Founded in 1936, the National Wildlife Federation (NWF) has grown into America's largest and most trusted environmental conservation organization with more than six million members and supporters and 52 state and territorial affiliates—autonomous, nonprofit organizations that take the lead in state and local conservation efforts and collaborate with NWF to conduct advocacy activities on national issues.

The mission of the National Wildlife Federation is to unite all Americans to ensure wildlife thrive in our rapidly changing world. In order to save wildlife and ourselves, the National Wildlife Federation believes that we need to ensure that everyone in the United States of America has clean air and water, safe communities, easy, safe, and equitable access to the daily benefits of nature, and protection from the ravages of climate change. These basic needs, equally necessary and urgent for all people, are foundational to bringing the conservation movement and ethos into the 21^st century.

Wildlife and habitat conservation transcend natural and cultural boundaries, touching many diverse peoples and resources. Fundamental to NWF’s Tribal Partnerships Program (TPP) is the conviction that there is a strong and deep connection between people and place and that those connections are vital to protecting the natural world. NWF’s TPP engages in conservation by seeking common ground and authentic collaboration with Tribes that ensures the protection of vulnerable wildlife and habitat while advancing environmental justice. NWF’s TPP invests in the Tribal seven generations approach – seeking sustainability for the seventh generation into the future – that supports Tribal visions for wildlife and habitat conservation, while supporting the socioeconomic and cultural needs of the Tribes.

Bringing buffalo back to Tribal peoples, lands, and cultures is a key priority for the TPP. Buffalo are the core foundation of many Tribal cultures, ecologies, and communities. For NWF’s Tribal Partnerships Program, bringing buffalo back is about more than seeing hooves on the ground where they once belonged. This is about restoring cultural ties, engaging youth, supporting economies, demonstrating sovereignty, producing sustainable food sources, and addressing historic injustices.

The Project Manager’s primary role will be to support the success of a Tribal Buffalo Vision that focuses on buffalo restoration on the Wind River Reservation, while helping to advance our efforts to start new and augment existing buffalo herds on Tribal lands. The Project Manager position will be located on or near the Wind River Reservation in Wyoming. The Tribal Buffalo Project Manager is a full-time position that reports to the Director of Tribal Partnerships and works very closely with the Tribal Buffalo Program Manager.

Key Responsibilities

The Tribal Buffalo Project Manager will be responsible for complementing the work of the Tribal Buffalo Program Manager to successfully advance NWF’s Tribal Buffalo Vision and assure that the Wind River buffalo restoration project is running efficiently between NWF and Tribally-led partners, while supporting the strategic growth of the buffalo restoration work with Tribes across the country. Some of the key responsibilities and projects include:

Buffalo Conservation on the Wind River Reservation – The Project Manager will assure that Wind River project components, logistics, and activities are well-coordinated, efficient, and supported. This will involve coordination between NWF’s TPP and our partner, the Wind River Tribal Buffalo Initiative, and include:

• Management of budgets, contracts, and financial transactions in coordination with Tribal Partnerships Director and other staff. Operations and Finance staff.
• Management of overall project administration.
• Monitoring of a Wind River Buffalo Restoration Action Plan to foresee critical actions, plan for administrative and operational needs, and assure the project is advancing in a coordinated and strategic manner.
• Fundraising support via donor engagement, grant writing and reporting,
• Supporting youth and community engagement and education such as managing logistics and leading presentations, hands-on activities, and field tours.
• Building public engagement and support outside the reservation.

Buffalo Policy and Management – The Project Manager may assist with policy issues related to buffalo management and ensuring adequate funding for Tribal buffalo conservation efforts, as well as buffalo conservation on non-Tribal lands.

Storytelling – The Project Manager will assist with building awareness and support for bringing buffalo back to Tribal lands through digital media, print, and film.

Minimum Experience

An associate’s or bachelor’s degree is preferred and experience in managing budgets and successfully, navigating logistics efficiently to achieve goals, and working effectively with Tribal or Indigenous communities. Relevant work experience comparable to a degree is acceptable.

• Strong work ethic and project management skills.
• Proven collaboration and relationship-building skills and ability to effectively work with Tribal partners.
• Proven ability to navigate administrative processes with demonstrated critical thinking skills to make processes more efficient and effective.
• Experience with program development and growth and proven skills to achieve goals.
• Highly-developed oral and written communication skills, with the ability to communicate effectively across disciplines.
• Strong leadership skills including strategic thinking, collaboration and teambuilding.
• The employee’s actions are expected to reflect the staff values of the National Wildlife Federation: collaboration, mindfulness, empowerment, inclusivity, and mission focus.
• Familiarity with software programs including Word, Excel, and Adobe.
• Experience in or demonstrated commitment to natural resource conservation and working with diverse partners.
• Familiarity with Tribal governance, communities, and cultures is a plus.

NWF Values:

Your actions are expected to reflect the staff values of the National Wildlife Federation: collaboration, mindfulness, empowerment, inclusivity, and mission focus.  Your competencies should include:

• Being motivated by values of equity and responsibility to those most marginalized;
• Consistently bringing a high level of empathy and social skills to work and interpersonal interactions;
• Being committed to deepening an environmental justice approach in policy priorities, program development and partner engagement;
• Actively seeks feedback, direction, and guidance from all team members and keeps staff informed of decisions that impact them;
• Being dedicated to advancing NWF’s internal equity transformation and compelling partners and allies to incorporate equity into their work; and
• Passion for and commitment to NWF's mission

Travel Requirements

Due to the COVID pandemic, travel may be restricted. On occasions when it is deemed safe to travel, there may be travel of up to one week a month.

Benefits:

We are proud of our designation by Mogul as a Top 100 Workplace with the Best Benefits in 2021! 

We value work-life balance and a family-friendly atmosphere with flexible scheduling.  We want you to be able to integrate work and personal life with attention to your self-care, so that your work schedule is not depleting.  We offer benefits so you feel restored and fueled through the day and week. We offer these supports to help manage your mental, emotional, and physical health:

• Paid time off: Vacation that starts off at three weeks accrual, unlimited wellbeing (this time can be used for physical, spiritual, emotional, cultural, religious or financial wellbeing for yourself, a partner, or family member – including pets), 10 holidays, and 3 floating holidays
• We close down for a paid winter break between December 25 to January 1 to recognize end of-year stress, and time for reflection, rejuvenation, and spending time with family.
• Up to 16 weeks of fully paid Family and Medical Leave
• Low-cost health, dental, and vision insurance options – all outpatient mental health is covered at in-network rates
• Therapist available at no cost
• Pet insurance and discount perk program
• Annual wellbeing allowance

In addition to your salary, we offer the following supports to your personal finances:

• Retirement plan with immediate match and vesting
• Annual year end retirement contribution
• Tuition Reimbursement
• Adoption and Surrogacy assistance
• Pet adoption stipend
• Student Loan management

Applicants are invited to learn more about National Wildlife Federation’s benefits package at https://www.nwf.org/About-Us/Careers.

COVID Consideration:

The National Wildlife Federation closely follows the 2019 Novel Coronavirus Disease and has implemented processes that promote the safety of our employees, candidates, and communities. Because the health of our employees and candidates is a top priority, we conduct our hiring process virtually via phone or video until further notice. We are currently starting our positions as remote, and are continuing to explore what our future of work will be moving forward. Proof of vaccination will be required to join the National Wildlife Federation.

Application:

Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis. Candidates should submit a cover letter and resume. We strive to increase diversity, equity, inclusion and justice (DEIJ) in all elements of our work and with our partners to support the interdependent needs of wildlife and people in a rapidly changing world. We recruit, employ, train compensate, and promote regardless of race, religion, creed, national origin, ancestry, sex (including pregnancy), sexual orientation, gender identity (including gender nonconformity and status as a transgender individual), age, physical or mental disability, citizenship, genetic information, past, current, or prospective service in the uniformed services, or any other characteristic protected under applicable federal, state, or local law. We are proud to be an equal opportunity employer.

Applicants are invited to learn more about National Wildlife Federation’s commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion at nwf.org/equity. We recognize that people come with a wealth of experience and talent beyond just the technical requirements of a job, therefore our job descriptions are guidelines, not hard and fast rules. Your experience, which may include paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work, helps build the competencies and knowledge that translates to our openings.  Diversity of experience and skills combined with passion is a key to innovation and a culture of excellence.  Therefore, we encourage people from all backgrounds to apply to our positions. Please let us know if you require accommodations during the application or interview process by reaching us at hrhelp@nwf.org  or 703-438-6244. If selected for this position, a background check will be conducted.