Executive Director

Background

The Northern Jaguar Project (NJP) is a 501(c)3 non-profit, binational organization whose mission is to preserve and recover the world's northernmost population of the jaguar, its unique natural habitats, and native wildlife under its protection as a flagship, keystone, and umbrella species.

NJP strives to preserve essential jaguar habitat through the establishment, care, and expansion of a safe-haven sanctuary in northern Mexico that includes private conservation lands and working ranches owned by cooperating neighbors. Our current fee-title holdings consist of approximately 25,000 hectares of land comprising the Northern Jaguar Reserve, representing one of the largest private reserves in the country. We also maintain a conservation incentive program with 17 surrounding ranches encompassing an additional 40,000 hectares. With staff based in Mexico and the U.S., we aspire to restore habitat suitable for jaguars and other threatened and endangered species, to support and utilize wildlife research and educational programs, and to reduce conflicts between carnivores and humans. Among our goals is to instill pride and respect for regional biodiversity among those dwelling in this unique section of the jaguar’s historical range.

Job Description

The Executive Director provides strategic leadership and vision and assumes operational responsibility for achieving NJP’s objective of conserving the northern most known breeding population of jaguars throughout their range. The position is responsible for successfully managing the organization’s staff, programs and fundraising efforts. The director ensures the implementation of the organization’s strategic plan, working to create, adjust, manage, and fundraise for objectives that maximize conservation investments. Sound and effective representation of the organization with donors, foundations, key stakeholders, and the public in Mexico and the U.S. is essential as the director seeks to build, advance, and sustain the organization.

The position reports to the Board of Directors and frequently works with the Board to assess and review the organization’s work. The position is based in Tucson, AZ, though may be negotiable elsewhere. A moderate amount of travel is required, including to/from Mexico. 

Responsibilities

Leadership & Management

• Coordinate and integrate strategies to achieve organizational objectives through collaboration with and management of staff,
• Ensure ongoing programmatic excellence, rigorous program evaluation, and consistent efficiency and effectiveness of finance, administration, fundraising, communications, and systems,
• Actively engage and energize NJP staff, board members, committees, partnering organizations, volunteers and funders,
• Cultivate new partnerships and liaisons with both governmental and non-governmental entities to achieve conservation goals and protect NJP’s assets, and
• Develop and administer operational policies.
• Ensure compliance with funding sources and regulatory requirements.

Board relations

• Develop, maintain, and support a strong Board of Directors; serve as non-voting member of each committee; seek and build board involvement with strategic direction for all NJP operations and collaborations.
• Assist the board chair in planning the agenda and materials for board meetings.
• Initiate and assist in developing policy recommendations and in setting priorities.
• Facilitate the orientation of new board members.
• Work with the board to raise funds from the community.
• Staff board committees as appropriate.

Fiscal Management

• Develop, recommend, and monitor annual and other budgets.
• Ensure effective audit trails.
• Approve expenditures.
• Provide for proper fiscal record-keeping and reporting.
• Submit monthly financial statements to the board of directors.
• Prepare and submit grant applications and funding proposals as appropriate.

Personnel

• Recruit, lead, coach, develop, and support staff.
• Administer board-approved personnel policies.
• Ensure proper (legal) hiring and termination procedures.
• Oversee any and all disciplinary actions.
• Provide for adequate supervision and evaluation of all staff and volunteers.

Public Relations, Fundraising & Communications

• Serve as the organization’s chief spokesperson to the media, policy makers, supporters, community partners, and the general public.
• Directly and through collaboration with staff and board, expand revenue generating and fundraising activities to support program operations,
• Deepen and refine the organization’s communications—from web presence to external relations with the goal of creating a stronger brand.

Planning & Evaluation

• In collaboration with board and staff, develop and implement a strategic plan based on science as well as community involvement, inherent threats, and governmental regulations.
• Ensure effective systems to measure success and regularly evaluate program components and staff.

Qualifications

The Executive Director will be thoroughly committed to NJP’s mission and vision for conservation in northern Mexico. The position will demand proven leadership, coaching, relationship management, and financial experience in the non-profit conservation arena.

Specific requirements and preferred qualifications include

• A Bachelor’s Degree or higher
• A minimum of 5 years of senior management experience, including recruiting, hiring, and performance management;
• Written and verbal fluency in English and Spanish;
• Cultural competency to work effectively in a binational organization working both sides of the U.S.-Mexico border;
• Working knowledge of conservation science;
• Ability to think broadly and unconventionally when confronted with challenges to achieving goals;
• Unwavering commitment to quality programs and data-driven program evaluation and implementation;
• Excellence in organizational management with the ability to coach staff, manage, and develop high-performance teams, to set and achieve strategic objectives;
• Demonstrable experience in planning, developing and managing budgets;
• Experience working with and supporting a Board of Directors with the ability to help cultivate existing and new board member relationships;
• Strong marketing, public relations, and fundraising experience with the ability to engage a wide range of stakeholders and cultures;
• Strong written and verbal communication skills; a persuasive and passionate communicator with excellent interpersonal and multidisciplinary project skills;
• Action-oriented, entrepreneurial, adaptable, and innovative approach to business planning;
• Ability to work effectively in collaboration with diverse groups of people and cultures;
• Passion, integrity, positive attitude, mission-driven, and self-directed.

Salary: $75,000-85,000 plus benefits package. Salary dependent on experience.