Engagement Consultant

YOUR POSITION WITH TNC

Housed within The Nature Conservancy’s Resilient Watersheds Strategy, the Nature for Water Facility (‘N4W’) is a technical assistance platform that provides hand-in-hand support to local champions seeking to develop watershed investment programs. N4W aims to enable 50+ ‘lighthouse landscapes’ by 2030 via a mixture of pro-bono and fee-for-service partnerships. For additional background on the program please see the About, Services, and Portfolio sections of the N4W website.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

The Engagement Consultant (EC) works with Local Partners, Science Leads, and Engagement Managers to support multidisciplinary teams of internal and external experts that are staffed to deliver watershed investment programs in various geographic contexts. The EC will assist multiple concurrent teams and drive analysis relating to program evaluation and structuring, including developing Return on Investment (ROI) analyses, developing governance structures, and evaluating funding strategies.

ECs assist the Engagement Manager in planning, executing, and monitoring project activities while enabling effective communication among team members and external stakeholders. Under the guidance of the Engagement Manager, they can variously support and/or own workstreams, in the process meticulously analyzing data, preparing reports, and contributing to the development of practical solutions. Their dedication and focus ensure the timely and high-quality delivery of engagement outputs. ECs usually have an estimated 30% FTE commitment per project, and balance 2-3 projects at any given time, however this dedication can vary depending on each project-specific scope.

The position is fully-remote and can be based in Europe or Africa where TNC is registered as a Non-Government Organization. This is a 2-year, term-limited position, with opportunities for extension based on funding availability. 

RESPONSIBILITIES & SCOPE

• Project Support and Coordination: ECs assist Engagement Managers by helping organize project timelines, tasks, and resources. ECs ensure that project milestones are met by tracking progress, coordinating team efforts, and monitoring overall budgets / level of effort.
• Workstream Delivery: EC’s are responsible for delivery of socio-economic workstreams such as economics / finance, governance, and community engagement. Aspects that ECs are likely to be involved with for projects include:

• Data Analysis and Reporting: Analyze quantitative and qualitative data to derive insights that inform project strategies. Prepare comprehensive reports that summarize findings and recommendations for stakeholders.
• Research and Knowledge Gathering: Conduct thorough research on relevant topics (IPLC, gender, industry trends, and best practices). Compile findings into actionable insights that support project planning and execution.
• Analytical Synthesis: Manage and deliver work products related to financial modeling, cost-benefit analysis, governance evaluation, sustainable funding evaluation.
• Problem Solving: Act as a partner to the Engagement Manager and broader project team to identify project-related challenges and collaborate with team members to develop effective solutions. Employ critical thinking skills to address issues promptly and efficiently.
• Stakeholder Communication: Act as a liaison between the internal team and external stakeholders, facilitating discussions and ensuring that all parties are informed and engaged throughout the project lifecycle.
• Presentation Support: Help create engaging presentations and materials for meetings with stakeholders. Ensure that presentations effectively convey project objectives, findings, and recommendations.
• Documentation Support: Support Engagement Managers in maintaining organized and up-to-date project documentation, including meeting notes, status reports, and project plans.
• Contracting Support: Manage contract vendors, including issuing terms of reference, managing contractor workflows, and ensuring the integrity of final outputs.
• Information Flow: Manage flows of information between the project team and external parties, carefully noting which items have been received or are outstanding, and understanding the potential impact on the project if these items are not received.

• Knowledge Management: Collaborate with the knowledge management staff of the Nature for Water Facility team to refine standard processes, procedures, and templates over time.
• May require frequent travel (up to 15%) domestically and/or internationally.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

• Bachelor’s degree in Economics, Environmental Science, Business Science, Resource Management, Engineering or related field and 3 years of related experience or equivalent combination.   
• Experience supporting complex projects and strategic initiatives in an unstructured environment.
• Analytical and project management experience. 
• Experience with spoken and written English.

DESIRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Multi-language skills and multicultural experiences are highly desired (in particular, Spanish, French, or Portuguese)
• Post-graduate degree in an appropriate field, including (but not limited to) Business, Environmental or Natural Resource Economics, Engineering (Civil or Environmental), Environmental Sciences.
• Experience facilitating diverse stakeholders.
• Experience in project finance and/or consultancy settings
• Experience in Nature Based Solutions project design and implementation.
• Strong team player who can build relationships and work collaboratively across the organization and with partners.
• Willingness to learn and develop expertise in handling multiple concurrent projects efficiently and effectively.

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 include respect for all people, communities, and cultures. Whether it’s career development, flexible schedules, or a rewarding mission, there’s many reasons to love life inside TNC. Want a better insight to TNC? Check out our TNC Talent playlist on YouTube   to hear stories from staff or visit  Glassdoor.

One 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. In addition to the requirements in our job postings, we recognize that people come with talent and experiences outside of a job and consider each applicant’s unique experience. Please apply – we’d love to hear from you. To quote a popular saying at TNC, “you’ll join for the mission, and stay for the people.”

Since 1951, TNC has been doing work you can believe in. Through grassroots action, we have grown from a small non-profit into 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 and partners, we impact conservation around the world! 
TNC offers competitive and comprehensive benefits packages tailored to the individual countries where we work. These may include health care benefits, retirement benefits, parental leave, paid time off, life insurance, and disability coverage as well as an employee assistance program and other life and well-being benefits. Learn more about our Benefits and Perks here.
We’re proud to offer a flexible work environment that supports the health and well-being of the people we employ.

Our recruiting process includes a rolling interview process to ensure we engage applicants in a timely manner. This means we may review applications in the order in which they are received. Once a strong candidate pool is identified, the role will be unposted. The timeline may vary depending on the expressed interest in the role, so we highly encourage candidates to apply as soon as possible.

Employees must submit their application by logging into Workday and applying via the Jobs Hub.

The Nature Conservancy is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Our commitment to equal employment opportunity includes the recognition that our conservation mission is best advanced by the leadership and contributions of people of all backgrounds, beliefs, and culture. Recruiting and mentoring staff to create an inclusive organization is a priority, and we encourage applicants from all cultures, races, colors, religions, sexes, national or regional origins, ages, disability status, sexual orientation, gender identity, military, protected veteran status or other status protected by law.
The successful applicant must meet the requirements of The Nature Conservancy's background screening process.
TNC is committed to offering accommodations for qualified individuals with disabilities and disabled veterans in our job application process. If you need assistance or an accommodation due to a disability, please send a note to [email protected]  with Request for Accommodation in the subject line.