Y2Y President Postition – Canmore, Alberta (Canada)

Organization:  The Yellowstone to Yukon Conservation Initiative (Y2Y)

Job Title: President

Location: Canmore, Alberta

Hours and Compensation: Full time, competitive salary and a comprehensive benefits program.

Position Dates: Start ASAP

Application Deadline: July 27th, 2012 (but will remain open until position is filled)

Posted On: July 11th, 2012

Organization Overview

The Yellowstone to Yukon Conservation Initiative is one of the most exciting, innovative and successful biodiversity conservation efforts on the planet. First conceived in 1993, Y2Y has grown to have a sophisticated array of programs and projects encompassing a spectacular mountainous landscape of over half a million square miles and involving more than 135 partners. Worldwide, Y2Y is upheld as a leader in large landscape conservation.

Description

The Yellowstone to Yukon Conservation Initiative (Y2Y), is seeking a visionary, experienced, and entrepreneurial leader to take the organization to a new level. The ability to think creatively and to excite and motivate others in order to realize the Y2Y vision is central to this position. The President must use these skills to achieve policy goals, and equally importantly to secure and maintain the resources to fulfill the vision. It is a unique individual who possesses these talents coupled with the skills of a successful manager.

This is what we are looking for – a highly skilled and dynamic person to lead one of the world’s largest landscape level conservation initiatives. The President will provide leadership within and well beyond the conservation community, advancing a broader public understanding of the important of Y2Y’s vision in a civil society. Located in Canmore, Alberta, the President will work closely with experienced and dedicated staff and a committed Board of Directors.

Responsibilities

 Leadership: The President provides inspired leadership to the conservation community, to the community at large, and to staff in realizing the Y2Y vision. knowledge and abilities that ensure strong program development and public communication are essential. An excellent understanding of the scientific, societal, and institutional factors required for success is needed. Demonstrated ability to successfully work with others toward common purposes is required along with the ability to listen and learn from others.

Fundraising: Through leadership and marketing efforts the President is central to growing funds necessary to realize the Y2Y vision and mission of a connected landscape. The President plays a strategic role in Y2Y’s development program, affection priorities, plans, and goals.

Planning and Programs: The President is a “visionary” the development of projects and programs consistent with the Y2Y vision. He/she provides leadership, support, and coordination for strategic planning, policy development and implementation, and evaluation of projects and programs.

Administrative: The President oversees all operations for Y2Y, the management and monitoring of Y2Y programs, and the overall management of staff and consultants to accomplish program and budgetary objectives.

Personnel: The President is the role model for responsible, ethical and effective decision-making. He/she hires, manages, and evaluated staff and ensures that the organization structure and pesonnel policies are appropriate. The President serves as a mentor to staff and provides for staff development opportunities that benefit Y2Y. Overall, the President ensures that a positive work environment attracts and retains high-performing staff, working as a strong team.

Board Relations: The Board is a key part of the Y2Y team. The President maximizes the Board’s contribution to Y2Y by keeping the Board well-informed through regular reports, building Board agendas that facilitate Board decision-making, working with Board to recruit new Board members, and maximizing the Board’s ability to contribute to program project and development activities.

Qualifications

Leadership:

-A visionary and creative thinker in innovating, leading, and implementing policies and programs.

-An individual who commands respect and is viewed as an effective leader by the communities with which he/she works – conservation, corporate, academic, government, and voluntary.

-A leader who is mission-driven and passionate about connecting large landscapes for future generations.

-An individual with the capability to inspire and articulate a compelling agenda with outstanding public speaking ability, considerable media savvy and a strong desire to use the pulpit wherever possible.

-An individual with the ability to inspire staff, board members, and the broader community in pursuit of the Y2Y vision.

-A respected individual with the presence, integrity, ethics, and stature to be the leader and effective representative of a globally recognized trans-boundary conservation initiative.

-A leader who works well with, and provides appropriate recommendations and support to, a strong and participatory board.

Experience:

-Strong and successful experience in priority setting, program direction, budgeting and financial reporting, personnel management, and measuring success.

-Demonstrated ability to work well without direct supervision and find challenges and rewards in working with a small but highly competent staff.

-Demonstrated ability to build strong relationships and coalitions with a wide range of partners in conservation, government, corporate, foundation, indigenous and civic groups.

-Experience in meeting financial and budgetary challenges.

-Experience in generating and leveraging revenues with know-how and enthusiasm for seeking operations and investment funding.

-Experience in working with a skilled, professional, and mission-committed group of directors.

Education:

Formal education and life experience that permits effective communication and respect within the communities that he/she works. This normally includes university and/or life experiences that provide the necessary scientific, political, management expertise to work successfully within relevant communities.

How to Apply