Managing Director, Community Building

About the National Audubon Society 

The National Audubon Society (“Audubon”) is a nonprofit conservation organization that protects birds and the places they need today and tomorrow. Audubon uses the levers of science, policy, education, and on-the-ground conservation to work throughout Americas towards a future where birds thrive because Audubon is a powerful, diverse, and ever‐growing force for conservation.

North America has lost three billion birds since 1970, and more than 500 bird species are at risk of extinction across Latin America and the Caribbean. Birds act as early warning systems about the health of the environment, and they are telling us that birds—and the planet—are in crisis. Together as one Audubon, the organization is working to alter the course of climate change and habitat loss, leading to healthier bird populations, and reversing current trends in biodiversity loss. It does this by implementing on‐the‐ground conservation, influencing public and corporate policy, convening diverse coalitions of partners, and building a community.

Since launching in 1905, the organization has played a critical role in some of the most significant victories for the environment and birds, including the establishment of the first National Wildlife Refuges, the banning of DDT in 1972, the establishment of the federal Environmental Protection Agency and landmark legislation like the Clean Water and Clean Air Acts as well as the Migratory Bird Treaty Act.

With an annual budget of more than $190 million, Audubon has 800+ staff working across 10 countries including in 16 state and regional offices in the United States, 32 conservation action centers and 23 wildlife sanctuaries, 160+ college campus chapters, 450+ local chapters, and 1.8 million members.

What’s Next: Flight Plan

Audubon is responding to the greatest challenges facing birds, including those that threaten people and the planet too. The organization remains focused on birds because we know their collective health reflects the health of our planet – what is good for birds is good for the Earth.

For more than a century, Audubon has adapted and evolved to meet the conservation opportunities of new eras. Recently, the organization launched its 2023-2028 Strategic Plan, “Flight Plan”, which represents another new era; building on Audubon’s strengths and lessons from the past, and again responding to the question: “How can Audubon best meet this urgent moment for birds and the planet?” The plan identifies Audubon’s “Guiding Star” as a future where birds thrive across the Americas.

In this next chapter, Audubon is elevating three strategic drivers—forces that impact the organization’s strategy—throughout all aspects of Flight Plan.

• A HEMISPHERIC APPROACH TO BIRD CONSERVATION directs Audubon’s work to the places where birds need us the most. It recognizes that the majority of bird species in the Americas migrate annually between Canada, the United States, Latin America, and the Caribbean. Audubon’s programs will be like the birds—unencumbered by political boundaries and seamlessly integrated across the Western Hemisphere.
• CLIMATE CHANGE poses fundamental challenges to traditional conservation approaches. The impacts of climate change directly threaten two-thirds of bird species and exacerbate other key threats. Audubon will consider how climate change will continue to impact everything they do—business as usual will not suffice.
• EQUITY, DIVERSITY, INCLUSION, AND BELONGING (EDIB) is fundamental to Audubon’s organizational culture and how they partner. Audubon will build a more equitable future, where engaging across differences is embraced and celebrated. Audubon can be a leader in this space, forging a community that looks like the Americas—with the collective strength to change things for the better.

With the above drivers in mind, Flight Plan focuses on five key pillars, each with an associated milestone, to work towards its “Guiding Star,” including:

• Habitat Conservation: By focusing on climate-resilient habitat conservation, Audubon will ensure the protection and restoration of the places birds and people need. Audubon’s work associated with habitat conservation includes protecting 300 million acres of lands and waters ranging from Canada to Chile by leverages its nonpartisan position to influence laws, policies, and investments.
• Climate Action: Audubon’s Survival by Degrees report tells us birds face unprecedented threats from climate change – two-thirds of North American bird species may face unlivable conditions across their current ranges by 2080. Audubon’s focus on advocating for a shift to clean energy is critical for birds’ long-term survival, and our own. Audubon’s work in habitat conservation in forests, wetlands, and grasslands also helps tackle climate change through the storage of greenhouse gases.
• Policy: Public policy and funding have a catalytic effect on protecting bird habitat and addressing climate change. Known as a nonpartisan organization, Audubon can plan a unique role as a connector and convener across the political spectrum, influencing the highest impact laws and policies at all levels, from the local to the global.
• Community Building: Transformative change requires widespread public support and action. To make the change in the world that we need to protect birds, Audubon will expand the constituency of people who care and take action for birds, and grow the organization’s audience and members to create substantive conservation impact.
• Workplace Excellence: Audubon is one of the best places to work, where talented and diverse staff are deeply engaged with a strong sense of belonging. Audubon is committed to operational excellence, where resources flow to the highest priorities, leading to impactful conservation outcomes thanks to generous and engaged donors paired with sound financial management.

Ultimately, Flight Plan positions Audubon to inspire, influence, innovate, and achieve results at unprecedented scale, representing an extraordinary opportunity to maximize the organization’s impact at this critical moment for birds and the planet.

Learn more about Audubon by visiting www.audubon.org.

The Opportunity

As Audubon embarks on its ambitious strategic plan, the organization seeks to grow a diverse community of bird lovers, Chapters, and members who work seamlessly across the hemisphere to improve the world for birds and people.

To support this key pillar of work, Audubon has developed a new role: Managing Director, Community Building (“MD”). The MD will be tasked with leading a new body of work, which has previously fallen under a range of individuals and teams and will take the lead in building a strategy for community building. They will provide dedicated cross-departmental thought leadership and coordination for the Community Building Milestone, which unites the incredible work from across the organization, focused on growing and diversifying the Audubon flock throughout the Americas.

The MD and the Community Building team will oversee community and campus chapters, as well as centers and Sanctuaries. The MD will determine leadership of programs focused on engaging communities and building the next generation of conservationists. They will also foster innovative thinking around new, big, and creative ideas to expand the Audubon community.

Reporting to the Chief Conservation Officer, Marshall Johnson, the MD will build and lead a team that currently includes ten staff members and is poised to grow in the future. Direct reports include: VP, Conservation Action – Centers & Sanctuaries; VP, Conservation Action – Chapters; Leader of Next Generation; and Leader of Community Building Programs. Critically, the MD will extensively engage and partner cross-functionally throughout the organization.

Ultimately, the goal of the Community Building team is to engage new and existing supporters in the mission of Audubon – and to bolster excitement in the magic of birds to motivate interest and excitement in taking conservation action. This leader and their team will engage with and weave together a number of constituents, programs, and partners in the mission of Audubon during an exciting period of organizational growth.

Key responsibilities of the Managing Director, Community Building include but are not limited to:

• Strategy, Vision, & Operationalization: Develop and implement a comprehensive and action-oriented community-building strategy for Audubon’s centers, sanctuaries, chapters, and programs that aligns with Audubon’s Community Building goals as outlined in Flight Plan. Operationalize the vision, including associated resources, timelines, and strategy.
• Relationship Building: Build strong, trust-based relationships across departments, teams, and external partners to achieve organizational milestones.
• Member & Community Engagement: Partner closely with Audubon’s existing members and community, including its 32 conservation action centers, to create a uniform strategy for experience and engagement with the organization. Empower the Audubon community to come together in different ways to work toward a shared vision.
• Collaboration & Growth: Collaborate cross-functionally with teams such as Development, Communications, Marketing, Science and Technology to leverage engagement assets, move individuals through the Audubon ladder of engagement, and drive community growth. Partner with the Membership and Advocacy team in growing our audience of engaged supporters and donors.
• Innovation: Foster new ideas for community engagement, chapter development, and next-generation conservation leadership, in support of expanding Audubon’s reach.
• Leadership: Coordinate and execute on large, key initiatives such as the annual Audubon Leadership Conference.

Candidate Profile

While it is understood that no candidate will offer every desired skill, quality, and characteristic, the following offers a detailed, aspirational view of the ideal candidate profile:

An Exceptional Relationship Builder, Collaborator, and Influential Leader with a Global Perspective 

This leader will:

• Have a natural ability to serve as a ‘bridge,’ instinctively drawing people in to advance the mission.
• Be adept working at the international, national, regional, and local levels, with an understanding and deep respect for the nuances of individual regions and communities.
• Serve as a natural galvanizer, able to thoughtfully engage diverse groups – both internally and externally –for their input on issues, concepts, and opportunities and to create shared strategies.
• Be an exceptional relationship builder and persuasive communicator and listener, with the ability to foster an atmosphere of collaboration, partnership, and trust.
• Be confident and comfortable presenting and interacting in a variety of settings, from large public audiences, to boardrooms, to the community level, inspiring others to take action.
• Be a diplomatic leader with the highest degree of emotional intelligence; excels at leading through influence vs. authority.

An Innovative, Strategic, Inspiring, and Transformational Systems-Thinker

This leader will:

• Be a creative thinker with an entrepreneurial mindset, able to constructively lead Audubon to consider new and innovative approaches to engaging current and new constituents and partners across the Americas.
• Be a systems thinker who can connect dots and synthesize information into a clear and compelling vision, with a track record of success in overseeing the development and implementation of complex initiatives, ideally to include community engagement and/or movement building.
• Be able to set and execute against clear metrics; effectively translating ideas into clear plans and measurable outcomes.
• Be an inspiring, empathetic, approachable, and inclusive leader with an infectious optimism and adept ability to lead through periods of change.
• Have the ability to attract, cultivate, and retain diverse teams with a broad set of ideas and skills and achieve organizational impact by recognizing and leveraging individual strengths, expertise, and teamwork.
• Be able to develop a powerful sense of shared purpose and engagement in the future of Audubon’s work and the possibilities ahead.
• Ideally be experienced working within complex and matrixed organizations.

An Ambitious, Growth-Oriented Leader 

This leader will:

• Be energized by the opportunity to capitalize on the unique strengths of Audubon to grow its audience and engagement throughout the Western Hemisphere, with a deep belief in the possibilities and potential for impact.
• Have a demonstrated ability to grow programs/projects within complex organizations and systems.  
• Have the ability to put big ideas into action, setting clear goals for growth and engagement, and driving towards long-term success for Audubon and conservation.
• Be able to see the vision and big picture for the future of Audubon, while capitalizing on and scaling existing strengths in the organization.
• Be comfortable with ambiguity, viewing the ‘white space’ as an opportunity to innovate and create in pursuit of maximizing impact.
• Be a bold thinker with a humble style; brings a genuine belief that the whole is greater than the sum of the parts.
• Be resilient and open to continuous learning and improvement, fostering a culture of innovation and adaptability.

A Mission-Driven Leader with a Passion for Conservation

This leader will:

• Have a passion for conservation and the mission of Audubon, with a desire to build and strengthen the Audubon community across the hemisphere.
• Bring a demonstrated commitment to EDIB through professional experience and personal values.
• Have a commitment to leverage the science and understand that biodiversity and climate are at a crisis point.
• Bring a deep belief in and sense of urgency to the work of Audubon.
• Be energized by the opportunity to join an organization of passionate and committed colleagues; will actively contribute to a joyful, collaborative, and entrepreneurial culture as Audubon moves into its next chapter of significant impact.
• Be an individual of unquestioned integrity, ethics, and values — someone who can be trusted without reservation.

Location & Travel

The Managing Director, Community Building is a remote role and the successful candidate may be based anywhere in the United States or Colombia.

The successful candidate will be willing and able to do a moderate amount of domestic and international travel (~35%).

Compensation & Benefits

The exact salary that will be offered will be determined based on a consideration of the successful candidate’s skills, experience, and geography and aligned with National Audubon Society’s compensation policies. The ranges, based on geography are as follows:

• National: $180,000 - $220,000
• Alaska; California (not San Francisco); Connecticut; D.C.; Chicago; Oyster Bay, NY: $200,000 - $240,000
• New York City (not Oyster Bay); San Francisco; Seattle: $220,000 - $260,000

 Staff members reporting out of Audubon’s Washington, DC or NY office who are considered hybrid employees rather than fully remote, will be expected to report to their local office for 3 consecutive days per month. These ‘Return to Office’ days apply to all hybrid team members and are typically shared 6-12 months in advance.

Additionally, the National Audubon Society offers a comprehensive benefits package. Learn more about the offerings via the following link: https://www.audubon.org/about/careers.

Interview Process

Our goal is to lead a thorough process, during which both our clients and candidates gain a robust understanding of one another and the potential fit. To that end, the interview process for the Managing Director, Community Building role is expected to include:  

• Introductory phone call with Koya Partners to learn more about you and your background and a deeper discussion about Audubon and the role.
• Zoom interview with Koya to confirm interest and alignment. Following this meeting, specific candidate materials may be requested.
• From there, the Audubon team will select a group of candidates to interview – the process is expected to include the following:
  1. 45-60-minute first round interview via Zoom.
  2. 60-minute second round panel interview via Zoom.
  3. Finalist candidates will be invited to meet with Marshall Johnson (Chief Conservation Officer) and Justin Stokes (Deputy Chief Conservation Officer) in person.
  4. The finalist will be invited to meet with the CEO via Zoom for a ~30-minute conversation.

Equal Opportunity Employer

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.

Audubon is committed to a culture of workplace excellence, where its talented and diverse staff are deeply engaged with a strong sense of belonging. The birds Audubon pledges to protect differ in color, size, behavior, geographical preference, and countless other ways. By honoring and celebrating the equally remarkable diversity of the human species, Audubon brings new creativity, effectiveness, and leadership to its work throughout the hemisphere.