Director of Administration

Founded in 1946 and based in Nashville, Tennessee Wildlife Federation is one of the state’s oldest and most influential conservation organizations. For 80 years, we’ve worked to protect Tennessee’s wildlife, promote responsible stewardship of natural resources, and ensure everyone can enjoy the outdoors. With an annual operating budget of $6.5 million, the Federation operates statewide to advance meaningful conservation efforts. As a trusted voice for sportsmen, outdoor enthusiasts, and conservation advocates, we lead conservation efforts that make a lasting impact — and we’re looking for people who want their work to make a real difference for Tennessee’s wild places.

The Director of Administration oversees the organization’s core administrative functions, ensuring Human Resources, Finance, Information Technology, and Facilities operate cohesively and in alignment with organizational priorities. Working closely with the executive team and department leaders, the Director strengthens internal operations, improves processes, and maintains consistent administrative practices across the organization. This role provides departmental oversight, reinforces cross‑functional coordination, and maintains administrative systems and workflows that support effective, reliable operations across all locations.

Location: Nashville, TN

No relocation assistance provided

To Apply: Submit a resume and cover letter to View email address on click.appcast.io

Responsibilities

Leadership & Collaboration

• Work closely with the executive team and department leaders to coordinate administrative priorities, support cross‑departmental needs, and ensure internal functions operate smoothly and consistently.
• Supervise administrative staff by setting clear expectations, providing regular feedback, and fostering a culture of accountability, service, and continuous improvement.
• Build strong working relationships across departments by maintaining open communication, understanding operational needs, and ensuring coordinated, reliable internal support.
• Participate in leadership meetings by providing administrative insight, supporting cross‑functional planning, and contributing to practical problem‑solving discussions.
• Provide clear communication, guidance, and follow‑through by translating administrative processes into actionable steps and supporting teams in meeting organizational priorities.

Human Resources

• Provide departmental oversight of the HR function as part of the Administration portfolio, ensuring HR operations, priorities, and resource needs are supported and aligned with organizational goals.
• Partner with HR leadership to reinforce HR strategy, governance, policies, job architecture, compensation alignment, and compliance practices through reliable administrative systems and cross‑functional coordination.
• Ensure HR has the organizational conditions, resources, and cross‑departmental support needed to execute the full HR lifecycle, benefits administration, employee relations, performance management, and culture initiatives effectively.
• Facilitate alignment between HR and Finance, IT, and Facilities to support cohesive workflows, integrated planning, and consistent organizational practices.
• Support HR leadership in advancing workforce planning, organizational development, supervisory development, and staff engagement initiatives by ensuring administrative processes and communication channels enable smooth implementation.
• Maintain awareness of HR regulatory requirements and support HR leadership in ensuring organizational compliance through consistent administrative workflows and documentation practices.
• Serve as an administrative liaison for HR by ensuring HR information, operational needs, and strategic considerations are communicated appropriately within the administrative structure and to the executive team.

Finance

• Provide departmental oversight of the Finance function as part of the Administration portfolio by coordinating information across administrative areas, ensuring timely and accurate inputs for budgeting, forecasting, and financial reporting.
• Partner with Finance leadership to support strong internal controls, audit readiness, and compliance with GAAP and nonprofit requirements by maintaining organized documentation, monitoring adherence to established procedures, and assisting with audit preparation and follow‑up.
• Support grant financial management by maintaining required documentation, tracking expenses against budgets, and coordinating with program staff to ensure timely, accurate reporting.
• Oversee payroll administration by coordinating HR‑related changes, reviewing payroll reports for accuracy, and ensuring timely submission of updates to the payroll processor.
• Manage organizational insurance policies and risk mitigation practices by coordinating renewals, maintaining documentation, and supporting staff and leadership in addressing coverage needs and risk‑related inquiries.
• Support financial planning and process improvement by maintaining reliable administrative workflows and ensuring financial systems and procedures align with HR, operations, and organizational needs.

Information Technology Management

• Provide departmental oversight of IT as part of the Administration portfolio ensuring reliable technology operations, secure systems, and responsive support across the organization.
• Coordinate directly with the Facilities Manager—who assists with day‑to‑day IT tasks—to ensure maintenance, troubleshooting, and vendor support are completed effectively and in alignment with organizational needs.
• Lead planning, coordination, and administrative management of system upgrades, new technology implementations, and process improvements to ensure smooth transitions and clear communication to staff.
• Maintain oversight of technology lifecycle planning by assessing organizational needs, prioritizing replacements and upgrades, and ensuring cloud‑based tools remain current, secure, and aligned with operational requirements.
• Guide development of a practical multi‑year technology plan by evaluating organizational needs, identifying gaps, and helping prioritize investments that strengthen long‑term operational capacity.
• Support responsible adoption of AI by coordinating policy development, governance practices, and staff training to ensure safe, appropriate, and effective use of emerging tools.
• Ensure the IT support structure provides reliable service and a strong internal service culture by establishing clear processes, expectations for responsiveness, and user‑friendly assistance.

Facilities Management

• Provide departmental oversight of Facilities as part of the Administration portfolio by ensuring maintenance, safety, space planning, and vendor management activities are supported through reliable administrative processes and aligned with organizational needs.
• Partner with the Facilities Manager—who leads day‑to‑day facilities operations—to monitor service quality, coordinate maintenance schedules, and ensure all organizational spaces meet standards for safety, functionality, accessibility, and regulatory compliance.
• Support facilities operations by maintaining organized administrative systems, coordinating procurement of equipment and supplies, and ensuring staff have the resources needed for daily work.
• Coordinate emergency preparedness and continuity planning by supporting development and maintenance of response protocols, assisting with staff training, and ensuring plans remain current and practical.
• Ensure facilities operations run smoothly and consistently across all locations by aligning workflows, resolving administrative barriers, and maintaining reliable processes that support staff and organizational activities.

Organizational Operations & Administration

• Lead cross‑departmental operational planning and process improvement by coordinating workflows, identifying opportunities to streamline practices, and supporting teams in implementing consistent, efficient processes.
• Develop and maintain administrative policies, procedures, and documentation by ensuring materials are current, clearly communicated, and consistently applied across the organization.
• Oversee organizational compliance—including record retention, licensing, and regulatory filings—by monitoring requirements, maintaining accurate documentation, and ensuring timely submission of mandated filings.
• Support leadership with operational analysis, reporting, and planning by gathering and organizing information, preparing summaries and recommendations, and helping translate operational insights into actionable steps.
• Coordinate internal communications and administrative workflows by establishing clear processes, supporting information flow between teams, and ensuring staff have the guidance and resources needed to complete administrative tasks effectively.
• Ensure day‑to‑day administrative operations run smoothly and consistently across all locations by monitoring needs, resolving issues promptly, and maintaining reliable systems that support staff and organizational activities.
• Coordinate risk management and legal compliance activities by partnering with internal and external counsel, supporting insurance and contracting processes, assisting with real‑estate‑related needs, and maintaining organized records that meet legal and regulatory standards.

Other Duties

• Attend meetings to represent TWF on projects and initiatives.
• Other duties as assigned.

Skills and Abilities

• Strong communication (written and verbal) and interpersonal skills; ability to translate technical or complex information into easy to understand format.
• Strategic thinking and systems orientation, with the ability to connect day-to-day operations to broader organizational needs.
• Strong operational planning skills, including the ability to design, refine, and implement processes that improve efficiency and consistency.
• High level of confidentiality, discretion, and sound judgment when handling sensitive information or personnel matters.
• Effective cross-functional collaboration skills, with the ability to work closely with multiple departments and build productive internal relationships.
• Strong vendor and project management capabilities, including contract oversight, service evaluation, and coordination of external partners.
• Ability to analyze administrative challenges, identify practical solutions, and follow through on implementation.
• Proven ability to manage multiple projects, produce effective results, and meet deadlines; must be self-motivated, responsible, and have the ability to solve problems.
• Strong work ethic with the ability to reject setbacks and enthusiastically persist until goals are achieved.
• Professional, adaptable, and positive, with strong attention to detail and the ability to handle fast-paced, day-to-day challenges with composure—and a sense of humor.
• Ability to work independently and within a collaborative, team environment.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities and deadlines in a fast-paced environment; Ability to shift priorities quickly and unexpectedly.
• Resourceful and innovative at tackling challenges in a timely manner.
• Approach work from the Federation’s point of view rather than a personal point of view.
• Must have a passion for the Federation’s mission.
• A valid TN driver’s license, including a good motor vehicle record, and appropriate automobile insurance

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, Human Resources, Finance, Organizational Leadership, Public Administration, or a closely related field that supports cross-functional administrative management.
• 10+ years of experience overseeing administrative or operational functions — or progressively leading several of them — within a small to mid‑sized organization.
• Demonstrated ability to improve or modernize technology systems, including setting priorities, coordinating with vendors, and helping staff adopt new tools with appropriate training and support.
• Solid financial understanding with the ability to partner closely with a Finance Team on budgeting, internal controls, audits, and compliance, and to communicate clearly with board committees when needed.
• Experience strengthening project‑management practices across teams to improve coordination, timelines, and follow‑through.
• Strong judgment and discretion when managing sensitive areas such as Human Resources and organizational risk.
• Proficient across Microsoft Office 365 and Google Suite.

Benefits

• Medical, Dental, Vision, HSA, Short- and Long-Term Disability, Life, AD&D, Critical Illness, Accident
• Employee Assistance Program
• 401(k) match up to 6%
• 13 company paid holidays plus the week between Christmas and New Year’s
• PTO (Vacation and Sick Time)
• Fridays off in July and mid-August

EEO Statement

Tennessee Wildlife Federation is committed to providing equal employment opportunity for all persons regardless of age, disability, national origin, race, color, creed, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity or expression, pregnancy, veteran or military status, genetic information or any other status protected by applicable federal, state, or local law.

Tennessee Wildlife Federation is committed to workplace diversity.

Ethical Hunting, Angling and Outdoor Recreation Practices

Federation staff know and respect the game and fish pursued in the field and follow all related laws, familiarize themselves with wildlife in the area and behave accordingly. This likewise applies to hiking, camping and other outdoor activities that require responsible use of public resources. As an employee of the Federation, all employees are expected to follow all state and federal hunting and fishing guidelines and practice ethical and fair chase practices while executing or assisting with program events or in your personal outings afield.