Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for Wildlife Program Coordinator

🎯 Role Definition

The Wildlife Program Coordinator is responsible for planning, implementing, monitoring and reporting on conservation and wildlife management programs. This role coordinates field surveys and habitat restoration, manages grants and budgets, ensures regulatory and permit compliance, supervises staff and volunteers, and develops partnerships across government agencies, non-profits, tribes, and private landowners. The Coordinator translates biological objectives into operational plans, uses GIS and field data systems for evidence-based decision-making, and communicates results to scientific and public audiences.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

Wildlife Technician / Field Biologist
Conservation Specialist or Natural Resource Technician
Environmental Education or Outreach Coordinator

Advancement To:

Wildlife Program Manager / Senior Wildlife Biologist
Conservation Director / Regional Habitat Manager
Natural Resources Branch Chief or Policy Advisor

Lateral Moves:

Habitat Restoration Specialist
Environmental Compliance / Permitting Officer

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

Develop, implement, and manage multi-year wildlife conservation programs and species recovery initiatives, including annual workplans, measurable objectives, and timelines to achieve population and habitat goals.
Design and lead systematic wildlife monitoring programs (e.g., point counts, transect surveys, camera traps, acoustic monitoring, telemetry) to collect robust demographic, behavioral, and distributional data for target species.
Plan and supervise field operations and logistics—recruit and train seasonal field crews, develop safety plans, coordinate vehicles and gear, and ensure adherence to OSHA and agency field safety protocols.
Prepare, track, and manage program budgets and sub-awards; reconcile expenditures, prepare financial reports for funders, and ensure compliance with grant terms and procurement policies.
Write, submit, and manage grants and cooperative agreements (federal, state, foundation) including scopes of work, budgets, deliverables, and progress reporting to secure and sustain program funding.
Coordinate permit applications and compliance (e.g., ESA, MBTA, state wildlife permits, Section 404 coordination), liaising with regulatory agencies to ensure legal, ethical, and safe research and restoration activities.
Lead habitat restoration and enhancement projects (e.g., invasive species removal, riparian planting, wetland creation), coordinating contractors, volunteers, and partner organizations from design through monitoring.
Apply GIS, remote sensing, and spatial analysis (ArcGIS/QGIS) to map habitat, analyze landscape connectivity, prioritize restoration sites, and communicate spatial results in maps and reports.
Oversee data management systems: design data collection protocols, maintain databases, ensure data quality control (QA/QC), and implement metadata standards for long-term accessibility.
Conduct statistical analyses and synthesize biological data (R, Python, Excel) to evaluate program effectiveness and inform adaptive management and decision-making.
Prepare clear, scientific and public-facing reports, monitoring summaries, peer-reviewed manuscripts, and grant/funder deliverables that document methods, results, and recommendations.
Build and maintain partnerships with federal/state agencies, tribal governments, NGOs, universities, landowners, and community groups to align efforts and maximize conservation impact.
Serve as primary point of contact for stakeholders, responding to inquiries, coordinating site access, facilitating meetings, and negotiating multi-stakeholder agreements and landowner permissions.
Coordinate and supervise contractors, consultants, and interns; develop scopes of work, oversee deliverables, and ensure technical quality and contract compliance.
Develop and implement outreach and education strategies—organize workshops, public presentations, volunteer events, and interpretive materials to increase community engagement and stewardship.
Integrate climate change and landscape-level considerations into program planning to enhance species resilience and long-term conservation outcomes.
Maintain and operate wildlife telemetry, tagging, trapping, and handling equipment following ethical standards and animal care protocols; ensure all staff are trained and certified where required.
Monitor invasive species threats and design early detection/rapid response plans, coordinating eradication and control measures as appropriate.
Maintain high-quality documentation for adaptive management: maintain decision logs, update management actions based on monitoring results, and revise workplans annually.
Ensure program compliance with safety, biosecurity, and animal welfare standards; prepare and maintain safety plans, incident reports, and training records.

Secondary Functions

Support ad-hoc data requests and exploratory analyses for internal stakeholders, partners, and funders using reproducible workflows and clear documentation.
Contribute to the organization's strategic planning, helping set multi-year conservation priorities and measurable programmatic outcomes.
Assist human resources with recruiting and onboarding seasonal staff, volunteers, and interns; develop training materials and monitor performance.
Facilitate interagency coordination meetings, technical advisory committees, and community advisory groups to sustain communication and transparency.
Contribute to proposal development, communications, and fundraising initiatives by providing scientific content, budget estimates, and program impact summaries.
Provide technical input to land-use planning, EISs, and environmental permitting reviews to represent wildlife conservation priorities and mitigation needs.
Maintain inventory of field equipment and supplies; manage procurement requests and routine maintenance schedules to ensure operational readiness.
Serve as an on-call resource for wildlife incidents (e.g., stranding, disease outbreaks, human-wildlife conflicts), coordinating response actions with agency partners.
Pilot and implement new field technologies and data collection tools (e.g., automated recording devices, drones, eDNA methods) to increase monitoring efficiency.
Document and archive project records, photographs, and spatial layers to support transparency, reproducibility, and future program development.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

Proficiency in wildlife survey methods: point counts, transects, camera trap deployment and analysis, acoustic monitoring, capture-mark-recapture, and radio/GPS telemetry.
Strong GIS and spatial analysis skills (ArcGIS Pro, QGIS, GPS data processing) for mapping habitat, analyzing landscape connectivity, and producing publication-quality maps.
Data management and statistical analysis proficiency (R, Python, Excel, SQL) for cleaning, analyzing, visualizing, and modeling ecological datasets.
Experience with database systems and data standards (e.g., relational databases, SQL, data dictionaries, metadata).
Familiarity with permit application processes and regulatory frameworks (Endangered Species Act, Migratory Bird Treaty Act, NEPA, state fish & wildlife regulations).
Grant writing and grant management experience: preparing proposals, managing budgets, meeting funder reporting requirements, and tracking deliverables.
Habitat assessment and restoration planning skills including invasive species control techniques, native plant revegetation, and erosion control measures.
Competence with wildlife handling, tagging, and animal welfare protocols, including safety and biosecurity practices and relevant certifications (e.g., state permits, animal care training).
Field logistics and project management skills: scheduling, purchasing, contract oversight, risk assessments, and team coordination.
Technical writing and science communication skills for reports, publications, outreach materials, and regulatory submissions.
Experience with remote sensing analysis, drone mapping, and eDNA methods desirable.
Familiarity with volunteer management platforms and community engagement tools.

Soft Skills

Strong leadership and team supervision skills; ability to motivate, mentor, and evaluate a diverse staff, interns, and volunteers.
Excellent oral and written communication; able to translate technical science into accessible language for stakeholders and the public.
Project management and organizational skills: prioritize competing tasks, meet deadlines, and manage multiple projects concurrently.
Stakeholder engagement and partnership-building skills: diplomacy, negotiation, and coalition-building across agencies, tribes, NGOs, and private landowners.
Problem-solving and critical thinking; adaptively manage programs in response to new data, funding changes, or field constraints.
Attention to detail and commitment to data quality and reproducibility.
Cultural competency and respect for tribal sovereignty and community values in conservation planning.
Public speaking and facilitation skills for workshops, community meetings, and technical presentations.
Resilience and flexibility for extended field work, variable weather, and changing project needs.
Ethical judgment and integrity in handling wildlife, data, and confidential information.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

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

Preferred Education:

Master's degree in Wildlife Ecology, Conservation Biology, Environmental Management, or related discipline; specialized training or certifications (e.g., GIS certificate, PMP, animal care/handling certifications) are a plus.

Relevant Fields of Study:

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

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range: 3–7 years of professional experience in wildlife monitoring, habitat restoration, or conservation program coordination; including seasonal field work and project leadership.

Preferred:

5+ years coordinating conservation programs with demonstrated experience in grant management, supervisory responsibilities, permit compliance, and stakeholder collaboration.
Proven track record implementing monitoring protocols, managing budgets, and delivering written reports and scientific documentation.
Prior experience with state/federal agency processes, tribal coordination, and multi-partner conservation initiatives preferred.