Lead Specialist, Natural Areas, City of Fort Collins Natural Areas Department

Do you enjoy seeing the results of your work when you head outside?  Are you passionate about conservation and protecting nature for future generations? Does your ideal job involve solving problems through teamwork and strong relationships?  The City of Fort Collins has an opening for a Lead Specialist in the Natural Areas Department to run our Land Conservation program that might be a great fit for you!  Our Lead Specialist is responsible for protecting critical natural resources through land acquisition and conservation easements. 

The City of Fort Collins Natural Areas Department derives its mandate from a ballot initiative that supports the conservation of open space for the purpose of restoration and ecological protection.  The Department has built a legacy of over 42,000 acres conserved in the Fort Collins area, and our impact continues to grow each year through the land conservation program.

The successful candidate will need to be able to build strong relationships with landowners, team members, and partners.  They must be able to explain the value of land conservation and how critical it is in the fast-growing Front Range.  This Lead Specialist helps build strategy and land conservation priorities as part of the Natural Areas management team. Key skills include flexibility, creative problem-solving (especially with regard to getting resources) and prioritization.  Knowledge of real estate transactions,  conservation finance and western water law is a plus.

One of the great things about this job is that there is no typical day!  From touring parcels with landowners, to building strategy with Department leadership, to presenting to City Council, the Lead Specialist is involved in many aspects of department management.  Telework is available for administrative work can be done remotely from home but the majority of time will be spent on site or in the field. This job has a typical Monday through Friday daytime work schedule, but does require some evening and weekend meetings.