Working Lands Manager

About Triangle Land Conservancy (TLC)

TLC is an accredited and highly-respected land trust, having protected over 25,000 acres in the rapidly growing Triangle region of North Carolina. Since 1983, TLC has conserved land to safeguard drinking water, support family farms and the local food economy, protect important natural habitat, and connect people with nature. TLC operates a hybrid workplace and is headquartered in vibrant downtown Durham. This is an exciting time to work at TLC as we are seeing a dramatic increase in the use of our public nature preserves and growth in community support for our mission.  TLC has doubled the pace of conservation in the Triangle and is conserving an average of 1,000 acres annually in addition to monitoring and stewarding TLC-conserved lands in perpetuity, hosting numerous public events and education programs, providing volunteer opportunities, and cultivating future leaders with an impactful youth leadership program. Learn more at triangleland.org

Position Summary

The Working Lands Manager will help to administer and elevate TLC’s commitment to supporting local farms and food through quality land conservation. This position will administer a five-year $6 million Triangle Working Lands Initiative Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP) grant awarded to TLC by the Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS) to unlock funding for working lands conservation across our six-county region in collaboration with other land protection staff. The Working Lands Manager’s land protection focus will be in Chatham County where they will assist with closing existing projects, seeking funding for new projects, and meeting with landowners to explore their conservation options.

Key Responsibilities

Administer RCPP Triangle Working Lands Initiative Grant

• Manage contracts for the Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP) Triangle Working Lands Initiative and coordinate with other county liaisons to deploy RCPP funds across the region.
• Maintain working relationships and regular contact with NRCS representatives for efficient RCPP execution.
• Submit quarterly invoices and associated forms/reports to unlock federal grant funding for staff time and land projects.
• Meet regularly with Land Protection liaisons from all TLC counties and Good Ground Manager to ensure efficient and effective implementation of RCPP funds to support local farms and food.
• Report on RCPP progress and spending in organizational and departmental grant meetings.

Chatham Land Protection

• Lead the progress on existing and new land conservation projects in Chatham County, ensuring long-term success and commitment fulfillment.
• Track the progress of Chatham County land conservation projects, including monitoring timelines, budgets, and funding sources.
• Identify and evaluate potential farm, forest, and other land protection projects primarily in Chatham County that advance the goals of TLC’s Strategic Action Plan.  
• Lead farm and forest site visits and build relationships with landowners and properties.
• Assist with landowner correspondence, research, project summaries, and other writing assignments. 
• Prepare maps for each project using ArcGIS Pro. 
• Manage the work, contracts, and invoices of funders, appraisers, surveyors, engineers, legal counsel, and other professional services.  

Community Engagement and Outreach

• Build strong relationships with local landowners, funders, community members, and stakeholders.
• Create outreach materials in partnership with TLC’s Communications Team.
• Maintain relationships with partners throughout Chatham County and participate in collaborative outreach efforts to landowners through mailings, campaigns, and events. 
• Represent TLC on appropriate special interest projects and stakeholder groups.

Data Analysis and Reporting

• Ensure all new Chatham projects are set up in TLC’s property database (Landscape Conservation Software), and that all required information is entered when a project closes.  
• Ensure accurate tracking of project data and prepare progress reports as required by TLC and funding partners.
• Calculate scores, coordinate applications, and assist on funding strategies for Chatham projects eligible for NC Agricultural Development and Farmland Preservation (ADFP) and Chatham Agricultural Preservation and Development Trust Fund funding.
• Update ArcGIS database to reflect project progress and depict Chatham and Triangle Working Lands Initiative conservation status.

Skills and Qualifications

• Proven experience in land conservation, agricultural preservation, or related fields, preferably in a nonprofit setting or with a land trust a plus.
• Strong organizational and project management skills with the ability to manage complex projects, meet deadlines, and handle paperwork effectively.
• Exceptional attention to detail and analytical skills, including experience with grant scoring or similar systems.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including experience creating outreach materials.
• Familiar with ArcGIS Pro and able to comfortably create property maps and update ArcGIS database with project information.
• Knowledge or community connections in Chatham County is a plus.
• Familiarity with grant writing or federal funding programs such as RCPP is a plus.
• Proficiency with office technology (MS Office, Google Suite) and project management software.
• Ability to work independently with minimal supervision, while managing multiple tasks and priorities.
• Commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging, fostering an inclusive work environment.
• Valid driver’s license and reliable transportation, with the ability to travel to TLC worksites and regularly across Chatham County  

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

TLC is an equal opportunity employer that recruits, hires, trains, and promotes individuals without regard to color, race, religious belief, sex, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, national or ethnic origin, disability, veteran status, or age.  People of color, LGBTQ people, people with disabilities, and members of other historically disenfranchised populations are strongly encouraged to apply.  We also strive to ensure our hiring process, including the submission of the application, meets your needs. To submit an application to this post, you will need to upload a resume and answer a few questions (using open text and multiple choice answers). If there are accommodations that would help you in submitting the application, please emailhrATtriangleland.org. For accommodations needed during the interview process, we have a section to indicate this in the application (no need to email).