Deputy Executive Director/Chief Operating Officer
About Tuolumne River Trust
The Tuolumne River Trust promotes the stewardship of the Tuolumne River and its tributaries to ensure a healthy watershed, from Yosemite National Park through the San Joaquin Valley and to the San Francisco Bay. Founded in 1981, the Trust is the only organization working throughout the watershed, linking Sierra and Valley conservation issues, and forging strong ties between rural mountain and valley regions and Bay Area urban communities. The Trust has an annual core budget of approximately $3 million dollars, 25 employees, a cadre of consultants, and employees/offices in San Francisco, Modesto, and Sonora.
TRT programs include: a) improving water management and seeking change to relevant Federal, State, and Local laws and policies to support ecological restoration and recreation goals while also supporting healthy communities; b) restoration of floodplains, forests, meadows and other habitat in and along the Tuolumne and other nearby streams; and c) building public support for watershed stewardship by connecting the public to the River through education and outreach.
By linking mountain, valley, and Bay Area conservation issues, and connecting people to the river through outings and education, the Trust is building broad support for watershed stewardship. Our strategic approach melds advocacy, education, restoration, collaboration, scientific inquiry, and litigation when necessary to address threats and take advantage of conservation and restoration opportunities. For more information about the Tuolumne River Trust, visit: www.tuolumne.org.
Equity at TRT
TRT holds a deep commitment to equity, inclusion, diversity, and access as core principles integral to the work we do. As we add new members across all levels of the organization, we welcome diverse perspectives and lived experiences that foster learning, creativity, innovation, and equity. We welcome and encourage applications from candidates who can contribute to the diversity of our workforce across a range of dimensions.
About the Job
The Deputy Executive Director/Chief Operating Officer (DED/COO) will implement our strategic plan, improve operational processes, and build internal strength, cohesion, and culture. The DED/COO will work closely with the ED, Director of Development, Finance Director, Program Directors and the Board of Directors to identify program growth opportunities and successfully finance these initiatives through government and institutional fundraising.
TRT just completed a technology and systems evaluation and the top priority for the next 1-2 years for this position will be to lead the organization’s digital and systems transformation to ensure we have best-in-class systems and processes. Most prominently, we plan to migrate our Development/Marketing CRM, Accounting/HR, Project Management, and Grants Management Systems, and update our cybersecurity practices. In support of this transformation, this position will also lead policy and procedure development, ensure relevant trainings, and improve internal communications to ensure project success.
As the organization moves through this transformation, we anticipate this person will take on greater responsibility for program oversight and supervision. The DED/COO will ideally become the day-to-day resource for program directors, providing guidance and strategic suggestions while encouraging the maximum level of effectiveness, cooperation, transparency, fairness, engagement, and partnership within the organization and with external partners. This person will also lead efforts to strengthen institutional cohesion through identifying cross-programmatic initiatives that build greater collaboration.
The ideal candidate is a highly experienced individual with superior business and operations knowledge and skills and key technological tools to support the operations of a non-profit organization. They will also be an experienced supervisor and personnel manager who is able to supervise, mentor, and build the skills and talents of their staff.
While not required, they should be excited and interested to build a working knowledge of environmental policy, water, fisheries, and forest ecology and restoration practices, and environmental justice issues in California.
The DED/COO will preferably work out of the Sonora or Modesto office, but Bay Area-based individuals will also be considered. Regardless of where the position is located, the individual should expect regular travel between the three geographic locations and occasional travel to Sacramento.
Duties and Responsibilities
- Oversee the organization’s digital transformation, including migrating to new Development/Marketing CRM, Accounting/HR, Project Management, and Grants Management Systems and update our cybersecurity practices and protocols.
- Create and oversee implementation of internal policies and standard operating procedures, including financial, administrative, and personnel policies, to ensure successful adoption of new platforms and efficient organizational operations.
- Improve internal organization-wide information-sharing to improve collaboration and teamwork.
- Identify and oversee a training system in support of this transformation.
- Prepare and submit an annual operational budget to the ED for review and approval, manage effectively within this budget, and report accurately on progress made and challenges encountered.
- Lead TRT’s resource planning, budgeting, forecasting, data analysis, and scenario planning.
- Ensure the continued financial viability of TRT’s program/service units through sound fiscal management.
- Within 1-2 years, as the digital transformation progresses and understanding of TRT’s programs develops, grow into a role that oversees program work. Mentor and coach; act as a visible, approachable sounding board and resource for program directors.
- Within 1-2 years, lead a high performing team of program directors to the next level by further developing and implementing recruitment, training, and retention strategies.
- Provide effective and inspiring leadership by being actively involved in all programs and services, developing a broad and deep knowledge of all programs.
- Ensures that job responsibilities are clearly communicated and duties delegated appropriately among program staff.
- Creates new or documents current programmatic systems and procedures as necessary to increase consistency among programs and campaigns.
- Identify opportunities for TRT to leverage cross-program strengths to optimize outcomes and address organizational challenges.
- Works with the Executive Director and program staff to identify, prioritize, and develop conservation projects and initiatives.
- Partner with the Executive Director to represent TRT with external constituency groups, including community, governmental, and private organizations.
- Ensure that all program activities operate consistently and ethically within the mission and values of TRT.
- Collaborates with program and development staff to identify new government and large institutional grant sources and helps develop strategies for institutional outreach.
- Works with the development staff to ensure that the program staff are actively engaged in development strategies and activities as necessary.
Qualifications
The ideal candidate is an experienced manager with a passion for protecting and improving river and watershed health.
- 5-7 years in a senior management position in a nonprofit organization or for-profit business
- Proficiency in business management, business operations and technology, or environmental management
- Ability to learn and implement new systems and technology
- Track record delivering superior results and assuming leadership roles in key business functions and operations
- Passionate about TRT’s mission and impact
- Success in roles requiring execution of multiple tasks while responding to multiple priorities
- Proven ability to work with efficiency, flexibility, and good humor
- Demonstrated ability to build and maintain relationships with a wide array of people – junior and senior, for-profit and nonprofit, and from diverse backgrounds
- Operates with excellence in mind in all matters, with the confidence to defend/debate ideas without ego interfering
- Outstanding communication and interpersonal skills are essential
- Ability to exercise tact and diplomacy in organizational settings
- Self-starter, self-disciplined
- Spark, imagination, creativity
- Remain focused in the face of pressure, delivers against timelines, not intimidated by tasks/time limitations
Compensation and BenefitsThe salary range for the position (assuming a Sonora or Modesto locality) is $90,000 to $110,000, depending on qualifications. TRT provides excellent benefits package:
- 100% employer paid medical, dental, and vision insurance coverage
- Retirement plan with a 3% employer match
- After a probationary period, 2 weeks paid vacation per year with an additional week each year of employment to a maximum of 4 weeks per year.
- 17 paid holidays
- 12 days of paid sick leave per year
- Long-term disability coverage
- Employer-paid $10,000 life insurance policy
- 3 weeks of Paid Parental Leave for employees with at least two years of employment
- Flexible work schedule
