The Executive Director functions as the chief executive officer for Audubon Chicago Region, exercising fundraising, management, and leadership responsibility in overseeing programs and initiatives related to the region and in collaborating up and down the Mississippi Flyway on strategic priorities. This individual must be a visionary leader, an accomplished fundraiser, an experienced manager, and have the ability to oversee the implementation of successful conservation projects on the ground. He or she will build on Audubon's rich history and enhance its contributions to conservation efforts in Chicago and the region. The Executive Director will work in collaboration with the larger Audubon organization at all levels and with external policymakers, agency leaders, and funders at the local, state, and national/international level. This is an exciting time to assume this leadership role and guide Audubon as the organization evolves and grows to support large scale conservation efforts. The ideal candidate will have excellent nonprofit management experience, superb fundraising and board development abilities, a passion for conservation, and a thorough understanding of Chicago's diverse communities and resources.
The Executive Director will report to the national organization's Vice President for the Mississippi Flyway and Gulf Coast and will be jointly supervised by a regional board that the director will help establish. The Executive Director and all employees of Audubon Chicago Region are employees of the National Audubon Society.
Essential Functions:
The Executive Director - Audubon Chicago Region will perform the following and other duties as assigned:• Persuasively articulate and effectively implement Audubon's conservation strategies in the Chicago region, working closely with volunteer leaders and staff to align the program most successfully with strategic flyway and national priorities.
• Develop a diverse Audubon Chicago Region Board, engage them in Audubon's conservation goals, strengthen their fundraising capacity, and help them continue to build conservation awareness.
• Lead Audubon Chicago Region's fundraising through board engagement and personal efforts, significantly increasing contributions from diverse stakeholders including individuals, public agencies, foundations, and other sources. Work closely with development staff at national, flyway and local levels to develop new relationships, deepen existing ones and maximize donor satisfaction and investment.
• Support and enhance Audubon's current conservation efforts, including: growing the program's investment in prioritized habitat conservation, especially through a volunteer leadership approach to grasslands and woodland restoration; further engaging the city and communities toward bird conservation and volunteer stewardship; and expanding work related to the Mississippi Flyway and strategic goals through policy, education and on-the-ground conservation efforts.
• Assume overall responsibility for financial management of the program, expanding the $525,000 budget that currently support 3 full-time and 3 part-time regular staff and a number of restoration interns and supervisors, by setting financial goals, analyzing results, and taking corrective actions. Ensure that Audubon Chicago Region meets all financial standards, operating policies, programmatic commitments, and legal requirements of Audubon.
• Raise the profile and visibility of Audubon Chicago Region and build creative and enduring alliances and partnerships.
• Build on chapter and grassroots support for the region's conservation agenda.
• Serve as an effective bipartisan advocate for Audubon legislative priorities in local, state, and national arenas in coordination with other Audubon offices and the Mississippi Flyway VP.
• Further engage Chicago's extensive and diverse population in Audubon programs through outreach efforts in hiring, volunteer leadership opportunities, internships, communications, and other avenues.
• Lead and motivate the program staff team to achieve Audubon's maximum potential.
Qualifications and Experience:
• A Bachelor's Degree required, an advanced degree in a relevant field or equivalent experience strongly preferred.
• Experience as a senior manager, with 7-10 years of progressive experience in private, nonprofit, or public-sector organizations, including 5 years at a management level with comparable staff and budget responsibilities.
• Demonstrated success in fundraising and experience working with major donors.
• Strong leadership skills, including an engaging and energetic demeanor and the ability to inspire and motivate staff, volunteers, donors, and potential partners.
• Ability to inspire trust, organize people into teams, and motivate them to work well together.
• Experience managing institutional growth and change.
• Outstanding interpersonal skills, good judgment, and an ability to work with a wide range of individuals, volunteers, donors, and organizations at the local, regional, and national level.
• Team-building skills and the ability to work collaboratively and build coalitions with partners, including other environmental organizations, government entities, and for-profit businesses.
• Persuasive communication skills and an engaging intellect that leads by example.
• The highest level of personal and professional integrity and quality standards.
• Willingness and ability to travel routinely throughout the region, and elsewhere, as required.
• Ability to analyze complex environmental and natural resource issues and identify positive, science-based solutions that can be advocated for successfully by Audubon.
• Knowledge and appreciation of Chicago's natural and cultural history, its conservation issues, and the role of science in developing conservation strategies.
Website: http://www.audubon.org/audubon-career-center
The Executive Director will report to the national organization's Vice President for the Mississippi Flyway and Gulf Coast and will be jointly supervised by a regional board that the director will help establish. The Executive Director and all employees of Audubon Chicago Region are employees of the National Audubon Society.
Essential Functions:
The Executive Director - Audubon Chicago Region will perform the following and other duties as assigned:• Persuasively articulate and effectively implement Audubon's conservation strategies in the Chicago region, working closely with volunteer leaders and staff to align the program most successfully with strategic flyway and national priorities.
• Develop a diverse Audubon Chicago Region Board, engage them in Audubon's conservation goals, strengthen their fundraising capacity, and help them continue to build conservation awareness.
• Lead Audubon Chicago Region's fundraising through board engagement and personal efforts, significantly increasing contributions from diverse stakeholders including individuals, public agencies, foundations, and other sources. Work closely with development staff at national, flyway and local levels to develop new relationships, deepen existing ones and maximize donor satisfaction and investment.
• Support and enhance Audubon's current conservation efforts, including: growing the program's investment in prioritized habitat conservation, especially through a volunteer leadership approach to grasslands and woodland restoration; further engaging the city and communities toward bird conservation and volunteer stewardship; and expanding work related to the Mississippi Flyway and strategic goals through policy, education and on-the-ground conservation efforts.
• Assume overall responsibility for financial management of the program, expanding the $525,000 budget that currently support 3 full-time and 3 part-time regular staff and a number of restoration interns and supervisors, by setting financial goals, analyzing results, and taking corrective actions. Ensure that Audubon Chicago Region meets all financial standards, operating policies, programmatic commitments, and legal requirements of Audubon.
• Raise the profile and visibility of Audubon Chicago Region and build creative and enduring alliances and partnerships.
• Build on chapter and grassroots support for the region's conservation agenda.
• Serve as an effective bipartisan advocate for Audubon legislative priorities in local, state, and national arenas in coordination with other Audubon offices and the Mississippi Flyway VP.
• Further engage Chicago's extensive and diverse population in Audubon programs through outreach efforts in hiring, volunteer leadership opportunities, internships, communications, and other avenues.
• Lead and motivate the program staff team to achieve Audubon's maximum potential.
Qualifications and Experience:
• A Bachelor's Degree required, an advanced degree in a relevant field or equivalent experience strongly preferred.
• Experience as a senior manager, with 7-10 years of progressive experience in private, nonprofit, or public-sector organizations, including 5 years at a management level with comparable staff and budget responsibilities.
• Demonstrated success in fundraising and experience working with major donors.
• Strong leadership skills, including an engaging and energetic demeanor and the ability to inspire and motivate staff, volunteers, donors, and potential partners.
• Ability to inspire trust, organize people into teams, and motivate them to work well together.
• Experience managing institutional growth and change.
• Outstanding interpersonal skills, good judgment, and an ability to work with a wide range of individuals, volunteers, donors, and organizations at the local, regional, and national level.
• Team-building skills and the ability to work collaboratively and build coalitions with partners, including other environmental organizations, government entities, and for-profit businesses.
• Persuasive communication skills and an engaging intellect that leads by example.
• The highest level of personal and professional integrity and quality standards.
• Willingness and ability to travel routinely throughout the region, and elsewhere, as required.
• Ability to analyze complex environmental and natural resource issues and identify positive, science-based solutions that can be advocated for successfully by Audubon.
• Knowledge and appreciation of Chicago's natural and cultural history, its conservation issues, and the role of science in developing conservation strategies.
