Pros
My experience at TNC is that there are three main parts to the organization: science, fundraising, everything else. I work in the "everything else" part. My sense is that each part has it's own pros and cons, but I can only really write about my part. General pros are:
- TNC officially has a 7-hour work day, and it is acceptable to work a 7-hour day if you're getting your work done
- TNC is a pretty flat organization so most people have the chance to wear different hats and be part of things that they might not at a more hierarchical organization
- The professional caliber of people at TNC is pretty high, relative to other places I've worked
- TNC's mission is a driving force for many, and if you are driven by the mission then you become part of this shared culture that is very rewarding to be a part of
- For a non-profit, TNC does try to compensate fairly and provide the best benefits they can
- TNC is pretty good about hiring from within, so it is not uncommon to see people take a new job in a different area
- If you've worked here less than 10 years you can still be considered relatively new. It's very common to work with people who've been here 15-20 years
- Managers are generally very supportive of a flexible work schedule, with the attitude being that you can come and go as you please as long as you're getting high quality work done
- The organization is very supportive of working from home
Cons
- As a non-profit, salaries are generally lower than in the private sector
- Almost everyone has way more on their to-do list than they can do; there is little thought given to what can realistically be accomplished
- Some parts of the organization go through a re-org almost every three years
- Executives are pretty removed from the majority of the organization. They're good about communicating out, but there is not much opportunity for "regular staff" to engage with them
