Senior Associate, Conserving the Pantanal and Gran Chaco Wildlands

Senior Associate, Conserving the Pantanal and Gran Chaco Wildlands

The Environment Portfolio at The Pew Charitable Trusts

For more than 30 years, Pew has been a major force in engaging the public and policy makers about the causes, consequences, and solutions to some of the world’s most pressing environmental challenges. Our environment work spans all seven continents with more than 250 professionals working at the local, national, and international levels to reduce the scope and severity of global environmental problems, such as the erosion of large natural ecosystems that contain a great part of the world’s remaining biodiversity, and the destruction of the marine environment. Pew’s global environmental program focuses on science-based, nonpartisan, and sustainable solutions to help protect the planet and people. We work in partnership with governments, Indigenous rights holders, intergovernmental organizations, non-governmental organizations, local stakeholders, scientists, and other researchers to advance public policy so that nature and communities can thrive.

Since 1990, Pew has worked in North America, South America and Australia to protect large and critically important terrestrial ecosystems, including rivers and other freshwater resources, coastal temperate rainforests, interior mountain ranges, the northern boreal forests, Australia’s Outback, and Chilean Patagonia. We work to ensure these natural systems remain bountiful, functioning, and resilient, providing essential ecological services such as clean air and clean water, sustenance and food security for local communities and more broadly for the welfare of current and future generations. Our work relies on the sciences of conservation, sociology, biology, and economics to advocate for practical and durable solutions to the loss of biodiversity. 

In the sea, reforms to how our oceans are managed are essential to address overfishing, pollution, and loss of habitat. Pew began its oceans program in the United States, focusing on ending overfishing and protecting fragile marine habitat. Starting in 2005, Pew’s ocean conservation program expanded around the world and played a significant role in reforming marine fisheries management in the European Union and on the high seas and creating large scale marine reserves around the world. Our work is grounded in the best available science and pursues domestic and international conservation measures that are long-term and provide permanent, durable protections for marine ecosystems. We also work to address systemic threats to the ocean, including from plastics, over-and-illegal fishing, seabed mining, and climate change.

Conserving the Pantanal and Gran Chaco Wildlands

South America’s Pantanal and Gran Chaco regions are among the most ecologically significant tropical wetlands and dry forests on Earth. This area spans parts of Brazil, Bolivia, Paraguay, and Argentina and contains thousands of plant and animal species and provides vital aquatic habitat, nutrient renewal, migration routes, and flood control for millions of animals and people living downstream. The region’s extensive ecosystems are currently threatened by deforestation, drought and intensification of wildfires related to climate change, and thus urgently need conservation action.

The project works with the policy framework in each country to solidify and expand protection of the extraordinary biodiversity of the Pantanal-Gran Chaco region. Pew partners with local and international conservation organizations, government agencies, and Indigenous governments and organizations to improve management of and expand protected areas, support Indigenous organizations and communities in the management of their territories, promote sustainable management for ranching lands, and to advance long-term conservation financing mechanisms for durable protections.

Position Overview

Reporting to the Project Director, Conserving the Pantanal and Gran Chaco Wildlands, the Senior Associate, Conserving the Pantanal and Gran Chaco Wildlands will manage contracts with partner non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and consultants, act as a liaison with other Pew units, facilitate planning and evaluation, and generally monitor workflow across the team.

The Senior Associate will support the Project Director in ensuring adequate project management with a primary focus on managing contracts and coordinating workflow. This will also include backstopping other team members to cover key gaps as they arise. A secondary focus will include facilitating communications and managing relationships with strategic partners and key stakeholders.

The Senior Associate will be located either in Santa Cruz, Bolivia; or elsewhere within the South America region following evaluation by Pew.

Responsibilities:

• Foster a work environment that inspires excellence, values impact, encourages transparency, builds mutual trust and respect, embraces and values diversity, and is collaborative, caring and compassionate. Under the Project Director’s leadership, provide project management and coordination to the Pantanal and Gran Chaco team.
• Support the Project Director in establishing and cultivating strategic alliances and managing joint initiatives with international organizations, foundations, other non-governmental organizations (NGOs), government agencies, and other institutions in the region.
• Promote best practices and innovations in project management across team activities.
• Manage contracts with consultants and partner organizations using Pew’s platforms and internal procedures to guarantee quality and timeliness.
• Monitor the status of the initiative’s objectives, deliverables, and activities, and provide timely feedback to the Project Director and team.
• Coordinate annual planning exercises and other strategic planning for the project. 
• Contribute to the planning and organizing of periodic staff workshops and participation in external events and represent the project as needed.
• Collaborate on the production and dissemination of communications products.
• Support the Project Director in coordinating key activities with staff and partner organizations.
• Participate in activities that support program and Pew-wide objectives.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience required.
• Generally, 4 years of applicable experience.
• Fluency in English and in either Spanish or Portuguese.
• Significant experience in project management, including planning and evaluation, budgeting, and contracting, and similar areas.  
• Significant experience working with non-profit organizations.
• Knowledge and field experience within the Latin American region with preference for Bolivia, Brazil, and Argentina.
• Experience in conservation, environmental policy, development or related fields is strongly desired.
• Acute political awareness and understanding of issues from a non-partisan perspective.
• Demonstrated experience building relationships among individuals and organizations with a range of interests and perspectives.
• Capacity to lead group discussions with individuals working in different roles and countries; skilled in training and guiding team members with a high degree of cultural sensitivity.
• Demonstrated experience meeting deadlines and effectively developing and moving projects forward with a high degree of independence and autonomy.
• Effective professional writing skills in both English and Spanish/Portuguese. Effectively communicates ideas, thoughts and concepts clearly and concisely and in a compelling way, both written and orally.

Travel
Travel up to 20% of the time to cities and remote locations in Bolivia, Brazil, Argentina as well as in the United States as necessary. 

Work Authorization

Candidates must be legally authorized to work in the country for which they are seeking employment without visa sponsorship.

Salary Range

The salary range represents a reasonable estimate of the annual salary based on Pew’s commitment to provide equitable and market-competitive pay. The actual salary offered will take into consideration many factors including but not limited to job-related knowledge, skills and experience, internal pay equity, and business need.

Total Rewards

This position offers a competitive salary and benefit program.

Pew is an equal opportunity employer and makes employment decisions without regard to race, ethnicity, gender, or any other protected characteristics.