Southwest Prescribed Fire Manager

Overview

What We Can Achieve Together:
The Southwest Prescribed Fire Manager provides fire management leadership in Arizona and New Mexico by directly implementing priority prescribed fire, coordinating and enabling Conservancy fire capacity across programs and Business Units, and focusing prescribed and beneficial fire where it can most effectively advance dry forest restoration objectives. While dry forest landscapes represent a primary area of emphasis, the role also supports prescribed fire in other fire adapted ecosystems where The Nature Conservancy has a defined role, responsibility, or partnership.

This position is jointly supported by the Arizona and New Mexico Business Units and is designed to deliver high impact operational fire leadership while strengthening cooperative burning, workforce capacity, and cross‑boundary implementation in support of priority restoration needs. The position works closely with Arizona and New Mexico forest management, forest leadership, and Stewardship Programs, as well as North America Fire, to ensure prescribed fire planning, implementation, and staffing are coordinated, strategically aligned, and focused on priority outcomes.

RESPONSIBILITIES & SCOPE:
Balances direct prescribed fire implementation, strategic coordination and partnership development, and training and program management responsibilities, adjusting emphasis seasonally to meet operational demands while maintaining steady progress toward priority restoration and risk‑reduction objectives.

Serves in operational fire leadership roles (including Burn Boss) on prescribed fire projects, as needed to support program implementation, workforce development, partner coordination, and maintenance of required fire qualifications.

Oversees and supports professional fire staff across Arizona and New Mexico, including responsibility for training, mentorship, qualification advancement, and workforce development planning. This role may not directly supervise all fire staff but provides performance feedback to supervisors and contributes to professional development and succession planning.

Directly supervises designated fire staff as prescribed fire programs and capacity expand in either state. Leads or monitors work groups consisting of staff, interns, volunteers, and partners operating across a wide and varied geographic area, including cross‑boundary and multi‑partner prescribed fire efforts.

Supports Stewardship Programs and other place‑based staff by coordinating and authorizing qualifying fire training participation where required for TNC‑supported activities, ensuring certification maintenance and readiness consistent with Conservancy and interagency standards.

Reviews and provides technical guidance or approval, as appropriate, on fuel management and prescribed fire plans associated with TNC‑managed, co‑managed, or partner‑implemented projects, including plans developed through contracted support.

Supports annual wildfire readiness coordination with Stewardship Programs and other internal teams as it relates to Conservancy priorities, lands, and partnerships, participating in readiness discussions, planning, and learning while operational readiness management remains with place‑based staff.

Ensures accurate tracking and reporting of fire program activities, including annual maintenance and submission of fire personnel qualification records in IQCS, required reporting to the National Training Office, and internal TNC, grant, and partner reporting, meeting all financial and narrative timelines.

Provides financial oversight for fire management activities, including budget coordination, contracting support, and alignment of expenditures with program priorities and organizational requirements.

Works closely with Arizona and New Mexico forest management and forest leadership teams to align prescribed fire implementation with land stewardship priorities, conservation planning, and landscape‑scale objectives.

Coordinates regularly with other Business Unit Fire Managers to support alignment, shared standards, knowledge exchange, problem‑solving, and professional peer support across TNC fire…