At TPL, we're a team of outdoor advocates who believe in connecting everyone to the outdoors. As an ethos, we believe access to the outdoors is a fundamental human need and essential to our health and well-being. ​We're committed to creating more places that bring us outside—parks, trails, playgrounds, and public lands—and making them available and welcoming to everyone, everywhere, regardless of ZIP code. We also understand that land has meaning; it tells the story of our history. That's why, through our Black History and Culture initiative, we're working to preserve sites that more fully represent the Black American experience; and we're an ally and partner to Tribal and Indigenous communities, working in partnership to reconnect them with their ancestral lands.

One hundred million people, including 28 million children, don't have nearby access to a park within ten minutes of their home. We're determined to change this outdoor equity gap–and as a result, nine million people and counting now have access because of our work. We have miles to go and a plan to get there. We're inclusive change-makers who believe in connecting everyone to the outdoors. We inspire by paving the way forward and strengthening our connection to nature. Join us! 

Position Summary:
The Project Manager preserves critical open space and environmentally sensitive lands utilizing nonprofit land acquisition techniques and sound business practices. This position generates revenue for TPL through donations and through the successful completion of real estate transactions. 

The preference is for this position to be based on Maui, working out of a home office, but part of the Trust for Public Land’s Hawai’i field program, which is based in Honolulu.  The Hawai‘i program has three major initiatives – Aloha ‘Āina – protecting culturally significant lands and returning them to Hawaiian ownership or stewardship, Sustainable Hawai‘i – food, forests & water, and  Parks for People – Parks and Trails. 

This position will focus on conserving land on the island of Maui and Maui County (including Molokaʿi). 


Essential Functions:

• Assumes primary responsibility for identifying, negotiating, documenting and closing real estate transactions with the assistance of legal and finance staff.
• Explores potential projects by contacting owners, nonprofit organizations and public agency officials.
• Assumes primary responsibility for securing interim financing and permanent public funding for land acquisitions through existing or new public and private funding sources.
• Develops and implements strategies for acquisition of key resource properties and their conveyance to public agencies or other permanent stewards. 
• Manages transactions, which involves researching and completing all phases of projects from initial outreach and landowner negotiation, supervision of appraisers, surveyors, and other consultants, to ultimate sale and conveyance to a public agency, or non-profit.
• Identifies areas in which TPL's interim purchase and protection strategy is needed for the preservation of open space lands of critical local, regional, or national importance; develops and maintains portfolio of potential projects; responds to inquiries by individuals, groups, etc.
• Generates revenues for TPL through transactions and/or fundraising in the private sector.
• Identifies and secures project funding from multiple resources.  Good working knowledge of processes for obtaining public, private, foundation, and corporate funding. Captures contacts for TPL database and maintains landowner relationships for development purposes.  Collaborates with and defers to philanthropy staff on capital campaigns.
• Builds public awareness and understanding of TPL through outreach events, leading meetings, public speaking engagements, fundraising efforts and creating a public presence for TPL in the community.
• Timely manages all project deliverables, including internal TPL approvals.
• Completes assorted administrative tasks required for a well-regulated organization.
• Assists with the training of new project associates, field representatives, and project managers, etc.
• Assists with legislative planning and outreach for future projects.
• Assists with philanthropic work and reporting relating to the position.

Other Responsibilities

• May be involved in programmatic work, such as the coordination of a land acquisition program covering multi-parcel deals or Greenprints, and strategic planning
• Other relevant duties as necessary.

Interaction with Others

• Interacts with external professionals who are involved with the purchase and sale of land:  surveyors, lawyers, planners, appraisers, landowners, real estate agents/brokers, and elected officials.
• Should be comfortable with public speaking and with representing TPL to the public at outreach events and before agencies and commissions.
• Must be able to train and mentor other project staff.
• Works independently with occasional guidance from supervisor.
• Works with Marketing, Field Advisory Support Team, and Philanthropy depts.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent experience required.
• Minimum of 3-4 years project-related or equivalent land trust or non-profit or real estate experience desirable.
• Professional experience working in Hawai‘i and Maui.
• Familiarity with Hawai‘i landscapes, history, and politics, particularly Maui.
• This position requires moderate travel to other islands and occasional travel to the mainland.  Evening and weekend work can be expected.

Special Knowledge & Skills:

• Superior written and oral communication skills. Ability to speak clearly and persuasively in small and large groups.
• Proficient in computer applications.  MSOffice Basics, Internet, Outlook, PowerPoint.
• Demonstrated understanding of real property and tax law, land use planning techniques, EAs, titles and government land acquisition policies/procedures.  Politically sensitive.
• Strong negotiator, able to secure complicated real estate deals. 
• Facility with tax benefit analysis and financial forecasting tools.  Management of contracts.
• Exposure to 1031 & tripartite exchanges, tax code and threat of condemnation techniques.
• Facility with media independently and/or in conjunction with Public Affairs staff and State Director.
• Able to work on complex projects with moderate level of supervision, resolve problems/conflicts, and develop recommendations using a high level of analysis, judgment, tact, and initiative.
• Able to initiate fundraising efforts.
• Knowledge of Hawaiian (particularly Maui) history, land, land use, zoning, and agriculture/ranching landowners and communities.
• Experience working for or with governmental entities, organizations, or communities on land, agricultural environmental, or natural resource issues or equivalent.
• Ability to collaborate with diverse groups and foster respectful dialogue and mutual respect.
• Excellent organizational skills.
• Ability to work under pressure and meet deadlines.

Compensation:
Trust for Public Land is a hybrid work environment, and this role will be located near Trust for Public Land’s Honolulu office. As a regular, full-time, exempt employee, you will be eligible for the Trust for Public Land’s comprehensive benefits program which includes medical, dental, and vision insurance, vacation and sick pay plus holidays, a year end office closure, and a 403(b)-retirement plan, currently with up to a 7% company match. We offer competitive salaries commensurate with experience; the anticipated hiring range for this position is $75,000-$90,000.

Trust for Public Land’s active goal is to be an inclusive and equitable place to work and build community. As the organization actively works to eliminate racial and other disparities it welcomes candidates with diverse backgrounds and/or multicultural skillsets. We are open to the possibility that a great candidate for this job may not precisely meet all the above criteria; if you believe you are the right person for this job and can persuasively make that case, we encourage you to apply.