National Parks Conservation Association (NPCA), the nation’s oldest and largest national parks nonprofit advocate, has an exciting opportunity open to join our Southwest team as the Regional Director, Southwest Region. This position will report to the Deputy VP of Regional Programs.
The Southwest Regional Director (RD) oversees programs and activities to protect and enhance natural and cultural resources within and connected to the 64 National Park Service (NPS) units in NPCA’s Southwest Region (SWRO), including Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, and Utah. The RD manages a highly professional staff in the region, providing oversight and coordination for a coherent regional vision and approach to implement advocacy campaigns and organizational priorities. The RD facilitates the design, execution, and evaluation of place-based campaigns and works with staff to brand NPCA in local communities and media as a trusted conservation and preservation leader and reliable ally. They mentor, empower, and enable staff to carry out park protection campaigns in coordination with other NPCA departments, ensuring that the region contributes substantively to the development and implementation of NPCA’s national programs and priorities as defined in current strategic plans and in coordination with other RDs. The RD works with NPCA’s development department to plan and execute cultivation activities in the region to sustain current donors and engage new ones, and to draft grant proposals and reports. They prepare and manage the regional program budget to ensure it stays on track, meets administrative and procedural requirements, and effectively report on programmatic impact to donors, members, supporters, and NPCA leadership.
This advocacy requires building a powerful, diverse, and representative network of local advocates to influence policies that strengthen the NPS and safeguard national parks and adjacent public lands. NPCA strives always for integrity throughout our work and relationships, with a commitment to our mission, core values, and Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (JEDI) Statement of Intentions, reflected both internally and externally. The RD leads SWRO staff in cultivating relationships with park personnel, federal, state, and municipal officials, conservation groups, Indigenous / traditional communities, youth, veterans, grasstops community leaders, and the media to achieve programmatic goals. Implementing park protection programs in a large and complex region, the RD should have a proven ability for outstanding leadership in the conservation community, which entails exceptional judgment, experience, focus, creativity, wisdom, strategic skills, willingness to take calculated risks, and an established network of contacts.
Location : Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, or Utah
Grade : O
Salary : $100,000- $125,000, commensurate with skills, experience, and location.
Work Status : Full-time (32 hours per week); Exempt
Benefits : We offer a comprehensive and competitive benefits package for this role including a four-day, 32-hour work week, paid vacation leave, paid sick leave, paid holidays, health insurance, flexible spending account, dental insurance, life insurance, vision insurance, retirement benefits, short- and long-term disability, and paid sabbaticals for staff after seven years of service. Learn more about our benefits at npca.org / jobs.
Essential Functions : % of Time
Lead Regional Park Protection Program Vision and Implementation35%
Lead in the design and implementation of NPCA’s park protection program in the Southwest. Lead and support the SWRO Team to monitor and influence NPS management activities at individual parks, design strategies to address park threats, strengthen resource protection, and improve the visitor experience. Build support for the Southwest and NPCA programs among NPCA members and supporters, other local organizations, park allies, and community interests. To strengthen the reach of our work and constituency, build authentic and collaborative relationships with Tribal Nations, gateway communities, and other partners. Generate media coverage on park issues in the region in coordination with the NPCA’s Communications Department. With our Government Affairs Department, work to educate regional members of congress, administration officials, and state and local elected officials on national park issues and the social, cultural, and economic value of protecting the region’s national park units as a critical public commons.
National Program Integration 20%
Work closely with other NPCA staff on integrated national campaigns that affect Southwest NPS units, including park funding and staffing, adjacent energy development, clean air and monuments. Support legislative priorities through direct contact with members of congress and staff. Facilitate a strong local presence and support for NPCA positions, initiatives, and priorities. To that end, the RD builds alliances with important partners and participates as a critical regional voice on internal NPCA teams developing and guiding national campaigns and initiatives. Coordinate and strategize with fellow Regional Directors to collectively support Regional Program leadership within the organization towards its mission.
Fundraising25%
Work closely with the Development Department and regional staff to identify, cultivate, and secure gifts from current and prospective funders. Prepare, review, and submit funding proposals to foundations and individuals and maintain close contact with donors in the region, including Southwest-based Board of Trustees members. Be the principal liaison with Southwest Regional Council, cultivating its members and recruiting new members, as needed.
Administrative Management and Oversight20%
Prepare and manage an annual budget for the region. Hire, supervise, mentor and manage staff across the region to ensure a positive, empowering, and collaborative work environment. Integrate the Southwest Regional Council into local program work and national program priorities. Establish a Southwest program plan and priorities annually to provide effective direction and vision for a successful and meaningful outcome-driven program. Foster intra-regional as well as regional-national communications to foster programmatic synergy and efficiency. Actively guide and assist any way needed in the management, program development, finances, and fundraising associated with Southwest field offices.
Total 100%
Other :
Respect employees regardless of their position or background. Participates in developing department goals, objectives, and systems. Participates in administrative staff meetings, organization-wide meetings, staff committee meetings, training programs, and attends other meetings and seminars as determined in consultation with the supervisor. Assists in evaluation of reports, decisions, and results of department in relation to established goals. This job description in no way states or implies that these are the only duties to be performed by the employee in this position.
Minimum Work Schedule :
Monday through Thursday, flexible between 8 : 30 a.m. and 5 : 30 p.m. (32-hour work week), some evening and weekend work required. Significant regional travel required for meetings, events, and field trips. National travel required approximately five times a year for meetings and off-site trainings.
Minimum Scope of Position :
Lead management responsibility for fulfilling goals and objectives of the Southwest Regional Office, including managing, recruiting, and hiring staff and all administrative duties. Interact regularly with Regional Operations staff and other regional directors, Government Affairs, Conservation Programs, Communication, and Development staff. Position requires substantial external contact with a wide variety of people and interests throughout the region and significant travel.
Minimum Qualifications, Competencies, Skills, Education, and Traits :
* BA or BS degree or equivalent experience in relevant field, such as natural resources / environmental science, cultural resources, anthropology, political science and communications.
* At least six to seven years active involvement in policy-focused advocacy with experience in conservation, resource management, anthropology, historic / cultural preservation, or related field
* Demonstrated ability to manage staff in person and / or in remote locations and lead teams to effectively execute tasks, to set and observe priorities, and to maintain schedules
* Demonstrated ability to design and implement a focused, strategic, and coherent program
* A strong reputation for excellence and leadership in the conservation advocacy community and / or the civic engagement arena
* Strategic capacity to help develop large, complex national or regional programs that address systemic problems in national park and public land management
* Demonstrated success in soliciting large contributions from major donors, foundations, and corporate giving programs
* Proven oral and written communications skills
* Substantial knowledge of the legislative and administrative policy-making processes and proven ability to influence those processes
* Proven ability to build relationships with a wide array of people and organizations across political and interest boundaries
* Strong knowledge of southwest natural, cultural, and political history, particularly Tribal cultural history in relation to parks
* Awareness and sensitivity to the needs of underserved communities and demonstrated ability to work in a cross-cultural context with diverse colleagues, constituents, and allies
* Proven entrepreneurial talents and administrative management skills, strong goal orientation, proven ability to manage multiple tasks concurrently
* Mature, established interpersonal skills
* Ability to travel frequently
Core Values :
Live, honor, and own the organization’s Core Values :
Commitment : We are passionate about NPCA and dedicated to achieving excellence through our work and mission. We seek to improve our performance by taking opportunities for professional and personal development and encouraging reasonable risk-taking and innovation.
Inclusion : We value diversity of thought, background, experience, and opinion. We create a culture of empowerment by welcoming and encouraging meaningful participation from all people and promoting an environment that embraces different perspectives.
Integrity : We hold ourselves accountable to each other, our members and partners, and our mission. We evaluate the impact of our work and strive for honesty and transparency across the organization. We operate ethically in the organization's best interests.
Respect : We collaborate in results-oriented teams based on trust and consideration for each other. We promote harmony between our work and our personal lives. We foster a healthy and positive workplace culture and work collaboratively with external partners.
Physical Effort and Dexterity :
While performing the duties of this job, the employee is typically required to stand; walk; sit; use hands to finger, handle, or feel objects, tools or controls; reach with hands and arms; climb stairs; talk or hear. The employee may lift and / or move up to 25 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by the job may include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and the ability to adjust focus. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
All qualified applicants are encouraged to apply.
Physical Environment : Home office or typical office setting with regular travel.
Employer’s Rights :
NPCA reserves the right to revise this position description at any time.The duties listed above are intended only as illustrations of the various types of work that may be performed. The omission of specific statements of duties does not exclude them from the position if the work is similar, related, or a logical assignment to the position. The job description does not constitute an employment agreement between the NPCA and employee and is subject to change by the NPCA as the needs of the NPCA and requirements of the job change. The above is in no way an exhaustive list of the requirements for the position.
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