Executive Director Participation & Engagement

Birdlife Australia; Melbourne; On-site; AUD 170,000 - 210,000; Full time

Job summary

BirdLife Australia is seeking an Executive Director Participation & Engagement to provide inspirational leadership and drive community involvement in bird conservation. You will lead the development of strategies to grow participation, fundraising, membership and public advocacy, while aligning with our mission and values.

Reporting to the CEO, you will manage the Participation and Engagement team, partner with branches and stakeholders, and foster a culture of excellence and impact across

Qualifications

• Degree in Communications, Community Development, Social Sciences or a related field.
• Proven leadership at a senior executive level.
• Experience developing and implementing engagement strategies.
• Strong understanding of community engagement best practices.
• Excellent interpersonal and relationship-building skills.
• Proven ability to work collaboratively with diverse stakeholders.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills.
• High level of computer literacy.
• Experience in not-for-profit sector, preferably conservation/environment.

Responsibilities

• Lead development and execution of strategies to increase community participation and engagement in bird conservation.
• Ensure alignment of engagement initiatives with BirdLife Australia's mission, vision, and values.
• Facilitate strategic discussions with the Board, CEO, and Senior Leadership Team.
• Engage branches to maximise alignment with delivery of Bird Conservation Structure and branch activities.
• Develop and implement programs to enhance volunteer recruitment, retention, and recognition.
• Oversee bird conservation advocacy campaigns and government relations.
• Develop and implement a comprehensive multifaceted fundraising strategy.
• Identify new fundraising opportunities and revenue streams (individual giving, philanthropy, grants).
• Lead initiatives to grow BirdLife Australia's membership base and engagement.
• Provide leadership to the Participation and Engagement team with a culture of excellence.

Skills

Leadership

Fundraising

Stakeholder engagement

Strategic planning

Team leadership

Not-for-profit governance

Communication

Education

Degree in Communications/Community Development/Social Sciences

Job description

As Australia's only national bird conservation charity, BirdLife Australia is on a mission to put birds and nature on the path to recovery within a decade, leading and facilitating action that halts biodiversity loss and restores ecosystems. BirdLife Australia takes a science and evidence-based approach to bird conservation. With a 100-plus year history and Australia's strongest and longest-lived collection of data and surveys, BirdLife Australia brings a wealth of observation and experience to the protection of native birds. BirdLife Australia is a diverse organisation with more than 330,000 supporters, donors, volunteers, campaigners, and members, over 130 staff across Australia, and a network of more than 40 voluntary community groups.

About the role

The Executive Director Participation & Engagement is a pivotal role responsible for delivering inspirational leadership to grow community participation and engagement in bird conservation impact including increased support through fundraising. This role will be the driving force behind BirdLife Australia's participation strategy with responsibility for identifying fundraising opportunities, crafting compelling and successful advocacy campaigns, managing donor communications and volunteer involvement, membership growth, and public awareness about bird conservation.

Key responsibilities

Lead, in partnership with the Strategy and Governance team, the development and execution of strategies to increase community participation and engagement in bird conservation.

Ensure alignment of engagement initiatives with BirdLife Australia's mission, vision, and values.

Facilitate strategic discussions with the Board, CEO, and Senior Leadership Team.

Engage BirdLife Australia branches to maximise alignment with delivery of the Bird Conservation Structure and grow the impact of branch activities.

Develop and implement programs to enhance volunteer recruitment, retention, and recognition.

Oversee bird conservation advocacy campaigns and government relations to maximise BirdLife Australia's influence and impact.

Develop and implement a comprehensive multifaceted fundraising strategy to support revenue targets associated with BirdLife's community programs and strategic projects.

Identify new fundraising opportunities and revenue streams, including individual giving, philanthropy, community fundraising and grants.

Lead initiatives to grow BirdLife Australia's membership base and develop membership engagement and retention strategies.

Provide leadership to the Participation and Engagement team, fostering a culture of excellence and continuous improvement.

About you

A degree in Communications, Community Development, Social Sciences or a related field, with significant experience in fundraising and engagement.

Proven leadership experience at a senior executive level.

Demonstrated experience in developing and implementing engagement strategies.

Strong understanding of community engagement best practices.

Excellent interpersonal and relationship-building skills.

Proven ability to work collaboratively with diverse stakeholders.

Strong verbal and written communication skills.

High level of computer literacy.

Experience in the not-for-profit sector, preferably within conservation or environmental organisations (desirable).

Experience in volunteer management and public advocacy (desirable).