Conservation Operations Manager

Job Description

Job Description

The Operations Manager serves as the operational and financial backbone of the Conservation Department. This role is responsible for overseeing the integrated management of the department’s portfolio of contracts and grants (“projects”), ensuring alignment across scope, schedule, budget, staffing, compliance, and reporting.

Reporting to and working in close partnership with the Senior Director of Programs, this position ensures that projects are delivered on time, on budget, within scope, and in compliance with funder requirements. The Manager provides financial oversight, portfolio-level coordination, and proactive risk management for the department, allowing the Associate Director to focus on strategy, partnerships, and external leadership.

This role interfaces regularly and collaborates closely with Contracts & Grants, Finance, Development, consultants, and subcontractors to ensure seamless cross-functional coordination.

ESSENTIAL JOB RESPONSIBILITIES

Portfolio Project Management

• Oversee and coordinate a portfolio of 15+ active contracts and grants within the Conservation Department.
• In collaboration with the Associate Director/Director and Director of Conservation Strategies (S&I), develop, maintain, and monitor integrated project workplans, timelines, and milestone tracking across the department.
• Identify and communicate overlaps, resource conflicts, scope changes, budget variances, and scheduling constraints in real time.
• Monitor project performance (on time, on budget, within scope, and quality standards).
• Proactively identify risks and develop mitigation strategies.
• Escalate material issues to the Senior Director with recommended solutions.

Budget Management & Financial Oversight

• Manage project budgets in partnership with the Associate Director/Director, Director of Conservation Strategies, and Finance
• Monitor actuals vs. budget and forecast spend across the portfolio
• Track burn rates, cost allocations, and indirect recovery
• Analyze and explain budget variances
• Ensure project implementation plans, including staffing, contracts, and direct costs, remain within approved budgets within and across projects
• Support financial reporting for funders and internal dashboards
• Interface directly with Contracts & Grants and Finance to ensure compliance, cost allowability, and documentation

Sub-Contractor Project Coordination (Conservation-Specific)

• Support sub-contractor project planning and sequencing
• Track, manage, and receive bids
• Track consultant and subcontractor deliverables and payment schedules
• Work with department staff to ensure contract compliance and milestone completion from external vendors
• Monitor sub-contractor related budgets, change orders, and contingency usage
• Ensure documentation aligns with grant and contract requirements

Cross-Functional Coordination

• Serve as primary coordination point between:
• Department staff
• Contracts & Grants team (for proposal support and reporting)
• Finance
• Strategy and Impact
• Ensure smooth handoffs between proposal development and implementation
• Support accurate and timely narrative and financial funder reporting
• Contribute to improved organizational project management systems

Systems & Process Improvement

• Implement and maintain project tracking tools and dashboards
• Improve portfolio-level visibility across scope, staffing, and financial performance
• Standardize department project workflows
• Support development of organization-wide best practices in project and budget management
• Supports the management of project execution within approved scope and budget
• Recommends budget adjustments and resource reallocations
• Escalates strategic or material financial risks to Director(s)
• Does not independently commit the organization to new financial obligations

QUALIFICATIONS/SKILLS

Required

• Bachelor’s degree in business, finance, public administration, environmental studies, or related field
• 5+ years of experience in project management across multiple concurrent projects
• Demonstrated experience managing project budgets within and across multiple projects
• Experience working with grants and/or contract-funded programs
• Strong financial literacy (budget tracking, forecasting, accrual accounting, variance analysis)
• Proficiency in project management and financial tracking software
• Exceptional organizational and communication skills
• PMP certification or equivalent
• Ability to work in organizational operational systems that are in development and evolving with flexibility and grace
• Systems thinker with strong attention to detail
• Financially disciplined and analytically rigorous
• Comfortable operating in complex, multi-stakeholder environments
• Proactive risk identifier
• Clear communicator across technical and non-technical teams
• Able to balance multiple high-stakes priorities

Preferred

• Experience coordinating consultants or subcontractors
• Experience working on multiple projects simultaneously
• Experience in nonprofit or public-sector grant environments
• Familiarity with cost allocation and indirect rate structures