Program Director, Desert and Salton Sea

Program Director, Desert and Salton Sea

Job Description:

Position Summary :

Audubon seeks a motivated, dynamic individual to lead and manage Audubon’s Desert and Salton Sea Program. The Program Director will work with Audubon California’s Director of Policy and Senior Director of Conservation to translate National Audubon’s Strategic Plan into on-the-ground community-based conservation to conserve birds and their habitats, protect public health, and to increase access to nature and the benefits of nature for communities in the region. Projects will include advocacy, restoration and engagement to advance the state of California’s Salton Sea Management Plan, desert habitat protection, responsible renewable energy development, and increased nature-based recreational opportunities. The Program Director will collaborate with National Audubon staff in other state and regional programs to advance shared priorities in the desert, the Colorado River basin, and along the Pacific Flyway.

This person must be committed to building relationships with parties from a wide range of backgrounds, interests, political affiliations, and perspectives and to serving as a convenor to bring parties with disparate viewpoints together to solve shared problems. The position requires regular interaction and consensus building with community members, tribes, elected and agency officials, and partner organizations, and skill with external communications, including speaking with the media. The Program Director will be responsible for managing program staff, independent contractors, and the program budget.

This position is expected to regularly work out of the Audubon office in Palm Desert, California, with frequent travel across the desert region and occasionally to other locations within California and in the U.S.

Compensation:

$105,000 - $118,000 / year

Essential Functions

• Develop and implement strategies to achieve Audubon’s priorities at the Salton Sea and in the California desert, and track progress against goals.
• Represent Audubon California on issues related to the Desert and Salton Sea program to decision-makers, communities, and partner organizations, including preparing and providing public presentations, testimony, and comments.
• Co-identify conservation problems and solutions using a community-centered approach based on trusting relationships with key community members and partners to work collaboratively on conservation efforts.
• Manage, mentor and grow the Desert and Salton Sea Program staff, creating an enjoyable, safe, and equitable work environment where staff can thrive.
• Connect local work with other Audubon programs, teams, and initiatives.
• Work closely with and provide leadership to existing coalitions and seek opportunities to grow and expand Audubon’s partnerships.
• Strategize with Audubon’s communications team on external communications to advance initiatives and elevate Audubon’s presence on issues related to the Salton Sea and the California desert.
• Collaborate with Audubon California’s Policy Director to advance policies furthering Audubon goals in the desert and the Salton Sea, including state and federal legislation, budget plays, and advocacy before agencies.
• Collaborate with Audubon California’s Senior Conservation Director to identify and fulfill bird conservation science needs at the Salton Sea and California desert and to share findings with other interested parties and the public.
• Monitor and track proposals and planning, for example related to lithium development, at the Salton Sea.
• Oversee external consultants and technical advisors, including developing contracts and managing their scope of work, deliverables, and performance.
• Prepare and make verbal and written communications to external interested parties and the media on Audubon’s desert and Salton Sea priorities.
• Provide regular updates to California and national leadership on progress and outputs of our work in the desert and at the Salton Sea.
• Promote an organizational culture and structure that fosters cooperation, communication, collaboration, teamwork, equity and trust.

Qualifications and Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in policy, political science, environmental management or other relevant field preferred.
• At least 10 years of experience working on issues related to the California desert and/or the Salton Sea. An Equivalent combination of education and experience will also be considered.
• At least five years of supervisory and team leadership experience.
• Project management experience, including tracking project progress, reporting on outcomes, and writing reports.
• Familiarity with California water issues, especially water supply challenges in southern California. Experience working on issues related to groundwater and Colorado River supplies in the desert.
• Familiarity with appropriate state and federal agencies that interact regularly with Audubon priorities in the desert and at the Salton Sea, including the Bureau of Land Management, Bureau of Reclamation, US Fish and Wildlife Service, California Natural Resources Agency, California Dept. of Fish and Wildlife, and California Dept. of Water Resources.
• Strong diplomatic and consensus-building skills; a willingness to work across interests, political divisions, and backgrounds to find shared solutions.
• Demonstrated ability to build relationships with a broad diversity of interested parties from different political and cultural perspectives and a commitment to reaching out to and including parties that may have been previously excluded from conservation-related planning and processes.
• Experience with grassroots education, engagement, and activation on conservation or public health issues.
• Demonstrated ability to contribute to fundraising, including identifying and applying for grants and engaging potential donors.
• Bilingual (Spanish, English) strongly preferred.
• Demonstrated experience in verbal and written communication skills, including public speaking, public presentation, and the ability to communicate complex information to all audiences.
• A self-starter with the ability to work independently.
• Knowledge of desert ecosystems and birds preferred.
• Willingness to occasionally work evenings and weekends as required. Must be comfortable and able to travel throughout the region and California regularly, with extensive day travel and occasional overnight travel, as required.
• Must possess a valid driver's license and have access to personal transportation.
• Comfortable working in an outdoor environment.

EEO Statement

The National Audubon Society is a federal contractor and an Equal Opportunity Employer (EOE). All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability or protected veteran status. We are committed to a policy of nondiscrimination, inclusion and equal opportunity and actively seek a diverse pool of candidates in this search.

Accessibility Statement

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