The Texas Chapter and Great Plains Division Nature and Energy program promotes climate mitigation, climate adaptation strategies, and advances the clean energy transition to meet TNC's 2030 goals to address the global climate and biodiversity crises. The Nature and Energy Program Director provides strategic and technical leadership on the implementation of a broad suite of natural climate solutions and nature-based solutions to increase the implementation rate of nature-positive projects, polices, and practices with measurable outcomes toward protecting land and water; providing healthy ecosystems; and accelerating the clean energy transition in Texas and within the Great Plains division of The Nature Conservancy.

The Nature and Energy Program Director will develop innovative conservation and scientific methods, analysis, tools and methodological frameworks to promote the implementation of initiatives and projects at different scales to maximize outcomes. As part of this work, they will supervise staff with expertise in nature-based solutions and coastal resilience, and as a team will promote the role of natural climate solutions, nature-based solutions, clean energy transition and other nature-positive projects, policies, and programs by integrating the benefits of best practices within the chapter's and division's land and water protection, stewardship, working lands strategies and coastal resilience program to maximize the co-benefits of all projects. They'll demonstrate a commitment to equity and inclusion in their approach to this position.

The Nature and Energy Program Director will build key strategic partnerships with all levels of government as well as leaders in the private sector to identify and advance needed policy, incentives and market shifts, and partner with philanthropy leadership to ensure a sustainable funding stream for this work. They will coordinate with other conservation leaders within TNC and collaborate closely with government affairs/policy, science, and development teams to develop specific approaches that will yield sustainable, durable, conservation outcomes, including advising on and analyzing the development of market-based ecosystem service incentives. They will conduct analyses and build strategic scientific and technical capacities, develop relationships with key public and private entities and solve technical problems, address barriers, and serve as an expert to communicate solutions and best practices. They will work to garner more widespread support from communities, governments, private companies, and others for the value and co-benefits of nature as a mitigation and adaptation strategy in current practices and in the clean energy transition.

Roles & Responsibilities

Report to the Director of Landscape Initiatives and collaborate, as part of a matrixed organization, within the Texas chapter, Great Plains division and North American region.

Lead refinement and implementation of chapter and division strategies, building on an existing body of work as well as existing partnerships to advance the chapter's contribution to climate mitigation, adaptation and clean energy transition programs that align with organizational goals and key outcomes, and strengthen TNC's role as an effective, credible partner on nature-positive climate solutions.

Ensure Texas' Nature and Energy program is coordinated to contribute to the goals of the Great Plains Division and the North America Natural Climate Solutions and Clean Energy Transition programs to ensure maximum consistency, value, and leverage occurs.

Build respectful, equitable and inclusive partnerships with climate impacted communities to ensure this work has breadth and standing within the broader climate work ongoing in Texas and in the division and to create durable and lasting solutions.

Supervise staff, promote TNC's code of conduct, values and promote a saf