Senior Director

Summary

Join the Society of American Foresters (SAF) as the Senior Director of Future Forests! In this role, you will partner with the CEO and various groups to implement SAF's policy efforts, building a network of professionals and researchers. You will represent the forestry and natural resource professions, promoting science-based forest management. Leadership in SAF programs for students and early career professionals is also expected. You will track issues impacting forests and professionals, developing awareness tools. This position reports to the CEO and involves supervising staff and external vendors. The Senior Director will manage a budget and formulate policy programs.

Requirements

• Knowledge of forestry, forest policy, and convening
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office applications including Word, Excel, and PowerPoint
• Supervisory experience
• Experience with databases
• Excellent written and communication skills
• Personable and nimble with a desire and ability to contribute to the continued success of our organization
• Excellent written and oral communication skills
• Strong attention to detail, highly organized with excellent multi-tasking skills
• Self-starter with a demonstrated ability to take initiative and accomplish tasks on time and with minimum supervision
• Excellent customer service ethic; adept at developing and maintaining collaborative internal and external relationships; respects differing perspectives
• Able to produce organized and accurate materials quickly
• Proficient in MS Word, Excel, and PowerPoint
• Ability to travel 20% - 30% to events and conferences
• 7+ years of overall professional experience forestry, policy, and/or communication
• Bachelor’s degree in forestry or natural resources related science with an emphasis in forestry

Responsibilities

• Manages the budget for SAF’s policy and science engagement efforts
• Provide strategic direction in partnership with CEO for policy and forestry/natural resource collaboration with SAF
• Engages multiple coalition groups representing SAF’s position on forestry topics
• Serves as a point of contact for local unit, member, or external questions about forestry practices and policy issues
• Engages as a member of SAF’s senior leadership team to guide staff efforts to meet our mission
• Supervise staff associated with policy and coalition efforts
• Formulates and recommends programs, goals and objectives for policy and policy partner engagement
• Develop relationships with SAF policy partners
• Develop relationships with and provide subject matter expertise to congressional staffers related to forestry and natural resource related topics
• Oversee the development of SAF policy position statements and respective briefers
• Create strategies to increase dissemination of SAF’s position statements to decision makers
• Provide leadership for SAF’s engagement with the Forest Inventory and Analysis User Group meeting and webinars
• Serve as point of contact for review of policy letters of support
• Will draft letters of support for SAF on policy priorities for the organization
• Represent SAF in current policy and science coalitions including the Forest Climate Working Group and The Sustainable Urban Forestry Coalition
• Track and raise awareness of new coalitions that SAF should consider having a presence
• Serves as staff liaison to the Committee on Forest Policy
• Work with the Committee on Forest Policy to plan and facilitate People, Policy, and Popcorn events at SAF’s National Convention
• Serves as the lead for the Henry Klepper Policy Intern Program
• Serves as the lead for the Mollie Beattie Scholar program
• Performs other duties as assigned by CEO

Preferred Qualifications

• Prior association or nonprofit experience
• Graduate degree
• Experience participating in or building a coalition
• Experience with iMIS content management system
• Knowledge and passion for forests and natural resources

Benefits

• $90,000 - $100,000 annual salary
• Remote or Hybrid for candidates living within a 40 mile radius of Washington, DC
• Telecommuting on an ad hoc basis is available following 90 days of successful employment