Senior Director, Water for Birds and People, North America

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Position Summary:

The Senior Director, Water for Birds and People, North America, leads Audubon’s Initiative to focus on the creation of a connected network of protected, managed, and restored freshwater rivers, lakes, and wetland habitats. Through improved science-based water management, long-term water policy solutions, demonstrations of successful on-the-ground restoration projects, and involvement of Audubon’s network and partners, this initiative will work to stabilize and increase populations of priority bird species that will in turn support clean water for people. The position will ensure work within its portfolio contributes impact toward the organization’s Habitat Conservation goals and other strategic initiatives.

Under the direction of the Vice President, Habitat, North America, the Senior Director will establish priorities, detailed goals, specific strategies and tactics for water efforts in the United States and advise on work in Canada and Mexico as part of supporting Audubon’s hemispheric vision. These solutions include both policy and on-the-ground conservation efforts. The position is expected to work closely with peers across the organization responsible for local, regional, and national-level plans that successfully implement and scale these strategies. They will work collaboratively with colleagues to ensure an integrated approach to water conservation across the hemisphere.

The Senior Director is expected to build and maintain relationships with key water leaders, coalitions, partners, and government officials and will serve as an important fundraising partner with Development. They will elevate Audubon’s leadership and profile with relevant external stakeholders and audiences.

This is a hybrid position based in Audubon’s New York City or Washington, DC offices. We will also consider remote candidates within the United States.

Compensation:

Salary range based on geo-differentials:

• $144,000 - $162,000 / year = National

• $162,000 - $182,000 / year = Alaska, CA (not San Francisco), Connecticut, D.C., Chicago, Oyster Bay, NY

• $180,000 - $202,000 / year = NYC (not Oyster Bay), San Francisco, Seattle

Additional Job Description

Essential Functions

• Develop Audubon’s Water for Birds and People conservation goals, priorities, and strategies that contribute impact toward Audubon’s organizational habitat conservation goals.

• Determine relevant policy priorities for inclusion in the Healthy Birds Healthy Planet policy agenda, manage key water policy staff and partner with Government Affairs colleagues to advance the policy strategy.

• Collaborate closely with conservation leaders responsible for designing and implementing local, regional, and national implementation plans to ensure impact and scale toward policy and conservation goals. Work with colleagues throughout the hemisphere to ensure an integrated approach to these conservation efforts.

• Guide day-to-day implementation of Audubon’s Water for Birds and People teams and work with the Vice President for Habitat Conservation to manage the initiative’s budget.

• Support and drive innovative water management initiatives, such as the Great Salt Lake Water Trust and any other current or future Audubon water management priorities.

• Manage internal teams through establishment of work objectives and priorities, reviewing and revising these objectives on an ongoing basis, and convening communities of practice designed to support effective and successful execution of conservation goals through collaboration across teams.

• Ensure tracking, measurement, and reporting of work within the initiative’s portfolio toward organizational habitat conservation goals.

• Develop and maintain key partnerships in the water conservation space. Leverage opportunities to elevate Audubon’s leadership and profile with external leaders, coalitions, and partners.

• Build relationships with key government agencies responsible for decisions and public funding opportunities impacting Audubon’s Water for Birds and People priorities.

• Work with communications and marketing staff around strategies to utilize print, online and social media and digital organizing to support A