EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
For 35 years Puget Soundkeeper Alliance (PSA) has been a leader in the fight to restore and protect Puget Sound. PSA has taken on formidable opponents and trends that endanger the ecosystem on which the region’s iconic salmon and orcas, as well as economic prosperity, depend. As the Seattle area population grows and national pollution prevention regulation is weakened, strong advocacy is ever more critical to saving Puget Sound from oil spills, industrial stormwater, agricultural run-off, marine debris, and pharmaceutical waste. PSA patrols and monitors the Sound, hosts clean-ups, promotes best business practices, and enforces pollution permits.
Today PSA is seeking an Executive Director (ED) to propel the organization into the next generation of protection and recovery of Puget Sound. The new ED will be a visionary consensus builder and an innovative strategist who can engage residents of the Puget Sound, advocates, policymakers, and partners around the crucial work of protecting the Sound. The new ED will also serve as the designated Puget Soundkeeper and act as the lead external-facing clean water advocate for the organization and the face of the organization’s advocacy efforts, spearheading clean water litigation, testifying on legislation and agency rulemaking, as well as speaking and writing as needed on how we can better protect waterways. The ED will oversee efforts to protect more than 16,000 square miles of land and water – from the rocky shores of the San Juan Islands to the mudflats of the South Sound inlets – that form the complex Puget Sound marine estuary system.
The new ED will manage and inspire a talented staff of 12 as they develop new initiatives, advance policy agendas, plan litigation, and increase the visibility of PSA in media and the advocacy community. The ED will also drive PSA’s culture of equity internally and externally and increase engagement between PSA and leaders of color, underserved communities, youth advocates, and tribal representatives. The new ED will engage media outlets to raise public awareness of critical threats to the Sound and ways to help protect it.
The ideal candidate will be, first and foremost, committed to preserving the Sound from all forms of pollution so that Washingtonians have access to clean water, a safe place for recreation, and a vibrant economy. This person will be a seasoned senior manager with experience leading small to medium-sized organizations. He/she/they will be an innovator, a proven fundraiser, and consensus builder. Internally he/she/they will be a coach, mentor, and a talent developer who models and maintains cooperative workflow. He/she/they will have deep networks and rapport in the science and environmental advocacy communities. To succeed in this role, the new ED will need the passion, focus, creativity, humility, and humor to master the co-equal aspects of this work: executive leadership and environmental advocacy.
This search is being conducted by NPAG. Application instructions can be found at the end of this document.
ORGANIZATIONAL OVERVIEW
PSA’s mission is to protect and preserve the waters of Puget Sound by: monitoring water quality; helping set strong policies and regulations to better protect area waterways; enforcing environmental regulations; engaging citizens and businesses in waterway cleanup and recovery projects; educating and involving the public in local water pollution issues; and partnering with local and regional groups to advance solutions that protect Puget Sound.
Founded in 1984 as the Puget Sound Alliance, it was the first grassroots group in Washington to focus exclusively on protecting the aquatic environment of Puget Sound and was the first environmental organization to focus on stormwater pollution, which is now recognized as a major conduit for toxic pollution. Initially, the organization fought successfully for secondary wastewater treatment at West Point in Seattle and for a Puget Sound Management Plan. In 1990, following the successful model of the Hudson Riverkeeper, the organization launched the 6th licensed Waterkeeper program in the nation when it hired its first Soundkeeper and began patrolling the waters of the Puget Sound by boat.
Renamed Puget Soundkeeper Alliance (PSA) in 1992, the organization was a founding member of the Waterkeeper Alliance, an international movement led by Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and the many member programs. Today, Waterkeeper Alliance and its member organizations are the fastest growing water-focused environmental movement in the world with over 340 licensed Waterkeepers and affiliates in 43 countries and on six continents.
PROGRAMS AND SERVICES
PSA prioritizes its work to protect and preserve the waters of Puget Sound along three lines of action:
To date, PSA’s enforcement team has awarded over $5.1 million to third-party restoration, education, and water quality mitigation projects to heal the damage in the affected watershed and provide an incentive for future compliance. PSA does not receive any settlement money from Clean Water Act cases except for attorney’s fees.
OPPORTUNITIES AND CHALLENGES FACING THE NEW POSITION
Developing and sustaining collaborative relationships with the Board, staff, and Partners is key to the success of the next Executive Director. The new Executive Director will be a visionary, willing to take on difficult challenges, and innovate and lead the organization to the next level of accomplishing PSA’s mission. More specifically, the new ED will:
Cultivate, mentor, and lead a dynamic team. The new ED will inspire staff to advance the mission, develop short- and long-term goals, and identify and implement action steps. He/she will model direct and clear interpersonal communication strategies, delegate responsibilities, and support team member growth.
Nurture and Facilitate Board Development and Learning. The ED will support the Board in further development of effective and efficient governing practices. He/she will nurture a board culture that integrates a diverse cohort of members and maximizes individual and collective contributions to the sustainability and impact of the organization.
Increase PSA’s revenue and membership. The new ED will build a financial strategy with short- and long-term fundraising goals. The ED will lead the Board and staff on campaigns to enhance member engagement and capitalizes on the strong support from the residents of the Pacific Northwest for protecting our natural resources in the face of competing priorities for other compelling political and social causes.
Monitor Puget Sound as Soundkeeper. As a citizen “attorney general” under the Clean Water Act, the Soundkeeper oversees efforts to patrol the waters, enforce discharge permits, coordinate clean-ups, and enlist community partners in advancing policies that will further the recovery of the Sound.
Elevate PSA’s mission and impact through external relationships. The ED will capitalize on PSA’s current credibility and track record to increase public awareness of threats to the Sound. Working with the water conservation community, policy makers, advocates, and others throughout the region, it is critical for PSA to engage in difficult conversations with supporters and “naysayers” to build a consensus on regional initiatives. PSA must also help deepen relationships with emergent leaders and leaders of color, including and especially those from tribal communities, and learn from their experiences in addressing environmental injustice.
QUALIFICATIONS OF THE IDEAL CANDIDATE
The next Executive Director of the Puget Soundkeeper Alliance should first and foremost be passionate about waterway health, especially that of the Puget Sound. He/she/they will also be a seasoned manager who empowers the staff, partners with the board, and builds robust and trusting external relationships. While no one candidate will meet all of these criteria, the ideal candidate will possess many of the following professional and personal abilities, attributes, and experiences:
TO APPLY
This search is being conducted by Tamar Datan, Erica Nicole Richardson & Chris Cannon of Nonprofit Professionals Advisory Group.
Due to the pace of this search, candidates are strongly encouraged to apply as soon as possible. Please send nominations and/or resumes, including a cover letter describing your interest and qualifications to: PSA-ED@nonprofitprofessionals.com
The Puget Soundkeeper Alliance is an equal opportunity employer.
Candidates of all backgrounds are encouraged to apply.
More information about the PSA may be found at: http://www.pugetsoundkeeper.org/
Nonprofit Professionals Advisory Group is a national executive search and consulting firm dedicated to serving the mission-driven community. We partner with global mission-driven clients to deliver highly-tailored, innovative, and strategic senior- and executive-level search services.