Regional Vice President

Taking care of our environment has never been more important than it is today. The Nature Conservancy of Canada (NCC) is looking for a Regional Vice President, Saskatchewan, to join a team committed to protecting our most important natural areas that sustain all life.

NCC is the country’s leading nongovernmental land conservation organization. As a non-profit, charitable organization we work in partnership with individuals, Indigenous communities, corporations, governments, and other non-profit groups to protect our most important natural treasures and deliver nature-based solutions. We take a collaborative and evidence-based approach to deliver our mission. Since 1962 NCC and its partners have helped to conserve more than 15 million hectares, from coast to coast to coast. NCC has its national headquarters in Toronto and regional offices across the country.

The Regional Vice President, Saskatchewan is responsible for the leadership and oversight of NCC’s operations across the Saskatchewan region.

THE POSITION

Reporting directly to the Vice President, Operations the leadership position of Regional Vice President (RVP), Saskatchewan, is an integral member of the Senior Management Team (SLT) and the Operations Leadership Team (OLT) and works closely with a Regional Advisory Board. The RVP, Saskatchewan, is responsible for providing leadership, direction and guidance for all Saskatchewan regional staff and operational activities to advance NCC’s organizational objectives within the Saskatchewan region.

Working closely with other senior operational leaders and in collaboration with a wide range of internal and external stakeholders, the RVP, Saskatchewan, will use advanced interpersonal skills to communicate a compelling vision that generates excitement, enthusiasm, and commitment to NCC’s mission. They will ensure NCC in Saskatchewan has sustained growth by raising the profile of NCC with major donors, partners, and the conservation community.

With strong thought leadership moved into pragmatic action, the RVP, Saskatchewan will capably steward the region’s budget of approximately $12M and lead and engage a team of approximately 30employees while building and strengthening the organization’s relationships with various partners including Indigenous Peoples, government, community organizations, volunteers, donors, and supporters. Through the development and strengthening of key local and regional relationships, you will ensure the ongoing sustainability and success of NCC in achieving strategic priorities. You will serve as a passionate and compelling ambassador for NCC, and you will ensure NCC has a strong presence and voice in Saskatchewan and beyond.

This position may be based remotely or hybrid from a major Saskatchewan urban centre, and requires travel as needed into NCC regional offices in Regina and Saskatoon, and other locations across Saskatchewan and Canada.

The RVP, Saskatchewan is responsible for planning, coordinating, implementing, and measuring operational output and results within a broader NCC-wide context. They will translate objectives into plans and tactics that leverage multiple platforms and channels. As a change agent and inspirational leader, the RVP, Saskatchewan will be instrumental in reflecting NCC’s commitment to equity and inclusion, by ensuring NCC’s actions, communications and partnerships reflect the rich diversity of our communities. The incumbent will promote alignment, capacity-building, efficiency and innovation while supporting a culture of transparency, accountability, and empowerment.

CANDIDATE QUALIFICATIONS

The RVP, Saskatchewan is a proven leader who brings vision, managerial acumen, and exceptional relationship building skills to the organization. They have a demonstrable track record in creating a strategic vision and delivering on that vision. They have experience in leading a diverse, multidisciplinary team with a multimillion-dollar budget. A superb communicator, the RVP Saskatchewan listens and engages effectively, articulating complex issues clearly and simply to their team and their external partners.

The RVP can demonstrate the ability to build key relationships and ideally, brings established connections within key organizations, such as government, Indigenous Peoples, farmers, ranchers and philanthropists. The ideal candidate has a natural ability to bring these audiences together for the common good, especially as it relates to NCC’s priority mission in protecting the Prairie Grasslands

While a professional conservation background is an asset, it is not a prerequisite for this role. However, the successful candidate must be able to demonstrate a lived passion for nature and the mission of NCC. Internally and externally, the RVP, Saskatchewan communicates a compelling vision that generates excitement and mutual trust.

Experience and Qualifications

• Minimum 5 years’ relevant experience in a senior leadership role with a focus on operational delivery of various programs. This should include experience as a team lead managing multi-disciplinary talent.
• Progressive experience leading within a similarly complex organization.
• Strong project portfolio that clearly demonstrates ability to design and implement a communications initiative with measurable outcomes and deliverables.
• Bilingualism French / English (oral and written) is an asset.
• An undergraduate / graduate degree or experiential equivalent.
• Knowledge or relevant experience in the not-for-profit sector an asset.
• Strong interest / passion in / for conservation and NCC’s mission.

RESPONSIBILITIES

Strategic Planning

• Designs and executes annual strategy and planned approach of deliverables to ensure the Saskatchewan Region continues to deliver high profile conservation actions independently and with partners.
• Positions NCC in Saskatchewan for sustained growth by strategically raising the profile of NCC with major donors, partners, and the conservation community.
• Works diligently to foster an ethic and approach both amongst the Saskatchewan team and across NCC, to drive alignment of messaging across the region to achieve a “One Conservancy” voice in service of consistent brand expression and strategic direction.
• In consultation with senior staff, prepares and implements annual regional business plans to support the achievement of NCC’s organizational strategic goals within Saskatchewan.
• Directs and has oversight of conservation planning and reporting at multiple scales, leading to conservation of significant natural areas and NCC’s active participation as a partner in increasing resiliency across the landscape.
• Collaborates across organization (and with cross-functional teams), to leverage and promote key NCC initiatives.
• Strategic contributor to cross-functional teams within Saskatchewan and across NCC.
• Builds relationships to seek and leverage opportunities for NCC growth and collaboration.
• Actively raises funds for general operations, conservation projects and endowment, including soliciting major gifts and acquiring, stewarding, and developing high-end donors.

Public/Government/External Relations

• Develops and maintains broad public support from all sectors for the protection of natural diversity in the region.
• Collaborates with local, provincial, and federal government agencies where necessary and useful in the accomplishment of NCC's mission.
• Provides leadership for NCC's outreach activities in Saskatchewan including promotion to potential supporters and the public.
• Actively develops and maintains an effective Regional Advisory Board by providing staff support, liaising, and seeking advice from the Board.
• Represents NCC and its interests in the region to landowners, the media, the public, government agencies and ministries, other non-profit organizations, Indigenous Peoples, individual donors, foundations, corporations, and suppliers.

Performance Monitoring

• Establishes benchmarks, defines metrics, and measures to chart achievement of NCC’s Strategic Plan goals within Saskatchewan.
• Identifies metrics and KPIs related to plan implementation, reporting regularly, quarterly, and annual results.
• Leverages data to recommend changes to strategy and planning for Saskatchewan as needed.
• Provides updates to stakeholders with regards to Saskatchewan operational performance tracking, successes and areas of opportunity for continuous improvement.
• Oversees the management and reporting of financial resources, ensuring regional controls and reporting mechanisms are in place and that standards are followed.

Coaching & Team Building

• In accordance with NCC-wide policies and processes, oversees NCC’s regional staffing activities including the hiring, retention, engagement, development, and training of a multi-disciplinary team, and encourages cross-functional collaboration.
• Challenges, coaches, and supports team members to develop to their fullest potential and improve their overall contribution and recommends opportunities for skills development.
• Communicates effectively to ensure each team member understands their role and contribution in relation to NCC’s vision and Strategic Plan.
• Regularly connects with direct reports on progress to goals, supporting mitigation strategies.
• Models exemplary behaviours related to NCC’s organizational values of Big Thinking, Collaboration, Determination, and Empowerment.

Delivery Optimization

• Provides effective leadership and management to the Saskatchewan team and maximizes regional operating efficiencies.
• Manages risk effectively and impactfully.
• Operates within the policies, procedures, guidelines, and standards of NCC.
• Ensures all lands for which NCC has legal responsibility are appropriately and effectively stewarded according to the objectives of property management plans.
• Oversees the review and coordination of all regional fundraising proposals for accuracy, consistency, and compliance with funding requirements.
• Reviews and provides approvals – within delegated authority limits – contracts, agreements, project commitments and expenditures on behalf of NCC.
• Builds trusting relationships with other regional teams, central departments, peers, and vendors.
• Recommends improvements and implements innovative strategies to optimize delivery of Saskatchewan programs and projects, in service of NCC’s Strategic Plan.

CANDIDATE ATTRIBUTES

Competencies and Personal Attributes

Leadership

You are a superb and visible team leader and consensus builder. You communicate with genuine charisma a compelling vision that generates excitement, enthusiasm, and commitment to NCC’s mission. You foster collaboration among teams as well as among team members across the region and across NCC. You instill a sense of confidence in the future, foster a climate of innovation, and inspire all to contribute their best. You can make tough decisions. You are organizationally savvy, an excellent communicator with diverse stakeholder groups, and you take pride in building an effective culture.

Solutions Focused and Results Oriented

You enjoy a challenge and set high expectations for your performance. With your tenacity, critical thinking, and problem-solving abilities, you can find a way to address complex challenges. You will work with your team to set appropriate goals and objectives that are aligned with NCC’s organizational objectives. You are willing to work hard to achieve results and you assume personal responsibility for achieving outcomes and finishing what you start. You take pride in being able to come into a complex situation and find a solution.

Strategic and Visionary Thinking

• Ability to formulate and articulate a future vision and translate it into strategies and action plans that will enable NCC to achieve its strategic objectives within the region and across Canada.
• Prepared to work collaboratively with a team to shape the future of NCC and pursue excellence on an organizational level.
• Ability to articulate NCC’s mission and vision to develop a strong sense of common purpose in the organization.

Relationship-Building Skills

• Keen ability to build and manage effective relationships within, across, and outside an organization.
• Actively develops relationships that support business goals and use those relationships to facilitate smooth operations.
• Allocates time and effort to understanding and meeting the needs of internal or external customers.
• Works with a long-term perspective to address donor or business partner problems, perhaps trading off immediate costs for the sake of the long-term relationship.
• Activates diverse people and groups to work together and optimize results.

Business Acumen

• Utilizes an excellent understanding of general business and financial concepts.
• Effectively applies general business knowledge to the issues faced in this organization.
• Applies an understanding of general business, accounting, and financial concepts well to the issues faced in NCC.
• Identifies and analyzes relevant data and then define critical issues and alternatives and adopts best practices from other partners as benchmarks.

Highly Effective Communicator

• Utilizes exceptional interpersonal and relationship development skills to easily establish productive relationships.
• Influences others through well-developed oral and written communications skills.
• Constantly creates an atmosphere in which timely and high-quality information flows smoothly.
• Actively listens to and communicates effectively and with value, with staff.
• Speaks comfortably to partners outside of your own area of expertise and speaks effectively to a broad, general audience and to all levels of the organization.
• Ability to synthesize and sell concepts, inspire confidence, and gain consensus.
• Ability to utilize effective project management skills and oversight to apply to multiple projects.
• Exceptional interpersonal skills; interacts in meaningful way with colleagues, donors, and internal / external partners.
• Commitment to continuous learning and improvement.
• Humble team builder.
• Ability to scale up and down effectively between strategy and hands-on execution.
• Personal commitment to nature and conservation.

COMPENSATION

A competitive compensation package including base salary (range between $155,000 to $180,000) and encompassing benefits will be provided.

HOW TO APPLY

Please apply by email with your cover letter and resume by no later than Friday, November 29th, 2024. Send to: NCCSaskatchewan@searchlightpartnersgroup.com.

NCC is an equal-opportunity employer and committed to fair and accessible employment practices. We strongly support and value diversity in the workplace. Applications from all qualified candidates are welcome, and individuals from equity-seeking groups are encouraged to apply.

We thank applicants for their interest, however; only those advancing in the process will be contacted.