About the position
Conservation Nation is a nonprofit organization based in Washington D.C. dedicated to fostering a thriving planet for people and wildlife through an inclusive and growing network of conservationists. The organization focuses on diversifying the conservation movement by addressing systemic barriers. This is achieved by providing funding and support to wildlife conservationists from underrepresented communities and by educating and inspiring the next generation of diverse wildlife champions and leaders through a free in-school environmental education program. Founded in 2021, Conservation Nation has an annual budget of $2M-$3M and currently has two full-time employees in addition to its founders. The CEO, Tricia Reilly, works closely with co-founders and strategic advisors Lynn Mento and Doro Bush Koch, who focus on relationship building, strategic planning, and mission amplification.
Responsibilities
• Manage day-to-day operations, programs, fundraising, communications and the organization’s resources.
• Implement strategic and financial plans by working with senior stakeholders.
• Organize, motivate, and mentor team leaders to strategically grow the organization’s impact, programs, and fundraising, and to effectively fulfill its important mission.
• Assure that the organization makes consistent and timely progress in achieving its mission, goals, and targeted programmatic impact.
• Oversee HR processes such as hiring, separation, ongoing staff development, performance management, and compensation and benefits.
• Identify and address organizational, operational problems and design solutions with guidance from the CEOs.
• Oversee the annual audit and 990, including preparation of schedules, compliance, and response to management letter.
• Help achieve our education goals of broad expansion and impact growth, with guidance on optimal resource allocations.
• Help achieve our conservationist support goals of optimal support at various stages of career paths, including the development of new programs, based on new funding.
• Work with the CEOs to foster an enthusiastic, imaginative, collaborative working environment, encourage professional development, recognize positive contributions, promote the values of collaboration and partnership, and champion accountability amongst staff.
• Provide thoughtful leadership that is inclusive, transparent, and empowering.
• Model the organization’s commitment to valuing unique perspectives, identities, cultures, lived experiences, and expertise of all those in our global network, community partnerships, and team.
• Develop and manage fundraising work, including grants, individual gifts, sponsorships, and endowments.
• Help raise funds needed to support the education programs, the conservationist support programs, and general operating expenses.
• Work in partnership with and support the CEO and the co-founders in various fundraising opportunities.
• Ensure maintenance and optimal use of donor and prospect files for individual, foundation, and corporate donors.
• Lead development of an appeals strategy, informed by the CEO/Co-founders’ insights.
• Oversee gift processing and acknowledgement, coordinate with team on tailored communications for Advisory Council, Board, and Major Donor contributions.
• Collaborate with the CEO/Co-founders to engage the board and advisory council in fundraising.
• Coordinate consultants, as needed.
• Assist as needed in the preparation of grant and contract proposal submissions, budgets and reports.
• Ensure strong marketing, communications and storytelling to support growth.
• Guide optimized use of our social media channels and our website to drive significant growth in interest and engagement.
• Encourage regular and frequent content development and distribution.
• Oversee creation of communication pieces for donor engagement, including brochures and the annual report.
Requirements
• Passion for the mission of Conservation Nation
• Experience in education, including curriculum development and/or deployment of programs into schools
• Minimum five years of experience serving in a leadership position
• Record of strong operational leadership and the ability to ensure effective and efficient policies and procedures across an organization
• A record of leading trust-based relationships with colleagues, partners, and stakeholders
• Strong and transparent communication skills with the ability to connect with, engage, and build trust with a variety of individuals and organizations
• Experience in building and deploying education programs into middle schools and high schools
• Has managed a team and led operations
• Believes in the mission to lift barriers for a more diverse and inclusive corps of conservationists to tackle the challenges facing the planet
• Has successful experience raising awareness and engagement with storytelling, marketing, communications, social media, and the organization’s website
• Understands the financial workings of a nonprofit organization
• Is optimistic, enthusiastic, creative, open to suggestions and ideas
• Is low on ego – loves to collaborate, believes in the power of partnerships, wants all boats to rise, believes in ego-less teamwork
• Is local to or willing to relocate to the Washington D.C. area
Nice-to-haves
• Candidates are encouraged to identify the areas where their expertise best aligns and where they may have room for growth.
Benefits
• Bonus potential
• Generous benefits package