Rising Wildlife Leaders- Manager

About WCN

Wildlife Conservation Network is a rapidly growing leader in wildlife conservation, protecting endangered wildlife by supporting conservationists who ensure wildlife and people coexist and thrive. WCN raises philanthropic funding and channels it through three pillars: a vetted network of Conservation Partners, species-focused Wildlife Funds, and the Rising Wildlife Leaders (RWL) program.

Across all three, WCN connects conservationists with donors and each other, deploys funds nimbly, and equips them with the tools and support they need. Conservation Partners and Wildlife Funds together support over 125 species in more than 50 countries, while RWL alone has supported conservationists in more than 60.

WCN's Rising Wildlife Leaders (RWL) pillar builds the next generation of conservation leaders through scholarships, internships, and several multi-year leadership development programs, supporting conservationists at each stage of their career. The Rising Wildlife Leaders Manager runs the scholarships, internships, and the Emerging Wildlife Conservation Leaders (EWCL) programs that make that possible: managing cohorts and alumni, administering awards and agreements, and leading the trainings, mentorship, and networking that define the RWL experience, including EWCL's flagship in-person convening and other trainings.

This role sits inside WCN's Conservation Programs team and is the connective tissue between RWL's programs and participants, WCN's donors, and the communities WCN serves.

Rising Wildlife Leaders is WCN's investment in people. The conservationists this program develops carry WCN's mission forward well beyond any single grant or training cohort. This role puts WCN's values into practice every day. Impact: build leaders whose skill and reach multiply their conservation results. Integrity: administer every award and agreement so participants and donors trust the process completely. Community: foster a spirit of egoless collaboration, while keeping participants and alumni connected as a lasting network that strengthens over time.

Service: own the logistics behind every training, mentorship, and programmatic touchpoint, clearing the path so participants can put their full energy into growing as leaders.

Collaboration:

work hand-in-hand with Conservation Programs, Donor Engagement, and Communications as one team, turning RWL's impact into stories that reach the donors who fund it and the community that champions it.

• Own program management and delivery across RWL's Scholarship Program, Internship Program, and EWCL, including cohort application and selection, participant support, mentorship, and alumni engagement.
• Run the full award administration and financial-services process for RWL programs: agreements, payments, compliance documentation, budget monitoring, and accurate records in Salesforce.
• Own reporting, compliance tracking, and M&E across RWL awards and programs: monitor deadlines, verify compliance, follow up on overdue submissions, and turn program data into recommendations for growth and adjustment.
• Set and run the full committee and participant meeting cadence for RWL: scheduling and coordinating across multiple stakeholder groups on a recurring basis, plus minute-keeping.
• Lead in-person and virtual trainings and convenings for RWL cohorts and alumni, including content development, securing venues, travel logistics, and vendor management, from planning and coordination to execution.
• Work closely with other RWL and WCN programs leads to ensure cohesion, collaboration, and scaled impact.
• Serve as a donor-engagement and communications liaison for RWL: partner with Communications, Donor Engagement, and Marketing on campaigns and donor-facing content drawn from program data, and manage EWCL's website and social channels.
• Represent WCN and RWL externally, including at WCN's annual Fall Expo, and act as a connective link between RWL and the rest of the Conservation Programs team.

• 5+ years of program management experience, including capacity-building or professional development program experience.
• Authorized to work in the United States without current or future employer sponsorship; fluent in English.
• Demonstrated ability to independently manage multiple programs, stakeholders, and deadlines, with keen attention to detail, and strong organizational and problem-solving skills.
• Strong understanding of the conservation sector and…