PRANA-Project Co-ordinator

Organization: The Nature Conservancy (TNC), Apply By: 05 Aug 2022, Location: (Punjab)

Organizational Overview: A pioneer in conservation leadership

This is an exciting time at The Nature Conservancy (TNC) as we are shifting our strategy for greater impact in the world, seeking to address some of the most complex challenges facing people and nature — issues such as climate change, conserving lands, waters, and oceans at unprecedented scale, providing food and water sustainably and helping make cities more resilient and sustainable.

Our Mission

TNC’s mission is to conserve the lands and waters on which all life depends. Rather than viewing development – including economic growth – and conservation as contradictory goals, TNC works to demonstrate how nature has value for people and development and how nature can provide enormous economic benefit. TNC envisions a future where people and nature can flourish together.

Our Vision

A world where the diversity of life thrives, and people act to conserve nature for its own sake and its ability to fulfil our needs and enrich our lives.

The Conservancy Team

We achieve this through the dedicated efforts of our 3,800 diverse staff, including more than 600 scientists, all of whom support conservation in 76 countries and all 50 United States. We are striving to develop a workforce as diverse as the places where we work, and we have a deep commitment to diversity.

Organizational History

TNC is the largest conservation organisation in the world, working in all 50 states in the United States and more than 76 countries. It was incorporated as a non-profit organization in the District of Columbia on October 22, 1951. TNC is science-based and in every place, we work, we partner with governments, businesses, and local communities. TNC is advancing its mission by protecting and restoring rivers, landscapes and oceans for people and their development at an unprecedented scale; it is transforming the way humanity uses the Earth’s natural resources to sustain ourselves.

About the Employer Organization

Nature Conservancy India Solutions Private Limited (NCIS) is a private limited company incorporated under the Companies Act 2013, having it registered office in India in New Delhi. India. It is a wholly owned Indian subsidiary of The Nature Conservancy. The company currently provides technical consultancy, monitoring & evaluation and other related services in the domain of conservation and environment to its various clients within and outside India.

PRANA PROJECT

TNC has been successful in securing a significant grant from the Bezos Earth Fund for the Promoting Regenerative and No-burn Agriculture (PRANA) Project in India. Nature Conservancy India Solutions Pvt Ltd (NCIS) is providing techno-managerial services for the effective management and implementation of the project. The expected outcomes for the successful delivery of the project over four years are as follows:

• At least 6 million tonnes of CO2-e mitigation through the elimination of burning on 1 million hectares of cropland.
• At least 250,000 farmers adopt zero-burn cropping systems.
• 500 billion litres of water saved from enhanced soil health and better agronomic practices.
• A pilot financial instrument that incentivizes farmers to adopt no-burn practices to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

YOUR POSITION WITH TNC

The PRANA Project Coordinator will work as part of the PRANA team contributing to the analysis and development of conservation strategies. The Project Coordinator will implement, and coordinate tasks related to all aspects of the team’s portfolio. Tasks may relate to one or more functional activities, such as financial and operations support, grant management, contracts and procurement, meetings management, special events, knowledge management, tracking internal procedures, training, etc. This position will be located in Punjab (Mohali or Ludhiana or Chandigarh) and report to the PRANA Project Director.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

The Project Coordinator assists with the development, implementation, and management of PRANA’s business plans and strategies with oversight from PRANA Leadership and in partnership with implementing partners. They will critically assess project scope and objectives, ensuring all risks and dependencies are addressed in the project plan in order to deliver successful project results that support the fulfillment of the objectives. They will assist with leading the project teams to successfully achieve identified goals in the most cost-effective and time-saving manner possible. The Project Coordinator will obtain go/no-go decisions at all project decision points from the Project Leadership and identify and obtain approval for project deliverables from the appropriate staff or teams. Throughout the project lifecycle, the Project Coordinator will monitor and measure project progress, conduct corrective action as necessary, communicate project status information to all stakeholders. They will perform risk management, issue resolution, and conflict management, and collaboratively solve complex problems. They will utilize project management methodologies and processes and ensure all organizational and divisional standards are met. They will act as a resource to other staff and Project Coordinators to provide project management guidance, training, and expertise. This role is essential for ensuring smooth operations, financial management, vendor management, contract negotiation, procurement support and in providing proper logistics support to relevant program teams. They establish TNC as a major conservation partner with farmers and communities, specifically within Punjab.

RESPONSIBILITIES & SCOPE

• Working within PRANA’s strategic goals, manages projects with several variables – set realistic deadlines, manage a timeline, and ensure accountability using including using Smartsheet system management and progress monitoring across the team, based on inputs from stakeholders and PRANA governance meetings.
• Act independently and in supervisor’s stead, as needed; exercise independent judgment to identify and solve problems;
• Coordinate the work of cross-functional, cross-divisional teams towards a desired outcome;
• Support for grant management, including coordinating reporting, scheduling and attending meetings outside of business hours, and persistently tracking and synthesizing information from a range of sources in a range of formats.
• Financial responsibility includes purchasing, negotiating, and contracting with vendors; approving expenses; and participating in budget preparation.
• Ensure programmatic commitments, Conservancy policies and procedures, financial standards, and legal requirements are met and managed for compliance; decisions may bind the organization financially or legally;
• Manage project budgets and assist with budget development related to strategic projects;
• May manage or participate in complex negotiations
• Demonstrate sensitivity in handling confidential information.
• Build and maintain internal team document and information management systems.
• Organize, facilitate, and host events such as team retreats, workshops, and webinars, including managing logistics.
• Provide research and analysis in support of Natural Climate Solutions and Tackle Climate Change priorities.
• Travel and work flexible hours as needed.
• Work environment involves only infrequent exposure to disagreeable elements and minor physical exertion and/or strain.
• Work is diversified and may not always fall under established practices and guidelines.
• Travel frequently, working long and flexible hours as needed.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

• Bachelor’s degree and 3 years of related experience or equivalent combination.
• Experience managing and implementing multiple projects in parallel.
• Experience working with cross-functional teams.
• Experience generating reports and analyzing and interpreting the data.
• Experience leading and supporting applied science projects that impact conservation.
• Proficiency to read, write and speak Punjabi is added benefit. 

DESIRED QUALIFICATIONS

• MBA or bachelor’s degree and 6-8 years of related experience or equivalent combination.
• Multi-lingual skills and multi-cultural or cross-cultural experience are appreciated.
• Experience, coursework, training, or knowledge of current trends in conservation, agronomy, agrobusiness, regenerative and/or sustainable agriculture highly desired.
• Successful experience contributing to work plans and implementing strategic program goals.
• Strong organization skills, accuracy, attention to detail, and ability to manage multiple tasks.
• Ability to implement complex processes.
• Experience coordinating multiple projects or workstreams in a decentralized context to achieve optimal results.
• Ability to manage time independently and prioritize diverse responsibilities to meet deadlines.
• Experience interpreting guidelines to achieve desired results.
• Ability to analyze information for the purpose of coordinating and planning activities and solving problems.
• Strong team player who can build relationships and work collaboratively across the organization and with partners.
• Demonstrated experience using diplomacy and tact to build strong relationships and motivate staff.
• Proficiency to read, write and speak Punjabi is added benefit.

How to Apply:

NCIS is an Equal Opportunity Employer

Our commitment to diversity includes the recognition that our conservation mission is best advanced by the leadership and contributions of people of all genders with diverse backgrounds, beliefs and cultures. Recruiting and mentoring staff to create an inclusive organization that reflects our global character is a priority and we encourage applicants from all cultures, races, colours, religions, sexes, national or regional origins, ages, disability status, sexual orientations, gender identities, military or veteran status or other status protected by law.

HOW TO APPLY:

Visit this link: https://careers.nature.org/ 

To apply to position number 51806, submit resume (required) and cover letter separately using the upload buttons. All applications must be submitted in the system prior to 11:59 p.m. IST on August,5 2022.

Click “submit” to apply for the position or “save for later” to create a draft application for future submission. Once submitted, applications cannot be revised or edited. Failure to complete required fields may result in your application being disqualified from consideration.

If you experience technical issues, please refer to our applicant user guide or contact applyhelp@tnc.org.  

The successful applicant must meet the requirements of Nature Conservancy India Solutions’ background screening process.