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American Leadership Forum (ALF)

President and Chief Executive Officer

American Leadership Forum (ALF), Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, United States,


Sorrell is proud to partner with Houston Audubon in its search for a seasoned leader to serve as itsnext President and Chief Executive Officer, advancing the mission of conservation of birds and theirhabitats in the region. Houston Audubon is a leading regional nonprofit and accredited land trustfocused on protecting the natural environment for birds and people in the Houston Gulf Coast area. Itenvisions a future where birds are thriving in healthy natural areas, people are inspired, and diversecommunities are connecting through a shared appreciation of the avian world.Houston Audubon’s commitment to excellence in land conservation, environmental education,community engagement, and science is foundational to advancing the conservation of birds and theirhabitats and improving our community for people and other wildlife. Houston Audubon owns andmanages more than 4,100 acres of habitat, including 17 nature sanctuaries that serve as communityassets, venues for quality education and recreation experiences, and collaborative researchopportunities. The organization’s annual budget is between $1.8 to $2 million and is growing to fulfillits long-term strategy.You may find more information on Houston Audubon (HAS) at

https://houstonaudubon.org/ .Position Overview

The President & Chief Executive Officer (CEO) is accountable for the achievement of theorganization’s mission, strategy and financial objectives and reports to the Board of Directors (BOD).The CEO builds and leads the management team, overseeing the departments of Land Conservation,Development, Education, Outreach and Engagement, and Operations, with six direct reports, and 24staff members. The CEO provides strategic vision and ensures the affairs of the organization arecarried out effectively, in a manner consistent with the mission, values, policies, and strategies.The ideal candidate will be passionate about the mission of Houston Audubon and have provenexperience in organizational leadership, including knowledge of best practices in governance, financialmanagement, and fundraising, as well as skills in building and leading diverse teams of employees andvolunteers. They will have a strategic mindset and strong organizational skills to oversee dailyoperations, program implementation, and ensure effective use of resources. They will cultivate anenvironment of openness and fairness with structure, processes and clear accountability to ensurereadiness to respond in the face of unexpected challenges or opportunities. They will be committedto fostering teamwork and professional development opportunities equitably across the organization.Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

Organizational Leadership

Build, lead, inspire and develop a strong management team of directors and staff.Execute the 2024-2034 Strategic Roadmap to Collaborative Conservation that Benefits Birds,Wildlife and People in the Houston Gulf Coast Region in collaboration with the staff and BOD.Foster a community approach to conservation through strong relationships with othernonprofit organizations, educational institutions, government, community and businessleaders.Advance Houston Audubon’s long-term conservation and outreach goals as well as itsvalues of strategy, stewardship, inclusion, collaboration, and excellence.Financial and Fundraising

Lead planning of the annual operating budget including budget development and monitoring,with the Controller, staff leadership, Finance Committee and BOD.Ensure sound financial practices, reporting, audit support and monthly financial statusreporting to the BOD.Oversee grant proposal development and high-level fundraising activities, including cultivationand recognition of major individual, foundation, and corporate donors.Organizational Management and Program Oversight

Manage the organization, including policies and practices to maintain land trust accreditation,risks management and insurance, personnel compensation and benefits, recordsmanagement, and execution of legal documents.Promote core pillars and programs, including land conservation, sanctuary management, bird-friendly communities, community outreach and engagement, environmental education,conservation advocacy, science and monitoring, facility operations, volunteers,communication, and fundraising.Foster a culture of trust, mutual respect, collaboration, fairness and inclusion. Facilitatecommunication and collaboration across departments and within programs.Guide development of biennial action/workplans and lead annual organizational review.Stakeholder Relations and Communications

Inform the Chair of the Board of Directors regarding the state of the organization andoperations, and together develop the agenda and materials for board meetings.Ensure the programs and point of view of the organization are effectively articulated toagencies, organizations, and the general public and serve as the organization’s foremost brandambassador. Give public presentations and represent the organization at events.Develop and maintain strategic relationships and collaborations with nonprofit leaders, publicand private stakeholders, community groups and public agencies.Contribute ideas and themes for strategic marketing and big-picture messaging forcommunications and write leading articles for organization publications and reports.Essential Skills and Experience

B.S. or B.A. degree strongly preferred; advanced degree in a relevant field a plus.Demonstrated knowledge of and commitment to the mission of conservation.Seasoned leader with strong record of successful experience in fields relevant to conservation,stakeholder involvement and management, and/or fundraising.Executive leadership skills to attract, develop and retain a top leadership team; priorexperience in a senior leadership role with supervisory responsibilities.Familiarity with the Gulf Coast Region and/or existing networks and relationships relevant toHAS and its work a plus.Ability to lead strategically while managing diverse teams in a complex organization.Demonstrated commitment to advancing equity and inclusion within the organization and inexternal program delivery, partnerships, and communications.Experience building and maintaining productive external collaborations or partnerships.Experience overseeing programs to advance land protection like conservation easements is aplus.Ability to implement a multi-year strategic plan, while ensuring ongoing stewardship of donorfunds and intent.Excellent collaboration, communication and interpersonal skills.Compensation and Benefits

Compensation is competitive and commensurate with experience. An attractive benefits packageincludes medical insurance (75% of premiums for medical and dental plans), life insurance, 401(k) upto 3.5% match, and a competitive provision for vacation and sick leave. This role is based in HAS’sHeadquarters office at 440 Wilchester Boulevard in Houston, Texas.Application and Referral Process

Applicant review is currently underway and will continue until the candidate has been selected. Tonominate or be considered for this position, please contact Priscilla Plumb at priscilla@sorrellco.com/ 281.224.0881, Stacie Gaff at stacie@sorrellco.com / 832.594.1925, or Laura Sorrell atlaura@sorrellco.com / 713.854.5351. All inquiries will be held in confidence.Houston Audubon is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receiveconsideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, genderidentity, national origin, disability or protected veteran status. HAS is committed to fostering andnurturing an organizational culture of equity, diversity, and inclusion within its workplace andsanctuaries, and in its work in the community. HAS believes that the rich blend of ideas, perspectives,and viewpoints that come with diversity are essential to its long-term success.

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