Bonsai Leadership Group is excited to support National Audubon Society in its search for a Vice President, California.  Download the full position announcement here.

ABOUT NATIONAL AUDUBON SOCIETY

The National Audubon Society (Audubon) is a nonprofit conservation organization that protects birds and the places they need, today and tomorrow. They work throughout the Americas toward a future where birds thrive because Audubon is a powerful, diverse, and ever-growing force for conservation.    

Audubon has more than 800 staff working across the Western hemisphere. Together as one Audubon, they aspire to alter the course of climate change and habitat loss, leading to healthier bird populations and reversing current trends in biodiversity loss. Audubon does this by implementing on-the-ground conservation, influencing public and corporate policy, and building community among all those who recognize that what is good for birds is good for the Earth. 

Audubon is committed to a culture of workplace excellence, where its talented and diverse staff are deeply engaged with a strong sense of belonging. By honoring and celebrating the remarkable diversity of humanity, Audubon brings new creativity, effectiveness, and leadership to their work throughout the hemisphere. 
 
Guided by its bold strategic plan, Flight Plan, Audubon will achieve new levels of impact for birds, people, and the planet.  
 
Learn more at audubon.org. 

ABOUT AUDUBON in california

In California, Audubon is a bold and deeply rooted force for conservation, advocacy, and community engagement across the Golden State. With a $12 million annual budget (FY26), a talented staff of over 40, and a network of 48 local chapters and more than 118,000 members, Audubon California brings people together to protect the places that birds depend on.  

Audubon’s California program is one of the most dynamic and high impact programs within the National Audubon Society. Operating at the intersection of science, policy, and community, this work spans the state’s extraordinary landscape—from coastal wetlands and migratory flyways to grasslands, ranches, deserts, and urban habitats. Together with partners and communities, Audubon is shaping a more climate-resilient future, creating vital bird habitats, restoring ecosystems, and advancing equitable conservation strategies across California. 

Audubon manages a portfolio of nine sanctuaries and centers encompassing more than 16,000 owned or leased acres, and influences stewardship on an estimated 1.5 million acres across the state. Key sites include Bobcat Ranch, Richardson Bay Audubon Center, Debs Park, Starr Ranch, and Kern River Preserve. Through innovative programs such as conservation ranching, coastal resilience initiatives, and Pacific Flyway protection, Audubon delivers measurable outcomes for species like the Allen’s Hummingbird, Tricolored Blackbird, and Western Snowy Plover. 

This team also engages 2,500 volunteers annually and oversees seasonal and fellowship programs that expand pathways into conservation careers. For more information about Audubon’s programs in California, visit audubon.com/california.  

THE OPPORTUNITY

Audubon seeks an experienced, entrepreneurial, and strategic leader to serve as Vice President, California to drive conservation impact and growth within our California program. This leader will guide a talented, geographically distributed team to advance habitat, climate, policy, and community-building strategies that deliver measurable progress toward Audubon’s Flight Plan and Conservation Milestones. 

The Vice President, California will report to the Vice President, Conservation Action, Western Flyways and champion California’s role within a hemispheric conservation vision, fostering strong collaborations with leaders across the Americas to align state priorities with national and international goals. They will also cultivate strategic relationships with key partners to expand regional conservation impact.  

A skilled people leader and enthusiastic fundraiser, the Vice President, California will inspire and mobilize Audubon’s bipartisan network, work with our Development Team to secure major gifts and transformative philanthropic and public funding, and strengthen relationships with policymakers, partners, and communities across California. This role requires exceptional political and policy acumen, a compelling public presence, and the ability to navigate complex stakeholder landscapes, lead confidently through change, and operate effectively in times of ambiguity. 

The Vice President, California will have the following primary responsibilities:  

Strategy Development, Planning, and Execution 

• Develop plans and implement strategies for habitat conservation, climate action, policy, and community priorities in California, delivering measurable impact at scale toward Audubon’s Conservation Milestones and Flight Plan goals. 

• Align California initiatives with national and hemispheric priorities by collaborating with peers working in conservation, including programs and partners in Canada and the Americas. 

• Establish clear priorities that build momentum and set the foundation for long-term success. 

Leadership and Team Management 

• Lead, mentor, and support a geographically distributed California team, ensuring clarity of objectives, accountability, and alignment with conservation goals. 

• Foster a collaborative, inclusive, and high-performance culture, guiding teams through organizational change while maintaining focus on long-term impact in alignment with Audubon’s conservation priorities. 

• Provide leadership and oversight to centers and sanctuaries, aligning operations with community engagement priorities and building a broader and more diverse community of bird lovers. 

Fundraising and External Relations 

• Serve as a lead fundraising partner, working closely with Development to cultivate, solicit, and steward philanthropic gifts from individuals, foundations, corporations, and public agencies. 

• Inspire and engage the California Advisory Board in fundraising, advocacy, and elevating Audubon’s visibility. 

• Partner with community and campus chapters to drive meaningful conservation impact toward Audubon’s strategic initiatives. 

• Work in collaboration with Audubon’s Development Team to raise funds from individual, philanthropic, and public and private donors. 

Financial and Operational Management 

• Manage program budget, set annual financial goals in collaboration with key stakeholders, and ensure resources are directed toward high impact strategies and projects. 

• Oversee compliance with all financial, operational, programmatic, and legal/statutory requirements.  

Stakeholder Engagement and Advocacy 

• Build and maintain enduring relationships with leaders in government, philanthropy, the private sector, communities, and partner organizations. 

• Represent Audubon within high-profile donor, board, political, and coalition settings. 

• Execute compelling storytelling strategies to connect California’s work to broader organizational goals, inspiring action and support. 

• Lead coalition-building and advocacy efforts across political spectrums to achieve durable conservation and policy solutions. 

Decision-Making and Conflict Resolution 

• Proactively identify and resolve conflicts to preserve trust and advance shared objectives. 

• When consensus is not possible, make and communicate difficult decisions with clarity to ensure alignment with strategic priorities. 

Measurement and Accountability 

• Track, measure, and report California’s conservation work in alignment with organizational processes and performance metrics. 

Additional Responsibilities 

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

• Participate in occasional evening and weekend work, as well as routine travel within California and nationally. 

• Maintain and foster a culture of safety. 

NATIONAL AUDUBON SOCIETY COMPETENCIES

The Vice President, California plays a pivotal role in driving Audubon’s mission forward, ensuring its conservation initiatives are impactful, sustainable, and inclusive. To be successful in this role, the VP, California must be held accountable for demonstrating excellence in key leadership competencies that directly influence organizational effectiveness and conservation outcomes. 

Each year, the VP, California’s performance will be assessed against the following core competencies: 

Building Trust: Take actions that give others confidence in your intentions and allow them to 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 a strategic vision to help team members and the organization achieve long-term goals.   

QUALIFICATIONS & EXPERIENCE

Candidates from a range of backgrounds are encouraged to submit their interest. While the ideal candidate will exhibit many of the following attributes and experiences described below, they need not possess them all for consideration: 

• 15+ years of progressive senior leadership in conservation, environmental policy, advocacy, or civic engagement, with full accountability for programs, budgets, and teams in large, complex organizations and a deep knowledge of California’s conservation and policy landscape.  

• Accomplished people leader with exceptional ability to cultivates collaborative, high-performing, and resilient teams. Experienced mentor and coach who fosters accountability, professional growth, and a positive, productive work culture with experience guiding teams through organizational change while maintaining focus on long-term impact. 

• Proven and enthusiastic fundraiser with a track record of collaborations that secure transformative gifts from individuals, foundations, corporations, and public agencies. 

• Strategic thinker and decisive leader with a history of aligning a broad representation of stakeholders toward common goals, setting clear priorities, and leading complex, multi-stakeholder initiatives to measurable success. Demonstrates the discernment to say no when necessary to maintain focus and achieve impact. 

• Expert at navigating matrixed organizations, influencing without direct authority, and fostering collaboration across teams, functions, geographies, and organizational levels. 

• Respected advocate with strong political acumen, adept at engaging stakeholders across political spectrums and forging cross-sector collaborations. 

• Dynamic communicator and storyteller with a compelling public presence and the ability to inspire a wide range of audiences, mobilize support, and elevate organizational visibility. 

• Trusted relationship builder with the necessary integrity, transparency, and strong interpersonal skills to engage authentically with stakeholders representing a broad range of perspectives. 

• Experience fostering inclusive and collaborative work environments is valued. 

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

• Demonstrated experience managing a schedule that includes evening and weekend work, along with routine travel within California and across the U.S.

TRAVEL & ENGAGEMENT

Requires occasional evening and weekend work, as well as routine travel within California and nationally, averaging approximately 30% of the time. 

LOCATION 

Oakland, CA (preferred). This position may be structured as a hybrid if the candidate resides near the Oakland office or as a remote role for candidates living elsewhere in California. 

COMPENSATION & BENEFITS

The salary range for this position is $160,000 - $200,000 annually, with an anticipated starting salary dependent upon the location, qualifications, and experience of the hired candidate. In addition, Audubon offers a comprehensive benefits package to include:   

• Medical and dental insurance through Cigna 

• Vision insurance through VSP  

• 403(b) retirement savings plan with a matching contribution up to 4% of an employee’s base salary + 4% non-elective contribution  

• Paid time off: 20 vacation days, 12 paid holidays, two personal days and two floating holidays; Audubon also offers summer Fridays for eligible staff 

• Sabbatical leave after 10 years of continuous service for eligible staff 

join the candidate pool

Bonsai Leadership Group has been exclusively retained for this important search. For consideration, submit a cover letter sharing your interest and resume outlining your experience and qualifications in alignment with this role here.  
 
We also welcome referrals and recommendations of highly qualified candidates who may be a strong fit for this opportunity. If you know someone who should be considered, please encourage them to join the candidate pool or share their name with us in confidence at careers@bonsaileadershipgroup.com.  

If you are a person with a disability and need help submitting your interest, please contact us at careers@bonsaileadershipgroup.com.  

The deadline for consideration is September 20, 2025. Expressions of interest will be reviewed and evaluated as received. All expressions of interest, nominations, inquiries, and discussions will be considered strictly confidential.  

EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER

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.