Director, Community Leadership

National Audubon Society•National Audubon Society Washington, DC

3d•Hybrid

About The Position

The Director, Community Leadership develops the systems, leaders, and support that enable Audubon’s volunteer leaders and staff to build influence with local, state, and federal decisionmakers, advance durable policy outcomes, and sustain public support. Working with Community Building, Government Affairs, Communications and Marketing, and U.S. regional leadership, the Director cultivates, engages, and activates Audubon’s community—including Community Chapters, Conservation Action Centers, Next Generation Leadership participants, supporters, and high-influence individuals—in coordinated support of policy priorities. The role develops high-capacity volunteer leaders, equips community members and staff to cultivate trusted policymaker relationships, and coordinates community assets as a network supporting conservation and policy outcomes. Its ultimate aim is for elected officials, agency leaders, and other decisionmakers to recognize Audubon as a trusted source of expertise, community support, and conservation leadership. The Director works with a core team and internal stakeholders to establish a national network of high-influence individuals, expand Chapter and Center participation in policy work, and demonstrate measurable progress in engagement reach, depth, quality, and impact. This is a hybrid position under Audubon’s “Where We Work” Policy. Employees are expected to work in the Washington, DC office every Monday and Tuesday, plus two additional days each month of their choosing. Candidates should live within commuting distance of the office. The role involves travel up to 25% of the time, including out of state, and occasional nights and weekends as necessary. It may require tracking lobbying time and registering as a lobbyist, with compliance with applicable lobbying and ethics requirements.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree and 10 or more years of progressively responsible experience in advocacy, grassroots or community organizing, government relations, civic engagement, or coalition-building, including at least three years leading programs, networks, or teams; an equivalent combination of education and experience will also be considered.
Experience leading coordinated work across geographically dispersed staff, Chapters, Centers, or volunteer leaders who do not report to the role and have competing responsibilities, creating alignment, commitment, and follow-through without direct supervisory authority.
Experience identifying, recruiting, developing, and activating high-influence individuals through locally based staff, volunteers, Chapters, Centers, or affiliates.
Working knowledge of legislative and regulatory processes and experience cultivating trusted relationships with elected officials, agency leaders, and their staff.
Ability to work effectively in a nonpartisan organization, build relationships across the political spectrum, and advance an institutionally grounded policy agenda.
Experience designing engagement systems, frameworks, tools, and training that can be adapted and scaled across a network of chapters, centers, affiliates, or similar community partners.
Experience owning an engagement measurement system, including defining KPIs, ensuring consistent use of tools such as Quorum and EveryAction, maintaining data quality, and reporting on engagement reach, depth, quality, and impact.
Excellent written, verbal, and facilitation skills, with the ability to communicate clearly and persuasively with senior leaders, volunteers, and partners.
Creative problem-solving ability and the ability to articulate strategic vision to help teams and the organization achieve long-term goals.
Ability to spend time with staff, volunteers, and partners in person as needed.
Willingness to travel up to 25% of the time, including out of state, and work occasional nights and weekends when necessary.
Commitment to Audubon’s organizational values of care, collaboration, change, integrity, impact, and innovation.
Willingness and ability to complete any required lobbyist registrations and comply with applicable lobbying and ethics requirements and reporting standards, if required.

Nice To Haves

Familiarity with conservation, environmental, or climate policy and a passion for Audubon’s mission.
Experience working across regions, sectors, or cultures.
Proficiency in written and spoken Spanish.
Experience fostering inclusive and collaborative work environments.

Responsibilities

Build and manage a network of high-influence individuals who advance Audubon policy priorities through their relationships, public engagement, and strategic communications.
Lead community engagement strategies that coordinate action across Community Chapters, Campus Chapters, Conservation Action Centers, supporters, Next Generation Leadership participants, and partner networks, ensuring participants know policy priorities and have tools, training, and opportunities to act.
As capacity allows, identify approaches to engage Audubon’s growing community outside the United States in support of global conservation policy objectives.
Develop frameworks, tools, and systems to help volunteer leaders, chapters, Conservation Action Centers, and staff build sustained, trusted relationships with local, state, and federal decisionmakers.
Partner with Government Affairs, U.S. state policy teams, and regional leadership to increase the impact of community relationships on policy objectives, including identifying opportunities through local events, programs, and conservation initiatives.
Support annual state lobby days, local policy engagement, and community-based campaigns that strengthen policymaker relationships and community leadership capacity, increasing their scale and effectiveness.
Own Audubon’s system for measuring community and decisionmaker engagement, define KPIs, promote consistent use of Quorum, EveryAction, and other existing tools, and maintain data quality.
Report regularly to senior leadership and partner teams on the reach, depth, quality, and impact of Chapter, Center, and high-influence engagement; recommend strategic adjustments based on data.
Support a culture of philanthropy, including public funding efforts.
Collaborate with colleagues across the Americas through joint planning and execution of shared priorities.
Maintain and foster a culture of safety.
Perform other job-related duties as assigned.