The Nature Conservancy · 1 hour ago
People Science Program Manager
Arlington, VA
Full-time
Hybrid
Mid, Senior Level
$67K/yr - $101K/yr
5+ years expThe Nature Conservancy is a science-based organization focused on protecting the lands and waters essential for life. The People Science Program Manager will oversee project management and coordination for interdisciplinary research, ensuring effective collaboration among teams and alignment with organizational goals.
Environmental ConsultingNatural ResourcesNon ProfitWaterWildlife Conservation
Responsibilities
Act independently and stand in for the Directors of the People Science line (Economics and Governance, Human Dimensions and Indigenous Science) when needed, exercising independent judgment to identify and solve problems
Co-design and manage projects that advance the strategic goals of Global Science and The Nature Conservancy, ensuring People Science contributions drive those strategies
Facilitate the development of programmatic strategies and theories of change aligning the interests of Economics and Governance, Human Dimensions and Indigenous Science teams with larger organizational needs. The role will help ensure that these strategies reflect TNC’s commitment to equity, reciprocity, and mutual learning across different knowledge systems, linking social science, economic, and Indigenous approaches in support of shared conservation goals
Manage team workflows and enable effective communication and coordination among Global Science members, particularly across the Economics & Governance, Human Dimensions, and Indigenous Science areas. This includes fostering relational and cross-cultural collaboration among team members, ensuring that perspectives, including Indigenous and local knowledge systems, inform project design and implementation
Coordinate the work of virtual, cross-functional, and geographically dispersed individual teams toward desired outcomes or reports, facilitating collaboration among the three People Science disciplines and other science lines
Research, aggregate, synthesize, edit, and summarize information as needed for projects, proposals, and reports, drawing on sources including scientific literature in economics, social science, and Indigenous studies
Set up high-level work plans for new projects and initiatives, manage agendas for meetings, and track and follow up on action items – promoting a high-performing culture and use of collaborative tools
Partner with peers on other global, regional, and country teams to systematize and track metrics that gauge project progress and impact, integrating People Science metrics (e.g., social outcomes, policy influence, community engagement indicators) into TNC’s performance tracking
Manage and curate materials to support People Science communications, including internal newsletters, team updates, reports, and contributions to external communications or press releases. This may involve highlighting how economics, human dimensions, and Indigenous knowledge are informing conservation outcomes
Report on and communicate project impacts to TNC leadership, partners, and donors – translating People Science findings into compelling narratives that demonstrate their value to conservation
Stay self-motivated in ongoing learning so that skills remain current and relevant; actively seek professional development in project management and in subject-matter knowledge of People Science disciplines
Work effectively in a complex matrix organizational environment, navigating relationships across Global Science and other departments
Provide administrative support for scheduling and logistics of project calls, workshops, and team retreats, ensuring inclusive participation across different time zones and cultures
Willingness to travel roughly 2–7 weeks per year (locally, regionally, and internationally) as required to meet project and strategy needs. While virtual engagement is prioritized, some projects may necessitate in-person collaboration or on-site meetings (recognizing that travel may include engagement with Indigenous communities or international partners, as People Science work is global in scope)
Qualification
Required
BA/BS degree and 5 years' experience in conservation practice or applied social science, or equivalent combination of education and experience
Experience managing complex or multiple projects, including staffing, workloads, and finances under deadlines
Experience with project management software and developing project workflows, e.g., Asana
Supervisory experience, including motivating, leading, setting objectives, and managing performance
Experience in partnership development with non-profit partners, community groups, and/or government agencies
Experience negotiating
Strong experience in leading a multi-disciplinary team
Exceptional communication and collaboration skills
Experience designing, organizing, and directing complex projects
Ability to manage and implement complex processes to meet deadlines, solving logistical or administrative challenges in creative ways
Experience supervising staff, interns, and/or volunteers, especially in a remote or distributed team environment
Proficiency in interpreting guidelines and manipulating, analyzing, and interpreting data – for example, handling data from social science research or economic analyses for reporting
Strong interpersonal skills, including the ability to negotiate, influence, persuade, and de-escalate conflicts – especially important in a role that bridges different disciplines and perspectives
Successful experience implementing strategic program goals, indicating an ability to turn high-level strategies into actionable plans and results
Willingness to travel roughly 2–7 weeks per year (locally, regionally, and internationally) as required to meet project and strategy needs
Preferred
MA/MS degree in a social or interdisciplinary research discipline
Knowledge of and experience with the practical and conceptual challenges of bridging across academic disciplines and multiple ways of knowing
Multilingual skills and multicultural or cross-cultural experience appreciated – the People Science Program Manager will often work with international colleagues and Indigenous communities, so additional language skills or cultural experience are a plus
Certification: Project Management Professional (PMP) or other professional certification in project management is desired, indicating formal training in project management practices and methodologies such as Highly Effective Teams
Experience in training, mentoring, or education, which could involve building capacity in others or leading professional development activities
Residency in Latin America, Africa, or the Asia Pacific regions is desirable but not required
Benefits
Health care benefits
Flexible spending accounts
A 401(k) plan with an 8% employer match
Parental leave
Accrued paid time off
Life insurance
Disability coverage
Employee assistance program
Other life and work well-being benefits
Company
The Nature Conservancy
The Nature Conservancy is a non-profit conservation organization that works to protect terrestrial, freshwater, and marine ecosystems.
5001-10000 employees
H1B Sponsorship
The Nature Conservancy has a track record of offering H1B sponsorships. Please note that this does not
guarantee sponsorship for this specific role. Below presents additional info for your
reference. (Data Powered by US Department of Labor)
Distribution of Different Job Fields Receiving Sponsorship
Represents job field similar to this job
Trends of Total Sponsorships
2025 (26)
2024 (21)
2023 (13)
2022 (18)
2021 (13)
2020 (12)
Funding
Current Stage
Late StageTotal Funding
$120.09MKey Investors
Global Affairs CanadaBezos Earth FundNFWF
2025-11-17Grant· $7.94M
2025-10-23Grant
2025-06-09Grant
Leadership Team
Jennifer Morris
Chief Executive Officer
Matt Merrifield
CTO
Recent News
2026-01-24
2025-12-03
Company data provided by crunchbase