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Go DeeperClimate Change Team About The Nature Conservancy Careers at The Nature Conservancy |
Senior Policy Advisor, Climate and Forests
JOB TITLE: SENIOR POLICY ADVISOR – CLIMATE AND FORESTS
JOB FAMILY: External Affairs/Government Relations
JOB NUMBER: 750002
SALARY GRADE: 9
FLSA STATUS: Exempt
LOCATION: Worldwide Office, Arlington, VA
ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:
The Senior Policy Advisor supports The Nature Conservancy’s conservation goals by working with a multi-disciplinary climate change team, other staff within the Conservancy, and outside partners to advance approaches to reduce emissions from deforestation and increase sequestration of carbon in forests and other landscapes in the context of U.S. climate policies. She/he will develop, coordinate and implement a strategy to further this objective through direct interaction with Congress, U.S. government agencies, stakeholders, the media, Conservancy donors and trustees, and various governmental and intergovernmental bodies.
The Senior Policy Advisor will provide expert policy analysis, assist in developing the Conservancy’s positions on policy proposals, develop communication materials and work with field staff and other members of the Conservancy’s climate change team and U.S. and International Government Relations Departments to reach out to internal and external parties to advocate these positions. The Senior Policy Advisor will coordinate with counterparts in the Conservation Strategy Division, the Conservancy’s operating units around the world, and the larger professional community to extract useful lessons and experience and use them to inform the Conservancy’s advocacy work on forest and climate policy. She/he will keep leaders throughout the organization abreast of U.S. policy developments and coordinate on joint policy approaches. She/he will participate in developing and directing a research agenda that will support the Conservancy’s conservation and climate mitigation objectives in the context of U.S. policy discussions. The Senior Policy Advisor will support the work of the broader climate change team by assisting with proposal writing and donor cultivation as needed.
ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS SPECIFIC TO THIS POSITION:
• Develop and advance a focused U.S. climate change policy strategy to promote the creation of financial mechanisms to reduce global emissions of greenhouse gases from deforestation and support efforts to sequester carbon through reforestation and enhanced forest conservation and management.
• Represent the Conservancy in partnerships with other NGOs and companies to advance the forest carbon agenda in U.S. climate legislation.
• Build understanding and capacity within the Conservancy, and provide strategic advice and support to the Conservancy field offices, to effectively advance Conservancy activities in the space of forest carbon.
• Educate policy makers and opinion leaders on the climate mitigation opportunities presented by forest carbon activities and well-designed policies to promote them.
• Through coordination with experts across the Conservancy and in other organizations, lead the development of expertise on key technical and policy questions, and bring this expertise to bear in designing the next generation of forest carbon policies.
KNOWLEDGE/SKILLS:
• Master’s degree and 4-6 years of senior relevant experience in public policy, environmental policy, forestry or other relevant field; or Ph.D. or other advanced degree and equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Expert knowledge of current trends in climate policy as it relates to forest conservation.
• Demonstrated experience conceiving and implementing strategic initiatives.
• Strong network within the climate policy and/or forestry communities, with relevant U.S. and international policymaking bodies (e.g., Congress, federal agencies), including contacts within industry, the financial/carbon markets community, and non-governmental organizations.
• Experience with the U.S. legislative and rulemaking processes.
• Strong written and verbal communications skills.
• Demonstrated strong project management skills.
• Experience researching and analyzing information from divergent sources and writing policy position papers.
• Ability to meet deadlines and manage time and diverse activities.
• Some familiarity with international climate negotiations desirable.
• Demonstrated experience in MS Office, Word, and Excel. Ability to use advanced computer functions including navigating the Internet. Ability to manipulate, analyze and interpret data.
• Proven organizational skills and attention to detail.
COMPLEXITY/PROBLEM SOLVING:
• Diagnoses complex problems and identifies creative solutions.
• Cultivates the creative ideas of others to identify potential solutions. Experiments to find creative solutions – thinks outside the box.
• Designs, implements, and directs complex and diverse projects, encompassing multiple programs and coordinating the work of other professionals inside and outside the organization. Incorporates cross-disciplinary knowledge to support program objectives.
• Negotiates complex high profile or sensitive agreements.
DISCRETION/LATITUDE/DECISION-MAKING:
• Exercise independent judgement. Work affords significant opportunity to act independently on assigned tasks.
• Duties are performed under minimal supervision.
• Act in supervisor’s stead when instructed.
RESPONSIBILITY/OVERSIGHT – FINANCIAL AND SUPERVISORY:
• Responsibility and accountability for meeting departmental strategic goals and objectives.
• May serve as a team leader for assigned projects; may require gaining cooperation of team over whom there is no direct supervisory authority.
• Supervises no staff but help plan and direct the work of volunteers, interns and junior staff.
• May assist with program budget preparation and monitoring.
COMMUNICATIONS/INTERPERSONAL CONTACTS:
• Communicates professionally with a wide variety of people of different cultures for the purpose of developing, negotiating and/or advocating policy positions.
• Strong communications and presentation skills. Ability to prepare and present project proposals and negotiate with federal, bilateral and multilateral agencies to achieve program goals. Ability to persuasively convey the mission of TNC to diverse groups including key legislators, government officials, Conservancy trustees and others who are critical to the Conservancy’s overall advocacy strategies.
• Develops constructive and effective working relationships inside and outside the Conservancy.
• Writes and edits policy papers, presentations and promotional materials.
• Work and communicate with a wide range of people – Conservancy trustees and staff, government officials, community leaders, the press, partner organizations, the public, program leadership, donors, and others.
• Consistently demonstrate professional, positive, and approachable attitude/demeanor and discretion.
• Good team-playing skills, including diligence, creativity, good personality, and a healthy sense of humor.
• Work in partnership with other organizations in a collaborative and advisory capacity.
• Effectively directs and or participates in complex negotiations.
WORKING CONDITIONS/PHYSICAL EFFORT:
• Willingness to travel up to 10-25% of time, including on short notice.
• Work requires only minor physical exertion and/or physical strain. Work environment involves only infrequent exposure to disagreeable elements.
TO APPLY:
Submit cover letter and resume by May 23, 2008 to climatejobs@tnc.org. Please include job title in subject line of email
