Sanctuary Director (Drumlin Farm Wildlife Sanctuary)

About This Position
Mass Audubon is looking for an experienced and motivated leader to direct Mass Audubon’s programs, properties, and activities at its flagship wildlife sanctuary, Drumlin Farm in Lincoln, Massachusetts. As a 300-acre nature sanctuary with four miles of trails, a nature center, and a working farm with livestock, captive wildlife, and sustainable crops, Drumlin Farm is a regional and state-wide destination and a rich part of the lives of nearby communities. 80,000 people visit the sanctuary annually, and Drumlin Farm offers summer camps, hosts a nature preschool, and runs a robust schedule of children and adult programming reaching an additional 20,000+ participants each year. 

The Sanctuary Director provides strategic leadership, operational oversight, and programmatic vision for the sanctuary, leading a multi-disciplinary team focused on visitor services, administration, property and facility maintenance, wildlife care, livestock, and crops management. In addition, the Sanctuary Director works cross-functionally with Marketing, Education, and Conservation departments to develop an approach to delivering and promoting on-site programming and events that expand the experience of all who visit Drumlin Farm and serve as a model for ecological management.

The Sanctuary Director is part of the Mass Audubon leadership team and is responsible for ensuring that the Sanctuary is advancing the organization’s goals and objectives and contributing to the overall vision of the organization. While this position requires strong leadership and management skills, an ideal leader will also be highly creative, collaborative and will explore and engage all parts of the organization to advance the goals of the sanctuary and Mass Audubon as a whole. 

The Drumlin Farm Sanctuary Director inspires staff, donors, and volunteers in the community to work together to achieve Mass Audubon’s ambitious goals to engage new audiences, address the effects of climate change, and protect and steward natural habitats. The Sanctuary Director leads, manages, and elevates Drumlin Farm’s potential  for inspiring and fostering a love of nature in people of all ages and backgrounds; works closely with the Conservation department to implement innovative habitat restoration projects; mobilizes members of the community to advocate for environmental policies; and ensures that Mass Audubon is inclusive and welcoming so that more people have access and can connect with the joys of nature.

Responsibilities

Leadership and Strategic Planning

• Provide energetic leadership to advance the sanctuary’s mission and strategic goals, including increasing and diversifying visitation and membership recruitment, managing day-to-day and long-term planning for the farming operation, implementing capital projects, stewarding biodiversity and restoring natural habitat, and expanding community partnerships
• Develop and implement both short and long-term plans for sustainability, growth, and community engagement
• Foster a culture of inclusivity, environmental stewardship, and excellence among staff, volunteers, and visitors
• Promote and engage new and existing partners in the programs and activities offered at Drumlin Farm and in nearby communities
• Champion cross-departmental collaboration to support and advance the goals of Mass Audubon, including the objectives set at Drumlin Farm

Operational Oversight

• Oversee daily operations, ensuring a safe, welcoming, and educational environment for all visitors and program participants
• Supervise and mobilize a team of staff to continually elevate Drumlin Farm’s delivery of excellent visitor experiences; work with staff to prioritize and develop workplans to best meet the organizational goals and mission

Program Development and Management

• Work with the crops, livestock, and wildlife care staff to develop and oversee a portfolio of programs that are aligned with Mass Audubon’s mission of conservation, provide engaging and educational experiences for visitors and program participants, and are financially sustainable
• Work with the Education team to develop robust engagement, programming, and events that continually pull in new members and visitors from the local community; collaborate with the Education team and sanctuary staff to execute high quality program experiences
• Work with the Conservation Science and sanctuary team to identify, prioritize, fund and implement ecological management practices on the Farm and across the Sanctuary to advance our biodiversity and carbon goals

Financial Management

• Develop and manage the annual budget, ensuring fiscal responsibility and alignment with organizational priorities
• Identify and pursue funding opportunities, including working closely with the Development team to cultivate donors, manage grants, and conduct fundraising activities

Community Engagement and Partnerships

• Serve as the public face of Drumlin Farm, building strong relationships with community stakeholders, donors, and partners
• Listen, engage and collaborate with community partners and represent Mass Audubon in local communities, expanding Mass Audubon’s presence to increase local impact and support
• Work with the Marketing team to promote the sanctuary through outreach activities, media relations, and public presentations
• Foster a sense of community with volunteers to connect them to the Mass Audubon mission and cultivate opportunities to steward volunteers to higher philanthropic levels

Staff Development

• Recruit, mentor, and develop a high-performing, passionate team
• Foster professional growth and create a positive, collaborative work environment

Qualifications
At Mass Audubon, our highest priority is finding the best candidate for the job. Research has shown that people of color and women are less likely to apply for jobs if they don’t believe they meet every one of the qualifications described in a job description. We encourage you to apply, even if you don’t believe you meet every one of our described qualifications or you have a less traditional background. We are looking for applicants with the following qualifications:

• Dynamic, creative, and flexible leader with experience in a multi-faceted organization and a successful track record in one or more areas: overseeing or running the operations for an organization/department/project team, managing staff and growing their capabilities over time, engaging the public and serving as the public face and spokesperson, attracting/engaging/growing a market presence, and/or fundraising
• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent work experience in non-profit management, business management, hospitality management, science/environment, or related field
• Minimum of eight years’ work experience, at least six of which are in a supervisory capacity
• Ability to work effectively within and across complex organizational lines, including ability to integrate and make tradeoffs around operational, financial, programmatic, marketing, technology, and people management perspectives to the benefit of the sanctuary’s and Mass Audubon’s priorities
• Energy, enthusiasm and a passion for Mass Audubon’s mission
• Strong communication skills and excitement to work well with staff, volunteers, visitors, partners, and community leaders; Ability to relate to people with different backgrounds and life experiences and exercise cultural humility and inclusion
• Ability to establish effective Mass Audubon presence in surrounding communities related to conservation, sustainable agriculture, nature-based education, and biodiversity
• Hold current First Aid and CPR certification or willingness to obtain