Executive Director - Puget Sound Estuarium (Estuary Aquarium)

Executive Director Position Opening at Puget Sound Estuarium About Puget Sound Estuarium 

The Puget Sound Estuarium was founded in 2007 by the South Sound Estuary Association (SSEA) in response to community interest in creating opportunities for the public to learn about estuaries, geology, natural and cultural history, marine life, and human impact on the Puget Sound. 

The mission of the Puget Sound Estuarium is to foster learning opportunities that inspire people of all ages to connect with, protect, and enjoy the unique estuary environment of Puget Sound. Our motto is: “Explore • Connect • Inspire!” Our vision is to create an educated community that is engaged and inspired to promote the health, conservation, and restoration of Puget Sound. Our 8 Board Members, 9 staff, multiple contractors, interns and more than 160 community volunteers and over 40 partner organizations serve approximately 25,000 community members every year through our outdoor environmental education programming and at our facility. The Estuarium primarily serves all of Thurston County (pop. 280,289 -US Census), as well as Pierce and Mason Counties (pop. 956,806 - US Census). 

We encourage community members to EXPLORE animals and plants in their local estuaries, where freshwater and saltwater meet. We CONNECT people of all ages to what is unique about this delicate, vibrant ecosystem. Our educational opportunities INSPIRE individuals to take better care of our shared natural resources. 

Executive Director Position: Scope of Work 

The incoming Executive Director (ED) of Puget Sound Estuarium (“the Estuarium”) will be a community oriented, organized and confident leader of a thriving organization that is expanding its operations and its physical footprint. This is an opportunity to lead an organization that is on a path to deliver a state-of-the-art marine environmental education center and aquarium to downtown Olympia in the next few years. The ED of the Estuarium shall: 

● oversee fundraising and donor relations as well as development and expansion of the organization. 

● act as the staff liaison to, and work closely with, the Board of Directors. 

● be responsible for management of all Estuarium operations and all Estuarium staff and will be responsible for all human resources administration. 

● serve as the face of the organization and the primary point of connection between the Estuarium and community members, government representatives and officials, community partners and community coalitions for environmental education and conservation in the South Sound and the greater Salish Sea region.

Executive Director Major Responsibilities 

Program Leadership: 

● oversee implementation of K-12, all ages and Estuarium open hours programs aligned with the Estuarium current five-year Strategic Plan. 

● increase public support for Estuarium, through education, programming, partnerships, coalition building, and donor relations. 

Fundraising, Community Engagement and Communications: 

● expand grant funding from government agencies, private foundations, Coast Salish Tribes, and philanthropic organizations by deepening existing relationships and identifying new ones. ● develop, maintain and broaden support for environmental education among individuals, businesses, community leaders and elected officials. 

● strengthen partnership between Puget Sound Estuarium and other environmental education organizations. 

● serve as a spokesperson for the media, government agencies, partner organizations, foundations, donors, and the general public. 

● oversee the planning and implementation of our annual in person fundraising events (Cruise Benefits, Salmon Crawl, Jellyfish Jam and Drag on the Salish Sea) and, our virtual and hybrid fundraisers like Give Local, our Summer Ask and our annual benefit Auction. 

Staff Management and Administration: 

● manage annual work planning, as it relates to organizational goals and capacity, in collaboration with its active and engaged Board of Directors and staff. 

● supervise skilled, highly motivated staff; employ team building, training and performance; establish evaluation practices that ensure a constructive and supportive working environment; manage all public hiring processes for recruitment of new staff. 

● provide staff with the resources and support to manage and provide direct programing. ● administer and maintain our employer provided healthcare plan. 

● coordinate the recruitment and management of interns who work for the Estuarium. ● develop, evaluate, and report grant, staffing, operational, and educational records necessary to meet operational needs; conduct regular bookkeeping and monthly monitoring of all budgets and present these to the Board for approval. 

● facilitate monthly staff meetings and attend weekly all-staff check-ins; attend and participate in monthly board and committee meetings. 

● coordinate Estuarium facility maintenance, including coordination of program supplies and equipment purchase with the Board Treasurer and staff.

Executive Director Required Skills and Experience ● bachelor’s degree or equivalent professional experience in organizational management, environmental education, public administration, communications, community organizing/planning or a related field. 

● minimum 3 years of experience in organizational management and/or leadership. ● science and environmental communication experience 

● fundraising and grant-writing/reporting experience 

● excellent organizational and data management skills 

● excellent public speaking, technical and persuasive writing skills 

● skills in planning, project management, and analysis 

● commitment to diversity, justice, equity and inclusion 

● ability to meet multiple, ongoing, and simultaneous project deadlines 

● ability to represent the Estuarium in a professional and respectful manner ● experience managing and/or supervising staff, contractors, interns etc. 

● networking, partnership and coalition building experience. 

● ability to manage unexpected changes, and pivot when necessary. 

Desired Skills and Experience 

● professional and/or academic experience in the natural sciences, marine biology, ecology, or a related field. 

● ability to organize and implement large scale fundraising events. 

● nonprofit management and administration experience. 

● experience working with a Board of Directors, staff, and volunteers. 

● desktop administration experience, including proficiency with: Microsoft Suite; Adobe Suite; Google Suite, Outlook, Microsoft Teams, Zoom, etc. 

● experience in statistical analysis, data collection, and the ability to summarize results. ● ability to build and grow a donor base through cultivation of donor and grantor relationships. ● ability to oversee a capital campaign 

Supervision 

The Executive Director reports to the Board Executive Committee or designee(s).

Compensation and Benefits 

Executive Director salary: $4800/month. This position is full time exempt (40 hours/week, 160 hours/month). The position includes paid vacation, holidays, sick leave and a medical benefits package. This position requires some local and regional travel. This is a hybrid position with on-site responsibilities at the Estuarium, or in the field. Remote work to be determined by seasonal needs. 

How to Apply 

Please email a resume and cover letter to Noah Kalb, Estuarium Board Vice-President, at: development@pugetsoundestuarium.org no later than 6:00 pm PDT on Wednesday, September 11th, 2024. Should you qualify for an interview, we will request three (3) professional references, and we may require a writing sample, or another example of your work. 

Puget Sound Estuarium is committed to providing equal opportunity for all employees and applicants without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, sex, age, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, political affiliation, personal appearance, family responsibilities, matriculation or any other characteristic protected under federal, state or local law. Each applicant is evaluated holistically based on experience, personal skill and merit. Puget Sound Estuarium’s policy regarding equal employment opportunity applies to all aspects of employment, including recruitment, hiring, job assignments, promotions, working conditions, scheduling, benefits, wage and salary administration, disciplinary action, termination, and social, educational and recreational programs. The Executive Director shall act as the responsible agent for the full implementation of the Equal Employment Opportunity policy.