Conservation Impacts & Partnerships Senior Director chez Woodland Park Zoo

TITLE: Conservation Impacts & Partnerships Senior Director

SALARY & FLSA: $122,574.40 - 183,851.20 per year; FLSA exempt

The $122,574.40 annual starting pay is structured to be competitive and may extend up to the $153,212.80 midpoint of the annual range, reflecting our commitment to offering competitive compensation to qualified candidates.

OPENING DATE: 9/15/2025

CLOSING DATE: 10/13/2025 This position may close early if a sufficient number of qualified applications are received.

JOB TYPE: Regular, Full-Time

UNION: Non-Represented

OPENINGS: 1

LOCATION: Hybrid (on grounds 2-3 days/week and remainder work remotely)

DEPARTMENT: Conservation

HOW DO YOU ZOO?

More than 1.3 million people visit Woodland Park Zoo each year. We connect people with wildlife and remind them of what’s at stake in our changing world. Our job is to motivate people to take action and provide them with the tools needed to join us in saving endangered species. Working for the zoo means upholding our mission, “To save wildlife and inspire everyone to make conservation a priority in their lives.” Apply today and show us how you zoo.

WHO YOU ARE
As our new Senior Director of Conservation Impacts and Partnerships, we know you will be successful in this role because you are:

• You’re a strategic conservation leader with a global mindset: You ensure all conservation initiatives are strategically aligned to reduce threats and improve trends for priority species and landscapes. You provide strategic leadership to develop and execute implementation plans to align conservation efforts with institutional priorities outlined in the Woodland Park Zoo’s Strategic Plan and Conservation Strategy. You are excited to strengthen and grow place-based conservation programs, including regional efforts in the Pacific Northwest and partnerships with NGOs around the world, while remaining responsive to emerging conservation opportunities globally.
• You’re a relationship builder and partnership cultivator: You are eager to engage in professional societies or networks to foster strong relationships with key partner organizations, individuals, and stakeholders to harness support and enhance the zoo's organizational impact on wildlife conservation and climate change mitigation. This may include (but is not limited to) IUCN, Species Survival Commission (SSC), CITES, Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), GEF, bilateral and multilateral agencies, US Government, and Washington State agencies. You are ready to work across all zoo departments to identify short and long-term priorities and to help develop program branding strategies, messages, calls to action, and storytelling narratives that increase our conservation impact.
• You’re a thoughtful, inclusive, and equity-driven practitioner: Championing inclusive and equitable conservation practices by actively decolonizing narratives, centering leadership from tropical, southern, Indigenous, and historically excluded communities, and ensuring equitable access to resources and recognition is something that you’re ready to do.
• You’re a skilled communicator and inspiring advocate: As our new Senior Director of Conservation Impacts and Partnerships you are ready to lead cross-team coordination across the zoo, working with teams such as Animal Care, Learning, Engagement, Communications, Guest and Volunteer Engagement to ensure that conservation goals, messages, and efforts are woven throughout the zoo’s operations and public-facing programs. You are also ready to collaborate with the Evaluation & Impact team to define, monitor, and communicate conservation metrics and outcomes that demonstrate tangible progress toward reducing threats and improving trends for priority species and landscapes.

YOUR PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES

• Ensure all conservation initiatives are strategically aligned to reduce threats and improve trends for priority species and landscapes. Provide strategic leadership to develop and execute implementation plans to align conservation efforts with institutional priorities outlined in the Woodland Park Zoo’s Strategic Plan and Conservation Strategy.
• Strengthen and grow place-based conservation programs, including regional efforts in the Pacific Northwest and partnerships with NGOs around the world, while remaining responsive to emerging conservation opportunities globally.
• Advance the zoo’s leadership in catalyzing a social movement for conservation through public engagement, policy influence, field programs, and partnerships that foster widespread conservation behavior change.
• Champion inclusive and equitable conservation practices by actively decolonizing narratives, centering leadership from tropical, southern, Indigenous, and historically excluded communities, and ensuring equitable access to resources and recognition.
• Build and nurture mutually beneficial partnerships with individuals and groups that are advancing community-led conservation, developing and deploying groundbreaking technologies, and inspiring collective action and behavior change for conservation regionally and globally.
• Collaborate with local, national, and international partners to identify ways that zoo staff members can contribute to their success; collaborate with zoo colleagues to identify areas of expertise that could be leveraged to advance partners’ priorities.
• Engage in professional societies or networks to foster strong relationships with key partner organizations, individuals, and stakeholders to harness support and enhance the zoo's organizational impact on wildlife conservation and climate change mitigation. This may include (but is not limited to) IUCN, Species Survival Commission (SSC), CITES, Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), GEF, bilateral and multilateral agencies, US Government, and Washington State agencies.
• Stay abreast of important trends (including policy changes, technological, social, and economic) that could potentially impact the organization and advise executive leadership on opportunities. Utilize external best practices to benchmark standards, monitor costs, and key trends in biodiversity conservation.
• In partnership with the zoo’s Development team, ideate funding and revenue solutions to support conservation initiatives, including private donors, institutional foundations, government agencies, multilateral funding organizations, and earned revenue options.
• Manage program budgets and contribute to fundraising efforts by providing content for grants, donor cultivation, and reporting in collaboration with the Development team.
• Work across all zoo departments to identify short and long-term priorities and to help develop program branding strategies, messages, calls to action, and storytelling narratives that increase our conservation impact.
• Collaborate with the Evaluation & Impact team to define, monitor, and communicate conservation metrics and outcomes that demonstrate tangible progress toward reducing threats and improving trends for priority species and landscapes. Foster a culture of adaptive management grounded in data, evaluation, and continuous learning.
• Ensure cross-team coordination various teams across the zoo such as Animal Care, Learning, Engagement, Communications, Guest and Volunteer Engagement teams to ensure that conservation goals, messages, and efforts are woven throughout the zoo’s operations and public-facing programs.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Ability to speak a language in addition to English.
• Experience working in or alongside Indigenous, tropical, southern, or historically marginalized communities.
• Record of publication and research in conservation-related fields.
• Familiarity with conservation funding mechanisms including multilateral institutions, government grants, and private philanthropy.

QUALIFICATIONS

• Graduate degree in biology, zoology, geography, conservation sciences, or related fields, (Ph.D., DVM, or Master), is highly preferred. Bachelor’s (B.A. or B.S.) degree in liberal arts or life sciences-related field from an accredited educational institution is required.
• Strong candidates should have ten (10) years of experience in conservation projects related to people, species, climate, or habitats. An equivalent combination of education and experience will be considered.
• At least five (5) years of direct supervisory and management experience with professional staff.
• Experience with conservation projects that provide positive conservation outcomes. Experience with both U.S. and international conservation projects highly preferred.
• Demonstrated strong interpersonal and professional skills necessary to establish and maintain strong working relationships with colleagues, partners, and donors.
• Advanced knowledge of biodiversity conservation efforts and the latest scientific issues surrounding those efforts are required.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills with the ability to adapt communication-based on audience and purpose with inclusivity.
• Ability to communicate complex information in a way that is understandable and engaging to broad audiences; comfortable speaking to groups in a variety of settings.
• Ability to participate and/or initiate external team interaction, such as working with board committees, attending zoo events, and fundraising events.
• Demonstrated success in building partnerships with individuals, local communities, academic partners, and others to develop and implement conservation initiatives.
• Demonstrated strong intercultural skills necessary to develop rapport with traditional and non-traditional audiences and partners. Experience in community-based conservation projects highly preferred.
• Demonstrated success in raising funds to support research and conservation projects.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office products, particularly Word, Outlook, Excel, PowerPoint, and Teams. Knowledge of and experience with project tracking practices and software.
• Research experience and a commensurate publication record in related fields.
• Experience reviewing and managing complex grants.
• Working knowledge of additional languages beyond American English is preferred.
• Ability to travel nationally and internationally up to 25% of the year, including unfamiliar destinations, such as field sites in remote locations.
• A Valid Washington State Driver’s License (or the ability to obtain one) is required.

BENEFITS

The Woodland Park Zoo offers a comprehensive benefits package for full time staff including:

• Medical, dental, and vision HMO and PPO plans for you and eligible dependents
• 11 paid holidays and 4 personal holidays 
• Accrue 12 vacation days and another 12 days of sick leave your first year
• Flexible Spending Account (FSA) 
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP) 
• Tuition reimbursement 
• Free zoo membership that includes zoo admission and discounts after 90 days 
• 4 complimentary tickets per year plus other discounts and perks  
• Free staff parking 
• 403(b) Retirement Plan 

SELECTION PROCESS

Application: Please include a resume and cover letter with your application through our Zoo Careers site at zoo.org/jobs. Please be sure to list or upload copies of all relevant training and certifications on your application. The zoo may review existing application pools to fill this position or use this pool to fill future vacancies. 

This opportunity is open to all candidates that meet the qualifications. Woodland Park Zoo values diverse perspectives and life experiences. Applicants will be considered regardless of race, color, creed, national origin, ancestry, sex, marital status, disability, religious or political affiliation, age, sexual orientation, or gender identity. The zoo encourages people of all backgrounds to apply, including people of color, immigrants, refugees, women, 2SLGBTQ, people with disabilities, veterans, and those with diverse life experiences. Woodland Park Zoo is committed to providing access and reasonable accommodation in all its services. If you need accommodation in the application or interview process, please contact our recruiting team at [email protected].

Screening: We will review applications and select some candidates for screening calls. Final candidates will be invited for virtual or in-person interviews.

Offer: Job offers are contingent on the verification of credentials and other information required by the employment process including the completion of a background check. In addition, this role requires the applicant to successfully complete a: driving record review.