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Manager, National Programs
NFWF
Washington, DC, USA
Posted on Mar 25, 2026
MANAGER, NATIONAL PROGRAMS
Summary
Working out of the Washington, DC office, the Manager, National Programs (Manager) has programmatic, communications, and administrative responsibilities for grantmaking associated with NFWF’s national programs. In this capacity, the Manager works closely with new and existing public, private and non-governmental partners to develop and advance conservation initiatives nationwide through a range of NFWF grant programs.
The Manager is responsible for working with NFWF staff, federal agencies, and other conservation partners to develop and implement grant making strategies that address the pressing conservation issues and achieve measurable conservation outcomes. They coordinate the National Program Team’s activities under the NFWF strategic plan with others involved or affected by project and programmatic decisions.
The Manager is responsible for assisting in the development of funding opportunities, managing funding sources, interacting with existing and potential grant/contract recipients, coordinating proposal review, providing technical assistance to grantees, reviewing/approving grantee or contractor reports, coordinating with the project administration team to assure the effective implementation of the Foundation’s grant administration policies, and drafting recommendations for staff and Board action. All activities are closely coordinated with the Program Director, National Programs, Program Manager, Program Coordinator(s), other Foundation staff, and public, private, and non-governmental partners.
Specifically, the Manager supports delivery of NFWF’s nationwide programs, including but not limited to America’s Ecosystem Restoration Initiative, America’s Healthy Forest Initiative, the Species Recovery Fund, and the Five Star Program. This portfolio of programs supports locally led ecosystem restoration projects that advance terrestrial and watershed restoration, resilience, public access, workforce development, wildlife corridors and connectivity, and cooperative, cross-jurisdictional conservation.
This work is multi-disciplinary and involves significant internal and external coordination to evaluate and adapt program-level investment strategies, to continually assess the technical and programmatic merits of potential investments and to oversee effective program implementation through the cumulative efforts of grantees and contractors.
The position is based in the Washington, DC office, and occasional travel is required nationwide to conduct grantee performance monitoring activities.
ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
- In coordination with the Northeastern Regional Office Director, the National Programs Program Director, the science team and other Foundation staff, where appropriate design and implement conservation objectives and goals that align with Foundation-wide conservation objectives and those of our partners.
- Establish and maintain key relationships with public and private partners. This may include serving as NFWF’s representative on various cross-agency workgroups and teams.
- Collaborate and assist in the management of various Requests for Proposals (RFP) processes, with a specific focus on the Five Star program, but also including America’s Ecosystem Restoration Initiative, America’s Healthy Forest Initiative and others. This work includes providing feedback to applicants, soliciting partner feedback on RFP priorities, reviewing proposals and organizing reviews, preparing materials for review meetings, and working with awardees to prepare project scopes for award.
- Assist with managing a portfolio of grants including developing, coordinating, and implementing project-specific technical assistance plans/strategies with grantees; negotiating milestones with grantees; monitoring and reporting on grant progress (using Foundation technical and financial tracking databases); reviewing and approving grant deliverables and progress reports; and working with contractors to assess project performance.
- Seek and develop opportunities for information sharing among grantees and with funding partners about lessons learned and accomplishments of grant-funded projects, including but not limited to convening workshops and symposiums to promote technology transfer and information sharing among grantees and program partners.
- Work closely with program partners on new and evolving initiatives. Tasks may include workgroup meetings, organizing workshops, and collecting and analyzing information on existing efforts.
- Continually evaluate program success and recommend opportunities for improving program delivery, including analyzing grantee programmatic reports to inventory outcomes and develop relevant collections of case studies; and developing reports that synthesize information collected from grantees and document program impact.
- Assist the Program Director, National Programs in pursuing and managing applicable funding source(s) as appropriate, including the preparation of grant applications and amendments, preparation and submission of financial and programmatic reports and coordination with Foundation staff to ensure compliance with all funding source requirements.
- In coordination with the Communications Team, lead communications and outreach activities, including developing fact sheets, maps and presentation materials.
- Prepare briefing materials and recommendations to support decision making by the Foundation’s Board.
- Work closely with Foundation leadership to help build, adapt and maintain conservation frameworks.
SECONDARY DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
- Assist the Program Director, National Programs in developing and maintaining relationships with corporate and foundation partners, working closely with NFWF’s development staff.
- Recommend and lead efforts to improve existing processes, including development of new processes.
- Perform other duties as assigned by the Program Director, National Programs.
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS (EDUCATION, EXPERIENCE, SKILLS)
- Minimum bachelor’s degree, master’s or equivalent experience preferred in biology, ecology, environmental science, public policy or related field.
- Minimum three years’ experience working with government agencies and/or nongovernmental organizations on issues related to conservation and natural resource management.
- Demonstrated skills in the areas of project management, program management, project budgeting, collaboration with scientists and other technical experts, and development of decision support processes preferred.
- Experience working with federal resource agencies, with experience managing cooperative agreements preferred.
- Grants management and administration experience preferred.
- Ability to respond quickly and accurately to requests for information.
- Ability to think strategically.
- Ability to work independently and to organize and prioritize work and meet deadlines.
- Strong interpersonal skills and communication skills including presentation skills.
- Strong attention to detail and follow-through skills.
- Flexibility in a rapidly changing environment.
- Strong analytical skills.
- Computer proficiency, including databases, spreadsheets, word processing, and graphics. Experience with web content management and Geographic Information Systems is preferred.
- Willingness and ability to travel frequently and on short notice.
COMPENSATION
$68K per year
Note: Salary is negotiable depending on the candidate's skills and experience.
LOCATION
Washington, DC
Application Notes:
Please submit a cover letter describing your interest and qualifications, and resume.
Applicants must be currently authorized to work in the US on a full-time basis.
Equal Opportunity Statement - The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation complies with all applicable federal, state and local laws in its commitment to being an equal opportunity employer. The Foundation does not discriminate against applicants or employees on the basis of race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, ancestry, marital status, personal appearance, citizen status, disability, sexual orientation, gender, identity or expression, pregnancy, child birth or related medical conditions, family responsibilities, matriculation, genetic information, political or union affiliation, veteran status or any other status protected by applicable law.
Disclaimer - The statements contained herein are intended to describe the general nature and level of work to be performed by the employees in these positions. The statements are not intended to be construed as an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties, and skills required of a person in each position. Other responsibilities, duties, and skills may be assigned and management retains the right to add or change the responsibilities, duties, and skills at any time.