Now in its second century, Audubon is dedicated to protecting birds and other wildlife and the habitat that supports them. Audubonission is engaging people in bird conservation on a hemispheric scale through science, policy, education and on-the-ground conservation action. By mobilizing and aligning its network of Chapters, Centers, State and Important Bird Area programs in the four major migratory flyways in the Americas, the organization will bring the full power of Audubon to bear on protecting common and threatened bird species and the critical habitat they need to survive. And as part of BirdLife International, Audubon will join people in over 100 in-country organizations all working to protect a network of Important Bird Areas around the world, leveraging the impact of actions they take at a local level. What defines Audubonnique value is a powerful grassroots network of nearly 500 local chapters, 23 state offices, 41 Audubon Centers, Important Bird Area Programs in 50 states, and 700 staff across the country. Audubon is a federal contractor and an Equal Opportunity Employer (EOE).

Audubon has a rich history in Nebraska with premier international birding destinations like the Ian Nicolson Audubon Center at Rowe Sanctuary which celebrated its 40th anniversary in 2014, to the outstanding restoration and conservation work that has been completed on the Platte River. Audubon Nebraska currently operates two nature centers (Ian Nicolson Audubon Center at Rowe Sanctuary and Spring Creek Prairie) in Nebraska and delivers conservation programs in four primary areas of focus ter, Grasslands, Climate, and Bird Friendly Communities.

In the spring of 2016, Audubon adopted a new strategic plan to renew the organizationocus on the biggest and most important opportunities for addressing critical threats to birds and their habitat throughout the Western Hemisphere. This plan reaffirms Audubonommitment to organizing our conservation work by migratory flyways: each year, more than 10 billion birds use four major flyways to travel up and down the continent and to points beyond. Underneath these flyways are migratory rest stops and the homes for non-migratory birds that are critical to birdsrvival. By mobilizing and aligning Audubonnparalleled network of chapters, centers, state programs, and Important Bird Area (IBA) programs to focus on the four major migratory flyways in the Americas (Atlantic, Mississippi, Central, and Pacific), the organization will bring the full power of Audubon to bear on protecting common and threatened bird species and the critical habitat they need to survive.

As part of BirdLife International, Audubon will join people in more than 100 countries working to protect a network of IBAs around the world, leveraging the impact of actions they take at a local level. Our 2016 strategic plan builds on the strong foundation established by our 2011 plan. It creates a roadmap for the next five years, guided by two ideas: by focusing on the needs of bird species, the scale and ambition of our conservation work can match the complexity of 21st century demands; and to do so, Audubon needs to become the most effective conservation network in America. We are setting our sights on large-scale conservation goals and taking the needed steps to ensure that Audubon has the authority and capacity to achieve them. We will focus on five cross-cutting conservation strategies including climate, coasts, working lands, water, and bird friendly communities. We will build durable public will for conservation by broadening and deepening our support base, with a clear-eyed focus on diversity. We will invest in the skills and capacity of our unparalleled distributed network. We will continue to refine our priorities and evolve our organizational structure in order to meet our ambitious goals.

Audubon is a federal contractor and an Equal Opportunity Employer (EOE).

Position Summary

Audubon seeks a dynamic Executive Director to build on Audubon NebraskaANE) rich history and expand its contributions to conservation in Nebraska and throughout the entire Central Flyway, leading the organization to its next level of programmatic and financial success.

The Executive Director will be the chief executive officer for Audubon Nebraska and will exercise broad leadership and management responsibility in developing statewide conservation policy, initiatives, and public programming. The Director will also work with senior management in exploring opportunities and the feasibility of expanding ANEeadership in Audubonater and North American Grasslands work. The successful candidate will have the passion and leadership skills necessary to articulate, develop, and implement Audubononservation goals and strategies in the state, all while working closely with the Audubon Nebraska Board of Directors and staff, and Auduboney national conservation leaders to continue to develop the state program in tandem with strategic regional and national priorities. The Executive Director will hold the title of Vice President within the national organization and will report directly to the Central Flyway Vice President.

Audubon Nebraska has a staff of 20 (includes part-time and seasonal staff) and an annual budget of nearly $1.6 million, which includes multiple facilities and programs across the state. Audubon Nebraska works with a network of four independently funded and managed, affiliated local Audubon Chapters, and approximately 10,000 grassroots members, plus various conservation organizations, government agencies, and other public and private entities to protect birds and their habitats. Audubon Nebraska is a critical part of an extensive network of 22 National Audubon Society state offices that advance state and local conservation policies, conduct on-the-ground work and educational programming and contribute to the goals of hemispheric-scale conservation priorities of the organization.

Essential Functions

Strategy Development and Organizational Leadership

• Aligned with Audubonverall conservation goals and strategies, develop strategic goals and initiatives that result in the organizationncreased statewide capacity to achieve the conservation of priority birds and their habitats. Priorities include prairie and grassland habitat and watershed conservation; Important Bird Areas, urban conservation and community outreach and education. In conjunction with senior management explore opportunities and the feasibility of expanding ANEeadership in the Central Flyway.
• Manage the day-to-day operations of the state office, including setting financial and programmatic goals, analyzing results, and taking corrective actions, in close collaboration with Nebraskataff; ensure that all Audubon financial standards, operating policies, programmatic commitments, and legal requirements are met.
• Focus resources on the most critical, high-leverage projects and strategies, including policy development and public engagement. Leverage the impact of Audubon Nebraskaenters and Sanctuaries to achieve state and Flyway goals.
• Provide leadership, management, and mentoring to staff.

Fundraising and External Relations

• Represent Audubon Nebraska throughout the state and raise its profile and visibility to funders, partners, policymakers, and the public.
• Along with appropriate development staff, lead Audubon Nebraskaundraising to cultivate and solicit major donors, foundations, corporations and government agencies for Audubon Nebraska and to significantly increase contributions. Play an active role in helping to promote fundraising for regional priority projects across the Central Flyway working with other state directors, the program managers and other supporting staff.
• Work closely with the Audubon Nebraska Board of Directors to support the efforts of ANE in continuing the development of a strong statewide organization through fundraising, program development, and conservation advocacy.
• Work closely with, support and provide guidance to the Chapters in Nebraska to expand Audubonapacity to for on-the-ground conservation and education at scale. Work to strengthen the statewide presence of Audubon and support these organizations in their local efforts.
• Continuously seek out ways to engage Nebraskaiverse population in Audubon programs.
• Work with government departments and non-governmental organizations to promote and prioritize bird science and habitat conservation.

Qualifications and Experience

• Bacheloregree in nonprofit management, business, conservation or related field required; advanced degree strongly preferred.
• 7-10 yearsogressive professional experience, to include 3-5 years at a senior management level with comparable staff and budget responsibilities.
• Strong leadership skills, with an entrepreneurial spirit and strong business and management skills; demonstrated ability to inspire and motivate staff, volunteers, donors, and potential partners a must.
• Demonstrated success in fundraising, in particular extensive experience with major donors, foundations, corporations, and government funders.
• Seasoned organizational leader with an array of experience in public policy development and advocacy, campaigns, lobbying, and/or involvement in the state legislature and in working with members of Congress.
• Demonstrated ability to succeed in a highly matrixed, complex organizationong ability to influence and persuade others required.
• Outstanding interpersonal skills, judgment, and a demonstrated ability to collaborate and build coalitions with a wide range of individuals and organizations at the local, regional, and national levels.
• Tech-savvy, including proficiency with Microsoft Office applications, budgeting systems and donor databases. Comfort with and interest in leveraging technology to maximize conservation impact and network engagement.
• Demonstrated experience overseeing complex or multiple projects through to success, including meeting financial goals, project deadlines, and coordinating the work of key staff and partners.
• Excellent and persuasive communication skills, both written and verbal, including substantial public speaking experience, and the ability to effectively represent Audubon Nebraska to its members, state and federal elected officials, donors, and chapter leaders, as well as in traditional and social media.
• Knowledge and appreciation of, as well as connection to Nebraska and its environment, conservation and political history, and the role of science in developing conservation strategies.
• Willingness and ability to travel routinely throughout the state and nationally, as required.
• A strong commitment to the mission, values, and programs of Audubon Nebraska and the National Audubon Society.