Landscape-Scale Restoration Manager

The Nature Conservancy

$75K — $86K *
US-AnywhereRemote in Washington, DC
Education, Government & Non-Profit
5 - 7 years of experience
Job Overview by Ladders

Qualifications

  • BA/BS degree and 5 years' experience in conservation, forestry, fire, natural resources, landscape restoration, or a related field.
  • Experience managing complex or multiple projects with strict deadlines.
  • Familiarity with federal land management systems like the U.S. Forest Service.
  • Proven negotiation skills for contracts and agreements in natural resource projects.
  • Experience forging partnerships with Tribes and governmental agencies.
  • Excellent communication skills for diverse audiences.

Responsibilities

  • Leads landscape-scale restoration initiatives for forest health and wildfire resilience.
  • Identifies and resolves implementation bottlenecks with partners and contracts.
  • Advances federal restoration projects through necessary contracts and agreements.
  • Builds lasting relationships with Tribes, agencies, and community stakeholders.
  • Ties NEPA-ready opportunities to on-the-ground restoration efforts.
  • Oversees agreements, scopes of work, and budget tracking for projects.
  • Applies ecological and community context for effective restoration planning.

Benefits

  • Flexible work location within the dry forest region of Central Washington.
  • Occasional travel throughout Washington State and other locations in the U.S.
  • Opportunities to work in diverse and challenging environments.
Full Job Description
What We Can Achieve Together:

The Landscape-Scale Restoration Manager leads one of the most ambitious forest and fire restoration efforts underway in Washington State's dry forests. This role focuses on advancing equitable, climate-resilient cross-boundary restoration from planning through implementation on federal lands, in close partnership with Tribes, the U.S. Forest Service, WA State and regional partners.

The manager serves as a practical integrator across forestry, prescribed fire, science, and partnerships, working to resolve bottlenecks, align projects and partners, and ensure restoration work moves forward at the pace and scale required. This role is both strategic and deeply operational, requiring the ability to navigate federal systems, advance complex agreements, and deliver real on-the-ground outcomes. This role is critical to ensuring that decades of investment in forest restoration translate into durable, on-the-ground outcomes.

We're Looking for You:

The Landscape-Scale Restoration Manager helps translate restoration priorities into implementable projects on the ground. They coordinate with Tribal, federal, state, and community partners to refine priority landscapes, support National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA)-ready restoration pathways, oversee key agreements and deliverables, and help design implementable treatment packages that integrate mechanical thinning, prescribed fire, cultural burning opportunities, workforce development, and community-informed smoke management. The role focuses on removing barriers to delivery, including aligning partners, advancing agreements, coordinating contracting and implementation pathways, and ensuring that NEPA-ready work progresses through thinning, prescribed fire, and follow-on stewardship.

This role requires a strong understanding of how restoration work is implemented on federal lands, including familiarity with stewardship contracting, partner agreements, and agency processes. The manager works closely with agency staff, contractors, and partners to align timelines, resolve constraints, and maintain momentum through complex, multi-party projects.

To be considered, please submit a cover letter explaining how your experience has prepared you for this position and what inspires your interest in this role and its work.

RESPONSIBILITIES & SCOPE

  • Leads and coordinates landscape-scale restoration initiatives that advance cross-boundary forest health, wildfire resilience, and community wellbeing across priority geographies.
  • Identifies and resolves implementation bottlenecks across partners, contracts, and workflows to keep restoration projects moving from planning to completion.
  • Advances federal restoration projects through contracting and agreement pathways, including stewardship contracts, partner agreements, and related mechanisms.
  • Builds and maintains strong working relationships with Tribes, federal and state agencies, collaboratives, contractors, community partners, and other stakeholders to support shared restoration goals.
  • Supports development and implementation of restoration strategies that connect NEPA-ready opportunities with on-the-ground delivery, including mechanical treatments, prescribed fire, cultural burning opportunities, and follow-on stewardship needs.
  • Oversees or coordinates agreements, scopes of work, partner deliverables, and budget tracking associated with restoration projects and partnership commitments.
  • Applies ecological, operational, and community context to inform restoration sequencing, implementation feasibility, smoke management considerations, and workforce opportunities.
  • Represents the Conservancy in collaborative forums and communicates program objectives, progress, risks, and opportunities to internal and external audiences.
  • Helps identify and advance policy, funding, and partnership opportunities that increase the pace, scale, and durability of restoration outcomes.


Work Location & Schedule

  • The primary work location for this position is flexible within dry forest region of Central Washington (Cle Elum, Ellensburg, Wenatchee, Yakima), with the ability to be onsite at TNC locations in Washington State required.
  • Travel up to 20% time throughout Washington State (including overnight), with occasional travel to other locations throughout the United States.
  • May work in variable weather conditions, at remote locations, on difficult and hazardous terrain, and under physically demanding circumstances.


What You'll Bring:

  • BA/BS degree and 5 years' experience in conservation, forestry, fire, natural resources, landscape restoration, or equivalent combination of education and experience.
  • Experience managing complex or multiple projects, including scopes, timelines, budgets, agreements, and deliverables under deadlines.
  • Experience working with or within federal land management systems (e.g., U.S. Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management, or similar)
  • Experience negotiating contracts, agreements, or implementation pathways for natural resource projects.
  • Experience developing partnerships with Tribes, government agencies, community organizations, contractors, and/or other external partners.
  • Skilled and clear communicator able to represent program goals and outcomes effectively via written, spoken, and presentation formats with internal and external audiences.


Desired Qualifications:

  • Experience with stewardship contracting, Good Neighbor Authority, or other federal restoration delivery mechanisms.
  • Direct experience advancing forest restoration, fuels reduction, or prescribed fire projects from planning into implementation.
  • Demonstrated ability to work across agencies, contractors, and partners to deliver tangible project outcomes.
  • Experience working in landscapes with complex wildfire risk, community interface, and/or Tribal stewardship priorities.
  • Multi-lingual and multi-cultural or cross-cultural experience appreciated.
  • Ability to use science, data, and local context to inform restoration strategy, implementation planning, and adaptive management.
  • Politically savvy, adaptable, diplomatic, and able to navigate complex external relationships with sound judgment.


This position requires a valid driver's license and compliance with TNC's Auto Safety Program. Employees may not drive Conservancy-owned/leased vehicles, rental cars, or personal vehicles on behalf of the Conservancy if considered "high risk drivers." To learn more about the Auto Safety Program, visit the Auto Safety information page. Employment in this position will be contingent upon completion of a Vehicle Use Agreement, which may include a review of the prospective employee's motor vehicle record.

Salary Information:

The starting pay range for a candidate selected for this position is generally within the range of $75,200 - $86,530. This range only applies to candidates whose country of employment is the USA. Where a successful candidate's actual pay will fall within this range will be based on a variety of factors, including, for example, the candidate's location, qualifications, specific skills, and experience. Please note countries outside the USA would have a different pay range in the local currency based on the local labor market, and not tied to USA pay or ranges. Your geographic location will be confirmed during the recruitment.

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.

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