Reporting to the Board of Directors, the Executive Director of Amazon Conservation Association is responsible for the successful leadership and management of the organization, translating the founders’ animating vision into concrete programs and operations. Based in Washington, D.C., the Executive Director will provide strategic leadership to a vibrant and committed professional team of seven and work in close collaboration with the Executive Directors of two sister organizations – Conservación Amazónica–ACEAA, in Bolivia, and Conservación Amazónica–ACCA, in Peru – that together form the Amazon Conservation Alliance. The three Executive Directors comprise a leadership team that coordinates the overall work of the Alliance. The Executive Director of Amazon Conservation also ensures that fiscal, operations, fundraising, marketing, human resource and programmatic strategies are effectively implemented.
Collaborating with Board, founders, staff, and sister organizations, the Executive Director will represent Amazon Conservation through interaction with a wide range of entities and provide the leadership and foresight to broaden the awareness of Amazon Conservation with funders, key stakeholders and partners. S/he will capitalize on opportunities, identify challenges, and secure the resources necessary to meet those challenges.
Primary responsibilities include:
Board and Alliance Relations
- Effectively inform and engage Board members, work closely with Board committees and task forces, and prepare for and facilitate Board meetings.
- Work with the Alliance Executive Director team to plan joint priorities and strategy and build consensus between the Executive Director group and the Board, and with Staff.
- Work with the Board to set annual priorities and budgets, as well as the Executive Director team and Staff.
Fundraising and Communications
- Lead fundraising strategy and oversight for the organization, with a focus on securing unrestricted funds and maintaining restricted funding.
- Work with the Board and Development and Communications Associate to achieve Amazon Conservation’s fundraising targets for individual donors ($1,000,000), maintain retention rates, and increase interaction with donors and prospects.
- Oversee Amazon Conservation’s grant fundraising strategy with active participation in key major grants.
- Maintain relationships with major-grant funders and build new relationships, diversifying funding sources, including earned income from biological stations/lodges, in very close partnership with ACCA in Peru.
- Provide leadership in communications and outreach to expand awareness and funding opportunities for the organization; act as spokesperson for the Alliance in the U.S.
- Implement the branding and communications strategy created in 2017.
Program and Organizational Planning and Management
- Working with the Board of Directors and Alliance Executive Director team and Staff, lead the effort to create the Alliance’s first Strategic Plan.
- Conduct ongoing, big picture direction and prioritization for Amazon Conservation programs, activities and budgets with effective coordination and communications among Amazon Conservation, ACCA, ACEAA, and Board members.
- Oversee the planning, implementation, and evaluation of the organization’s programs and services, including special projects.
- Ensure that the programs and services offered contribute to the organization’s mission, reflect the priorities of the Board, and maintain or improve quality.
Human Resources and Financial Planning and Management
- Coordinate with the Alliance Executive Director team and Boards where appropriate to ensure a big picture approach to division of roles and use of resources to maximize effectiveness and cost efficiency across the three countries.
- Coach and mentor staff as appropriate to improve performance.
- Partner with the Finance Director to prepare comprehensive annual budgets, including consolidation with budgets from sister organizations, and oversee timely and accurate accounting and financial forecasting.
OPPORTUNITY
This is a remarkable and rare opportunity to lead a dynamic, international nonprofit that is part of the Latin American landscape it seeks to protect. Working with communities, governments, science, research and policy, the Executive Director will support and partner closely with sister organizations on the ground in Peru and Bolivia to secure the environmental future of the Amazon Basin, the biggest and most diverse river system in the world. This is an opportunity to lead an amazing staff and work with brilliant minds to save the forests of the western Amazon for the people and species who depend upon them.
Essential qualifications and attributes include:
- At least five to eight years of professional experience in conservation-related projects or similar ventures in an international setting, ideally in the Andean Amazon.
- Demonstrated success in fundraising with grantmakers and individual/major donors; experience diversifying revenue sources to support programs and initiatives.
- English and Spanish proficiency in speech and writing, with fluency preferred.
- Leadership skills and ability to inspire and motivate others toward stated goals; demonstrated success managing a high-functioning team.
- Experience developing a strong and effective relationship with a Board of Directors desired.
- Demonstrated success managing major initiatives at a conservation organization, private company, or university.
- Strong team ethic, with demonstrated success in organizational or collaborative departmental leadership.
- Experience working with interdisciplinary teams on complex problems.
- Financial and business acumen to ensure short- and long-term stability of the organization’s assets.
- Willingness to travel 15 to 20 percent.
- Advanced degree strongly preferred; training in project management and/or conflict resolution desired.
- Strong writing and presentation skills.
Other desired skills and personal characteristics:
- A strong collaborator and listener who invites input from a variety of areas to achieve cooperative outcomes.
- Effective in public speaking and serving as an organizational spokesperson.
- Ability to foster a healthy organizational culture, to encourage teamwork and collaboration.
- Awareness of Latin American cultural and politics preferred.
- Strong connection with and passion for the mission of Amazon Conservation.
- Confident, wise, and humble.
COMPENSATION
Compensation for the Executive Director includes a competitive base salary commensurate with experience and an excellent package of employee benefits.
TO APPLY:
Amazon Conservation Association has retained the services of ThinkingAhead Executive Search. Please submit your resume and expression of interest to Chris Spagnola, Senior Recruiter, at cspagnola@thinkingahead.com, and Jonathan McIntosh, Recruiter, at jmcintosh@thinkingahead.com.
All questions and applications should be sent to ThinkingAhead Executive Search. Please do not call or email Amazon Conservation with inquiries.
Download the posting here.
