Senior Director, Enterprise Geographic Information Systems (GIS)

Senior Director, Geographic Information Systems (GIS)

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, Geographic Information Systems (GIS) will lead the development and implementation of a unified enterprise GIS strategy that supports conservation priorities, operational efficiency, and innovation across programs. A successful candidate will bring their GIS expertise to the collaboration with other leaders across technology, science, and conservation, as well as external partners and Audubon's broader GIS user community, to advance Audubon's data-driven approach to hemispheric-level bird conservation. The role requires excellence in relationship and people management including mentoring early career professionals, technical leadership to drive the implementation of a hybrid ArcGIS deployment and advanced spatial analysis, and vision for the development and management of innovative and impactful conservation GIS products and applications, including leveraging emerging data sources and technologies (such as AI) in the conservation sector.

This position reports to the Vice President of Data and Technology within the Audubon Technology team.

This position is classified as hybrid, remote within the US considered, in accordance with Audubon's "Where We Work" Policy. Hybrid employees are expected to work in an Audubon office every Monday and Tuesday and an additional two days each month of the employee's choosing. Candidates should be located within commuting distance of Audubon's offices in Washington, DC or New York, NY.

Only applications submitted with a cover letter will be considered.

Examples of initiatives that the position will support are:

• Development of GIS tools for conservation planning, spatial prioritization, and impact measurement.
• Creation of templatized GIS products, tools and methodologies to streamline geospatial data collection, analysis and visualization across the organization.
• Implementation of internal GIS tools to improve operational efficiency, such as land asset tracking, field data collection, and spatial reporting.
• Expansion of spatial data and technical infrastructure to support AI-driven spatial analysis and predictive modeling.
• Strengthening of GIS support for external partners, including chapters and community users, through improved access, training, and shared tools.

Compensation:

Salary range based on geo-differentials:

• $165,000 - $186,000 / year = Albuquerque, NM; Charleston, SC; Columbia, SC; Fargo, ND; Fort Collins, CO; Lincoln, NE; Miami, FL; New Orleans, LA; Salt Lake City, UT; Tallahassee, FL
• $186,000 - $209,000 / year = Albany, NY; Anchorage, AK; Baltimore, MD; Chicago, IL; Palm Desert, CA ; Roseville, MN; Sacramento, CA; Washington, DC
• $207,000 - $233,000 / year = New York, NY; Oakland, CA

Essential Functions

• Define and lead Audubon's enterprise GIS strategy in alignment with the Strategic Plan and organizational priorities.
• Develop and maintain GIS product and systems roadmaps, ensuring alignment with organizational and user needs, conservation goals, and technology best practices.
• Lead the design, development, and deployment of high-value GIS products, such as community science apps, strategic plan measurement apps, and programmatic decision support tools.
• Supervise GIS staff and fellows, providing mentorship, performance management, and professional development opportunities.
• Administer and evolve Audubon's hybrid ArcGIS deployment, including ArcGIS Online, ArcGIS Enterprise, and desktop environments, ensuring scalability, security, and accessibility.
• Manage relationships with Esri and other vendors, including contract negotiation, budget management, resource planning, and strategic collaboration.
• Partner with Audubon's Conservation and Science teams to deliver spatial analysis, decision support tools, and public-facing geospatial products.
• Collaborate with internal stakeholders across functional departments to integrate GIS into business practices, including fundraising, marketing, and policy advocacy.
• Ensure that enterprise GIS 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 across the organization.
• 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 GIS profile and thought leadership.
• Foster a culture of innovation, collaboration, and inclusion within the GIS team and across the organization.
• Maintain and foster culture of safety.
• Other job-related duties as assigned.

Qualifications and Experience:

• Master's or advanced degree in Geography Information Systems, Information Technology, Geography, or similar discipline and 10+ years of progressive professional experience in GIS field with demonstrated ability in GIS strategy, infrastructure, analysis, product management, and at least 3 years of team leadership. An equivalent combination of education and experience will also be considered.
• Proficiency in ArcGIS Online, ArcGIS Enterprise (Portal, ArcGIS Server, ArcGIS Data Store and Image Server) and ArcGIS Pro, with strong knowledge of enterprise GIS best practices including metadata standards, user and role management, branch versioning, and enterprise geodatabase (PostgreSQL) administration. Demonstrated experience with cloud deployments (AWS, S3 storage, EC2, RDS) and system integration.
• Proficiency in geospatial automation with Python and SQL, using GitHub for code development and management. Proficiency working with modern cloud data engineering workflows and tools (Snowflake/dbt for spatial data workflows, ArcGIS Pipelines) strongly preferred.
• Demonstrated experience with uses of spatial data and analysis for conservation or related sector, including imagery workflows and decision support systems.
• Demonstrated experience developing and applying technical coordination and project management best practices using tools such as Jira is required. PMP or other relevant certification preferred.
• Skilled at translating non-technical product needs into clear technical direction, ensuring requirements are accurately implemented and aligned with business goals.
• Demonstrated ability to manage teams of GIS practitioners, science and information technology professionals in a workplace environment.
• Strong detail-oriented execution skills while driving towards overarching vision for end products and their value to Audubon's objectives, using project- and product-management best practices.
• Success in leading/sponsoring large GIS initiatives in matrixed organizations. Experience transforming how GIS delivers business value in large, federated organizations preferred.
• Excellent collaboration skills, with the ability to understand and apply product needs and requirements from a diverse set of organizational stakeholders, and to communicate effectively with non-technical collaborators.
• Demonstrated ability to foster and grow strong programmatic and philanthropic partnerships. Existing relationships with key technology partners (including but not limited to Esri), active participation in Conservation GIS professional networks, and relationships with other Conservation organizations and technology partners in the GIS space strongly preferred.
• Demonstrated experience preparing effective written materials, presentations, and other documentation and communications for internal and external non-technical audiences required.
• Commitment to staying informed and applying leading edge innovations in GIS technology and use cases, and exchange knowledge, data, continuous improvement practices with Audubon partners and conservation GIS community.
• Spanish-language proficiency and cultural understanding not required but preferred as Audubon expands our efforts and partnerships across the hemisphere.
• 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: This role will also be accountable to apply and develop the following 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