Director of Conservation: Land & Water Strategy

Maine Tasting Center; Waldoboro (ME); On-site; USD 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

Midcoast Conservancy seeks a Director of Conservation to unite land and water initiatives, translating strategy into coordinated programs across the service area. You will lead a team, engage communities, and drive conservation outcomes from Damariscotta Lake to regional waterways.

The role oversees 2 FTEs, reports to senior leaders, and participates in organization-wide planning and budgeting while advancing partnership work for land and water priorities.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in a science-related or natural resource management field and 7+ years of relevant experience; graduate degree preferred.
• Demonstrated expertise and working knowledge of land conservation and management strategies.
• Experience and understanding of water quality, watershed management, or aquatic resource protection.
• Familiarity with Land Trust Alliance Standards and Practices.
• Proven supervisory experience, with the ability to lead a team across distinct but related program areas.
• Experience with local, state, and federal rules and regulations related to water resource and land conservation, including shoreland zoning.
• Experience leading community outreach or public engagement efforts.
• Experience with fundraising, grant writing, or donor relations.
• Strong relationship-building and communication skills, with the ability to work effectively with community members, partners, and organizational leadership.
• Ability to work collaboratively with other department leads (e.g., Director of Stewardship) without direct authority over their operations.

Responsibilities

• Unified Land and Water Conservation Strategies: refine and implement landscape-scale conservation strategy; identify and advance conservation opportunities; track outcomes; supervise staff; coordinate with Stewardship; guide aquatic habitat restoration and watershed protection; manage land protection pipeline; liaise with agencies and partners; promote collaborative culture; participate in planning and budgeting as senior leadership.
• Community Outreach: lead outreach on land and water priorities; build relationships with community members and stakeholders; plan conversations and events; strengthen partnerships with other conservation groups.
• Fundraising for Special Projects: identify fundraising opportunities; draft grant proposals; build relationships with funders; track fundraising goals and report progress to leadership.

Skills

Leadership

Strategic planning

Fundraising

Stakeholder engagement

Regulatory compliance

Community outreach

Education

Bachelor's degree in science or natural resource management

Graduate degree preferred

Tools

ArcGIS

GPS

Job description

Midcoast Conservancy seeks a Director of Conservation to unite land and water initiatives, translating strategy into coordinated programs across the service area. You will lead a team, engage communities, and drive conservation outcomes from Damariscotta Lake to regional waterways.

The role oversees 2 FTEs, reports to senior leaders, and participates in organization-wide planning and budgeting while advancing partnership work for land and water priorities.