Center Director, Trinity River Audubon Center

Position Summary:

The National Audubon Society is dedicated to protecting birds and the places they need, today and tomorrow. Since its creation in 2008, the 120-acre Trinity River Audubon Center (TRAC) has served as a premier environmental education and conservation hub in South Dallas, within the Great Trinity Forest, the largest urban hardwood forest in the United States. As part of the City of Dallas-Trinity River Corridor, TRAC plays a critical role in advancing urban conservation, restoring natural ecosystems, and connecting communities with nature.

TRAC leads K-12 education programs, community partnerships, and habitat restoration efforts that align with Audubon’s Flight Plan, incorporating science, education, public policy, and direct habitat management. Through strong partnerships with local communities, conservation organizations, and city leaders, TRAC fosters a deeper connection between people and nature while advancing environmental sustainability in North Texas.

The Center Director at TRAC will be a visionary leader, responsible for driving the center’s mission, strategy, and operations to maximize its impact. Reporting to the Vice President & Executive Director of Audubon Texas, the Center Director will ensure programmatic excellence, financial sustainability, and effective facility and site management. The Center Director will play a proactive role in fundraising, securing resources to support TRAC’s facilities, operations, and conservation and education initiatives. As a member of the Audubon Texas senior management team, the Center Director will also contribute to strategic planning and conservation leadership across the state.

Beyond these core functions, the Center Director will oversee a team that manages land, habitat, trails, facilities, and grounds management, ensuring that TRAC remains a model for urban conservation. The Center Director will lead the development and implementation of education, outreach, and public engagement initiatives, inspiring conservation action among diverse audiences. Cultivating and maintaining strong partnerships with local leaders, educators, conservation organizations, and researchers, will be a key part of the role, reinforcing TRAC’s role as a community asset. The Center Director will also serve as a primary representative of TRAC and Audubon within the Dallas-Fort Worth community, engaging advisory board members, donors, city officials, and community partners to strengthen local and statewide impact. Additionally, the Center Director will be responsible for managing center staff, volunteers, and contractors, ensuring the successful execution of conservation and education programs.

The ideal candidate will be a dynamic and collaborative leader with a passion for urban conservation, environmental education, and community engagement. The Center Director must be able to build strong and diverse relationships, advocate for Audubon’s mission, and strategically grow the center’s influence in North Texas.

This position is on-site at Trinity River Audubon Center.

Compensation:

$89,000 - $101,000 / year

Essential Functions

Leadership and Staff Management

• Recruit, hire, and manage staff and interns, fostering a collaborative, high-performing team with professional development opportunities consistent with program needs and budget.

• Monitor the performance of all positions directly supervised and conduct annual performance reviews. Cultivate emerging staff leaders.

• Provide dynamic, collaborative leadership for the Center’s mission, strategy, core program areas, and operating departments consistent with Audubon’s Flight Plan.

• Preserve and cultivate a culture of mutual respect, individual initiative, collegiality, and diversity; collaborate with staff to identify and implement best practices and evaluate outcomes, where applicable.

• Conduct regular Center staff meetings and promote clear, open information exchange to support and advance program goals.

• Oversee and regularly review all operational aspects of the Center facilities, budgets, and programs; staffing strategy.

• Work closely with the Texas VP & Executive Director to maintain an excellent working relationship with the TRAC Advisory Board, while also building Board capacity.

• Lead TRAC Advisory Board meetings, create board reports, and engage board members to utilize their expertise for TRAC mission advancement.

• Engage with partners, strengthening TRAC’s connections with local, state, and federal agencies, academic institutions, NGOs, and community leaders.

• Establish and regularly review and update Center priorities and procedures. Maintains and fosters culture of safety.

Budget and Fundraising

• Work with the Texas VP & Executive Director, Finance Manager, and Development team to develop and deliver required budgeting and financial reporting. Oversee expenses to stay within the budget.

• With the guidance of development staff, meet with donors and host donor events at the Center.

• Build on existing sources of earned income, including program revenue, camp and school program tuition, store sales, rental income, and admissions.

• Effectively and enthusiastically communicate the case for support of the Center’s program at community and fundraising events.

• Seek new revenue opportunities, write and manage grants in partnership with the Development team, ensure grant reporting and compliance; assist with and staff special fundraising events at the Center.

• Support a culture of philanthropy, including public funding efforts.

Program Development, Coordination and Delivery

• Align TRAC’s programs with Audubon’s conservation goals, ensuring local education and outreach efforts support statewide, national, and hemispheric strategic priorities.

• Expand urban conservation initiatives and community engagement beyond the Center by collaborating with local partners and stakeholders to enhance TRAC’s impact.

• Strengthening the TRAC volunteer program, increasing engagement opportunities, and fostering a dedicated community of conservation advocates.

• Oversee major seasonal programming and events, including tours, educational activities, visitor experiences, and gift shop operations.

• Expand conservation programming with a focus on underserved communities, increasing accessibility and engagement in environmental education.

• Regularly evaluate and enhance programs in collaboration with staff and TRAC Advisory Board, ensuring offerings remain relevant, impactful, and aligned with conservation priorities.

• Ensure all programs and content are welcoming, inclusive, and accessible, reflecting the diverse audiences TRAC serves.

• Collaborate with colleagues across the Americas including through joint planning and execution of shared priorities.

Marketing and Community Outreach

• Work with Audubon staff, Advisory Board, and constituents to develop and implement a marketing and promotions plan for TRAC and its programs.

• Develop and deliver effective oral and written presentations and, working with the Texas VP &  Executive Director and Communications team, be available to serve as TRAC’s media spokesperson.

• Oversee major projects and community collaborations.

Land and Facilities Management

• Oversee habitat management projects that enhance habitat for birds and other wildlife on Audubon property with state and center conservation staff.

• Oversee monitoring and maintenance of trails and facilities, anticipating and remedying deterioration, and safety issues to provide for visitor needs.

Qualifications and Experience:

• Bachelor’s degree in biology, Education, Non-profit Management, Environmental Studies, or related field. Master’s degree preferred.

• 7-10 years' relevant experience in non-profit management and/or conservation experience is required. An equivalent combination of education and experience will be considered.

• Successful track record of hiring, managing, and mentoring staff.

• Strong business acumen, with the ability to think strategically and creatively, juggle multiple tasks, meet deadlines, work in a dynamic environment and effectively manage change.

• Excellent organizational, written and verbal communication skills.

• Project management experience, including managing budgets, grants, completing reports, contracts, and other projects, required.

• Ability to prepare and deliver presentations to diverse audiences and age groups.

• Prepare proposals, reports, program summaries, newsletter articles, and other documents.

• Demonstrated ability to partner with key stakeholders, such as Board of Directors, management and other National Audubon Society (NAS) staff.

• Self-motivated and willing to work in a flexible environment, with a willingness to work evenings and weekends as needed.

• Must have valid driver's license.

• Tech-savvy, including proficiency with Microsoft Office applications as well as donor enterprise systems. Experience with Salesforce a strong plus.

• Demonstrated fundraising success in the areas of individual giving, corporate giving, foundation and other support will be highly weighted.

• Familiarity with the communities, flora and fauna and environmental partners of Dallas and neighboring counties is strongly preferred.

• A passion for conservation, the mission of the National Audubon Society and the natural resources of Texas is strongly preferred.

• A can-do attitude and a tolerant, friendly personality with a great sense of humor are essential.

• Commitment to Audubon’s organizational values of care, collaboration, change, integrity, impact, and innovation.

• Demonstrated personal and professional commitment to and experience in advancing equity, diversity, inclusion, and belonging.

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

The National Audubon Society is a federal contractor and an Equal Opportunity Employer (EOE). All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability or protected veteran status. We are committed to a policy of nondiscrimination, inclusion and equal opportunity and actively seek a diverse pool of candidates in this search.

Accessibility Statement

The National Audubon Society endeavors to keep our careers site accessible to any and all users.  If you would like to contact us regarding the accessibility of our website or need assistance completing the application process, please contact Accommodations@audubon.org. This contact information is for accommodation requests only and cannot be used to inquire about the status of applications.