Program Director - Yellowstone to Yukon Conservation Initiative

Program Director – Yellowstone to Yukon Conservation Initiative 

About the Organization 
 
The Yellowstone to Yukon Conservation Initiative (Y2Y) is a joint Canada-U.S. not-for-profit organization with a mission to connect and protect wildlife habitat from Yellowstone to Yukon so people and nature can thrive. We are the only organization dedicated to securing the long-term ecological health of this entire region. We take a scientific and collaborative approach to conservation and highlight and focus on local issues that affect the region. Since 1993, Y2Y has worked with >460 partners to stitch together this landscape, including scientists, conservation groups, landowners, businesses, government agencies as well as Indigenous Peoples (First Nations, Métis, Inuit, and Native American).  

For more information, please visit www.y2y.net.  

Position Description 

Yellowstone to Yukon is seeking a senior professional to be their next Program Director. This position would lead our work advancing protected areas especially through supporting Indigenous-led efforts, maintaining landscape connectivity given a changing climate, and promoting people and wildlife co-existence.  All of our work is highly collaborative and requires working from local to regional scales and on key national and global enabling policies. 

We prefer the position based at or within driving distance of the main office in Canmore. This individual will report to directly to the President and will assume primary oversight of Y2Y programs and associated administration. As such, this person will be responsible for directing these programs, and providing oversight and support of planning, implementation and management of projects and programs that advance the Y2Y vision and deliver on the strategic plan.  

Responsibilities 

The Program Director will: 

• Work with senior staff to develop and implement projects that advance the Y2Y vision; 

• Oversee staff across Y2Y region, ensuring we are working at the systems level and maximizing impact through integrated projects that leverage talents; 

• Take an active role in ensuring equitable experiences, strengthening inclusion, knowledge and promoting a culture of inclusivity and belonging that embraces the contributions of all team members; 

• Support programs in collaborative projects by facilitating relationships with high-level entities and individuals from federal and regional governments to Indigenous governments, partner relationships, and opinion leaders; 

• Set annual goals and objectives, overseeing associated workplans, and assess progress against objectives; 

• Oversee the program budget, ensuring expenditures are on track and any changes to priorities or spending are communicated promptly to funders and donors;  

• Engage in high-level fundraising including: review of proposals, reports and budgets; occasional meetings with donors and funders, strategizing with senior team to develop potential new opportunities; 

• Promote the Y2Y vision and programs to relevant audiences (conferences, communities, government agencies, partners, media and funders);  

• Participate in Y2Y’s Leadership Team and liaise with program staff accordingly; 

• Lead the Board programmatic committee and engage in Board meetings; 

• Travel within the Y2Y region as required and occasionally beyond the region. 

Candidate Profile 

• A minimum of 15 years of successful experience managing multiple staff, including remote-working staff; 

• Experience in leading conservation and science/knowledge projects that affect management and policy change, preferably in the Y2Y region; 

• Knowledge and experience related to Indigenous rights and governance; 

• Demonstrated ability to both distil complex science and knowledge, and use it to guide conservation and policy change; 

• Professional level degree in a related field or equivalent experience; 

• Experience engaging with government agencies and elected officials at various levels of government, particularly the federal level and with Indigenous governments; 

• Demonstrate a commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion through continuous development, modelling inclusive behaviours, and proactively managing bias; 

• Experience building and maintaining diverse and successful coalitions and collaborations; 

• Strong experience in managing complex budgets with multiple funders; 

• Experience in both individual and foundation fundraising; 

• Ability and interest to travel with some regularity. 

Terms of Employment 

• This position is based at Y2Y’s Canmore, Alberta office.   

• Salary is commensurate with experience, ranging from $110,000-$130,000 and includes Y2Y’s excellent set of benefits.  

About Canmore 

The Town of Canmore is located in the Alberta Rockies, 106 Kilometers west of Calgary. Called Chuwapchipchiyan Kudi Bi in the Stoney Nakoda language, Canmore is located on Treaty 7 territory in the homelands of the Îyârhe Nakoda (Stoney Nakoda) Nations of Bearspaw, Chiniki, and Wesley; the Tsuut’ina First Nation; and the Niitsitapi (Blackfoot Confederacy) Nations of