To apply for this position please submit resume & cover letter through the online application by Sunday, May 9th.

Please note the location for this position is flexible and can be located in most TWS offices. Please indicate location preference via the question on the application. Preferred location may impact salary offered for this role.

GENERAL DESCRIPTION

The Wilderness Society is seeking a Senior Director to lead the organization’s efforts to help protect 30% of U.S. lands and waters by 2030. The Senior Director will work collaboratively with leaders across the organization to set strategy and annual performance measures, establish and oversee discretionary budget, and help maintain external partnerships. This role requires someone who is energized by crafting strategic plans, motivating others through inclusive and equitable leadership, and setting a large team up to successfully achieve shared goals.

To be successful, the Senior Director will be skilled at anticipating and responding to opportunities and unexpected events that affect their team’s ability to meet objectives, while maintaining focus on long-term strategy.

This position plays an important role in supporting an inclusive organizational culture that is grounded in trust and accountability to shared goals and outcomes. TWS has made diversity, equity, and inclusion strategic priorities for the organization and the Senior Director will integrate these priorities throughout our work. Across our team, we aspire to be campaign-oriented, nimble, collaborative, innovative, transparent, and supportive of staff – our greatest asset.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES

• Lead a large cross-functional team integrated across TWS departments in an inclusive and equitable manner, including making decisions on strategy and budget and ensuring clarity of roles and responsibilities.
• Directly line manage two staff responsible for project management, campaign advocacy and policy development.
• Lead big-picture strategic planning informed by expert understanding of federal public lands law, biodiversity conservation and an ongoing analysis of politics.
• Responsible for contributing to an inclusive and welcoming organizational culture by modeling key equity competencies including understanding of the foundations of equity such as implicit bias, White privilege, and group identities (and the cultural and historical context of those identities within the organization, nation, and world), and holding their staff accountable to equity competencies and how their actions impact TWS as an inclusive and equitable workplace.
• Facilitate collaboration and integration of TWS talent and skills through cross functional teams to ensure the work is focused on priorities and driving equitable outcomes.
• Serve as key partner to Philanthropy staff to cultivate and steward donors supporting this work.
• Help set and manage a discretionary budget that supports multiple campaigns, projects and other lines of work tied to critical mass result.
• Work with managers on tracking and reporting progress through TWS Dashboard; lead reporting on result progress to TWS Governing Council.
• Help design and oversee successful implementation of processes and systems that ensure clarity of roles and decision making within and across cross-functional teams.
• Assist in developing strategic partnerships with relevant environmental advocacy, social justice, labor, tribal and other entities with an emphasis on organizations representing Black, Indigenous and people of color.
• Serve as a strategic advisor to the Vice Presidents of Strategy & Results and Conservation Programs.
• Work with External Affairs and other teammates to set and drive a narrative in TWS communications to current and potential advocates; work with staff to write program updates, memos and content for various communication channels.
• Serve as a national spokesperson and represent TWS at meetings and events, as appropriate.
• Other duties as assigned.

QUALIFICATIONS

Experience, Competencies, and Education

· At least 10 years of experience in public policy, political, social work, non-profit management or related field, with a keen interest in the environment, advocacy, civic engagement, and/or community organizing.

• Strong, proven project management and campaign leadership skills.

· Demonstrated experience leading and managing cross functional teams toward major program outcomes representing a rich mix of talent, backgrounds, and perspectives toward shared goals/outcomes. This includes a track record of successful recruitment, cultivation, and retention of highly skilled staff across race and gender identity.

· Effective and inclusive management skills including experience working productively across difference (i.e., gender identity, race, ethnicity, and socio-economic background).

· Ability and interest in researching and drafting policy and issue briefs/memos.

· Exemplary skills in oral, written and online communication.

· Strong interpersonal skills and intercultural competence, combined with a commitment to being part of and skills to contribute to an anti-racist organization that is committed to equity and inclusion.

· Exceptional interpersonal skills and able to work with diverse stakeholders.

· Ability to travel within the U.S.

· Comfort with ambiguity, flexibility and adapting to shifting priorities and plans.

· Familiarity with non-profit fundraising and experience managing grants is highly regarded.

· Ability to communicate effectively and productively including managing misunderstandings and conflicts.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is occasionally required to stand; walk; sit; use hands to finger, or handle; reach with hands and arms; climb stairs; talk or hear. Specific vision abilities required by the job include close vision.

WORK ENVIRONMENT

Work environment characteristics described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is not exposed to adverse weather conditions. The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.

This job description is intended to convey information essential to understanding the scope of this position and it is not intended to be an exhaustive list of experience, skills, efforts, duties, responsibilities or working conditions associated with the position.

The Wilderness Society offers a competitive salary and benefits package, including: health, dental, vision, life and disability insurance; sick and vacation leave; a sabbatical program; and a retirement plan. TWS is an equal opportunity employer and actively works to ensure fair treatment of our employees and constituents across culture, socioeconomic status, race, marital or family situation, gender, age, ethnicity, religious beliefs, physical ability, veteran status or sexual orientation.

As an organization, we aspire to be inclusive in the work that we do, and in the kind of organization we are. Internally, this means working as a team that listens to different points of view, recognizes the contributions of every employee and empowers each employee to bring their whole selves to work every day. Externally, this means ensuring that public lands are inclusive and welcoming, so that our shared wildlands can help people and nature to thrive. We are committed to equity throughout our work, which we define as our commitment to realizing the promise of our public lands and ensuring that all can share in their universal benefits.

To learn more about our commitment, please see http://wilderness.org/our-commitment-diversity-equity-and-inclusion-wilderness-society