JOB SUMMARY:

The VP of Regional Conservation leads and manages all American Rivers’ regional offices. In that role, s/he is responsible for setting strategic vision, hiring, and managing staff, raising funds to sustain the organization, creating, and managing budgets, partnering with the VP of National Conservation Programs, and representing the regional offices on the Executive Team and in reporting to the President.  Given the ambitious, longer-term goals being established by American Rivers and the redesign of the roles of the Regional Directors and the regional river councils, the VP of Regional Conservation will lead a catalytic redesign and implementation of American Rivers conservation work in established AR regional offices.  When appropriate, the VP of Regional Conservation will lead the envisioning, fundraising for, staffing, and launching of new regional offices that ultimately cover the entire country.

PRINCIPAL RESPONSIBILITIES:

  • With the President, sets strategic vision for the role of regional conservation in achieving American Rivers’ longer-term goals.
  • Hires, leads, and manages the Regional Directors to ensure they are effectively implementing the organization’s priority goals in each region.
  • In managing Regional Directors, ensures that each Regional Director designs and leads multi-dimensional advocacy campaigns to achieve the conservation program priorities in the region.
  • Oversees the decision of Regional Directors as they make high-level policy decisions such as when to engage in litigation or participate in complex negotiations. Ensures that regional office staff have the training and professional development opportunities they need to excel and grow.
  • Partners with the VP National Programs to ensure smooth collaboration among their staffs. Ensures that Regional Directors and their staff, catalyzed by their fundraising and management responsibilities, work closely with each of the National Program Directors and their staff.
  • Works with the advancement teams and regional river councils to raise funds to sustain American Rivers.
  • Creates and manages a budget for the entire regional program.
  • Approves timesheets, expense reports, contracts, and other administrative paperwork.
  • Builds and nurtures relationships with key partners such as other conservation organizations, agency staff, business leaders and elected officials.
  • Ensures that DEI is integrated into all aspects of the regional office’s operations.
  • Serves on the Executive Team

 

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

  • Advanced degree plus 15+ years of relevant experience in conservation; or bachelor’s degree with 18+ years of relevant experience in conservation
  • 5+ years of experience in the non-profit sector
  • Demonstrated ability to lead, inspire and manage a team of high-performing conservation professionals.
  • Has participated in an in-depth leadership training program or commitment to participate in leadership training.
  • Demonstrated ability to raise significant funds from a variety of sources including foundations and individual donors, with strong desire to lead fundraising efforts.
  • Demonstrated ability and commitment to build social capital in the form of members, activists, funders, agency partners and key decision makers to accomplish conservation goals.
  • Excellent written and oral communication skills
  • Demonstrated passion for American Rivers’ mission
  • Commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion