Director of Operations, Conservation

Title: Director of Operations (Conservation)
Classification: Director II
Department: Conservation
Wage Category: Exempt
Reports To: Senior Vice President, Conservation 
Location: Washington, DC Area (Preferred)

Click Here To Apply

About American Rivers
American Rivers is championing a national effort to protect and restore all rivers, from remote mountain streams to urban waterways. Healthy rivers provide people and nature with clean, abundant water and natural habitat. For 50 years, American Rivers staff, supporters, and partners have shared a common belief: Life Depends on Rivers℠.

The beauty of rivers is that they connect all people and communities – including within our organization. The life experiences, knowledge, innovation, and talent that different people bring to our work provide perspectives, experiences, and competencies that are critical to our effectiveness in protecting wild rivers, restoring damaged rivers, and conserving clean water for people and nature.

JOB SUMMARY:
We are seeking a highly skilled and experienced Director of Operations, Conservation at American Rivers. This person, who will serve on our conservation leadership team, will drive collective processes and procedures to ensure the organization is coordinated efficiently and strategically to have the greatest impact on rivers. Working across the country, this person will understand and be able to drive the adoption of business systems, understand project management, and excel at organizing a large group of individuals and organizations towards accomplishing common big goals. The successful candidate will thrive in a fast-paced environment. In this pivotal role, the director will work with the executive and senior managers nationwide to shape operational success.

This person will also help drive the operations of the American Rivers Action Fund.

PRINCIPAL RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Commitment to American Rivers core values.
• Regional Team Support: Supervising business operations of regional teams (e.g., human resources, recruitment, cross-department coordination)
• Cross Departmental Coordination: Providing cross-department support for senior conservation leadership team and working closely with leaders of Finance, Administration, Human Resources, Legal, and the Executive Departments to encourage alignment and integration
• Planning: Managing the annual planning process and strategic plan tracking
• Financial & Compliance Management: Managing budget creation and implementation, and working with staff to ensure smart financial administration, including spend down of grants, contract support, lobbying reporting
• Processes and Tool Integration: Championing process improvements and efficiency gains, including the development and implementation of procedures and adoption of software solutions to encourage better and more accurate coordination
• Action Fund: With colleagues, creating legally sound processes for the American River Action Fund.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

• Requires demonstrated, successful experience in the following areas: cross-department planning and coordination, verbal and written communications, systems creation and implementation, program and budget planning and administration, and staff management,
• Minimum of 8 years of operations and/or project management experience (preferably in a nonprofit setting), including budget management
• Proven success in managing multidisciplinary teams and driving operational key results
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office tools; Intaact, ADP, Slack, and other project management software are required

Candidates who are unsure if they meet all minimum qualifications or who have transferrable skills and experience beyond the conservation sector are encouraged to apply.

LOCATION
HYBRID with access to our Washington, DC headquarters. Other occasional regional and national travel to meetings and training may be required.

COMPENSATION
American Rivers offers marketable compensation that reflects the qualifications and experience of the selected candidate. The salary range for this position is $105-$125,000 annually, depending on experience and qualifications. We provide a comprehensive Total Rewards package to our full-time, regular employees, including:

• Health and Wellness: Medical, dental, vision, long-term and short-term disability, and life insurance.
• Financial Security: After one year of service, American Rivers begins contributing a 3% employer contribution. There is no vesting schedule for employer contributions as employees are 100% vested upon participation.
• Time Off: Four weeks of paid leave, eleven paid holidays, three floating holidays, and sick leave.

At American Rivers, we are committed to supporting our employee’s well-being, professional growth, and financial security, ensuring they can thrive both at work and in life.

COMMUNITY AND OPPORTUNITY
At American Rivers, our core values drive everything we do – we Lead with Collaboration and Trust, Infuse Equity and Justice, Deliver Results, and Ensure Staff and Volunteers Thrive. We are committed to fostering a workplace where employees feel valued, supported, and empowered to make a difference.

Our culture prioritizes work-life thriving through Focus Fridays (no internal meetings), professional development opportunities, a home office stipend and our comprehensive leave policies, including sabbatical leave (every seven years) and paid parental leave (six weeks w/ one year of service).

We also ensure leadership stays connected to staff needs through an internal advisory group, fostering open communication and continuous improvement. At American Rivers, our people are our strength, and we are dedicated to building a thriving, inclusive workplace where everyone can grow and contribute to our mission.

American Rivers is committed to providing reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities upon request. To request this document in an alternate format or to request reasonable accommodation, please contact the Human Resources department at 202-243-7040 or recruitment@americanrivers.org.

Click Here To Apply

Applicants must submit a cover letter, resume and respond to all application questions. Deadline to apply is 6/12/2025.

Applicant must be legally allowed to work as an employee in the United States. American Rivers is an Equal Opportunity Employer.