Director of Land Conservation

Posted: 03/19/2024
Environment

Department: Land Conservation
Reports to the COO and CEO
Classification: Exempt, salary
Location: Boerne, TX
 
Organization Overview
The Cibolo Center for Conservation, located in the beautiful Texas Hill Country community of Boerne, is dedicated to our mission to promote the conservation of natural resources through education and stewardship. Celebrating its 36th year, The Cibolo is a rapidly growing conservation organization with an annual budget of $3M+. Campus operations include the Cibolo Nature Center, Historic Herff Farm, and the Nest Nature School, as well as satellite Sanctuary lands. The Cibolo provides programming for 20,000 children, youth, adults, and families a year while protecting and managing nature campuses on 160+ acres of conserved natural areas. The Cibolo welcomes more than 100,000 visitors annually and our dynamic staff brings passion, creativity, and knowledge to all that we do on our beautiful campuses along the Cibolo Creek.
 
Summary
In recent years, The Cibolo, the largest non-profit in Kendall County, has propelled conservation efforts into the public sphere. While we maintain our status as leaders in land conservation and management, research, and civic engagement in Boerne and Kendall County, the fifth fastest growing county in the nation, it is critical that we continue to scale and replicate these outcomes to contend with ongoing threats to the fast-developing regions of the Texas Hill Country. This past year, saving land was recognized by the board as the most impactful thing The Cibolo can do to address the increasing challenges to pure and plentiful drinking water, clean air, land fragmentation, access to nature, and habitat loss. As a result, The Cibolo’s future structure will be our most impactful conservation approach to date.  
This new position will lead the land acquisition and protection initiatives of The Cibolo. Working in partnership with The Nature Conservancy (Texas chapter), Cibolo Conservancy, Kendall County Bond Committee, and other land protection entities, this position will help create opportunities for protection of more open space in the region. Land acquisition or other forms of protection, supporting master planning, forming Friends Groups, overseeing the management of the properties, seeking additional funding, and networking will be included in this position.
Teams include: Cibolo Land Committee, Land Steward, Research Scientist, Technical and Admin Support
Essential Job Duties and Responsibilities:

  • Negotiate, and manage a portfolio of the Cibolo’s land acquisitions. This includes meeting with landowners, site visits, drafting and quality assurance of conservation plans or assessments for a property; supervising property due diligence, including title investigation with legal counsel; negotiation and drafting of gift deeds.
  • Effectively manage stewarding, monitoring and compliance of the Cibolo’s sanctuaries and private properties, consistent with the Cibolo’s stewardship related policies and procedures.
  • Represent the Cibolo’s Conservation and Stewardship program in stakeholder meetings.
  • Maintain and improve the Cibolo’s conservation and stewardship policies, procedures, and detailed, meticulous records in compliance with the Cibolo’s standards.
  • Ensure that the Land Steward and Research Scientist conduct all annual monitoring of the Cibolo’s properties and submits monitoring reports.
  • Responsible for the management of the Landscape database with all conserved properties.
  • Serve as the project manager for active conservation projects. 
  • Organize master planning, formation of Friends Groups, trail projects, etc.
  • Responsible for coordinating multiple sub-contractors to complete due diligence and ensure thorough, timely, and ethical completion of conservation projects.
  • Review and report on due diligence progress for land projects including appraisals, title review, environmental site assessments/hazardous materials assessments, and preliminary project budgets.
  • Draft land transactions and other documents related to land conservation projects, and facilitate negotiations related to the documents. This work is often done in consultation with the Cibolo’s legal counsel, other staff, and COO and CEO.
  • Maintain the Cibolo’s conservation land acquisition template and stay current on trends and guidelines associated with land transactions.
  • Contribute to the Cibolo’s Board of Directors and Lands Committee reports and meeting presentations regarding the status and progress of active conservation projects.
  • Maintain compliance with the Cibolo’s standards including maintaining the Cibolo’s project-related recordkeeping; evaluate, draft, and update the Cibolo’s policies as needed.
  • Contribute to grant proposals and funder reports for project and organizational funding.
  • Work with the Cibolo’s team of staff to host a variety of events, activities, and community outreach.
  • Adhere to Land Trust Alliance Best Practices and Standards and ready the organization for accreditation.
  • Create and implement unique, customized, and efficient means of facilitating landowners’ intentions to conserve their land and/or donate their land to The Cibolo to further The Cibolo’s mission of land and water conservation.
  • Maintain a comprehensive land vetting process to assess the relevance of potential land opportunities to the Cibolo strategy and the subsequent hand-off to an agency better suited for lands that do not fit the Cibolo strategy.
  • Conduct due diligence on land and conservation projects to determine their viability, liability, applicability, and potential for closure.
  • Work closely with landowners, real estate personnel, attorneys, and other related parties to craft and close comprehensive transactions
  • Actively engage in the assessment of and final determination of property value
  • Engage with The Cibolo leadership to propose options for the use of land post-acquisition, including conservation projects, public usage, research, sale, etc.
  • Actively researches and pursues funding avenues for assistance in achieving The Cibolo Land Team’s budget needs as well as for avenues that may be available for landowners to employ to assist in their conservation efforts.
  • Prepare, review, and negotiate agreements, contracts, legal documents, and other formal documentation associated with the acquisition of land.
  • Develop and maintain knowledge of laws, policies, easement regulations, ordinances, state or local funding mechanisms, and other applicable sources of information and regulations associated with land acquisition.
  • Maintain comprehensive records for all projects from start to finish, compliance records, legal obligations, critical actions required, potential land targets, area landowners, etc.
  • Produce management reports for presentation to The Cibolo leadership team and Board of Directors
  • Complete required paperwork and application materials to apply for grants and other funding sources.
Qualifications:
• Minimum of a Bachelor’s degree in related field, Masters or equal experience preferred.
  • Minimum of 3 years’ experience in land conservation with a background in an appropriate combination of land planning, land management, law, real estate, or related field.
  • Willingness to travel locally and regionally.
  • Proven track record in building relationships and partnerships with a broad spectrum of stakeholders.
  • Strong interpersonal skills and ability to interact and communicate with a variety of public and private interests, partners, and constituents.
  • Strong computer proficiency and office skills.
  • Willingness to work in the field, as well as in an office environment.
  • Willingness to work occasional nights and weekend volunteer workdays.
  • A valid driver’s license and willingness to use personal vehicle when necessary (with mileage reimbursement for out of county travel).
  • Ability to lift up to 30 pounds and walk on uneven terrain.
  • Possess and utilize a collaborative project management style; demonstrated ability to organize, motivate, and support contractors and partners to complete complex land transactions on schedule.
  • Ability to exercise independent judgment, discretion, and decision making. Maintain confidentiality and professional work standards and ethics.
  • High-energy, creative, self-starter with excellent time management and organizational skills; proven ability to meet deadlines and maintain flexibility in a fast-paced work environment.
  • Proven ability to work independently with minimal supervision and to work effectively, positively, and collaboratively as part of our dynamic team.
PHYSICAL DEMANDS:
The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to stand, walk, sit, use hands and fingers to type, handle or feel, reach with hands and arms, talk, and hear. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, color vision and ability to adjust focus during significant computer related work. May work in variable weather conditions, at remote locations, on difficult and hazardous terrain, and under physically demanding circumstances.
  
Pay: $50,000.00 - $75,000.00 per year
Benefits:
  • 403(b)
  • Dental insurance
  • Health insurance
  • Life insurance
  • Paid time off
  • Vision insurance

Director of Land Conservation
Cibolo Center for Conservation