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Sanctuary Director, Corkscrew Swamp

This job is no longer available

Naples, FL, USA
Full-time

Audubon’s Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary is a 13,000-acre sanctuary with 2.25 miles of boardwalk, the Blair Audubon Center, Nature Store and Gallery Cafe, as well as education, research and resource management programs. More than 100,000 people visit Corkscrew each year, and Corkscrew enjoys the support of nearly 200 regular volunteers. The Sanctuary serves as an anchor for Audubon Florida’s policy advocacy in the Western Everglades and is a living laboratory for the study and restoration of Southwest Florida’s freshwater wetlands.

All of this is led by the Sanctuary Director, with the goal of advancing Audubon’s science-based conservation mission for the sanctuary of protecting its natural resources and its watershed. The Sanctuary Director supervises the Director of Restoration, the Deputy Sanctuary Director (responsible for the Blair Center), the Director of Research and Development Associate. Corkscrew’s Sanctuary Director is in turn a part of the leadership team of Audubon Florida, and reports to the Executive Director. In partnership with the Audubon Florida Executive Director and the Corkscrew Advisory Board, the Sanctuary Director sets the strategic direction for the center and sanctuary to enhance visitor and education experiences and Audubon’s local and regional conservation mission. Maintaining and expanding Corkscrew’s facilities, staff and programming, while restoring and expanding the ecology of the Sanctuary requires financial resources. The Sanctuary Director works closely with Audubon Florida’s development team to identify, cultivate and solicit donors and with center staff to maximize earned income. The Sanctuary Director is Audubon’s chief spokesperson for conservation of the Western Everglades, and works closely with the Director of Everglades Policy, state Director of Policy, and Corkscrew Leadership Team to achieve Audubon’s conservation goals in the region.

Areas of Responsibility: 

 

Finance and Development

  • Lead Capital Campaigns and annual giving at Corkscrew to support the maintenance and expansion of the Sanctuary’s work. Specifically: 
  • Forecast the annual budget and manage administrative staff to set targets for fundraising.
  • Work with development team, Sanctuary Advisory Board and the Leadership Team to cultivate and solicit donations and to maximize admission and sales income.
  • Responsible for balancing Sanctuary expenses and revenues, and ensuring resources for capital improvements and maintenance.

Staff, Volunteer and Facilities Management

  • Supervise Sanctuary resource and administrative staff and center director, coaching for work plan and sanctuary plan-based performance.
  • Recruit, retain and grow an expert staff, focused on conservation, science-based policy, and exceptional visitor experiences.
  • Grow the number of volunteers, volunteer hours and sophistication of functions performed by volunteers, through implementation of a volunteer recruitment and management plan to support sanctuary and center goals.
  • Keep current and implement a facilities plan for upkeep and preemptive repairs of facilities and equipment.

Resource Management

  • Ensure Corkscrew team conducts timely resource management of the Sanctuary’s habitats as prescribed by the best available science. 
  • Oversee Director of Research’s work to ensure data collection and research assess and inform resource management and local and regional conservation policy efforts.

Center Operations

  • Work with the center director to ensure visitor experiences and education programs advance and support Corkscrew and Audubon Florida missions and engage diverse audiences.
  • Oversee the development and implementation of a center, education and visitor experience strategy by the Deputy Sanctuary Director.

Conservation 

  • Serve as lead spokesperson for conservation of the Western Everglades.
  • Help the sanctuary realize its potential for conservation engagement within the Atlantic Flyway.
  • Provide oversight and direction for targeted conservation projects to secure habitat for birds and other wildlife.
  • Expand Audubon’s current work on private lands conservation by identifying strategic opportunities for partnerships with landowners, agricultural interests, and agencies.
  • Collaborate with policy staff for conservation work on habitat protection, imperiled species protection, water quality, invasive species, and coastal conservation policies. 
  • Provide information to support public policy advocacy.
Educational Background: 
A minimum of a master’s degree in environmental science or ecology and three years of experience, or a baccalaureate degree in an appropriate field and five years of experience.
Skills/Experience: 
  • Outstanding interpersonal skills, good judgment, and an ability to work with a wide range of individuals, volunteers, donors, and organizations at the local, regional, and national level.
  • Experience with fundraising including annual giving and major gifts cultivation.
  • Team-building skills and the ability to work collaboratively and build coalitions with partners, including other environmental organizations, government entities, and for-profit businesses.
  • Persuasive communication skills and an engaging intellect that leads by example.
  • The highest level of personal and professional integrity and quality standards.
  • Experience supervising staff and volunteers, as well as managing grants and budgets.
  • Knowledge of the ecology of Southwest Florida and its conservation challenges a plus.
  • Experience growing organizations/programs in staff and budget size and sophistication.
  • Two years’ experience in a supervisory role.
  • Ability to obtain a Florida Driver’s License.
  • Excellent oral and writing skills.

Organization Info

National Audubon Society

Overview
Headquarters: 
New York, NY, United States
Annual Budget : 
$100-500M
Founded: 
1972
About Us
Areas of Focus: 
Mission: 

Audubon saves birds and their habitats throughout the America using science, advocacy, education and on-the-ground conservation.

Audubon operates an extensive network of National conservation programs, 23 state and regional offices, 41 centers, 23 sanctuaries and 463 independent chapters. Our work is a powerful combination of science, on the ground conservation, policy and engagement expertise that strives to protect and restore habitat, and to build the durable public will to implement policies that safeguard birds, other wildlife and the resources that sustain us all-in the U.S. and across the Americas.

Listing Stats

Post Date: 
Dec 1 2018
Active Until: 
Jan 1 2019
Hiring Organization: 
National Audubon Society
industry: 
Nonprofit