Agriculture, soil science, agronomy & agroecology jobs

Position: Prairies Agriculture Program Manager
Organization: Nature United
Location: Canadian Prairies (Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta)

Nature United is a national organization that is reimagining conservation across Canada. We believe that nature—thriving and full of life—is the foundation of strong communities, a prosperous economy, and a future worth passing on to our grandchildren. We believe that reconciliation is at the heart of our progress as a nation. And we believe that Canada can be a global beacon for hope. We work to advance sustainable resource management by supporting Indigenous leadership and authority and to harness the power of nature to address the climate crisis by advancing natural climate solutions. Nature United is an affiliate of the global organization The Nature Conservancy (TNC).

As a conservation organization, we support the authority of Indigenous peoples to steward and manage their lands and waters by working in partnership with Indigenous Nations to strengthen governance, build on-the-ground stewardship capacity, support leaders, and catalyze local economies. Diversity, equity, inclusion and justice are central to achieving our conservation mission and we are committed to co-creating a culture that is equitable and a workplace that is diverse, inclusive and safe for all staff, partners, donors, and volunteers.

Our goal is to cultivate an inclusive work environment so that all our colleagues feel a sense of belonging, and that their unique contributions to our mission are valued. We know we’ll only achieve our Mission by hiring and engaging a diverse workforce that reflects the communities in which we work. In addition to the requirements in our postings, we recognize that people come with talent and experiences outside of a job. Diversity of experience and skills combined with passion is a key to innovation and a culture of inclusion! Please apply – we’d love to hear from you. To quote myriad staff members, “you’ll join for our mission, and you’ll stay for our people.”

What We Can Achieve Together:

The Canada Prairies Agriculture Program Manager will provide leadership, technical expertise and relationship building for implementing Nature United’s sustainable agriculture and grasslands strategies with a focus in the Canadian Prairies. They report to the Agriculture Strategy Director and work closely with the broader Strategic Partnerships, Philanthropy, Science, Monitoring, Evaluating, and Learning (MEL), and Marketing and Communications teams. They will collaborate with the broader team and contribute to strategy development, lead identifying and maintaining key relationships in the sector, and be responsible for leading and facilitating the implementation of new initiatives and deployment of critical financial and technical resources to partners to facilitate the adoption of sustainable agriculture practices. Financial responsibility may include managing a budget to complete projects, negotiating, and contracting with vendors, assisting with budget development and assisting with fundraising. They will ensure program compliance with internal policies and external requirements and make independent decisions based on analysis, experience, and context.

They will advance existing and new collaborative relationships and partnerships with farmers, Indigenous governments and organizations, producer groups, researchers, post-secondary institutions, and key local stakeholders involved in sustainable agriculture initiatives. In doing so they will establish Nature United as a key stakeholder in the Canadian Prairies, facilitate meetings and external engagement efforts. They will also manage Nature United’s support for key initiatives with the agriculture community to enable, demonstrate, communicate, aggregate and scale sustainable agricultural practices through peer-to-peer learning, applied and academic research, multi-stakeholder collaboratives and supporting Indigenous agriculture. Local knowledge and agriculture expertise will be critical to the program’s success. This position is expected to travel a minimum 20% of time.

We’re Looking for You:

This is an opportunity to create meaningful change and positive outcomes in Canada’s agriculture sector for climate, biodiversity, and communities. Working alongside colleagues at Nature United who are dedicated and passionate about outcomes for people and nature, here you can lead in the implementation of natural climate solutions with farmers and communities in the Canadian prairies.

This is an exciting opportunity to contribute to the ongoing mission of conservation by supporting the work of our team. Join us as we impact conservation across Canada and 80+ countries and territories around the globe!

What You’ll Bring:

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

• B.Sc. in Agriculture majoring in soil science, plant science, agronomy or agroecology, or related economics or business degree and 5 years’ experience in agricultural production management within the Canadian prairie provinces or equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Experience working directly with farmers and ranchers in rural settings to provide recommendations on production practices, including sustainable agriculture beneficial management practices.
• Experience negotiating complex agreements.
• Experience communicating with the public, including farmers, ranchers, Indigenous governments and organizations, producer groups, researchers and/or other local stakeholders both in writing and verbally.
• Experience managing complex or multiple projects, including staffing, workloads and finances under deadlines.
• Experience in partnership development with non-profit partners, community groups and/or government agencies

DESIRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Registered as, or eligible to be registered as a Professional Agrologist in at least one of Alberta, Saskatchewan, or Manitoba.
• Knowledge of land management conservation practice and conservation science.
• Ability to explain agriculture conservation practices to technical and non-technical audiences
• Knowledge of current trends and practices in agricultural production, conservation, land management, and natural resource preservation.
• Ability to complete tasks independently within set timelines, under minimal supervision.
• Supervisory experience.

We recognize that women, visible minorities, Indigenous peoples, people with disabilities and other equity-deserving groups are less likely to apply if they do not match most of the qualifications. Nature United finds strength in diversity of backgrounds, lived experiences, knowledge, and identities. We strongly encourage those interested who bring new perspective to apply.

What We Bring:

Nature United offers a comprehensive benefits package including health care benefits, parental leave, accrued paid time off, life insurance, disability coverage, employee assistance program, other life and work well-being benefits. Learn more about our benefits in the Culture Tab on nature.org/careers.

We’re proud to offer a work environment that is supportive of the health, well-being, and flexibility needs of the people we employ!

Salary Information:

The estimated starting salary for this position is dependent on experience, qualifications and location.

• Salary range in Manitoba, Saskatchewan or Alberta is $99,000 – $106,000 CAD annually

How To Apply:

To apply for job ID 56186, submit your cover letter and resume online by using the Apply Now button at https://careers.nature.org/ by 11:59 PM EST on February 13, 2025. Please mention you saw this at FoodWork.ca. 

Need help applying? Visit our recruitment page or contact applyhelp@tnc.org .

Nature United is committed to offering accommodations for qualified individuals with disabilities and disabled veterans in our job application process. If you need assistance or an accommodation due to a disability, please send a note to applyhelp@tnc.org with Request for Accommodation in the subject line