[Hiring] Conservation Director @Hispanic Access Foundation

Role Description

The Conservation Director provides strategic and operational leadership for Hispanic Access Foundation's Conservation portfolio, including:

• Lands & Nature
• Waterways & Watersheds
• Oceans & Coasts
• Climate & Energy
• Community Engagement

This position is responsible for translating organizational priorities into high-impact programs that:

• Strengthen Latino leadership
• Expand equitable access to nature
• Advance community-driven conservation solutions

The Conservation Director oversees the day-to-day management of the Conservation portfolio, ensuring:

• Programs are executed effectively
• Grants are successfully managed
• Budgets remain on track
• Staff are supported to deliver exceptional results

This role combines strategic thinking with strong operational leadership, ensuring conservation initiatives are:

• Well-designed
• Financially sound
• Positioned for long-term impact and sustainability

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree required; advanced degree in environmental science, conservation, natural resource management, environmental policy, public administration, or a related field preferred.
• Seven (7) or more years of progressively responsible experience managing conservation, environmental, climate, public lands, or related programs.
• At least three (3) years of experience supervising and developing professional staff.
• Demonstrated success managing complex, grant-funded programs with multiple funding sources.
• Strong experience managing federal grants, cooperative agreements, contracts, pass-through funding, and associated compliance requirements.
• Experience developing and managing multi-million-dollar program budgets and financial forecasts.
• Demonstrated success translating strategic priorities into measurable program outcomes.
• Strong project management, organizational, and problem-solving skills with the ability to manage multiple complex initiatives simultaneously.
• Experience building collaborative partnerships with government agencies, nonprofit organizations, funders, and community-based organizations.
• Experience working with agencies such as the U.S. Forest Service, National Park Service, Environmental Protection Agency, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of the Interior, or similar entities is preferred.
• Experience leading geographically distributed teams in remote work environments is preferred.
• Excellent written, verbal, facilitation, and presentation skills.
• Bilingual English/Spanish strongly preferred.
• Ability to travel up to 30%.

Requirements

• Lead, mentor, and develop a high-performing Conservation team through coaching, performance management, and regular feedback.
• Establish clear priorities, accountability, and alignment using Level 10 (L10) meetings, Rocks, scorecards, and quarterly planning.
• Foster a collaborative, solutions-oriented culture that reflects Hispanic Access' core values.
• Promote strong communication and collaboration across departments and with external partners.
• Lead the implementation and continuous improvement of Hispanic Access' Conservation portfolio.
• Translate organizational priorities into actionable program strategies, annual work plans, and measurable outcomes.
• Oversee day-to-day program implementation, ensuring projects are delivered on time, within budget, and in compliance with grant and organizational requirements.
• Monitor program performance and use data and lessons learned to strengthen impact and effectiveness.
• Develop, monitor, and manage program budgets in partnership with Finance.
• Oversee grant implementation, financial performance, reporting, compliance, and forecasting across multiple funding sources.
• Monitor expenditures, burn rates, and budget modifications while ensuring responsible stewardship of organizational resources.
• Support proposal development by contributing program strategy, scopes of work, work plans, and budgets.
• Cultivate and maintain strong relationships with government agencies, funders, nonprofit organizations, Tribal partners, and community stakeholders.
• Represent Hispanic Access in meetings, conferences, and collaborative initiatives.
• Identify opportunities to strengthen partnerships and expand the Conservation portfolio.
• Develop systems and processes that improve project management, communication, reporting, and accountability.
• Ensure compliance with organizational policies, grant requirements, and contractual obligations.
• Identify operational risks and implement practical solutions that improve efficiency and program delivery.
• Identify emerging conservation issues, funding opportunities, and strategic initiatives that advance Hispanic Access' mission.
• Collaborate with executive leadership and the Development team to position the Conservation portfolio for long-term sustainability and growth.
• Recommend new approaches and partnerships that expand community impact and organizational effectiveness.

Benefits

• Targeted salary range of $100,000-$110,000 annually depending on qualifications and experience.
• Generous benefits package including:
• 100% paid health, dental, and vision for the individual
• Unlimited vacation policy
• 10 sick days per year
• 13 paid holidays
• Monthly phone/internet stipend
• 401(k) plan with employer match