Senior Director, Next Generation
Job Description
About Audubon
The National Audubon Society is a leading nonprofit conservation organization with 120 years of science-based, community-driven impact, dedicated to protecting birds and the places they need, today and tomorrow. Birds are powerful indicators of our planet’s health, acting as sentinels that warn us of environmental change and inspire action. Audubon works across the Western Hemisphere, driven by the understanding that what is good for birds is good for the planet. Through a collaborative, bipartisan approach across habitats, borders, and the political spectrum, Audubon drives meaningful and lasting conservation outcomes. With 800 staff and over 1.9 million supporters, Audubon is a dynamic and ever-growing force committed to ensuring a better planet for both birds and people for generations to come. Learn more at www.audubon.org and on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram @audubonsociety.
Position Summary:
The Senior Director, Next Generation leads the Next Generation initiative, an essential pillar of Audubon’s Community Building milestone, alongside conservation action centers and partner centers, community chapters, and other strategic partner networks. For the first time, this role unites Audubon’s work to engage youth and young adults under a single strategic leader, bringing consistency; commitment to long-term, measurable impact; and intentional connection across K–12 education, campus chapters, and early‑career pathways. The Senior Director will directly manage the Audubon campus chapters team and partner closely with state, regional, and country teams across the hemisphere; Audubon Conservation Action Center and partner-centers staff; and the People and Culture department to implement the Next Generation strategy.
The ultimate outcome of building a strong pipeline of conservationists is to create a robust, hemispheric constituency capable of driving bird and habitat conservation and policy changes everywhere Audubon works. By curating consistent core programming and implementing a clear ladder of engagement, this role ensures young people progress from learning to action to leadership—strengthening Audubon’s long‑term impact across the Americas.
This position is classified as hybrid, in accordance with Audubon’s “Where We Work” Policy. Hybrid employees are expected to work in an Audubon office every Monday and Tuesday and an additional two days each month of the employee’s choosing. Candidates should be located within commuting distance of one of Audubon’s offices, which include locations in:
Albuquerque, NM; Albany, NY; Anchorage, AK; Baltimore, MD; Charleston, SC; Chicago, IL; Columbia, SC; Fargo, ND; Fort Collins, CO; Lincoln, NE; Miami, FL; New Orleans, LA; New York, NY; Oakland, CA; Palm Desert, CA; Roseville, MN; Sacramento, CA; Salt Lake City, UT; Tallahassee, FL; and Washington, DC.
Compensation:
Salary range based on geo-differentials:
$115,000 - $129,000 / year = Albuquerque, NM; Charleston, SC; Columbia, SC; Fargo, ND; Fort Collins, CO; Lincoln, NE; Miami, FL; New Orleans, LA; Salt Lake City, UT; Tallahassee, FL
$129,000 - $145,000 / year = Albany, NY; Anchorage, AK; Baltimore, MD; Chicago, IL; Palm Desert, CA; Roseville, MN; Sacramento, CA; Washington, DC
$144,000 - $162,000 / year = New York, NY; Oakland, CA
Additional Job Description
Essential Functions
Lead Audubon’s Next Generation pillar within the Community Building milestone, aligning youth and young‑adult engagement with Flight Plan goals and organizational strategy.
Unite and align programs serving children, students, and emerging professionals into a cohesive pipeline with consistent, measurable outcomes and pathways between stages. Ensure programs are designed with consistent core frameworks that can be adapted to local context while advancing shared outcomes across the hemisphere.
Provide strategic oversight of implementation of priority programs, including K12 engagement and leadership development, Audubon Campus Chapters, and Audubon fellowships, internships, and workforce development programs.
Manage and develop the campus chapters team, fostering an inclusive, high‑performing, and mission‑aligned team culture through establishment of work objectives and priorities, reviewing and revising these objectives on an ongoing basis to guide and mentor team members in their work progress.
Lead adaptation and expansion of Audubon Campus Chapters across Latin America, the Caribbean, and Canada; increase conservation action and civic engagement at institutions that are new to the conservation movement.
Partner closely with People and Culture to align internship and fellowship programs with long‑term engagement, leadership development, and workforce pathways, including impact tracking over time.
Design and operationalize a ladder of engagement that intentionally connects Next Generation participants to community chapters, partner networks, and conservation action centers over time.
Establish and monitor metrics related to scale, equity, retention, progression, and civic engagement, using data to inform strategy and continuous improvement.
Represent Audubon as a thought leader in youth and young‑adult engagement, building equitable partnerships across organizations and regions and increasing visibility of Audubon’s next generation work.
Play a key role in organizing the biannual Audubon Leadership Conference, under the leadership of the Managing Director, Community Building and in partnership with Conservation leaders, Next Generation leaders, and partners.
Support a culture of philanthropy, including public funding efforts.
Collaborate with colleagues across the Americas including through joint planning and execution of shared priorities.
Maintains and fosters culture of safety.
Other job-related duties as assigned.
Qualifications and Experience:
10 years of experience, and three years in a leadership capacity, in youth and young adult engagement, including education, civic engagement, community organizing, or movement‑building. An equivalent combination of education and experience will also be considered.
Demonstrated ability to design and lead complex, multi‑stage programs with long‑term impact goals.
Strong strategic, analytical, and people‑management skills, including experience leading teams and influencing across teams without formal authority.
Excellent written and verbal communication skills are essential.
Skilled in creative problem-solving, with the ability to articulate strategic vision to help team members and the organization achieve long-term goals.
Ability to spend time with staff in person, as needed. Willingness to travel out of state and internationally, as needed, and work occasional nights and weekends, when necessary. Willingness to travel up to 25% of the time.
Experience working across regions, sectors, or cultures is strongly preferred. Proficiency in written and spoken Spanish is a plus.
Commitment to Audubon’s organizational values of care, collaboration, change, integrity, impact, and innovation.
Experience fostering inclusive and collaborative work environments is valued.
National Audubon Society Competencies: This role will also be accountable to apply and develop the following competencies.
Building Trust: Take actions that give others confidence in your intentions and see you as a truthful and reliable person who follows through on promises and commitments.
Coaching: Guide and develop individuals within the organization, nurturing their professional growth and enhancing performance for the future.
Decision Making: Make decisions based on comparative data and input from various sources, incorporating diverse viewpoints and insights for a holistic understanding.
Leading and Facilitating Change: Be effective in guiding, managing, and supporting organizational or systemic transformations, including considering diverse needs and perspectives.
Strategic Leadership: Demonstrate creative problem-solving skills and articulate strategic vision to help team members and the organization achieve long-term goals.
EEO Statement
We are an equal opportunity employer and do not discriminate based on race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, or any other protected characteristic outlined by federal, state, or local laws. We are committed to providing an inclusive and accessible hiring process for all candidates.
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