National Audubon Society
Senior Director, Data Strategy and Program Management
National Audubon Society, New York, New York, us, 10261
Senior Director, Data Strategy and Program Management
The National Audubon Society is a leading nonprofit conservation organization with 120 years of science‑based, community‑driven impact, dedicated to protecting birds and the places they need, today and tomorrow. Birds are powerful indicators of our planet’s health, acting as sentinels that warn us of environmental change and inspire action. Audubon works across the Western Hemisphere, driven by the understanding that what is good for birds is good for the planet. Through a collaborative, bipartisan approach across habitats, borders, and the political spectrum, Audubon drives meaningful and lasting conservation outcomes. With 800 staff and over 1.9 million supporters, Audubon is a dynamic and ever‑growing force committed to ensuring a better planet for both birds and people for generations to come. Learn more at www.audubon.org and on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram @audubonsociety.
Position Summary In pursuit of Audubon’s conservation mission, the Data & Technology team partners with programmatic and business teams across the organization to develop and deploy enterprise data systems and data‑driven practices at the scale needed to achieve our ambitious goals. The Senior Director, Data Strategy and Program Management will play a key role in maturing the data and technology program at Audubon, collaborating with other data and technology leaders and cross‑functional teams to design and implement enterprise data strategies, processes, and strategic data products to align and strengthen how data assets and resources are utilized and managed across the organization. This role will partner with and support programmatic and business teams to identify and advance operational and strategic goals and build data maturity to enable efficient and effective data operations and strategically deploy data resources to enable robust, data‑driven approaches to advancing Audubon’s mission and impact toward hemispheric level bird conservation. A successful candidate will have a broad range of technical subject matter familiarity, strengths in project management, change management, and communication among technical and non‑technical stakeholders. The role requires excellence in relationship and people management, technical leadership to drive the design and implementation of a robust, maintainable data program including project and product management and planning processes, and vision for how to advance data maturity at Audubon across operational and programmatic needs.
Examples of Initiatives
Track and report the scale and depth of Audubon’s hemispheric conservation efforts; share results and insights to support internal program management and external storytelling.
Modernize Audubon’s data and digital science products, such as the Christmas Bird Count, that engage with tens of thousands of supporters, bird lovers, and activists across the hemisphere.
Collaborate with teams across Audubon to identify and act on opportunities to improve the quality, integrity and utility of our data and tools, and to collect, utilize and manage programmatic and operational data in new, innovative, and robust ways to achieve our ambitious goals.
Compensation
$165,000 – $186,000 / year = National
$186,000 – $209,000 / year = Alaska, CA (not San Francisco), Connecticut, D.C., Chicago, Oyster Bay, NY
$207,000 – $233,000 / year = NYC (not Oyster Bay), San Francisco, Seattle
Essential Functions
Define and lead Audubon’s data strategy and program management approach, in alignment with Audubon’s Strategic Plan and organizational priorities. Develop and maintain data strategy and maturity roadmaps, capacity‑planning tools and standard operating procedures, ensuring alignment with organizational needs and priorities and technology best practices.
Act as the product owner of key strategic data products, collaborating with colleagues from across the Audubon data teams to ensure selection of appropriate technological approaches and tools and overseeing the product lifecycle to deliver high‑quality, efficient solutions to user‑driven requirements and strategic priorities.
Advance organizational effectiveness through designing and implementing processes to enable strong and proactive management of data team resources, including work planning, project management and product management, balancing development and support requirements across Audubon’s data ecosystem and user communities.
Lead Audubon’s data governance efforts, ensuring that Audubon’s data practices adhere to security, privacy, and compliance standards, including data governance policies, regulatory requirements, and industry best practices. Implement and maintain safeguards to protect sensitive information, mitigate risks, and support a culture of data security awareness.
Support and collaborate with business data analysts and users across stakeholder teams toward broader adoption and continuous improvement of data tools and products to advance team‑level and organizational data maturity.
Supervise and support data strategy team staff, providing mentorship, performance management, and professional development opportunities.
Proactively manage and facilitate strong, collaborative partnerships among technical teams and non‑technical stakeholders across the Audubon network, as well as external partners, vendors and professional networks in the conservation and social impact space.
Manage contractors and vendors including software and professional services providers; participate in budget planning and tracking; collaborate with administrative staff and IT department to administer data analysis, analytics engineering, business intelligence and reporting tools and applications.
Prepare and deliver written and oral reports, visualizations, and presentations to executives, technical and non‑technical staff, and external audiences.
Represent Audubon in professional forums, conferences, and external engagements to elevate the organization’s profile and thought leadership.
Foster a culture of innovation, collaboration, and inclusion within the data team and across the organization.
Maintain and foster culture of safety.
Other job‑related duties as assigned.
Qualifications And Experience
Master’s degree in Data Analytics/Data Science, Engineering, Computer Science, Information Technology, or similar discipline. 10+ years of directly relevant work experience and 3+ years of leadership experience developing and managing data programs and strategies.
Proven success as a data and technology leader. Strong detail‑oriented execution skills, including direct experience as an individual contributor and experience leading teams to move projects from conception to completion.
Success in leading/sponsoring large data strategy, governance, and programmatic maturity initiatives in matrixed organizations.
Experience designing and deploying strategic data products or systems in conservation or other environmental or social impact spaces.
Experience applying technical coordination and project management best practices using tools such as Asana and Jira required. PMP or other relevant certification strongly preferred.
Experience working with data and product engineering teams and a strong grasp of technical concepts such as system architecture, cloud technologies (AWS, Azure, GCP), ETL processes, and DevOps best practices.
Experience with modern data infrastructure tools such as Snowflake, BigQuery, Fivetran, Airflow, dbt, PowerBI, Sigma, Salesforce, and similar enterprise tools.
Preferred coding ability in SQL, Python, R, and/or other programming languages for data analytics, data science and/or data engineering.
Experience with GIS, spatial data applications and data visualization.
Experience with impact design, impact measurement, and evaluation methodologies in conservation or related sectors.
Experience with marketing and engagement technologies and approaches, including omnichannel marketing platforms, social media analytics tools, web analytics solutions, customer data platforms, and advocacy tracking tools.
Demonstrated ability to communicate technical information to non‑technical audiences.
Excellent collaboration skills and ability to understand and apply product needs from diverse stakeholders.
Ability to manage and maintain healthy vendor relationships and evaluate new vendors for projects.
Clear track record of success taking product ideas from concept to design to execution and linking objectives and outcomes to strategic goals.
Demonstrated experience preparing effective written materials, presentations, and documentation for internal and external audiences.
Curiosity to stay on the cusp of software and product trends in non‑profits and the greater tech industry.
Commitment to Audubon’s organizational values of care, collaboration, change, integrity, impact, and innovation.
Experience fostering inclusive and collaborative work environments is valued.
National Audubon Society Competencies
Building Trust : Take actions that give others confidence in your intentions and see you as a truthful and reliable person who follows through on promises and commitments.
Coaching : Guide and develop individuals within the organization, nurturing their professional growth and enhancing performance for the future.
Decision Making : Make decisions based on comparative data and input from various sources, incorporating diverse viewpoints and insights for a holistic understanding.
Leading and Facilitating Change : Be effective in guiding, managing, and supporting organizational or systemic transformations, including considering diverse needs and perspectives.
Strategic Leadership : Demonstrate creative problem‑solving skills and articulate strategic vision to help team members and the organization achieve long‑term goals.
EEO Statement We are an equal‑opportunity employer and do not discriminate based on race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, or any other protected characteristic outlined by federal, state, or local laws. We are committed to providing an inclusive and accessible hiring process for all candidates.
Accessibility Statement The National Audubon Society endeavors to keep our careers site accessible to any and all users. If you would like to contact us regarding the accessibility of our website or need assistance completing the application process, please contact Accommodations@audubon.org. This contact information is for accommodation requests only and cannot be used to inquire about the status of applications.
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Position Summary In pursuit of Audubon’s conservation mission, the Data & Technology team partners with programmatic and business teams across the organization to develop and deploy enterprise data systems and data‑driven practices at the scale needed to achieve our ambitious goals. The Senior Director, Data Strategy and Program Management will play a key role in maturing the data and technology program at Audubon, collaborating with other data and technology leaders and cross‑functional teams to design and implement enterprise data strategies, processes, and strategic data products to align and strengthen how data assets and resources are utilized and managed across the organization. This role will partner with and support programmatic and business teams to identify and advance operational and strategic goals and build data maturity to enable efficient and effective data operations and strategically deploy data resources to enable robust, data‑driven approaches to advancing Audubon’s mission and impact toward hemispheric level bird conservation. A successful candidate will have a broad range of technical subject matter familiarity, strengths in project management, change management, and communication among technical and non‑technical stakeholders. The role requires excellence in relationship and people management, technical leadership to drive the design and implementation of a robust, maintainable data program including project and product management and planning processes, and vision for how to advance data maturity at Audubon across operational and programmatic needs.
Examples of Initiatives
Track and report the scale and depth of Audubon’s hemispheric conservation efforts; share results and insights to support internal program management and external storytelling.
Modernize Audubon’s data and digital science products, such as the Christmas Bird Count, that engage with tens of thousands of supporters, bird lovers, and activists across the hemisphere.
Collaborate with teams across Audubon to identify and act on opportunities to improve the quality, integrity and utility of our data and tools, and to collect, utilize and manage programmatic and operational data in new, innovative, and robust ways to achieve our ambitious goals.
Compensation
$165,000 – $186,000 / year = National
$186,000 – $209,000 / year = Alaska, CA (not San Francisco), Connecticut, D.C., Chicago, Oyster Bay, NY
$207,000 – $233,000 / year = NYC (not Oyster Bay), San Francisco, Seattle
Essential Functions
Define and lead Audubon’s data strategy and program management approach, in alignment with Audubon’s Strategic Plan and organizational priorities. Develop and maintain data strategy and maturity roadmaps, capacity‑planning tools and standard operating procedures, ensuring alignment with organizational needs and priorities and technology best practices.
Act as the product owner of key strategic data products, collaborating with colleagues from across the Audubon data teams to ensure selection of appropriate technological approaches and tools and overseeing the product lifecycle to deliver high‑quality, efficient solutions to user‑driven requirements and strategic priorities.
Advance organizational effectiveness through designing and implementing processes to enable strong and proactive management of data team resources, including work planning, project management and product management, balancing development and support requirements across Audubon’s data ecosystem and user communities.
Lead Audubon’s data governance efforts, ensuring that Audubon’s data practices adhere to security, privacy, and compliance standards, including data governance policies, regulatory requirements, and industry best practices. Implement and maintain safeguards to protect sensitive information, mitigate risks, and support a culture of data security awareness.
Support and collaborate with business data analysts and users across stakeholder teams toward broader adoption and continuous improvement of data tools and products to advance team‑level and organizational data maturity.
Supervise and support data strategy team staff, providing mentorship, performance management, and professional development opportunities.
Proactively manage and facilitate strong, collaborative partnerships among technical teams and non‑technical stakeholders across the Audubon network, as well as external partners, vendors and professional networks in the conservation and social impact space.
Manage contractors and vendors including software and professional services providers; participate in budget planning and tracking; collaborate with administrative staff and IT department to administer data analysis, analytics engineering, business intelligence and reporting tools and applications.
Prepare and deliver written and oral reports, visualizations, and presentations to executives, technical and non‑technical staff, and external audiences.
Represent Audubon in professional forums, conferences, and external engagements to elevate the organization’s profile and thought leadership.
Foster a culture of innovation, collaboration, and inclusion within the data team and across the organization.
Maintain and foster culture of safety.
Other job‑related duties as assigned.
Qualifications And Experience
Master’s degree in Data Analytics/Data Science, Engineering, Computer Science, Information Technology, or similar discipline. 10+ years of directly relevant work experience and 3+ years of leadership experience developing and managing data programs and strategies.
Proven success as a data and technology leader. Strong detail‑oriented execution skills, including direct experience as an individual contributor and experience leading teams to move projects from conception to completion.
Success in leading/sponsoring large data strategy, governance, and programmatic maturity initiatives in matrixed organizations.
Experience designing and deploying strategic data products or systems in conservation or other environmental or social impact spaces.
Experience applying technical coordination and project management best practices using tools such as Asana and Jira required. PMP or other relevant certification strongly preferred.
Experience working with data and product engineering teams and a strong grasp of technical concepts such as system architecture, cloud technologies (AWS, Azure, GCP), ETL processes, and DevOps best practices.
Experience with modern data infrastructure tools such as Snowflake, BigQuery, Fivetran, Airflow, dbt, PowerBI, Sigma, Salesforce, and similar enterprise tools.
Preferred coding ability in SQL, Python, R, and/or other programming languages for data analytics, data science and/or data engineering.
Experience with GIS, spatial data applications and data visualization.
Experience with impact design, impact measurement, and evaluation methodologies in conservation or related sectors.
Experience with marketing and engagement technologies and approaches, including omnichannel marketing platforms, social media analytics tools, web analytics solutions, customer data platforms, and advocacy tracking tools.
Demonstrated ability to communicate technical information to non‑technical audiences.
Excellent collaboration skills and ability to understand and apply product needs from diverse stakeholders.
Ability to manage and maintain healthy vendor relationships and evaluate new vendors for projects.
Clear track record of success taking product ideas from concept to design to execution and linking objectives and outcomes to strategic goals.
Demonstrated experience preparing effective written materials, presentations, and documentation for internal and external audiences.
Curiosity to stay on the cusp of software and product trends in non‑profits and the greater tech industry.
Commitment to Audubon’s organizational values of care, collaboration, change, integrity, impact, and innovation.
Experience fostering inclusive and collaborative work environments is valued.
National Audubon Society Competencies
Building Trust : Take actions that give others confidence in your intentions and see you as a truthful and reliable person who follows through on promises and commitments.
Coaching : Guide and develop individuals within the organization, nurturing their professional growth and enhancing performance for the future.
Decision Making : Make decisions based on comparative data and input from various sources, incorporating diverse viewpoints and insights for a holistic understanding.
Leading and Facilitating Change : Be effective in guiding, managing, and supporting organizational or systemic transformations, including considering diverse needs and perspectives.
Strategic Leadership : Demonstrate creative problem‑solving skills and articulate strategic vision to help team members and the organization achieve long‑term goals.
EEO Statement We are an equal‑opportunity employer and do not discriminate based on race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, or any other protected characteristic outlined by federal, state, or local laws. We are committed to providing an inclusive and accessible hiring process for all candidates.
Accessibility Statement The National Audubon Society endeavors to keep our careers site accessible to any and all users. If you would like to contact us regarding the accessibility of our website or need assistance completing the application process, please contact Accommodations@audubon.org. This contact information is for accommodation requests only and cannot be used to inquire about the status of applications.
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