Associate Director

Associate Director - Job Description

COMPANY SUMMARY

WILDCOAST is an international team that conserves coastal and marine ecosystems and addresses climate change through natural solutions. To achieve our mission we establish and manage protected areas, protect and restore blue carbon ecosystems, and partner with local communities, governments, and the private sector.  WILDCOAST is helping to conserve more than 38 million acres of some of the most ecologically important coastline, wetlands, islands, and marine wilderness in the world.

JOB TITLE

Associate Director 

Reports to: Executive Director

STATUS: Full Time Exempt

SALARY: Competitive. 

POSITION SUMMARY

Reporting to the Executive Director, the Associate Director has both internal and external facing responsibilities. The Associate Director partners closely with the Executive Director to chart WILDCOAST strategic response to organizational challenges and plays a critical role as counselor, advisor and strategic thought-partner for the Executive Director. The Associate Director also works to create high engagement from staff, board and partners and to resolve day-to-day issues before they reach the Executive Director. 

The Associate Director plays a critical role in shaping and implementing the organization’s strategy, including oversight of conservation grants, programs, operations, and financial management. The Associate Director helps to lead the annual planning and budgeting process as well as a few new strategic initiatives and special projects each year. The Associate Director will also be involved in fundraising efforts as well as communications with donors, the public and via the media. 

As the supervisor of most senior staff, the right candidate will be a mission-focused, seasoned, strategic, and process-minded conservation leader with experience developing a culture of learning and continuous improvement among a group of diverse, talented individuals. She/he must be independent, highly organized, possess excellent verbal and written communication skills, bilingual in English and Spanish, with a keen attention to detail, while able to effectively manage multiple projects, budgets and staff. Applicants should be a conservation leader as well as understand non-profit financial best practices, human resource best practices, non-profit regulatory compliance and a solid understanding of office and information technology.

This is a hybrid position based in San Diego County, California with office work required at our office in Del Mar, as well as remote work. Night and weekend work, as well as frequent travel throughout California and the U.S.  are required. International travel, including to Mexico and Latin America will be expected.

RESPONSIBILITIES

General

• Oversight of all conservation programs and assistance with expansion into other countries of Latin America.
• Improve conservation impact presentation, data management, and reporting
• Ensure WILDCOAST mission and Grants-Programs alignment 
• Secure funding for programs (US and Mexico)
• Manage English language proposals/reports for conservation programs
• Strengthen organizational impact, communications, information management, and preparedness 
• Act as spokesperson for the organization as required.
• Assist with all aspects of fundraising. 

Organizational Leadership

• Provide effective and inspiring leadership by being actively involved in all conservation programs, developing a broad and deep knowledge of their purpose, role and contributions to the organization.  
• Serve as an advisor and co-strategist to the Executive Director, providing sound counsel and confidentiality.  
• Ensure WILDCOAST programming and internal culture, policies and practices align with the organization’s commitment to diversity, inclusion and engagement.  
• Provide a supportive day-to-day leadership presence for staff while also bridging US & Mexico operations. 
• Work with and support the Executive Director and the Director of Development to develop and implement strategies around communications, marketing, website and donor database.

Planning

• Participate as a member of the fundraising team and assist with increasing fundraising abilities of the organization including: identification and analysis of grants, creation of content and materials to support fundraising activities, and representing organization at external fundraising events and meetings.  
• Oversee and analyze success and challenges with current programs and projects. In collaboration with the leadership team, design and develop program offerings and metrics based on analysis, in accordance with strategic plan, and in support of organization’s mission, to increase depth and breadth of impact. 
• Develop long-term strategies for organizational staffing and structure that ensure WILDCOAST’s current and future needs are met. 

Financial Management  

• Assist with the annual budgeting process, including work with the Finance Director to prepare budget and rationale for review and approval by the board of directors, manage effectively within the organizational budget, and report accurately on progress made and challenges encountered.  
• Work with each Director to create program budgets, offer a critical eye regarding different assumptions, and deliver an organization-wide budget based on input from each program.  
• Oversee long-range strategic financial and budgetary planning and cost management in alignment with strategic plan.  
• Serve as the staff liaison to the Finance, Communications and Conservation committees. Effectively communicate and present critical financial matters at board of directors and committee meetings.  
• Provide strategic recommendations to the Executive Director based on financial analysis and projections, cost identification and allocation, and revenue/expense analysis.  
• Work with the Executive Director, Development Director and marketing team to align financial management with short- and long-term fundraising planning and projections.  

Supervision

• Lead, coach, develop, and retain senior-level employees,  
• Develop staff using a supportive and collaborative approach: assign accountabilities; set objectives; establish priorities; and monitor and evaluate ongoing progress toward goals and overall performance.  
• Promote a culture of high performance and continuous improvement that values learning and a commitment to quality.  
• Provide mentorship and guidance, and alleviate and address individual and group concerns as necessary.  
• Ensure staff members receive timely and appropriate training and development. 

Other:  

• Attend and participate in Board and Executive Committee meetings.  
• Represent the organization externally, including speaking 
• Be willing to camp during visits to some remote conservation sites. 

EXPERIENCE AND KNOWLEDGE

• Minimum of five years of related conservation experience, as well as nonprofit. Nonprofit experience or training with knowledge in grants management or grants administration.
• Experience in human resources policies and procedures and/or with compensation and benefits.
• Supervision of staff.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to convey complex technical information in a manner that is easy for others to understand.
• Applicants should have excellent report writing skills and experience. 
• Technologically savvy.
• Expert in coastal and ocean conservation and natural climate solutions. 

REQUISITE SKILLS / EDUCATION

Education: Master’s degree or higher in ecology, conservation, geography, or a related field and/or degrees in business, public sector/non-profit finance, nonprofit or public administration, or related field.

Skills: Strong written and verbal communication skills. Strong scientific understanding of coastal and marine ecology, climate resiliency, blue carbon, and related topics. Ability to work with a variety of people from diverse socio-economic and cultural backgrounds and be adaptable. Ability to endure physically demanding field conditions including but not limited to extreme weather conditions, snorkeling and or diving, walking long distances, and lifting equipment and supplies over 40 lbs. Excellent coordination, leadership, writing, communication, and management skills. Must be able to drive a 4x4 truck on remote dirt roads in the U.S. and Latin America. 

Other Requirements: Must have or be able to obtain a valid California driver license and a valid U.S. passport or U.S. work visa. Must have reliable transportation and be willing to use their own vehicle. Must be able to pass a background check to work with children. Must be willing to travel to Mexico and other international locations. 

COVID-19 INFORMATION

Director shall adhere to all CDC, State, and local COVID-19 requirements. Director must adhere to WILDCOAST’s COVID-19 policy at all times while working and receive a COVID-19 vaccine and flu shot prior to the start date. WILDCOAST requires annual COVID-19 boosters as well as annual flu shots.

Please send your cover letter and resume to jobs@wildcoast.org