The Senior Land Protection Manager is a key leader on NCLC’s acquisition team, responsible for overseeing new land acquisitions, consistent with NCLC’s policies and conservation objectives.  The Senior Land Protection Manager’s responsibilities include fee land and conservation easement transactions, educating the public and partners about land protection, developing innovative partnerships and methods for leveraging protection by other entities, helping to leverage impact capital and conservation investor capital for land protection, and identifying creative ways to ensure long-term land and water protection. The Senior Land Protection Manager will collaborate with NCLC and partners to identify priority projects, develop relationships with property owners (individuals, organizations, and public entities), arrange for the acquisition of legal interests in land and water, and create strategic objectives to ensure long-term protection. Securing funding is crucial to success, and the Senior Land Protection Manager works with other team members and partners to help identify 1 and secure funds for NCLC’s acquisition program and transactions, including state and federal grants, and other funding sources. The position will also provide technical support to partners in land protection efforts around shared priorities.

Duties and Responsibilities

Land Protection Leadership

• Identify and evaluate properties for conservation based on ecological, recreational, and natural landscape significance.

• Negotiate with landowners, public agencies, and organizations to acquire land and easements.

• Oversee the drafting of legal documents such as purchase and sale agreements, option agreements, and conservation easements.

• Plan and direct work on protection projects, leading in obtaining NCLC committee and board approvals.

• Oversee NCLC’s farmland conservation program, including identifying farms eligible for Connecticut’s Farmland Protection Program and serving as a liaison to the State of Connecticut Department of Agriculture.

• Ensure compliance with internal policies and external requirements, including Land Trust Alliance Standards and Practices.

Financial Stewardship

• Identify funding opportunities and draft grant proposals for financial support of acquisition projects.

• Implement, track, and report on awarded funding.

• Assist in raising funds from individual, corporate, and foundation donors, in conjunction with other NCLC staff. Community Engagement

• Represent NCLC at public events, partner meetings, and trainings.

• Collaborate with colleagues, partner organizations, members, and the community to build a welcoming, successful, and respected community institution.

• Support the organization’s philanthropic efforts by participating in member events, visits, communications, and gift solicitations.

• Assist in promoting and communicating land preservation projects through press releases, outreach, and development materials. Technical Expertise • Prepare maps and analyze conservation resources using ArcGIS Online.  

• Perform site visits and collect baseline documentation data to satisfy legal and Land Trust Accreditation Commission requirements and facilitate future property stewardship.

• Complete fee management plans and baseline documentation reports as needed. Reports to Executive Director