The Director of Water Resources (Director) will lead the Alliance’s work to protect Great Lakes natural water resources. They will use policy, scientific and social research, and analysis to build the case for the policy and funding action necessary to ensure the Great Lakes are sustained for today and tomorrow. This includes, but is not limited to, protection of source water quality and quantity, reduction of polluted runoff, and prevention of invasive species. The Director will lead a team of full-time staff to develop high-quality analyses, reports, and recommendations that drive Great Lakes policy. They will build and sustain external partnerships with scientists, engineers, trade groups, eNGOs, and agency staff to ensure Alliance recommendations are built on solid data and positioned to drive policy innovation and reform. The Director will serve as a thought leader and convener within the Great Lakes water community. They will be a public figure for the organization who speaks with authority and diplomacy, and who cultivates relationships that further the Alliance’s clean water and ecosystem goals. The Director collaborates with the Alliance’s internal advocacy staff to build the campaign structures and relationships necessary to advance policy change. The Director will provide counsel to the Alliance’s Vice Presidents and the President & CEO on policy work across the region. They will be responsible for supervising and mentoring a growing expert staff to inspire high performance and job satisfaction.
A typical week
In a typical week, the Director of Water Resources might:
- Analyze state legislation related to reducing agricultural runoff into the Great Lakes
- Convene water partners to explore joint advocacy opportunities and messaging on key water policy issues
- Draft or review a report, blog post, or press release that communicates our findings and recommendations on water use trends
- Deliver a conference presentation on our work related to agriculture and water policy that outlines challenges and opportunities
- Facilitate a meeting with project partners to define roles, timelines, and key deliverables to advance a new initiative to protect water resources in the Basin
- Brief leadership on an emerging Great Lakes issue and how the Alliance could respond
- Participate in webinars to learn more best practices for equitable stakeholder engagement on policy issues, best practices in water management, and policy solutions that should be explored in the Great Lakes states
- Check in with direct reports on progress on their deliverables and provide feedback, coaching and support in problem-solving
Responsibilities
Strategist
- Recommends organizational goals and related research and policy advocacy agendas to protect and restore water source and ecosystem integrity, with an initial emphasis on addressing agricultural pollution, source water quantity and quality, and prevention and control of invasive species
- Identifies and advances opportunities to evolve organizational strategy and fill regional gaps on ecosystems work in additional areas such as coastal restoration, contamination cleanup, and protection of ecologically important waters
- Serves as the primary communicator to Alliance staff leadership and Board of Directors on ecosystem issues
- Communicates and advances the Alliance’s water and ecosystems work as a thought partner to the major institutional philanthropies that support this work
Advocate
- Accountable for delivering policy change for the Alliance’s water resource work across the Great Lakes region
- Leads creation of work products, with internal and external collaborators, such as reports, data analysis, and presentations to advance thought leadership of the Alliance with decision makers and influential partners
- Creates regular short-term policy, organizing and communication successes as we advance toward our long-term goals
- Ensures policy goals are achievable and connected to real-world outcomes that have an impact on the quality of water resources and the lives of people who depend on them
- Prioritizes and strengthens long-term relationships with key thought leaders and partners who can drive practical research and policy change
- Ensures Alliance advocacy agendas are mutually supportive of our partner organizations and relevant coalitions
- Builds and leverages relationships outside of the traditional environmental community, including with academia, trade associations, community-based and environmental justice leaders, businesses, and state and local governments
- Supports Alliance advocacy team in creation and implementation of policy campaigns, which may include coalition building, earned media, organizational supporter activation, briefing and testimony for decision makers, conference presentations and other external relations activities
Manager
- Manages a team of policy and issue experts and analysts
- Motivates and mentors staff that work in multiple locations as team members, peers and collaborators
- Establishes and manages to multiyear expense budgets and work plans to implement the strategic plan
- Manages a range of projects including direct data collection, secondary scientific research, stakeholder engagement, and creation of policy recommendations
- Builds and maintains relationships with program staff at institutional philanthropic supporters and develops proposals and reports to advance grant-funded work of program
- Engages in regular reflection on and cultivation of a values-based organizational culture
Work Relationships
The Director reports to the Vice President for Programs. The Director collaborates regularly with the advocacy team to advance organizational campaign work, and collaborates with the Director of Clean Water and Equity to ensure internal and external coordination of policy objectives. They collaborate regularly with the Finance and Operations Team on project and budget management.
Supervisory Responsibilities
The Director supervises two Senior Policy Manager positions and one contractor, with team growth expected over the next two years.
Physical Demands/Work Environment
This position is remote and will be located within the Great Lakes region, with a preference for a part of the region impacted by current work, and for proximity to a major airport. Overnight travel within the Great Lakes region is required, with an average of once per month. A driver’s license and comfort with solo travel by car is required. If the candidate is located in the Chicago area, the Alliance’s downtown headquarters office is available for in-office work.
Knowledge/Skills
- Leadership ability as demonstrated by a track record of successful problem identification and analysis, relationship and partnership building, conflict resolution, and strategic decision-making both internal and external to an organization
- Demonstrated success at building recommendations that motivate key influencers to act in a coordinated and strategic manner
- Strong existing network of relevant and influential leaders in one or more areas of issue and geographic focus for this work
- Prior demonstrated success at managing multiple closely aligned and well-coordinated policy priorities at the same time
- Fundamental commitment and demonstrated skills in advancing diversity, equity, inclusion and justice principles in ecosystems work
- Top echelon skills at writing and speaking to motivate powerful people
- Staff management and/or mentoring experience
- Experience with and commitment to use of project management software
- Driven by a strong commitment to public interest work and the values of the organization
- Optimistic outlook both internally and externally
- Committed to a big-tent approach to water advocacy that brings together science, data, relationships, stories and winning strategy
- Bachelor’s degree required, advanced degree preferred (leadership of significant past successful policy projects or campaigns may substitute for advanced degree)
- Minimum of 7 years of experience culminating in proven leadership of state, regional or national scale policy, scientific and/or legal research and analysis leading to policy change
- Understands and upholds Alliance for the Great Lakes values of community, relationships, courage, integrity, and optimism
- Demonstrated alignment with our external and internal operating principles of justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion
- The selected candidate must be able to pass a background check
Job Parameters
- This position is full-time and consistent with Alliance employment policy. The Alliance has defined salary ranges that are evaluated annually, and it is customary for candidates to join at the lower half of the range to leave room for learning and development in the role. It is uncommon for starting salaries to fall above the mid-point. The salary range for this position begins at $105,000 and we negotiate salaries with final candidates based on their experience in similar roles and expertise related to the qualifications.
- Excellent benefits, including medical, dental, short- and long-term disability, life insurance, FSA, 11 paid holidays plus the business days between 12/26 and 12/30 (staff who must work on any paid holidays may take those holidays at another time subject to the employee handbook), 3 weeks’ annual vacation to start + PTO, and Fidelity 401(k) with employer match of up to 6% of salary, eligible after 30 days.
- This position can be performed remotely from anywhere within the Great Lakes region, with a preference for a part of the region impacted by current work, and for proximity to a major airport.
Application Process
Please e-mail a cover letter, resume, references, and writing or work sample that demonstrates relevant qualifications to hr@greatlakes.org. Include the job title in the subject line.
