Regional Director (Northeast Region)

About Mass Audubon
Mass Audubon is the largest nature-based conservation organization in New England. Founded in 1896 by two women who fought for the protection of birds, Mass Audubon carries on their legacy by focusing on the greatest challenges facing the environment today: the loss of biodiversity, inequitable access to nature, and climate change. With the help of our 160,000 members and supporters, we protect wildlife, conserve and restore resilient land, advocate for impactful environmental policies, offer nationally recognized education programs for adults and children, and provide endless opportunities to experience the outdoors at our wildlife sanctuaries. Explore, find inspiration, and take action at massaudubon.org. 

About This Position
Mass Audubon is looking for an experienced and motivated leader to direct Mass Audubon’s programs, properties, and activities in the Northeast region of Massachusetts, which include some of the most spectacular and well visited wildlife sanctuaries in the Mass Audubon network. The sanctuaries of the Northeast Region sit in the Greater Boston, Merrimack Valley and North Shore areas of the Commonwealth. They include Broadmoor Wildlife Sanctuary in Natick, which sits along the Charles River and includes miles of trails, a nature center, and a special reputation for giving the community a unique nature-based experience. Along the Merrimack River, Mass Audubon’s Joppa Flats Wildlife Sanctuary is located. It has long been the visitor portal to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife’s Parker River Wildlife Refuge and home to some of the most spectacular and diverse birding on the Atlantic Coast.

Five of the sanctuaries (Habitat, Broadmoor, Joppa Flats, Blue Hills Trailside, and Museum of American Bird Art Nature Center) are properties with nature centers that offer trails, summer camps, preschool, and daily programming for visitors. In total, the sanctuaries within the Northeast Region see roughly 150,000 visitors annually. This is a dynamic region with huge potential to contribute to Mass Audubon’s organization-wide nature and climate priorities and serve community needs.

The Northeast Regional Director provides strategic leadership, operational oversight, and programmatic vision for all of the Northeast sanctuaries, leading a multi-disciplinary team (focused on visitor services, administration, property and facility maintenance), and also overseeing Sanctuary Managers that support day-to-day execution at the busiest sites. In addition, the Regional Director works cross-functionally with Marketing, Education, and Conservation departments to develop creative strategies that deliver best in class nature-based educational programming and visitor experiences that support the mission of Mass Audubon and grow visitation at our Northeast sanctuaries.

The Northeast Regional Director is part of the Mass Audubon leadership team and is responsible for ensuring that the sanctuaries across the region advance the organization’s goals and objectives and contribute to the overall vision of the organization. In addition to being a strong leader with exceptional management skills, an ideal candidate also will be highly collaborative and will explore and engage all parts of the organization to advance the goals of the sanctuaries and Mass Audubon as a whole.   

The Northeast Regional Director is a manager that inspires staff, donors, and volunteers in the community to work together to achieve our ambitious goals to engage new audiences, address the effects of climate change, and protect and steward natural habitat. The Northeast Regional Director leads, manages, and elevates Northeast Sanctuaries’ potential as a ecological “living laboratories” that inspire and foster a love of nature in people of all ages and backgrounds; works closely with the Conservation department to implement innovative wildlife habitat restoration projects; mobilizes members of the community to advocate for environmental policies; and ensures that Mass Audubon is inclusive and welcoming so that more people from all backgrounds have access and can connect with the joys of nature.

Application Instructions
Please submit a resume and cover letter with your ADP application.

Responsibilities

Leadership and Strategic Planning

• Provide visionary leadership to advance the region’s mission and strategic goals, including increasing and diversifying visitation and membership recruitment, implementing capital projects, increasing biodiversity and restoring natural habitat, and expanding community partnerships
• Develop and implement both short and long-term plans for financial sustainability, growth, and community engagement
• Foster a culture of inclusivity, environmental stewardship, and excellence among staff, volunteers, and visitors
• Promote and engage new and existing partners in the programs and activities offered at Northeast sanctuaries and in surrounding communities
• Champion cross-departmental collaboration to support and advance the goals of Mass Audubon, including the objectives set at the Northeast sanctuaries
• Coordinate and collaborate with a statewide team of Directors and leadership on organization-wide goals, sharing of resources, and desired impact

Operational Oversight

• Oversee daily operations, ensuring a safe, welcoming, and educational environment for all visitors
• Supervise and mobilize a team of staff from across the Greater Boston area, Merrimack Valley and along the North Shore; work with staff to prioritize and develop workplans to best meet the organizational goals and mission

Program Development and Management

• Work with the Education team to develop robust engagement, programming, and events that continually pull in new members and visitors from the local community; collaborate with the Education team and sanctuary staff to execute high quality program experiences.
• Work with Conservation Science and regional team to identify, prioritize, fund, and implement ecological management and habitat restoration effort

Financial Management

• Develop and manage the annual budget, ensuring fiscal responsibility and alignment with organizational priorities
• Identify and pursue funding opportunities, including working closely with the Development team to cultivate donors, manage grants, and conduct fundraising activities 

Community Engagement and Partnerships

• Serve as the public face of the Northeast sanctuaries, building strong relationships with community stakeholders, donors, and partners
• Listen, engage and collaborate with community partners and represent Mass Audubon in local communities, expanding Mass Audubon’s presence to increase local impact and support
• Work with the Marketing team to promote the sanctuary through outreach activities, media relations, and public presentations
• Foster a sense of community with volunteers to connect them to the Mass Audubon mission and cultivate opportunities to steward volunteers to higher philanthropic levels

Staff Development

• Recruit, mentor, and develop a high-performing, passionate team
• Foster professional growth and create a positive, collaborative work environment

Qualifications
At Mass Audubon, our highest priority is finding the best candidate for the job. Research has shown that people of color and women are less likely to apply for jobs if they don’t believe they meet every one of the qualifications described in a job description. We encourage you to apply, even if you don't believe you meet every one of our described qualifications or you have a less traditional background. We are looking for applicants with the following qualifications:

• Dynamic, creative and flexible leader with experience in a multi-faceted organization with a successful track record in one or more areas: running facilities that engage the public and attract visitors, education, and fundraising
• Minimum of eight years’ work experience, at least six of which are in a supervisory capacity; strong background in non-profit management, hospitality management, fundraising, budget and staff management, and community engagement
• Bachelor’s degree in non-profit or business management, natural resources management, hospitality and visitor experiences, environmental education, biology, or related field
• Highly collaborative with the ability to work effectively within and across complex organizational lines, including integrating and making tradeoffs around operational, financial, programmatic, marketing, technology, and people management perspectives to the benefit of the sanctuary’s and Mass Audubon’s priorities
• Energy, enthusiasm, a sense of humor and a passion for Mass Audubon’s mission
• Strong communication skills and an ability to work well with staff, volunteers, visitors, partners, and community leaders
• Ability to relate to people with different backgrounds and life experiences and exercise cultural humility and inclusion
• Ability to establish effective Mass Audubon presence in surrounding communities related to conservation and biodiversity
• Hold current First Aid and CPR certification or willingness to obtain certification

Compensation, Benefits and Perks
This position’s pay range is $99,500-$120,000/year; actual salary will reflect level of experience and qualifications relative to position requirements. 

Benefits eligible staff at Mass Audubon may elect to enroll in medical, dental, and vision plans. Mass Audubon also offers disability and life insurance plans, a retirement plan, and Flexible Spending Account options. Mass Audubon employment also includes access to an Employee Assistance Program (EAP) through and the Reciprocity Agreement through the Consortium of Non-Profit Arts/Cultural/Environmental Organizations of New England. Mass Audubon employees enjoy 13 paid holidays (holidays may shift annually due to where days fall within calendar).

Work Schedule
Full time schedule of 40 hours, Monday through Friday with occasional weekend and evening responsibilities. 

Other Requirements
Employees must successfully complete a CORI and SORI Background Check and a Motor Vehicle Record (if applicable) is required.

Mass Audubon’s Commitment to Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, & Justice 
Mass Audubon embraces diversity and equal opportunity in a serious way. We are dedicated to forming a team that represents a variety of backgrounds, perspectives, and skills. The more inclusive we are, the better our work will be. People of color are strongly encouraged to apply.

Mass Audubon’s mission is to “protect the nature of Massachusetts for people and for wildlife” by building a strong coalition of employees, volunteers, and community members. We recognize that the environmental movement and field of conservation have been affected by societal systems that have limited opportunity and access for many people. As a result, Mass Audubon is committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees and applicants. We are engaged in an ongoing process of organizational assessment and change, designed to remove barriers and create a workplace where all forms of diversity are recognized and valued.

Equal Employment Opportunity Statement
Mass Audubon is an equal opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees and applicants. Mass Audubon prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation and training.