 pounds.
    • Working in variable weather conditions at remote locations on rugged and hazardous terrain and under physically demanding circumstances.

Compensation and Benefits

This is a grant-funded, full-time exempt position. Palmer Land Conservancy offers full-time employees competitive benefits, including:

  • Robust employer-sponsored health care package which includes medical, dental, and vision benefits
  • Retirement plan with company contribution
  • Employer-paid long-term disability
  • Generous Paid Time Off, including 13 Holidays

Organization Overview

Palmer Land Conservancy (Palmer) is one of Colorado's leading nonprofit land conservation organizations. Its mission is to protect land and water for the wellbeing of nature and people. Since its founding in 1977, the organization has protected 138,000 acres, including 20 public parks and open spaces, working farms and ranches, wildlife habitat, and scenic views. Palmer is one of the country's twenty largest land conservation organizations based upon conserved acreage holdings (there are approximately 1,700 land trusts in the United States), and it is one of the country’s first 100 nationally accredited land trusts. Its main office is in downtown Colorado Springs and has staff located throughout its service area. More info available at palmerland.org.

Culture and Values

The Colorado Springs Gazette named Palmer one of the 2022 Best Workplaces. Palmer’s leadership values a culture of generosity, trust, and dedication to conservation. The work environment is goal-based, and work plans and performance are focused on identifying and achieving attainable but ambitious objectives on a quarterly timeline. This is not a micro-managing environment; rather, employees are trusted to get their work done with a high level of personal responsibility.

Palmer Land Conservancy strives to be an inclusive and equitable place to work.  We welcome candidates with diverse backgrounds and/or multicultural skillsets and experiences, therefore Black, Indigenous, and People of Color, veterans, people with disabilities, and LGBTQIA candidates are strongly encouraged to apply. The list of desired qualifications is aspirational; we are open to the possibility that a great candidate for this job may not precisely meet all of the above criteria; if you believe you are the right person for this job and can persuasively make that case, we encourage you to apply.

How to Apply: The position is open until Aug. 30, and interviews with selected candidates will be held on a rolling basis as applications are submitted. Applicants should submit 1) a cover letter, 2) resume, and 3) list of three references by e-mail to: [email protected] with the subject line: Sentinel. References will not be contacted unless you are selected for a final interview.

Frequently cited statistics show that women and people from underrepresented groups apply to jobs only if they think they meet 100% of the criteria. If you meet many but not all the criteria and feel you may be a good fit for the role, Palmer Land Conservancy encourages you to apply.