The Position and Key Priorities
The new Executive Director (ED) will inherit a successful organization with strong community support. The ED will serve as the face of the organization so it can grow and expand its reach and impact as it passes its first half-century milestone successfully protecting and conserving the land, water, and sea. In the first few months, the new ED will strengthen Friends’ existing partnerships and will be expected to introduce themselves and begin to develop core relationships with key stakeholders, including engaging with the communities of the San
Juan Islands, Salish Sea and tribal sovereign nations and First Nations, and become known as a member of the community through engagement with Friends’ members, donors, community partners, local, tribal, and state governments, and other groups. With such relationships underway, the new ED’s first 18-24 months should focus on the following top strategic priorities which have been identified by the Friends’ board of directors and staff:
- Refine and strengthen Friends’ strategic direction. Continue to refine, finalize, and execute a holistic strategic plan and develop annual action plans, working closely with staff and board of directors, including achieving clarity around policy, advocacy, and litigation strategies and climate change work. Building upon work and existing momentum, the ED will mobilize staff and board together around shared mission/purpose and direction.
- Support and strengthen the board of directors. Work closely with the community-based board leadership as a ‘co-creator’ to strengthen and diversify the board of directors through board management, engagement, recruitment, and development, so that the board evolves towards a ‘best practices’ governing board. Strengthen board-staff communications and alignment to support and expand the organization.
- Build a strong and revitalized organizational culture, including supporting strategies for effective in-office and virtual work environments. Work creatively to develop and offer more in-person connections among community stakeholders. This task may involve significant inter-island travel by the new ED.
- Continue and strengthen fundraising. Support board and staff to develop and roll out a strong and sustaining culture of philanthropy. Play a leading role in developing a diversified funding base.
- Support and champion a strong and committed staff team through leadership, coaching and development.
- o Get to know the staff professionally and personally, including understanding their journey of the past several years.
- o Build staff cohesion towards common goals, including strengthening collaboration, effectiveness, resolving communications barriers, while also recognizing unique roles, work styles, and professional expertise.
- o Help staff attain work-life balance.
- Increase and strengthen organizational brand awareness and public positioning so that Friends is known as a protector and defender of science-based habitat and ecosystem planning and decisions, and as an asset for the community. Strengthen and expand partnerships and leverage support for Friends’ work both within and outside of the San Juan Islands and Salish Sea.
Essential Experience, Skills, and Qualifications
Friends of the San Juans is seeking an experienced, passionate, and charismatic environmental leader with a depth of experience in nonprofit board and staff leadership and management, strategy, policy and advocacy, community relations, planning, budgeting, and fund development. The ideal candidate will be excited to play an on-the-ground leadership role in the local community and have a collaborative and supportive communications style with demonstrated professional and personal judgment to effectively relate with the media, elected officials, and the diverse local community.
Essential qualifications include:
- Demonstrated advocacy experience and success, including translating scientific information into understandable narratives for laypeople and policymakers. Can handle complex political issues with diplomacy. Experience and comfort with litigation strategies, science, laws related to environmental/habitat/species protection, shoreline and ocean/water protection, and San Juan Islands/Salish Sea ecology are pluses.
- Strong political and social skills to navigate and develop relationships in a small community with local political complexities.
- A collaborative, inclusive and supportive leadership style; willing to listen to others even in disagreements and is empathetic and values diverse opinions and can facilitate and lead to clear decisions.
- Highly strategic perspective: Experience seeing the big picture and how smaller issues and factors relate to each other and the whole. Track record of issue/project prioritization leading to winning campaigns and outcomes.
- A track record of successful fundraising including major individual gifts and a proven ability to build and execute a culture of philanthropy. Preferred experience with successful government grants and contracts fund development.
- A minimum of 8 years’ nonprofit organizational and financial management experience that demonstrates the ability to successfully manage and sustainably grow a ~$1.3M budget.
- An excellent communicator, with public relations skills including media relations, public testimony, essays, and op-eds, communicating with the local community, and speaking before large groups. Excellent written and oral communications. Experience developing messaging for and communicating with different audiences.
- Demonstrated commitment to equity and inclusion work, including participation in relevant committees and trainings and a deep understanding of their own race, culture, ability, gender, age, and other identity, and how it relates to the staff, the community, and the world at large.
- Familiarity with the environmental, political, and cultural issues of the Pacific Northwest, including tribal relations, are desirable.
- Bachelor’s degree in environmental science, environmental policy or related field required, advanced degree in relevant field preferred.
Working Conditions
The office of the Friends of the San Juans is in Friday Harbor on San Juan Island in the state of Washington. Significant regional travel required, inter-island in the San Juan archipelago, and within the broader Salish Sea community. Some national and international travel (Canada) expected.
Compensation
$105,000-$130,000 depending upon experience. Benefits include health, dental, vision insurance for the employee, reimbursement for air ambulance insurance, up to 5% of salary employer contributions to a retirement plan, 13 paid holidays, 3 weeks’ vacation, 2 weeks of medical leave, a cell phone allowance, and flexibility in employee work schedules. Relocation/housing stipend available.
Application Process
The Friends of the San Juans has engaged Jan Glick & Associates to facilitate this search. To apply, interested candidates should e-mail their resume and cover letter to: FriendsSanJuans@janglick.com.
Only e-mail applications with a cover letter and resume will be accepted. The position is open until filled. Please include your last name in the title of each document submitted (e.g., ‘Smith Cover Letter’).
The Friends of the San Juans values diversity and recognizes its role in building a more inclusive culture which will result in a capable organization. Friends’ core values lead us to seek a broad range of perspectives and backgrounds to achieve our mission and to maintain an inclusive environment where all staff are valued and respected. As an equal opportunity employer, we are committed to employment practices that ensure that employees and applicants are provided with equal opportunities without regard to race, color, national origin,
ancestry, age, religion, physical or mental disability, medical condition, veteran status, marital status, pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender or gender identity or expression, genetic information, or any other factor that is not related to the position. We are committed to building a team that represents a variety of backgrounds, perspectives, and skills. After all, the more inclusive we are, the better our work will be.
For further information about the position, click here.