Regional Director, Southeast

JOB TITLE: Regional Director, Southeast

POSITION CLASSIFICATION: Senior Director

SALARY BAND: B

REPORTS TO: Vice President of Regions

LOCATION: Flexible in the following states: Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, North Carolina, South Carolina

Tennessee

About American Rivers

American Rivers is a national conservation organization working to make

every river clean and healthy for people and wildlife. We combine evidence-

based solutions with enduring partnerships to safeguard the 4.4 million miles

of rivers and streams that are essential to our nation’s clean drinking water,

extraordinary wildlife, and the strength of our communities. For more than 50

years, our staff, supporters, and partners have been driven by a common

belief: Life Depends on Rivers.

The beauty of rivers is that they connect all people and communities –

including within our organization. The life experiences, knowledge,

innovation, and talent that different people bring to our work provides

perspectives, experiences, and competencies which are critical to

our effectiveness in protecting wild rivers, restoring damaged rivers, and

conserving clean water for people and nature.

JOB SUMMARY

The Southeast Regional Director (classified as a Senior Director level position

within American Rivers) will join a dynamic team at American Rivers working

across the country and will lead the regional team and fundraising efforts to

restore and protect rivers of the Southeast. This body of work includes

advocacy for clean water and healthy rivers and implementation of on the

ground restoration projects (e.g., floodplain restoration and dam removal).

The Regional Director’s primary responsibilities are to develop and support an

experienced, geographically distributed team; secure philanthropic support;

translate American Rivers’ organizational priorities into a focused, achievable

regional strategy; and foster a movement for rivers in the Southeast.

This role requires an experienced people-leader and fundraiser who can

strengthen the leadership already present on the team, establish and

effectively convey clear vision and priorities, and build the relationships and

resources needed to expand regional impact. The Regional Director must

also be a proven conservation professional capable of advancing advocacy

and project work in the Region. The position will report to the Vice President

of Regions and will work closely with regional staff, national program leaders,

and the Development team to align conservation goals, staff capacity, and

funding. In addition to responsibilities associated with leading the Southeast

region, the Regional Director will be an active member of the national

Conservation team working with conservation strategy program directors to

implement national strategies associated with American Rivers’ strategic plan

goals.

PRINCIPAL RESPONSIBILITIES

• Team Leadership and Development:
• Lead, supervise, and develop a high-performing, geographically-

distributed regional team that includes experienced staff and people

managers.

• Strengthen managers’ ability to lead their teams, make decisions,

address challenges, and deliver results.

• Establish and apply clear expectations, responsibilities, and decision-

making practices.

• Foster a collaborative, inclusive, and accountable team culture

grounded in trust and American Rivers’ organizational values.

• Align workloads, staff development, and team capacity with regional

and national priorities and available resources.

• Fundraising and Donor Engagement:
• Serve as the lead fundraiser for the Southeast region, accountable for

agreed-upon annual and multiyear revenue goals.

• Develop and execute a regional fundraising strategy in partnership with

the Development team.

• Personally cultivate, solicit, and steward individual and institutional

donors, while building a pipeline of prospective supporters.

• Translate regional conservation priorities into compelling funding

opportunities and engage staff expertise in donor conversations and

proposals.

• Cultivate and support the regional River Council as a community of

donors and supporters advancing American Rivers’ mission.

• Coordinate with Development to advance donor relationships,

proposals, stewardship, and fundraising progress.

• Regional vision, strategy, and financial management:
• Provide a vision for river conservation in the Southeast that will amplify

and scale American River’s conservation impact.

• Lead the development and implementation of a cohesive Southeast

regional strategy aligned with American Rivers’ Strategic Plan.

• Translate regional priorities into workplans with clear outcomes,

responsibilities, timelines, and resource requirements.

• Guide regional project and advocacy priorities in collaboration with

regional staff, local partners, and national program leaders.

• Support experienced staff in leading their areas of work while ensuring

coordination, accountability, and alignment across the regional

portfolio.

• Develop and actively manage regional budgets in coordination with

appropriate organizational partners; monitor revenue and expenses

and adjust plans as needed.

• Evaluate new opportunities against mission impact, funding prospects,

staff capacity, and existing commitments.

• Movement-Building and Partnerships
• Build and sustain relationships at the local, state, regional, and federal

level with conservation agencies and organizations, community leaders,

funders, regulators, businesses, and elected decision-makers.

• Serve as a primary ambassador for American Rivers in the Southeast

Region, strengthening its reputation and advancing shared river

conservation goals.

• Guide American River’s effort to build a river movement and a durable

majority for rivers in the Southeast.

• Ensure effective coordination among the Southeast team, national

programs, other regions, and Development, Communications, Finance,

and administrative colleagues.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

• Demonstrated success supervising and developing experienced staff,

including people managers, with examples of strengthening team

performance and leadership capacity.

• Demonstrated success personally cultivating, soliciting, and securing

philanthropic support (preferably 6+ figures) with experience with

foundations, government, and major donors.

• Experience translating organizational strategy into achievable priorities,

workplans, budgets, and measurable outcomes.

• Ability to lead through collaboration and clear accountability in a

geographically distributed organization with shared responsibilities

across teams.

• Strong relationship-building and communication skills, including the

ability to connect program work to donor interests and organizational

priorities.

• Commitment to American Rivers core values
• Requires a minimum of 10 years of relevant experience

The successful candidate must be a self-starter who thrives in a fast-paced

environment with competing priorities and deadlines. They will have the

ability to make decisions based on evidence and stakeholder feedback; listen,

lead, and mentor a team; exercise discretion; exhibit political astuteness and

good judgment. They should be able to forge connections with others to

build trust and inspire enthusiasm in their endeavors. They must also have a

strong commitment to working well with and supporting the voices of

community leaders and have a desire to work with people across all political

spectrums. Knowledge of multi-benefit river management, floodplains, urban

rivers, pollution prevention, river restoration, and/or dam removal issues are

strongly recommended.

Candidates who are unsure if they meet all minimum qualifications or who

have transferrable skills and experience beyond the conservation sector are

encouraged to apply.

LOCATION

Remote location flexible in Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, North Carolina, South

Carolina, Tennessee. Regular travel within and outside the region expected.

COMPENSATION

American Rivers offers marketable compensation that reflects the

qualifications and experience of the selected candidate. The salary range for

this position is $126,000 - $154,000 annually depending upon qualifications

and experience. We provide a comprehensive Total Rewards package to our

full-time, regular employees, including

• Health and Wellness: Medical, dental, vision, long-term and short-term

disability, and life insurance.

• Financial Security: After one year of service, American Rivers begins

contributing a 3% employer contribution. There is no vesting schedule

for employer contributions as employees are 100% vested upon

participation.

• Time Off: Four weeks of paid leave, eleven paid holidays, three floating

holidays, and sick leave.

At American Rivers, we are committed to supporting our employee’s well-

being, professional growth, and financial security, ensuring they can

thrive both at work and in life.

COMMUNITY AND OPPORTUNITY

• At American Rivers, our core values drive everything we do – we Lead

with Collaboration and Trust, Infuse Equity and Justice, Deliver Results,

and Ensure Staff and Volunteers Thrive. We are committed to fostering

a workplace where employees feel valued, supported, and empowered

to make a difference.

• Our culture prioritizes work-life thriving through Focus Fridays (no

internal meetings), professional development opportunities, a home

office stipend and our comprehensive leave policies, including

sabbatical leave (every seven years) and paid parental leave (six weeks

w/ one year of service).

• We also ensure leadership stays connected to staff needs through an

internal advisory group, fostering open communication and continuous

improvement.

• At American Rivers, our people are our strength, and we are dedicated

to building a thriving, inclusive workplace where everyone can grow

and contribute to our mission.

American Rivers is committed to providing reasonable accommodations

to qualified individuals with disabilities upon request. To request this

document in an alternate format or to request reasonable

accommodation, please contact the Human Resources department at

202-243-7040 or [email protected]. Please note that one

week’s advance notice is preferred.

Applicant must be legally allowed to work as an employee in the United

States. American Rivers is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

Candidates of all personal and professional backgrounds are encouraged

to apply.