Director of Business Strategy, Culture and Operations

The Nature Conservancy•Arlington, VA

1d•Hybrid

About The Position

The Director of Business Strategy, Operations and Culture serves as a member of the Business Unit Leadership Team and a key strategic and operational advisor to Business Unit leadership, providing leadership for business operations, organizational effectiveness, employee engagement, and operational execution. The role supports implementation of business strategies and organizational priorities by aligning resources, processes, systems, and operational services to enable achievement of conservation outcomes. The Director serves as the Business Unit's senior operations leader, providing oversight of operational functions including business planning, compliance, employee engagement, facilities, safety, sourcing and supplier management, and other business operations activities. Working collaboratively with Business Unit leadership and cross-functional partners, the Director supports organizational planning, coordinates implementation of strategic initiatives, promotes organizational effectiveness, and helps foster an engaged and productive workplace culture. This role provides strategic recommendations and operational leadership but does not serve as the delegated deputy leader for the Business Unit. The role requires regular on-site presence, with multiple in-person workdays each week at the assigned primary location. Occasional travel to the alternate location will be required based on business needs. The Director serves as the Business Unit's senior operations leader and a strategic advisor to Business Unit leadership, helping translate organizational priorities into actionable plans, processes, and operational practices. The role leads operational planning activities, resource coordination efforts, performance monitoring, and continuous improvement initiatives that contribute to achievement of business unit goals and objectives. The Director provides operational leadership and strategic recommendations to Business Unit leadership and program managers, helping facilitate implementation of priorities, coordinate cross-functional efforts, remove operational barriers, and address business challenges. The role manages business unit operational projects and supports organizational change initiatives through stakeholder coordination, communication, and implementation planning. The Director promotes employee engagement and workplace culture initiatives that strengthen collaboration and staff experience. The role also provides oversight for facilities management, sourcing and supplier activities, purchasing processes, fleet operations, safety programs, compliance activities, and other operational services that support business unit success.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree and 6 years related experience or equivalent combination, including 2 years managing operations functions.
Finance/Accounting experience.
Experience leading and implementing multiple projects.
Experience generating financial reports and analyzing and interpreting data.
Experience developing and administering departmental budget or equivalent.
Experience negotiating agreements.
Experience working with teams across an organization.
Supervisory experience including setting objectives, managing performance, and conflict resolution.

Nice To Haves

Multi-lingual skills and multi-cultural or cross-cultural experiences are appreciated
Ability to work in partnership with others in a collaborative or advisory role
Demonstrated ability to conceive and write creatively for various audiences
Experience developing, managing, and implementing goals, plans, and complex processes
Expertise in current and evolving technology related to field of experience
Expert knowledge of current and evolving trends in relevant discipline, preferably in a non-profit environment
Proficiency in interpreting guidelines and manipulating, analyzing, and interpreting data
Successful experience managing and implementing strategic program goals
Superior planning and problem-solving skills

Responsibilities

Support alignment of Business Unit operations, resources, processes, and priorities with the Business Unit's strategic objectives and conservation goals.
Serve as a trusted strategic advisor to Business Unit leadership, providing operational insights, analysis, recommendations, and implementation support to advance organizational priorities and business objectives.
Serve as the lead coordinator for Business Unit operational execution, ensuring strategic priorities are translated into actionable plans, processes, and measurable outcomes.
Provide operational guidance, analysis, and recommendations to Business Unit leadership to support planning, resource allocation, organizational effectiveness, and execution of strategic priorities.
Lead business and operational planning processes, including development of implementation plans, identification of resource and capacity needs, monitoring of progress, and follow-up on agreed actions.
Support organizational capacity planning efforts by identifying operational, staffing, and resource needs and recommending approaches that align with current and future business requirements.
Manage operational projects and strategic initiatives of moderate to significant complexity, establishing plans, timelines, responsibilities, milestones, and accountability for delivery.
Coordinate cross-functional projects involving conservation, philanthropy, finance, operations, People, and other organizational functions to advance Business Unit priorities.
Support implementation of organizational change initiatives through stakeholder engagement, communications, training, implementation activities, and adoption of new processes and ways of working.
Identify operational challenges, evaluate alternatives, recommend practical solutions, remove operational barriers when appropriate, and escalate issues involving significant organizational, financial, legal, or reputational risk.
Gather and analyze operational, workforce, and organizational information, identify trends and opportunities for improvement, and prepare recommendations for Business Unit leadership.
Establish and monitor measures of operational progress and effectiveness for assigned projects, programs, and functional areas.
Prepare operational updates, reports, presentations, business cases, and other materials to support decision-making by Business Unit leadership and relevant stakeholders.
Exercise independent judgment and resolve complex operational issues within established authority, policies, and functional responsibilities.
Make operational decisions within delegated authority and escalate decisions that may create significant financial or legal commitments or have broad programmatic impact.
Ensure assigned projects, services, and operational commitments are completed in accordance with organizational expectations, approved plans, timelines, and available resources.
Promote collaboration and coordination within the Business Unit and with colleagues across the Division and broader organization.
Foster strong partnerships and high-trust relationships across functions, teams, and geographies to strengthen communication, alignment, collaboration, and a shared sense of purpose.
Serve as a key Business Unit partner to Divisional HR, Culture & Engagement, and Business Unit leadership to support employee engagement, workplace culture, inclusion, belonging, staff experience, and organizational effectiveness initiatives.
Coordinate initiatives that support employee engagement, workplace culture, collaboration, inclusion, staff experience, and organizational effectiveness.
Ensure alignment with divisional and enterprise culture, engagement, and workforce priorities while adapting approaches to local Business Unit needs.
Support consistent application of organizational policies, procedures, operational standards, cultural values, and employee experience strategies across the Business Unit.
Support onboarding, integration, recognition, employee engagement, and community-building activities that foster connection, collaboration, knowledge sharing, and staff engagement across teams and Business Units.
Contribute to employee listening and organizational health efforts, including engagement surveys, listening sessions, workforce assessments, and action planning processes.
Partner with Divisional HR and Culture & Engagement to identify opportunities, address concerns, and support implementation of improvement initiatives.
Build leadership and team effectiveness by supporting development of manager capabilities, communication practices, collaboration, feedback, and inclusive leadership behaviors.
Partner with HR and Culture & Engagement to promote learning, coaching, mentoring, and leadership development opportunities.
Contribute to division-wide operational initiatives, shared services, staffing approaches, fellowship programs, communities of practice, and knowledge-sharing efforts as assigned.
Promote awareness and adoption of Culture & Engagement resources, programs, tools, and learning opportunities.
Support communication and implementation of divisional and enterprise culture initiatives within the Business Unit.
Provide operational guidance, training, and support to Business Unit staff on relevant policies, processes, systems, tools, and resources.
Manage relationships and communicate effectively with staff, donors, volunteers, trustees, vendors, public agencies, and other business partners, as appropriate to the role.
Develop, document, implement, and continuously improve Business Unit processes, procedures, tools, and operating practices.
Provide leadership and oversight for facilities planning, office operations, space management, maintenance, and other workplace infrastructure needs.
Coordinate purchasing, sourcing, supplier management, and vendor relationships in accordance with organizational policies and approved authority levels.
Provides strategic oversight of technology procurement and asset management practices to ensure alignment with business needs, organizational standards, and operational priorities.
Participate in negotiations for operational agreements and vendor relationships, escalating complex, high-risk, sensitive, or high-profile matters as appropriate.
Support fleet planning and oversee day-to-day fleet administration, compliance, maintenance, utilization, and related operational processes.
Coordinate safety planning, workplace safety requirements, incident preparedness, emergency response planning, and business continuity activities for the Business Unit.
Support sustainability initiatives and environmentally responsible practices within Business Unit operations.
Coordinate Business Unit compliance with applicable organizational policies, operational standards, business processes, and legal and regulatory requirements.
Oversee Business Unit compliance activities related to data, information and records management, youth safety, and other assigned organizational requirements.
Maintain appropriate documentation, internal controls, approval processes, and records for assigned operational functions.
Maintain confidentiality and exercise sound judgment when handling sensitive organizational, personnel, financial, legal, or operational information.
Maintain knowledge of systems, resources, requirements, and best practices relevant to assigned operational functions.
Contribute to the development and implementation of new operational guidelines, tools, resources, and organizational practices.
May supervise one or more administrative or professional staff, including establishing work priorities, setting objectives, supporting performance and professional development, and ensuring accountability for day-to-day work.
May coordinate the work of staff, project teams, vendors, or other contributors without direct supervisory authority.