Director of Operations, Culture and Engagement

The Nature Conservancy

$117K — $137K *
Education, Government & Non-Profit
8 - 10 years of experience
Job Overview by Ladders

Qualifications

  • Bachelor's degree and 8 years related experience or equivalent combination, including 3 years managing operations functions.
  • Experience developing and administering departmental budget of $2M+.
  • Experience managing and supervising a multidisciplinary team.
  • Experience developing, managing, and implementing multiple projects and strategic goals.
  • Experience working with cross-functional teams across multiple organizational levels.
  • Experience, coursework, or other training in principles, practices, and procedures of relevant field.
  • Experience developing and implementing multi-year strategic plans.

Responsibilities

  • Provide strategic leadership for organizational effectiveness and workplace culture.
  • Translate business unit strategy into integrated Operations, Culture and Engagement work plans.
  • Oversee annual Operations Team budget of approximately $2 million.
  • Supervise and lead a multidisciplinary team of 3 to 5 staff.
  • Partner with Finance, Human Resources, and other teams for coordinated local implementation.
  • Identify business unit needs and risks, leading operational follow-through.
  • Represent the Colorado Business Unit in divisional and enterprise initiatives.

Benefits

  • Opportunities for professional development and growth.
  • Collaborative and mission-driven work environment.
  • Engagement with cross-functional teams for shared goals.
  • Impactful work contributing to conservation efforts.
  • Encouragement for diverse and inclusive workplace culture.
Full Job Description
What We Can Achieve Together:

The Director of Operations, Culture and Engagement serves as a member of the Colorado Business Unit Leadership Team and provides strategic leadership for organizational effectiveness, workplace culture, employee engagement, and operational excellence across the business unit. The Director serves as the senior operational leader for Operations, Culture and Engagement within a complex business unit of more than 70 staff, overseeing an annual Operations Team budget of approximately $2 million and directly supervising a multidisciplinary team of 3 to 5 staff.

Reporting to the State Director, the Director translates business unit strategy into integrated Operations, Culture and Engagement work plans, aligns operations resources and systems with Colorado Business Unit teams, and provides leadership across operations, organizational effectiveness, workplace culture, and employee engagement. The Director has delegated authority for significant Operations, Culture and Engagement decisions and represents the Colorado Business Unit in divisional and enterprise initiatives, as appropriate.

The Director works within a matrixed organization and partners closely with Finance, Human Resources, Conservation, Philanthropy, External Affairs, and other supporting functional teams within TNC. This role ensures coordinated local implementation, identifies business unit needs and risks, and leads operational follow-through.

We're Looking for You:

We're seeking an experienced leader who enjoys balancing operational excellence with people-centered leadership, recognizing that strong systems and strong culture are both essential to organizational success. You bring strong operational expertise, a talent for building relationships and trust, and a strategic mindset that allows you to connect day-to-day operations with long-term organizational goals. You are equally comfortable advising senior leaders, leading change initiatives, developing staff, and improving systems and processes.

In this role, you'll help shape the culture, operations, and employee experience of a dynamic business unit committed to meaningful conservation impact. You'll work across functions and teams, bringing people together around shared goals, solving complex challenges, and advancing initiatives that strengthen organizational effectiveness, employee engagement, and operational excellence, creating the conditions that help people and organizations do their best work.

A cover letter is highly encouraged, but not required. Applicants may use this opportunity to describe their interest in the position, relevant leadership experience, and how their background aligns with the responsibilities and goals of the role.

What You'll Bring:

  • Bachelor's degree and 8 years related experience or equivalent combination, including 3 years managing operations functions;
  • Experience developing and administering departmental budget of $2M+;
  • Experience managing and supervising a multidisciplinary team;
  • Experience developing, managing and implementing multiple projects and strategic goals;
  • Experience working with cross-functional teams across multiple organizational levels;
  • Experience, coursework, or other training in principles, practices, and procedures of relevant field;
  • Experience developing and implementing multi-year strategic plans.


Desired Qualifications:

  • Multi-lingual skills and multi-cultural or cross-cultural experiences are appreciated;
  • Effective training skills;
  • Excellent communication skills including presentations, conversations, and documents;
  • Experience managing a geographically dispersed team;
  • Proficiency in synthesizing materials from multiple sources into a coherent and accurate summary;
  • Proficiency in working independently as well as jointly with colleagues on a team;
  • Understanding of best practices in non-profit management.


This position requires a valid driver's license and compliance with TNC's Auto Safety Program. Employees may not drive Conservancy-owned/leased vehicles, rental cars, or personal vehicles on behalf of the Conservancy if considered "high risk drivers." To learn more about the Auto Safety Program, visit the Auto Safety information page. Employment in this position will be contingent upon completion of a Vehicle Use Agreement, which may include a review of the prospective employee's motor vehicle record.

Salary Information:

The starting pay range for a candidate selected for this position is generally within the range of $117,280 - $137,105. This range only applies to candidates whose country of employment is the USA. Where a successful candidate's actual pay will fall within this range will be based on a variety of factors, including, for example, the candidate's location, qualifications, specific skills, and experience. Please note countries outside the USA would have a different pay range in the local currency based on the local labor market, and not tied to USA pay or ranges. Your geographic location will be confirmed during the recruitment.

Our recruiting process includes a rolling interview process to ensure we engage applicants in a timely manner. This means we may review applications in the order in which they are received. Once a strong candidate pool is identified, the role will be unposted. The timeline may vary depending on the expressed interest in the role, so we highly encourage candidates to apply as soon as possible.

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