Director, Community Building

Audubon

Directing Audubon’s conservation education and community-building programs in Arizona and New Mexico. Managing centers, partnerships, staff, fundraising, budgets, and community engagement to protect regional birds and habitats.

Posted 8/5/2026full-timeSanta Fe • Arizona, New Mexico • 🇺🇸 United StatesLead💰 $95,000 - $107,000 per yearWebsite

Core Competencies

Role fit

Core Competencies

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Demonstrates expertise in community building strategy, environmental education, and partnership development, with a strong focus on fundraising and program evaluation. Proven ability to lead and inspire teams while fostering inclusive and collaborative work environments.

Highest-signal resume keywords

Community Building StrategyFundraising ExperienceProgram Evaluation MethodologiesEnvironmental EducationLeadership Skills

ATS Keywords

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Applicant Tracking System Keywords

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Hard Skills

Program DevelopmentGrant WritingBudget ManagementMeasurement MethodologiesMicrosoft Office ProficiencySpanish Proficiency

Soft Skills

Interpersonal SkillsOrganizational SkillsCommunication SkillsTeam-Centric ApproachCreative Leadership

Certifications & Qualifications

Valid Driver's License

Industry Keywords

ConservationPolicy IssuesCommunity PartnershipsOutdoor EducationEngagement Strategies

About the role

Key responsibilities & impact

Lead the development and execution of Audubon’s community building strategy in Arizona and New Mexico
Provide strategic guidance to the Audubon Southwest team across community building, policy and advocacy, and habitat delivery programs
Coordinate with Community Building Milestone initiative teams on strategy and shared projects
Hire, mentor, and supervise education and engagement teams, including seasonal educators, volunteers, and interns
Oversee programming at the Randall Davey and Rio Salado Audubon Centers
Establish assessment tools, evaluate program effectiveness, and report outcomes to the Executive Director
Cultivate and maintain partnerships with community organizations, Audubon offices and chapters, educators, schools, wildlife refuges, national parks, tribal entities, biologists, and specialists
Develop partnerships to expand conservation and education outreach into broader and more diverse communities
Serve as a spokesperson for Audubon Southwest as needed
Support fundraising, secure donations, communicate program value at community and fundraising events, and cultivate donors
Manage the annual program budget and provide financial reporting
Enhance earned income from programs, camps, and school tuition
Develop strategic partnerships for scholarship donations
Prepare funder reports and respond to education-related donor inquiries
Support public funding efforts
Collaborate with colleagues across the Americas on shared priorities
Maintain and foster a culture of safety

Requirements

What you’ll need

Bachelor’s degree in natural sciences, environmental education, or related area and 10 years’ professional experience developing programming; similar education and experience combination considered
Understanding of environmental and outdoor education philosophies and best practices
Knowledge of people, values, and current conservation and policy issues throughout New Mexico and Arizona
Effective strategic and creative leadership skills
Ability to manage multiple tasks, meet deadlines, and work in a dynamic environment
Ability to inspire and motivate staff, volunteers, and potential partners
Strong interpersonal and social skills
Commitment to Audubon’s organizational values of care, collaboration, change, integrity, impact, and innovation
Experience fostering inclusive and collaborative work environments valued
Self-starter with a team-centric approach and flexibility in a non-structured environment
Experience managing paid education staff and volunteers
Excellent organizational, writing, speaking, oral, and written communication skills
Ability to synthesize and communicate technical and complex information to technical and non-technical audiences
Fundraising experience, including grant writing and oversight and cultivating and managing individual donors, foundations, and public agencies
Proficiency with Microsoft Office applications
Experience using social networking techniques to build awareness and engage others
Comfort developing measurement and evaluation methodologies for programs
Ability and willingness to travel locally and out-of-state
Ability to work evenings and weekends as required
Must possess a valid driver’s license
Ability to work outdoors in all weather conditions and on varying terrain
Ability to occasionally carry field equipment with or without accommodation
Spoken and written Spanish proficiency strongly preferred

Benefits

Comp & perks

Equal opportunity employer
Inclusive and accessible hiring process
Accommodation support for candidates with disabilities
Opportunity to work for a leading nonprofit conservation organization
Professional growth through mentoring, coaching, and strategic leadership responsibilities