Vacancy Pride Program Manager China office (Kunming, China)

Current Opportunities

Pride Program Manager

About Rare

Rare, a U.S.-based conservation organization, works globally to equip people in the world’s most threatened natural areas with the tools and motivation they need to care for their natural resources. For the last 30 years, at more than 90 sites and in more than 40 nations, Rare has addressed the underlying social and economic factors that create environmental threats. Rare’s approach has been to develop marketing and business development tools that motivate local communities to protect their natural surroundings. Rare has been recognized by Monitor Consulting and Fast Company magazine as one of the “Top 25 Social Capitalists” in America for 2005, 2006, 2007, and 2008. Its conservation toolkit has been embraced by many large environmental organizations, including The Nature Conservancy, Conservation International, Wildlife Conservation Society, and the National Audubon Society.

Rare’s signature Pride campaign builds grassroots support for environmental protection by training local conservation leaders in the use of commercial marketing tactics to build awareness, influence attitudes, and enable meaningful change. Rare has more than twenty years of experience in building local Pride for biodiversity conservation and has trained over 120 locally-based conservationists. Over the next 5 years, Rare plans to triple in size, resulting in exponentially greater impact.

About the Position

Working in close collaboration with the Director of Rare’s China operation, the Pride Program Manager will provide one-on-one mentoring and technical support to local conservation leaders enrolled in the Rare Pride Leadership Development Program, offered at the Southwest Forestry University. The 2-year Rare Pride Program includes 17 weeks of training at the University in 5 subject areas: Conservation Theory and Practice, Research Methodologies, Social Marketing techniques, Project Management, and Leadership skills development; and 84 weeks in the field implementing social marketing-based Pride Campaigns in their communities.

The Pride Program Manager will provide comprehensive support to the program participants throughout the training, implementation, and evaluation cycles of each Pride Campaign. This includes teaching course modules on conservation, leadership, and community engagement during the residency phases of training at the University; periodic support visits to program sites around the world; financial management of program; and regular coaching, mentoring, and distance support to Campaign Managers.

Areas of Responsibility:

The Program Manager’s main responsibility will be to support Pride training and campaigns run through Rare’s program at the Southwest Forestry University. Duties include:

• Actively participate in teaching and evaluating students at the University. Each year Rare will initiate 12 new students who will receive 17 weeks of on-site training over a two year process.
• Provide long distance support and mentoring to Pride Campaign Managers in the implementation of program in the field, maintaining contact via phone, internet, fax and monitoring / project support trips throughout the year.
• Provide general administrative and logistical support for course work, as needed.
• Manage relationships with Pride campaign local partners, ensuring that Rare’s priorities of capacity building, constituency building, and conservation are met. This includes communicating regularly with senior members of the partner organization, and resolving any discrepancies or conflicts.
• Work as part of a team to review and provide coordinated feedback to Pride campaign products and assignments, project plans, materials in development, and final reports.
• Conduct week-long site support visits for personalized support to Pride programs and complete support trip reports.
• Communicate monthly activities and progress, financial status and final outcomes of each program.
• Work diligently to constantly improve and update course materials and tools for the Pride program, and promote cross-campaign learning and network building.

Qualifications, Skills & Knowledge Requirements

• Education and/or experience equivalent to a Master’s Degree in fields of biodiversity conservation, communications, or social marketing.
• Strong understanding of conservation, environment and/or biodiversity issues.
• 5 years of relevant work experience; overseas living experience preferred.
• Fluency in written and spoken Mandarin and English.
• Willingness to travel based on needs of the position (up to 50%).
• Teaching, training, or coaching experience essential.
• Program planning and management skills.
• Experience using relevant software (MS Office), databases, graphics software.
• Ability to thrive in team environments, strong understanding of diversity and other cultures, and build relationships over long distances.

Benefits and Application Procedure

Rare not only inspires conservation, we also inspire our employees. In addition to fully covered health insurance, a retirement savings plan, and generous vacation/holiday leave time, Rare’s benefits include an annual training budget for continuous learning and growth, a bonus plan that ties to individual and organizational performance, and a flexible and fun work environment. And to make sure no one gets cabin fever, there’s an annual staff retreat that allows everyone to experience and support Rare’s work in the field.

To apply, please send a cover letter and resume to:
Email: humres@rareconservation.org
Fax: 703-522-5027
Mail: Attn: Human Resources, 1840 Wilson Blvd. Suite 204, Arlington, VA 22201 USA