An integral part of The Nature Conservancy’s efforts to connect people with nature, the Director of Volunteer Programs develops large-scale programs and strategies for implementation across business units, and oversees all aspects of corporate and project-based volunteer engagement activities supported by the Global Cities team. Encompassing a large complex geography, volunteer efforts include both domestic and, increasingly, international engagement. The Director provides strategic leadership, counsel, and support to business units and the Global Cities team.
The Director of Volunteer Programs will manage the expansion of The Nature Conservancy’s volunteer engagement in order to grow the Conservancy’s base of supporters and advance the Conservancy’s priority conservation, policy and funding objectives. The Director will design and support major strategic initiatives to increase volunteer engagement in support of Global Cities programs and of The Nature Conservancy overall.
The Director serves as a key leader, advisor, and partner for regional, state, and international-level staff that manage volunteer programs. S/he works with business unit leadership and senior management to build internal capacity to guide and support the Conservancy’s volunteer engagement initiatives and foster a culture that values and honors volunteers. The Director advises Global Cities management on all matters related to volunteer engagement, and collaborates and consults with Global Cities colleagues, regional and business unit leadership, philanthropy, marketing, government relations, finance and conservation director(s) to develop, support, and implement volunteer programs.
S/he serves as the liaison for the Conservancy’s volunteer programs with regional-level partner organizations and will work strategically within TNC to identify opportunities for engagement with corporate partners. The Director will work closely with the Global Cities fundraising staff to generate program funding, and develops and maintains external professional networks and internal relationships within the organization to achieve desired outcomes in support of organization-wide goals and objectives.
The Director of Volunteer Programs directly manages the AmeriCorps National Volunteer Coordinator, who supports 22 AmeriCorps volunteers throughout the country.
COMPLEXITY/PROBLEM SOLVING:
- Develop a framework for large scale programs and strategies to engage volunteers across select business units.
- Create competitive and breakthrough strategies and plans locally and organization-wide.
- Communicate a compelling and inspired vision and sense of core purpose with an ability to inspire, motivate, and marshal resources throughout the entire organization.
- Cultivate the creative ideas of others; make connections between ideas, and project potential outcomes.
- Experiment to find creative solutions.
- Evaluates and prioritizes all activities based on conservation outcomes; sets TNC strategic direction for volunteer engagement
DISCRETION/LATITUDE/DECISION-MAKING:
- Ability to make strategic decisions based on analysis, wisdom, experience and judgment.
- Maximum opportunity to act independently.
- Ability to commit the organization’s actions and resources in a way that supports TNC’s conservation goals.
- Maintains confidentiality of frequently sensitive and emotionally charged information.
RESPONSIBILITY/OVERSIGHT –FINANCIAL & SUPERVISORY:
- Management and leadership responsibility for administrative, professional and volunteer staff and department, including training and professional development.Establishes clear directions and sets objectives.
- Broad financial responsibility includes fundraising, setting and meeting budget objectives, evaluating results and developing corrective strategies as needed.
- Develops and administers department budget.
- Collaborates and builds strong relationships with peers/colleagues across the region and with key alliances which support the Conservancy’s agenda.
- Management experience including ability to motivate, lead, set objectives and manage performance of an evolving team.
- Ability to foster an environment of creativity and professional growth.
- Experience developing, implementing, measuring and evaluating multifaceted strategic initiatives, plans and programs.
- Extensive knowledge of current and evolving trends in volunteer engagement, and how these trends impact the work of the Conservancy.
- Working knowledge of volunteer program best practices.
- Proven success in building and maintaining long-term relationships.
- Proven ability in managing the fiduciary aspects of planning and delivery of annual budgets.
- Demonstrated success in managing a diverse, creative and distributed team of professionals.
- Strong interpersonal skills, including ability to positively influence and persuade.
- Excellent communications, mediation and negotiation skills.
- Donor engagement experience.
DESIRED QUALIFICATIONS
- Multi- lingual and multi-cultural or cross-cultural experience appreciated.
- Experience in conservation practice or equivalent combination of education and experience.
- Politically savvy.
The Nature Conservancy offers competitive compensation, 401k or savings-plan matching for eligible employees, excellent benefits, flexible work policies and a collaborative work environment. We also provide professional development opportunities and promote from within. As a result, you will find a culture that supports and inspires conservation achievement and personal development, both within the workplace and beyond.