Job Title : Te Ao MÄori AdvisorLocation : Temporarily Remote in Wellington City, WellingtonCompany : The Nature ConservancySalary : Open Date : 2023-03-30Close Date : 2023-07-30OFFICE LOCATION
Wellington, New Zealand
This is two year fixed-term role based in Wellington.
WHO WE AREThe mission of The Nature Conservancy (TNC) is to conserve the lands and waters upon which all life depends. As a science-based organization, we develop innovative, on-the-ground solutions to the world’s toughest environmental challenges so that people and nature can thrive. Our work is guided by our values, which include a commitment to diversity and respect for people, communities, and cultures. From a rewarding mission to career development and flexible schedules, there are many reasons to love life #insideTNC. Want to know more? Check out our TNC Talent playlist on YouTube to hear stories from staff or visit Glassdoor.
One of TNC’s primary goals is to cultivate an inclusive work environment so that employees around the globe have a sense of belonging and feel that their unique contributions are valued. We know we’ll only achieve our mission by hiring and engaging a diverse staff that reflects the communities in which we work. Recognizing that people bring talent and skills that have been developed outside the scope of a job, we take a holistic approach to recruitment that considers life experience in addition to the professional requirements listed in our postings. Please apply – we’d love to hear from you. To quote a popular saying at TNC, “you’ll join for the mission, and you’ll stay for the people.”
WHAT WE CAN ACHIEVE TOGETHERThe Te Ao Māori Advisor will work with the Aotearoa NZ Business Unit (BU), local partners and global colleagues to develop and leverage strong partner relationships with tangata whenua, scientific/research organisations, governments, business sector, community organizations, and other aligned organsations. The Te Ao Māori Advisor will help ensure our projects appropriately and effectively support tangata whenua and tangata whenua interests, and support TNC to build capability for effectively working with indigenous peoples.
The Te Ao Māori Advisor will be expected to work across several key TNC programmes of work. The primary focus is on supporting the Kotahitanga mō te Taiao Alliance which will make up approximately 50% of the workload. The Conservation Leaders Programme will also a be a key focus, making up about 25% of the role, with the remainder of effort going to support other TNC Aotearoa/NZ business unit projects and strategic initiatives, such as cultural capability development. However, the actual time spent on projects will vary.
WE'RE LOOKING FOR YOU
Kotahitanga mō te Taiao
E ngā mana, e ngā reo, rau rangatira mā, tēnā koutou, tēnā koutou, tēnā koutou katoa,
Kotahitanga mō te Taiao is an Alliance between Councils, DOC and Iwi across Te Tauihu and northern Kawatiri/Buller.
The vision of the Alliance is:
Our extraordinary natural heritage is flourishing, having been restored over large areas, including where people live. People live, care for, and benefit from the environment in ways that bolster natural ecology and the communities that live within them.
In 2019, the Kotahitanga mō te Taiao Alliance partnered with TNC to help achieve its vision. TNC is facilitating a restorative/conservation planning process on behalf of the Alliance to identify, prioritise, and plan implementation of work streams in order to deliver on the aspirations of the Kotahitanga mō te Taiao Strategy.
The process is known as Restoration by Design and is based on the Conservation by Design 2.0 framework - TNC’s adaptation and refinement of the international best practice approach to conservation, the Conservation Standards.
In implementing the process at place, it is important to ensure it is appropriately framed, resourced and implemented to reflect the imperatives of upholding the rights and responsibilities of our Iwi partners.
The Te Ao Māori Advisor will work with our team to ensure our framework and processes are fit for purpose for Kotahitanga mō te Taiao iwi. The Restoration by Design process involves a number of semi-integrated workstreams to help identify the next phase of implementation. The role will facilitate the Te Ao Māori workstream, and actively participate across the other workstreams to provide guidance and input. Opportunities may arise to help lead the development of projects important for the Iwi partners in Kotahitanga mō te Taiao. There will also be a role to play in integration of our existing projects and providing support and advice to existing Project Teams.
Restoration by Design is a collaborative approach and this role will help ensure the planning framing and methodology is appropriate for use within the Kotahitanga mō te Taiao area, and adequately reflects the Strategy’s stated intention to uphold Te Ao Māori/te ao tūroa values, in particular with respect to the use of mātauranga Māori and enhancing the partnership relationship envisaged with Te Tiriti o Waitangi/Treaty of Waitangi.
Key responsibilities for KMTT support involve:
1. Building an understanding of the Restoration by Design (Conservation by Design 2.0) process and providing advice on any opportunities to better reflect/integrate Te Ao Māori perspectives in the process
2. Working collaboratively to ensure the framework and process of engagement will support involvement of the Kotahitanga mō te Taiao Alliance’s Iwi partners and is consistent with the stated Values of the Strategy.
3. Engaging with Iwi partners throughout the process.
4. Leadership and facilitation of the KMTT Restoration by Design Te Ao Māori workstream.
5. Facilitating integration of te ao tūroa, matauranga Māori and Te Tiriti o Waitangi/Treaty of Waitangi throughout the other workstreams.
6. Preparing or participating in the preparation of any reports to Kotahitanga mō te Taiao governance, as part of the Restoration by Design process, thereby identifying proposals for transformative and/or leverage to achieve the goals of the Strategy.
7. Supporting a review of the KMTT Strategy.
8. Leading and/or supporting the development of KMTT business cases for new projects.
9. Supporting fundraising and other resourcing efforts.
Conservation Leaders Programme
The Conservation Leaders Programme is a four-year programme to build capacity and capability on the use of Conservation by Design 2.0 to help conservation and natural management leaders achieve greater long-term conservation impacts. To better reflect our unique culture, values, style and aspirations, we want to adapt our approaches so they can be applied within a te ao Māori and Aotearoa New Zealand context.
The Te Ao Māori advisor will support the development of an Aotearoa New Zealand version of TNC’s Conservation by Design 2.0. As part of this programme, the Te Ao Māori Advisor will provide advice and guidance on integrating te ao Māori into the Conservation Leaders Programme. They will work closely with the Conservation Leaders Programme Manager, liaise with Iwi nationally, and support design and delivery of workshops, including production of any communication and/ or training materials if necessary. Additionally, they may support coaching and mentoring to workshop participants who have completed the Conservation Leaders Programme.
As the process is national and in parallel to the Restoration by Design process in KMTT, we expect the work to overlap and large amount of learnings exchanged between the two initiatives and with other projects within TNC NZ.
Key responsibilities for Conservation Leaders support involve:
1. Provides Te Ao Māori advice in support of developing the training programme and associated materials.
2. May provide assistance with preparation of programme materials including presentations, memos, and other communications.
3. Influences successful integration of Te Ao Māori into training and conservation programme initiatives at the country, sub-national, and local levels.
4. Financial responsibility to assist with budget development.
5. Provides research and analysis in support of Project outcomes
6. Provide feedback and advice to the Conservation Leaders Programme by utilising insights and experience gained from the KMTT Restoration by Design process and vice versa
Business Unit Support
In addition to support for the Kotahitanga mō te Taiao Alliance and the Conservation Leaders Programme, the Te Ao Maori Advisor will also provide support for other TNC projects, with a focus on cultural safety, te reo, tikanga, relationship management and supporting staff cultural capability development. There will also be opportunities to connect with global TNC communities of interest focused on supporting indigenous people to be at the centre of conservation work.
Key responsibilities for Business Unit support will involve:
1. Supporting other Business unit projects to engage effectively with Māori on a case-by-case basis
2. Engaging with TNC global networks to provide best practice advise for support and involvement of indigenous communities in conservation work
3. Providing any other advice as deemed appropriate
4. Supporting fundraising and other resourcing efforts
Are you looking for a career to help people and nature? Guided by science, TNC creates innovative, on-the-ground solutions to our world’s toughest challenges so that people and nature can thrive together. We’re looking for someone who is passionate, motivated problem-solver. Come join TNC and apply today!
WHAT YOU'LL BRING- Bachelor’s degree and 4 years’ or more experience in natural resource management or related field or equivalent combination of education and experience.
- Fluency in English and te reo Māori.
- Experience in designing, implementing and directing multiple complex projects and ensuring program accountability.
- Experience negotiating with other agencies, companies, private parties or related entities.
- Experience negotiating complex agreements, including working across Iwi.
- Experience communicating with the public and/or media both in writing and verbally.
- Experience using software applications including Teams, and Microsoft (GIS skills useful).
- Experience in training and working with groups of people.
- Higher qualifications (e.g. Masters degree) may be preferred
- Working knowledge of current trends in relevant discipline.
- Communications experience including preparing and presenting project proposals, and developing written communications.
- Experience working in programmes involving nature restoration and integration of Te Ao Māori
- Demonstrated knowledge of tikanga Māori, especially in connection with te Taiao.
- Extensive experience working directly with/for iwi, hapū, marae, whānau
- Ability to make sound decisions based on analysis, consultation with others, experience, and judgment.
WHAT WE BRING
Since 1951, TNC has been doing work you can believe in. Through grassroots action, we have grown from a small non-profit into one of the most effective and wide-reaching environmental organizations in the world. Thanks to more than 1 million members, over 400 scientists, and the dedicated efforts of our diverse staff and partners, we impact conservation around the world!
TNC offers competitive and comprehensive benefits packages tailored to the individual countries where we work. These may include health care benefits, retirement benefits, parental leave, paid time off, life insurance, and disability coverage as well as an employee assistance program and other life and well-being benefits. Learn more about our benefits on our Culture Tab on nature.org/careers.
We’re proud to offer a flexible work environment that supports the health and well-being of the people we employ.
APPLY NOWTo apply for job ID 53252X, submit your materials online by using the Apply Now button at https://careers.nature.org/. Need help applying? Visit our recruitment page or contact [email protected].
The Nature Conservancy 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 diverse backgrounds, beliefs and culture. 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, colors, religions, sexes, national or regional origins, ages, disability status, sexual orientation, gender identity, military, protected veteran status or other status protected by law.
TNC is committed to offering accommodations for qualified individuals with disabilities and disabled veterans in our job application process. If you need assistance or an accommodation due to a disability, please send a note to [email protected] with Request for Accommodation in the subject line.
Where legally permissible, TNC requires all new employees to be fully vaccinated and willing to keep up to date with vaccines that protect against COVID-19. By accepting an offer of employment, you agree to comply with this requirement, unless you are entitled to a legally mandated exemption.
An attractive salary and benefits package is part of TNC’s value proposition to our employees. TNC strives to provide competitive pay and bases salaries on the geographic location of the role committing to being equitable across groups and providing hiring salary ranges when possible.
Since we support flexible and remote work for our employees, many positions have a flexible location within countries where we’re registered as a Non-government Organization and established as an employer. This may mean we’re unable to provide a hiring salary range in the posting for some of our positions. However, candidates invited to be part of our interview process will be provided their location specific range upon request.