Water Group Director

American Rivers

1d•$104,600 - $127,800•Remote

About The Position

The Water Group Director will serve as the primary coordinator and Director for a national confederation of water-dependent sectors advancing state and federal water policies. The Director will support governance, facilitate collaboration among senior leaders, lead the development of strategic plans and funding strategies, coordinate rapid-response activities, and identify opportunities for collective action across the family of water movements. The Water Group Director will work closely with confederation leaders, funders, and prospective partners to align priorities, strengthen collaboration, and advance shared policy and conservation goals. This position requires a highly organized and strategic professional with strong project management, communications, partner-building, and fundraising skills. The Director will report to the Senior Vice President for Conservation and work closely with President & CEO, the Water Group Steering Committee and confederation partners to advance coordinated national water strategies.

Requirements

Minimum of eight years of experience in coalition or confederation management, policy advocacy, campaign strategy, partnership development, or multi-stakeholder leadership.
Demonstrated success convening and influencing senior leaders, executives, funders, and diverse stakeholders to advance shared priorities and achieve measurable outcomes.
Strong strategic planning and project management skills, including the ability to translate complex discussions into actionable workplans, implementation strategies, budgets, and performance measures.
Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with experience developing executive briefings, presentations, strategic communications, and stakeholder-facing materials.
Experience supporting fundraising, donor cultivation, philanthropic strategy, and resource development initiatives.
Ability to use research, data, and analysis to inform decision-making, identify opportunities, and guide strategic investments and partnerships.
Proven ability to work effectively across diverse political, geographic, cultural, and organizational contexts, with a commitment to collaborative leadership, community-centered approaches, and advancing diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice.

Nice To Haves

Experience in water policy, freshwater conservation, natural resource management, climate resilience, environmental advocacy, or related fields.
Self-starter who thrives in a fast-paced environment and can balance strategic thinking with operational execution.
Exceptional relationship-building skills, strong judgment, political awareness, and the ability to navigate complex stakeholder environments.
Highly collaborative, mission-driven, and capable of building trust among diverse partners while advancing ambitious conservation goals.

Responsibilities

Lead and coordinate the Water Group confederation and its sectors, aligning strategy, strengthening collaboration, and fostering effective partnerships among members and stakeholders.
Facilitate confederation governance and operations by convening leadership meetings, preparing agendas and briefing materials, documenting decisions, and translating strategic priorities into actionable workplans, budgets, timelines, and implementation frameworks.
Monitor and analyze policy developments, campaigns, and emerging opportunities affecting water conservation and management, while conducting research and developing strategic recommendations to advance confederation priorities.
Develop and maintain mapping, intelligence, and analytical products that identify coalition assets, strategic opportunities, partnership prospects, and pathways for collective impact.
Create high-quality communications and engagement materials, including executive briefings, presentations, talking points, reports, and rapid-response resources to support confederation leaders, partners, and external audiences.
Support fundraising and donor engagement efforts by developing case-for-support materials, cultivating philanthropic relationships, and helping build strategic funding opportunities for shared priorities.
Establish performance metrics, track progress, synthesize lessons learned, and ensure effective coordination among confederation members while advancing inclusive practices throughout confederation activities and decision-making.