World Wildlife Fund (WWF), one of the world’s leading conservation organizations, seeks a Sustainable Ranching Initiative Associate Specialist, Montana

Location: Bozeman, Montana

Major Function

World Wildlife Fund (WWF), one of the world’s leading conservation organizations, seeks an Associate Specialist for the Sustainable Ranching Initiative, based out of Montana. The Associate Specialist provides technical expertise to develop, prioritize, and coordinate private-land conversation projects for Sustainable Ranching Initiative (SRI). The Associate Specialist will coordinate stream restoration and other on-ranch conservation and restoration projects throughout central and eastern Montana in collaboration with ranchers, and partners from other agencies and NGOs. The Associate Specialist will also support fundraising proposals and further development of SRI’s on-ranch ecological restoration workload.

Reporting Structure: Reports to the Manager of Sustainable Ranching Initiative, Northern Great Plains.

Position Length: This is a 2-year limited term position with a possibility for extension.

Work Authorization: This position is not eligible for employment visa or work authorization sponsorship.

Salary: The expected compensation range for this position is $52,500 to $65,700

• Coordinate projects on private grazing lands designed to restore grasslands and streams within the Great Plains, and assist ranchers and local collaboratives in pursuing their land-management goals.
• Conduct outreach with landowners in central and eastern Montana to inform them of WWF programs and project opportunities, and identify participants who may be a good fit for restoration projects.
• Support the SRI team and collaboratives with conservation and restoration project implementation. This will include identifying and coordinating stream restoration projects, assisting ranchers and partners with prioritization for new conservation and restoration efforts, coordinating monitoring efforts for restoration projects, maintaining a database of project information and relevant ecological data, and communicating the results of these projects to other ranchers and partners.
• Build and maintain relationships with local and regional ranching partner organizations and government agencies like Winnett ACES, Ranchers Stewardship Alliance, The Nature Conservancy, Montana Conservation Corps, BLM, NRCS, USFWS, and others. Coordinate with individual ranches on the implementation, monitoring, and reporting for projects intended to restore grasslands and streams in the Northern Great Plains.
• Support the SRI team with strategic planning, partner engagement, program communication, public and stakeholder education, technology transfer, metric evaluation and reporting, and other relevant topics.
• Communicate results to local and regional audiences through a variety of channels including public speaking and published writings and provide perspective and technical insights to the SRI team as needed/requested. In coordination with the SRI team, assist in fundraising, including providing content for proposals and reporting on progress.
• Assist ranchers and local collaboratives by providing technical assistance, support in fundraising and project evaluation efforts, and offering expertise and guidance to partner-driven strategic planning efforts.
• Other responsibilities, as needed and assigned.

Key Competencies

1. Interpersonal and Communication Skills: Communicates effectively with other people, both internally amongst SRI and WWF colleagues, and externally to funders, ranchers, organizational partners, and the public; adapts communication style to the appropriate audience, and understands the value of different communication and behavioral styles
2. Adaptability: Adapts to varied work environments, from remote ranch lands to formal meetings with diverse stakeholders like ranchers, conservationists, and agencies. The specialist must manage frequent travel (up to 50%) while balancing fieldwork with office-based tasks like project management and reporting. Success requires quickly shifting between hands-on conservation efforts and administrative responsibilities.
3. Independence and Initiative: Thinks proactively about how to advance both personal workplan and the strategic plans of the SRI and NGP teams; pursues and manages workstreams independently of external input when appropriate; adapts to situations where making progress demands both independent and team-based strategies, and understands the strengths and weaknesses of both approaches
4. Collaboration and Inclusion: Fosters a culture of collaboration both internally with WWF and SRI colleagues, and externally with ranching and organizational partners
5. Time and Project Management: Manages conservation projects from planning through implementation, ensuring timely execution and resource allocation. Responsibilities include tracking progress, collecting data, and maintaining project databases to ensure alignment with ecological goals. The specialist also communicates results and supports funding efforts by contributing to grant proposals and reports.

Qualifications

• A Bachelor’s degree with 2+ years of experience in a relevant field is required. Suitable degrees include – but are not limited to – natural resources management, ecology, organismal biology, or environmental science.
• Demonstrated experience working with ranchers required.
• Demonstrated experience with conservation project management, specifically in stream and grassland systems in the Northern Great Plains, is required.
• Demonstrated experience working on grazing lands within Northern Great Plains, and specifically Montana is required.
• Excellent writing skills, as demonstrated through samples, are preferred.
• Experience with conservation education and outreach, such as volunteer events or field days, is preferred.
• Excellent communication skills, both one-on-one and in a group setting. Experience presenting ecological conservation topics to diverse audiences is preferred.
• Ability to take initiative and independently pursue new projects and fundraising opportunities.
• Ability to work independently, as well as with a team.
• Must be willing to travel as necessary within the NGP region, but specifically within central and eastern Montana, which may be up to 25-50%.
• Committed to building and strengthening a culture of inclusion within and across teams.
• Experience with the following may be beneficial in this position:
• Identifies and aligns with WWF’s core values:
  • COURAGE – We demonstrate courage through our actions, we work for change where it’s needed, and we inspire people and institutions to tackle the greatest threats to nature and the future of the planet, which is our home.
  • INTEGRITY – We live the principles we call on others to meet. We act with integrity, accountability and transparency, and we rely on facts and science to guide us and to ensure that we learn and evolve.
  • RESPECT – We honor the voices and knowledge of people and communities that we serve, and we work to secure their rights to a sustainable future.
  • COLLABORATION – We deliver impact at the scale of the challenges we face through the power of collective action and innovation.

Please Note:

The person in this role must be based out of Montana, with placement in Bozeman, MT, being preferred.

To Apply:

• Submit cover letter and resume through our Careers Page, Requisition #25017
• Due to the high volume of applications we are not able to respond to inquiries via phone

As an EOE/AA employer, WWF will not discriminate in its employment practices due to an applicant’s race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, marital status, genetic information, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, disability, or protected Veteran status. WWF values diversity and inclusion and welcomes diverse candidates to apply.