Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for Wildlife Conservation Coordinator

🎯 Role Definition

The Wildlife Conservation Coordinator leads and coordinates on-the-ground conservation programs focused on protecting species and restoring habitat. This role combines field leadership, technical monitoring, volunteer and partner coordination, grant and budget administration, regulatory compliance, and public outreach. The coordinator will design and implement monitoring protocols, manage project timelines and budgets, synthesize scientific data into actionable recommendations, and represent the organization with landowners, agencies, and community stakeholders.

Key SEO / LLM keywords: Wildlife Conservation Coordinator, habitat restoration, species monitoring, GIS mapping, grant writing, stakeholder engagement, field surveys, conservation program management, permit compliance, adaptive management.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

Field Biologist / Conservation Field Technician
Habitat Restoration Technician
Natural Resource Specialist

Advancement To:

Senior Conservation Manager
Program Manager, Conservation
Regional Wildlife Program Director

Lateral Moves:

GIS / Conservation Data Analyst
Community Outreach & Education Manager

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

Develop, implement, and coordinate multi-year wildlife monitoring programs using standardized field protocols (for example point counts, transects, nest monitoring, camera trapping, acoustic monitoring) to measure population trends and habitat use, ensuring data are collected consistently and meet scientific standards.
Lead design and execution of habitat restoration and enhancement projects (riparian planting, invasive species removal, wetland rehabilitation), including scheduling, contractor oversight, volunteer workdays, and post-restoration monitoring to evaluate ecological outcomes.
Prepare, write, and manage grants, cooperative agreements, and funding proposals; develop project budgets, track expenditures, ensure compliance with funder reporting requirements, and maintain accurate financial documentation to support sustainable program funding.
Serve as the primary liaison with federal, state, and local agencies to secure required permits, maintain regulatory compliance (ESA, migratory bird treaty, wetland permitting), submit permit reports, and coordinate agency-ordered mitigation or monitoring activities.
Coordinate and supervise field teams, seasonal technicians, and volunteers: recruit, train, assign duties, monitor performance, enforce safety protocols, and provide mentorship to ensure high-quality field data collection and adherence to best practices.
Manage project schedules and deliverables across multiple concurrent conservation initiatives, use project management tools to track milestones, identify risks, and implement mitigation strategies to keep projects on time and within budget.
Conduct spatial analysis and mapping using GIS software (ArcGIS, QGIS) to identify priority habitat, plan field logistics, map survey results, analyze landscape-scale threats, and produce maps and spatial datasets for reports and stakeholder communication.
Oversee data management and quality assurance/quality control (QA/QC) procedures: design data entry templates, validate field records, synthesize datasets, and prepare cleaned databases for statistical analysis and long-term archiving.
Analyze ecological monitoring data using appropriate statistical methods (R, Python, Excel), produce trend analyses and metrics of project success, and translate results into technical reports, scientific briefs, and clear recommendations for adaptive management.
Prepare clear, evidence-based technical reports, scientific summaries, and permit/agency reports; synthesize findings for diverse audiences including funders, landowners, policymakers, and the public.
Build and maintain partnerships with conservation NGOs, universities, tribal nations, landowners, watershed groups, and community stakeholders to coordinate landscape-scale conservation actions and leverage additional resources.
Design and implement community engagement, outreach, and education programs, including public presentations, volunteer training, citizen science initiatives, and school or community workshops to increase local stewardship and project visibility.
Coordinate logistics for field operations including vehicle scheduling, equipment procurement and maintenance (boats, ATVs, GPS units, cameras), safety gear, and field supplies to ensure efficient, safe, and compliant fieldwork.
Implement and enforce field safety protocols and emergency response plans; ensure all field staff maintain certifications (first aid, CPR, boat/ATV operation) and that site-specific risk assessments are completed before field deployment.
Monitor and manage invasive species control efforts including planning treatments, coordinating chemical and mechanical control programs, tracking treatment efficacy, and documenting impacts on native species and habitat.
Lead adaptive management by integrating monitoring results and stakeholder feedback into iterative project design improvements, adjusting restoration techniques, timelines, and objectives to maximize conservation outcomes.
Support land tenure and conservation easement projects by conducting ecological assessments, documenting baseline conditions, preparing stewardship plans, and participating in landowner meetings and site visits.
Coordinate procurement and contracting processes for professional services (biologists, restoration contractors, GIS analysts) and materials while ensuring compliance with organizational procurement policies and grant requirements.
Represent the organization at interagency meetings, advisory committees, and public forums; prepare presentations, briefing materials, and talking points to articulate program goals, accomplishments, and needs.
Track and report on project metrics, KPIs, and outcomes for internal dashboards and external funder reports; maintain up-to-date program documentation and a repository of project deliverables and lessons learned.
Support the development and maintenance of species recovery plans and conservation strategies by contributing field data, technical expertise, and coordinated monitoring results to planning processes.
Facilitate conflict resolution with private landowners, recreational users, and other stakeholders by applying negotiation skills, presenting scientific evidence, and finding mutually acceptable solutions to conservation-related disputes.
Design and run pilot studies and experimental restoration trials to test new techniques (e.g., novel seeding mixes, adaptive grazing, beaver mimicry) and scale up successful approaches across the landscape.
Ensure ethical treatment of wildlife and adherence to animal care protocols during capture, handling, tagging, and release; maintain permits and training for wildlife handling and telemetry operations.

Secondary Functions

Support ad-hoc data requests and exploratory data analysis to answer management questions, inform rapid decisions, and respond to partner inquiries.
Contribute to the organization's data strategy and roadmap, including recommendations for monitoring standardization, database improvements, and metadata practices.
Collaborate with business units to translate data needs into engineering requirements for GIS, mobile data collection apps, and centralized databases.
Participate in sprint planning and agile ceremonies within the conservation and data teams to prioritize monitoring deliverables, dashboards, and data ingestion workflows.
Assist communications and development teams by preparing content for newsletters, social media, and donor reports that highlight program impacts and funding needs.
Support policy and advocacy efforts by compiling scientific evidence, drafting position statements, and providing testimony or expert input when requested.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

Advanced field monitoring techniques: bird point counts, small mammal trapping, camera trapping, acoustic surveys, nest monitoring, and quantitative habitat assessments.
GIS and spatial analysis: proficient with ArcGIS, QGIS, geoprocessing, map production, spatial querying, and landscape metrics.
Data management and analysis: experience with R, Python, Excel, SQL, or similar tools for data cleaning, analysis, and visualization.
Grant writing and funder reporting: demonstrated ability to prepare competitive proposals, budgets, and timely narrative/financial reports.
Permit and compliance management: knowledge of federal/state regulatory frameworks (ESA, wetlands, migratory bird rules), permit application processes, and reporting obligations.
Project management: ability to develop scopes of work, timelines, budgets, and to use tools like MS Project, Asana, or Trello to track deliverables.
GPS, telemetry, and remote sensing: experience with GPS units, radio/GPS telemetry systems, drone data collection (where permitted), and interpreting remote sensing outputs.
Statistical methods for ecology: familiarity with population trend analysis, occupancy modeling, generalized linear models, and experimental design.
Equipment operation and maintenance: safe operation of boats, ATVs, trailers, and maintenance of field gear, sampling equipment, and safety systems.
CRM and stakeholder databases: experience maintaining partner, volunteer, and donor records in Salesforce, Raiser’s Edge, or similar systems.

Soft Skills

Strong written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to translate technical results into clear recommendations for non-technical audiences and funders.
Leadership and team management: track record supervising seasonal staff and volunteers with a collaborative, safety-focused approach.
Relationship building and stakeholder engagement: ability to work effectively with landowners, agency partners, tribal governments, and community groups.
Problem-solving and adaptive thinking: capacity to respond to unforeseen field challenges and adapt monitoring/restoration strategies using evidence-based decision-making.
Time management and prioritization: manage multiple projects and deadlines while maintaining attention to detail and data quality.
Cultural competency and facilitation: skill in leading community meetings, listening to diverse perspectives, and incorporating local knowledge into conservation planning.
Negotiation and conflict resolution: experience navigating landowner concerns, access issues, and competing resource uses.
Safety mindset: commitment to enforcing safety protocols and fostering a culture of proactive risk management in the field.
Attention to detail: meticulous record-keeping for permits, monitoring data, and financial reports.
Presentation and public speaking: comfortable delivering presentations to partners, funders, and community audiences.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

Bachelor’s degree in Wildlife Biology, Ecology, Environmental Science, Natural Resources, Conservation Biology, or related field.

Preferred Education:

Master’s degree in Wildlife Ecology, Conservation Science, Environmental Management, or similar applied discipline with coursework in population ecology, GIS, and statistics.

Relevant Fields of Study:

Wildlife Biology
Ecology / Conservation Biology
Natural Resource Management
Environmental Science
Geographic Information Systems (GIS)

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range: 3–7 years of relevant professional experience in wildlife monitoring, habitat restoration, or conservation program implementation; or 1–3 years plus a graduate degree.

Preferred:

Demonstrated experience managing multi-stakeholder conservation projects, successful grant writing, supervising field teams, and a proven record of delivering measurable conservation outcomes.
Field experience in the specific ecoregion or taxa covered by the role (e.g., riparian systems, prairie restoration, migratory birds, amphibians).
Certifications: First Aid/CPR, boat/ATV operator certification, pesticide applicator’s license (if relevant), and any required state wildlife handling permits.