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 includes a Commitment to Diversity and Respect for People, Communities, and Cultures. Whether it’s career development, flexible schedules, or a rewarding mission, there’s lots of reasons to love life #insideTNC. Want a better insight to TNC? Check out our TNC Talent playlist on YouTube  or on Glassdoor.  

Our 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. We know we’ll only achieve our Mission by hiring and engaging a diverse workforce that reflects the communities in which we work. In addition to the requirements in our postings, we recognize that people come with talent and experiences outside of a job. Diversity of experience and skills combined with passion is a key to innovation and a culture of inclusion! Please apply – we’d love to hear from you. To quote myriad TNC staff members, “you’ll join for our mission, and you’ll stay for our people.”

TNC seeks a Deputy Chief of Party (DCoP) to lead the anticipated five-year $20 million Flagship Caribbean Marine Biodiversity Activity, funded by USAID. The project will chart a future for nature positive tourism in the Caribbean by engaging the tourism sector to reduce threats to coastal and marine biodiversity in priority areas in the Caribbean, particularly in key ecosystems such as mangroves, seagrass beds, and coral reefs, and key marine species. Site-based activities will be carried out in Dominican Republic, Jamaica, Haiti, Grenada, Suriname, and Guyana, as well as regionally across 13 countries in the Caribbean region. The project will liaise with USAID, TNC staff, project partners, governments, and communities to ensure on-time execution of deliverables. Key areas of activities will focus on marine protected area management, solid (plastic) waste reduction, and sustainable tourism through tourism actors in the region.   

The DCOP will support overall management of the project, with a focus on supporting quality implementation, including coordination of associated field operations, sub-awardees, contracts, and consultants, maintaining positive working relationships with stakeholders in multiple dispersed locations, and facilitating effective execution and reporting of activities and ensuring that implementation activities meet USAID and TNC standards. The DCOP will play a key role in supporting the Chief of Party to achieve the results defined in the USAID Cooperative Agreement. The DCOP manages technical aspects of USAID funding to ensure meaningful engagement of the tourism sector and governments into natural resource management activities, and ultimately, the achievement of lasting outcomes and results. They contribute to project reporting and the implementation of systems to manage partner activities. A focus will be on achieving effective collaboration among partners, governments, the private sector, and community beneficiaries.  . 

Responsibilities include:

• Coordinate and oversee the effective and efficient site-based operations and technical activities.
• Manages all the project’s sub-agreements, including financial reporting, deliverables, and inputs to periodic performance reporting.
• Serve as a liaison with key private sector partners in the tourism sector.
• Prepares and submits annual work plans and quarterly and annual performance reports, and ensure progress towards program objectives, including through site visits.
• Supervises and provides technical input into the project’s monitoring, evaluation, research and learning functions and supervises compliance with USAID MEL requirements including data quality assessments and data entry into USAID and TNC portals.
• Disseminates best practices; provides training and analysis to best implement organizational measures of success; and develops key partnerships with public and private organizations in order to identify and resolve technical issues and to widely communicate solutions, innovative scientific methods and tools to address the natural system and human wellbeing needs of the project area
• Coordinate with TNC conservation, science, and regional teams to support effective deliver of project deliverable and TNC 2030 goals.
• Develop, together with the project’s and TNC global operations and grants teams, sound and transparent accounting and fiscal control procedures.
• Work closely with COP, technical and TNC staff to ensure project resources are effectively and efficiently budgeted, analyzed, monitored and reported in achieving project objectives and results.
• Travel within the Caribbean Division. May work in variable weather conditions, at remote locations, on difficult and hazardous terrain, and under physically demanding circumstances.  

 This description is not designed to be a complete list of all duties and responsibilities required for this job.

 What You’ll Bring:

• BA/BS degree and 7 years’ experience in conservation practice or related field or equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Experience in complex project management.
• Experience in the administration of USAID or similar large public donor support, with skills in strategic planning, implementing, and budgeting.
• Experience supporting complex or multiple projects, including managing finances and coordinating the work of other professionals and partners.
• Supervisory experience, including motivating, leading, setting objectives, and managing performance.
• Experience supporting a major program or project of strategic importance, including budgeting, reporting, and meeting strict external and internal deadlines.
• Experience working with multidisciplinary teams and establishing strong working relationships with senior representatives of national and local governments, regional institutions, and the private sector.
• Experience in partnership development with non-profit partners, community groups and/or   government agencies. 
• Experience with key marine conservation and development issues, protected areas management, as well as climate change policies, institutional development, and management issues in the Caribbean.
• Experience negotiating.
• Excellent organization skills and a detail-oriented nature.
• Communicating clearly via written, spoken, and graphical means in English.
  
  

 DESIRED QUALIFICATIONS

• A minimum of five years of experience in management roles within similar organizations in the Caribbean with direct supervision of staff. 
• Multi- lingual and multi-cultural or cross-cultural experience appreciated.
• Advanced verbal and written communication skills in Spanish and French also desired.
• Experience in the administration of USAID or similar large public donor support programs in the Caribbean, with skills in strategic planning, supervision, and budgeting.
• Experience in application of scientific concepts and technical innovations for conservation purposes.
• Ability to work effectively with and through others in a decentralized and geographically dispersed organization.

 Additional Information

• An offer of employment and related start date are contingent upon execution of a Cooperative Agreement with USAID. This is a term-limited position, with an anticipated end-date of approximately five years from the execution of the Agreement.  
• Acceptable locations are the Dominican Republic, Grenada, Jamaica, Miami-Florida, and Arlington-Virginia. Other locations where TNC Caribbean has registered offices may be considered.

 What We Bring:

Since 1951, The Nature Conservancy has been doing work you can believe in protecting the lands and waters that all life depends on. Through grassroots action, TNC has grown to become 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, we impact conservation throughout the world!

The Nature Conservancy offers a competitive, comprehensive benefits package 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 at in the Culture Tab on nature.org/careers.

We’re proud to offer a work-environment that is supportive of the health, wellbeing, and flexibility needs of the people we employ!

Our Competencies:

To apply for Job ID 53979, submit your materials online by using the Apply Now button at https://careers.nature.org/ by 11:59 PM EST on September 25, 2023. Need help applying? Visit our recruitment page. 

The Nature Conservancy is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Our commitment to diversity includes the recognition that our conservation mission is best advanced by the leadership and contributions of people of diverse backgrounds, beliefs, and cultures. Recruiting and mentoring staff to create an inclusive organization that reflects our global character is a priority and we encourage applicants from all cultures, races, colors, religions, sexes, national or regional origins, ages, disability status, sexual orientations, gender identities, military, protected veteran status or other status protected by law.

TNC is committed to offering accommodations for qualified individuals with disabilities and disabled veterans in our job application process.