Regional Lands Specialist II in Dexter, Michigan at Ducks Unlimited, Inc.

Regional Lands Specialist II

Dexter MI / O’Fallon, IL

The full-time Regional Lands Specialist will be part of the Great Lakes/Atlantic Regional Office of Ducks Unlimited, Inc (DU) and preferably based in its Big Rivers Initiative (BRI) field office in O’Fallon, Illinois, or in our Great Lakes Atlantic Regional Office, Dexter MI. The Specialist will primary support the on the ground land protection program in the Missouri Confluence (St. Louis Metro), Missouri and Mississippi River corridor, Southern Illinois, Western Kentucky and the Missouri Bootheel conservation priority areas. Additional support may be required in OH and MI. The Specialist will be part of a highly motivated team of biologists, engineers, lands, GIS Technicians, and other professionals working with state and local agencies, private landowners, and agricultural partners to identify and advance land protection efforts through fee-title acquisitions and conservation easements.

This position will report directly to the Great Lakes/Atlantic Regional Lands Manager with additional oversight.

Qualifications:

Candidate must understand real property acquisition and management and land trust alliance standards and practices with meaningful experience managing conservation focused land transactions. Desired candidate will have responsibilities in conservation planning, cultivating partnerships, reporting to internal boards, reporting to and cultivating external funders and stakeholders, as well as coordinating contactors and staff around organizational standards and practices, and contractual obligations. Typically, has at least 5 years of relevant experience. Advanced degree in a related field also preferred, but not required.

Excellent written and oral communication skills, as well as inter-personal skills are required. Proven project management, and very strong organizational and administrative skills are desired. The ideal candidate should have a track record of successfully leading a landscape level land protection program with internal and external teams. The ideal candidate is a detail-oriented task manager and out of the box thinker with a good working knowledge of regional conservation issues, a strong network of partners and experience managing large scale, complex conservation programs. Some grant writing may be required.

Candidate must be able and willing to travel within the GLAR states. Candidate will be able to set their own schedule, but travel may require infrequent daily trips with some overnight. This position will require occasional outside work, possibly in inclement weather.

Responsibilities:

This position manages part of the regional GLAR lands portfolio and responsibilities by assisting with tracking and facilitating all components of fee land acquisition and disposition and conservation easement acquisition. This position is responsible for project support and coordination including but not limited to tracking and assisting with tax and lease payments, assisting with and approving stewardship obligations on easement properties, and handling the process of disposition/conveyance of fee property to the intended long-term holder.

Additional responsibilities also include:

• Assists with coordination of transactional and contractual obligations with regional and national lands staff and other partners.
• Assist with reporting and coordinating capital expenditures and recoveries associated with conservation easements and fee title properties.
• Navigating conservation easements stewardship, enforcement responsibilities and requests with regional and national lands program staff.
• Help with managing a regional lands program database.
• Work with development (fundraising) staff to obtain funding assistance for land transactional costs and easement endowment contributions. Assist development staff, as needed, in identifying and stewarding potential major donors from existing and new easement landowners.
• Providing forward thinking and vision toward growing a sustainable lands program that integrates water quality, agricultural, climate resiliency, carbon sequestration, and ecosystem service objectives and applies a diversity of land protection tools and resource opportunities.
• Promotion of DU land conservation efforts via engagement, outreach, and education, including:

• Screen and distribute new opportunistic land protection leads.
• Coordinate due diligence for land protection activities with the primary project manager, negotiate legal agreements, and review and formulate action steps to mitigate obstacles revealed in title searches, appraisals, surveys, environmental assessment and easement negotiation and recording activities.
• In coordination with DU legal staff, manage fee lands disposition process with takeout partner including preparation of agreements, review and completion of legal documentation and affidavits.
• Represent the region on the national lands team and other subcommittees to help inform and shape policy, organizational structure, and communications plans.
• Work with DU conservation and development teams including our ES, mitigation and Ag focus teams to develop instruments and programmatic offerings/efficiencies that both simplify and incentivize land protection to the broadest contingent of priority private landowners possible.

Benefits/Pay: Average salary will be commensurate with experience & education. DU offers an exceptional benefit package, including comprehensive group medical, prescription, dental and vision insurance, including spouse and dependent coverage; three weeks paid vacation, paid sick leave, and ten paid holidays; 401(k) plan (including partial employer match); and tuition reimbursement.

To Apply: Please complete all application materials and upload a resume, cover letter, and three professional references by Oct 25, 2026. Applications will be reviewed upon receipt. The position will be open until filled.

DUCKS UNLIMITED, INC. IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER
It is the policy of Ducks Unlimited, Inc. to afford equal employment opportunity to all qualified persons regardless of race, color, religion, gender, national origin, military status, disability, age, or genetic information, except where age or gender is a bona fide occupational qualification as allowed by the Civil Rights Act of 1964. It is the policy of Ducks Unlimited, Inc. to afford equal employment opportunities to all qualified persons regardless of race, color, religion, creed, national origin, ancestry, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, lactation and related medical conditions), sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, gender expression, age (40 or over), disability (physical, mental or visual), genetic information, marital status (including registered domestic partnership status), military and veteran status, immigration status, or any other category protected by federal, state or local law.