Department: Forest Restoration

Reports to: Chief Program Officer, Resilient Forests

Location: Remote

FLSA Category: Exempt

Post Date: 07-01-2024

Close Date: 07-14-2024

Salary: $110,000 to $125,000

ABOUT US

American Forests is a national non-profit organization committed to creating healthy and resilient forests from cities to wilderness, that deliver essential benefits for climate, people, water and wildlife. We advance our mission through forestry innovation, place-based partnerships to plant and restore forests, and movement building. We envision a world in which the significant environmental, societal and economic benefits of forests are fully realized and equitably available to all people. Established in 1875, American Forests is the oldest national non-profit conservation organization in the U.S. working to restoring urban forests and forested landscapes for nearly 150 years.

American Forests is proud to be a diverse, equitable, inclusive and accessible (DEIA) workplace. These are our shared values. We welcome individuals who bring a variety of backgrounds and experiences to be a part of our team to help make a difference individually and collectively as we work toward achieving our mission. We are committed to fostering an environment that is welcoming and respectful and provides opportunities for advancement and professional growth for every team member.

POSITION SUMMARY

Reporting to the Chief Program Officer for Resilient Forests, the Senior Director, Reforestation Partnerships and Innovation will primarily focus on advancing American Forests work to make resilient reforestation more accessible to Tribal Nations, Native Hawaiian organization, underserved landowners, and non-federal public lands via our Reforest America Carbon Program and other forms of corporate partnership focused on tree planting and natural regeneration of forests. In doing so, the Senior Director will work with a dynamic and growing team of forestry, reforestation, and carbon experts under the direction of the Chief Program Officer for Resilient Forests, to lead the Resilient Forests program’s donor-based reforestation program (Reforest America grants) and the Reforest America Carbon Program.

SPECIFIC RESPONSIBILITIES

Program Leadership (65%)

Serve as a key leader within American Forests by directing two revenue generating and partnership driving components of the Resilient Forests program, the Reforest America Carbon Program and the Reforest America grants program. These two programs are core ways Resilient Forests achieves impact. Areas of focus include:

• Reforest America Carbon Program (RACP): Lead the strategic growth of RACP as a platform to harness carbon finance that supports resilient reforestation with Tribes, Native Hawai’ian organizations, non-federal public lands, and disadvantaged landowners. Lead all aspects of program deployment, including:
  1. Lead a Forest Landowner Support grant by facilitating and overseeing the work of partners and contractors, supervising staff working on this project, and advancing the project strategy.
  2. Providing thought leadership and creativity in refining and enacting the RACP program strategy and otherwise ensuring the success of well-funded multi-year strategic partnerships.
  3. Leading a project team in the development of actionable work plans tied to RACP focused grants that support specific grant deliverables and the strategic growth of RACP.
  4. Managing the work of staff and contractors enacting the landowner technical assistance goals of RACP, and ensure proper due diligence of all prospective projects.
  5. Supporting the Director of Tribal and Indigenous Partnerships and Senior Manager of Tribal and Indigenous Partnerships forming and managing external relationships and partnerships with critical to the objectives of RACP.
  6. Supervising the Director, Restoration Finance Innovation.
  7. Work with Resilient Forests’ science and forestry staff to ensure the rigor and quality of RACP projects, including being responsible for ensuring a system for collecting and reporting a set of annual impact statistics for RACP.
  8. Providing support in the development of multi-year budget forecasts and revenue projections for the Reforest America Carbon Program.
• Reforest America Grants Program: Design and implement strategies and workplans that enhance American Forests’ existing corporate donor-based reforestation partnership program to meet goals within Resilient Forests’ programmatic areas and initiatives. Strategically grow revenue of this program in a manner that is in service of program area strategies, while identifying and creating new opportunities for corporate donors and individual donors to support the Resilient Forests programs goals of regenerating and stewarding forests for resilience outcomes. Provide leadership and management support, including:
  1. Building and carrying out annual programmatic work plans in partnership with Resilient Forests staff leading our regional programs and initiatives (e.g., SavetheWhitebarkPine campaign, REPLANT Initiative, Rio Reforestation Initiative, Tribal Nation and Indigenous Lands Initiative, and reforestation in the Hawai’ian islands).
  2. Supervising staff in the management and reporting related to reforestation grants made by the Resilient Forest program to partner organizations and agencies.
  3. Implementing operational and systems improvements to increase the functionality and performance of the Reforest America Grants Program.
  4. Work with the Chief Program Officer and Chief Philanthropy Officer to forecast fundraising needs and to develop multi-year fundraising targets and program budgets.

Support Resilient Forests’ Philanthropy & Finance Strategy (25%)

• Work with Resilient Forests, Marketing & Communications, and Philanthropy departments to improve RACP and Reforest America Grants program promotional and marketing materials, craft pitches, and prepare proposals and lead carbon sales.
• Relationship management with existing corporate donors, as well as cultivation of relationships with new donors.
• Working with Resilient Forests, Philanthropy, and Finance & Operations departments to implement operational and systems improvements to increase program functionality and performance.
• Crafting and participating in pitches and proposals to donor prospects.

Support Resilient Forests’ Program Strategy (10%)

• Contribute insights and creative thinking into the overall strategic growth of the Resilient Forests program and fostering a culture of supportive and collaborative project development and execution.
• Represent American Forests in coalitions and at conferences.
• Support the work of our policy team in crafting supportive policies that meet the goals and objectives of the Reforest America Carbon Program and the Reforest America Grant program.
• Advance Resilient Forests communications strategy including through media engagement.

QUALIFICATIONS

While we do not expect any one candidate to possess all of these qualifications, the ideal candidate will possess many of the following professional and personal skills and qualities:

• A Master’s degree in forestry, natural resources, environmental science or another related field. Candidates with a combination of relevant education and experience will be considered.
• 10+ years of progressive experience and responsibility in a related field.
• Demonstrated experience communicating complex management and scientific topics to a variety of audiences.
• Experience in program leadership strongly desired, knowledge of and background in forestry, natural resource management, and the voluntary carbon market are strongly desired.
• A proven track record in managing and guiding teams and an outstanding commitment to leadership.
• Demonstrated experience in risk management, financial overview, and creative program development.
• Experience developing innovative and creative initiatives.

LOCATION & WORKING CONDITIONS

American Forests’ headquarters is located in downtown Washington, DC. This position can be a remote position, but preference will be given to candidates in the Pacific Northwest, California and Southwestern United States.

Subject to applicable laws, American Forests requires all employees to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 as a condition of employment. We will consider requests for accommodation to this vaccination requirement during the recruiting process. Any requested accommodation(s) must be reviewed and approved (if applicable) in advance of your start date.

TRAVEL

Up to 15% of travel is required to engage with partners and colleagues, assess projects, and/or conduct fieldwork. The majority of time will be spent in a general office environment.

SUPERVISORY REQUIREMENTS

This position will develop, support, and supervise staff required for the program of work in which the incumbent builds. Additional positions are likely to be added to the program as workload and funding permit.

American Forests is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to diversity in the workplace. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, or other characteristics protected by law.

Reasonable accommodations may be made to provide access to all individuals along the continuum of human ability and experience.

Minority/Female/Disabled/Veteran/LGBTQ+

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In accordance with federal law and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) civil rights regulations and policies, this institution is prohibited from discriminating on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, age, disability, and reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity. (Not all prohibited bases apply to all programs.) Persons with disabilities who require alternative means of communication for program information (e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape, American Sign Language, etc.) should contact the responsible State or local Agency that administers the program or USDA’s TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TTY) or contact USDA through the Federal Relay Service at (800) 877-8339. Additionally, program information is also available in languages other than English.