About Hawk Mountain Sanctuary
As the world's first refuge for birds of prey, Hawk Mountain Sanctuary was founded in 1934 to stop the shooting of migrating raptors along an Appalachian ridge in eastern Pennsylvania. Today the non-profit Hawk Mountain Sanctuary Association recognizes the significance of its location along the Appalachian flyway and uses the Sanctuary as a tool to meet its mission: To conserve birds of prey worldwide by providing leadership in raptor conservation science and education and by maintaining Hawk Mountain Sanctuary as a model observation, research, and education facility.
The Association manages the 2,600-acre wildlife refuge as an eco-tourism destination, designed to connect people with the inspirational nature of its mountain location and stretching views, and to provide public access and appreciation for the annual hawk migration. Admission fees and memberships support local to international research and training programs. The Sanctuary is best known for its annual autumn hawkwatch, the longest-running raptor migration count in the world, and more recently, its international Conservation Science Internship Program, which has trained more than 300 young conservationists from 62 countries on six continents.
Facilities open to the public include a Visitor Center with exhibits, Wings of Wonder gallery, bookstore and wildlife-viewing areas, Native Plant Garden, an eight-mile ridge-and-valley trail system, and more than a half-dozen scenic overlooks. The Common Room is used as needed and offers a separate location for education programs. At the base of Hawk Mountain sits the Acopian Center for Conservation Learning, an international biological field station and training facility for young raptor conservationists, and the headquarters for Hawk Mountain programs in conservation science. Open to visiting scientists, residential interns, and others working with Hawk Mountain, the Acopian Center includes a central Research Center, visiting scientist and intern residences, as well as an on-site staff apartment. Two additional staff residences, the Hill House and the historic Schaumboch's Cottage, provide housing for on-site staff.
Hawk Mountain Sanctuary welcomes an average 55,000 visitors per year and is supported by a national membership of 9,500. The Sanctuary operates year-round with a full-time staff of 16, more than 200 active volunteers, and an annual operating budget of $1.7 million.
General Responsibilities:
Hawk Mountain seeks a sincerely motivated individual who can expand and enhance Hawk Mountain's image as a leader in global raptor conservation science and education, and market Hawk Mountain Sanctuary as an eco-tourism destination to successfully maintain and enhance visitation and membership. The ideal candidate will be a compelling and dynamic leader and fundraiser who can capitalize on Hawk Mountain's unique history and current scientific accomplishments to enhance contributions. The president oversees all programs and operations and, as the administrative head of the organization, reports directly to the board chair. The president is responsible for overall fiscal management of the organization, including budgeting, setting financial goals, analyzing results, and taking corrective actions. The president also will ...
Principle Duties:
* • Ensure the organization meets all financial standards, program commitments, and legal requirements;
• Raise Hawk Mountain's visibility by building a strong support base of donors and partners;
• Oversee maintenance of the Sanctuary and its physical plant;
• Ensure programs are science-based, appeal to large and diverse audiences, and make effective use of new technologies; and
• Work with the organization's board to develop policies, plans, and procedures for the organization.
Qualifications:
The ideal candidate for this position ...
* • Believes passionately in the importance of global raptor conservation, the Hawk Mountain mission, and the significance of the Sanctuary's historic role in the conservation movement;
• Has proven and can demonstrate administrative and financial management skills;
• Is a compelling communicator, strategic thinker, and skilled fundraiser;
• Is an engaging leader who can inspire and motivate staff;
• Has senior-level experience in non-profit management, preferably in a conservation organization;
• Possesses outstanding interpersonal skills including sense of humor, sound judgment, emotional maturity, and effective decision making;
• Has experience with conducting a capital campaign with a goal of $3 million or more;
• Has experience with oversight and completion of major construction projects, as well as management of real estate assets;
• Has the ability to collaborate successfully with diverse staff and volunteers and can maintain high level of comfort in many settings that range from the board room to the trail to high-level donor events;
• Has the ability to productively communicate with local, county, state, and federal elected and appointed officials to promote the organization, facilitate projects, and obtain funding;
• Has earned a master's or doctoral degree in a field directly related to the Sanctuary's objectives and programs; and
• Is totally comfortable in the world of computers and the Internet and enthusiastic to explore new avenues in technology that will help better engage constituents and increase support.
Physical Requirements
* • Ability to hike on rocky trails, sometimes in inclement weather, for several miles;
• Ability to communicate with diverse audiences, including school children, donors, and the general public, in person and in audio and video formats; and
• Ability to travel regionally and nationally.
Applications and inquiries:
Submit to mailto:presidentsearch@hawkmountain.org or to
Presidential Search Committee
c/o Shelley Davenport
Hawk Mountain Sanctuary Association
1700 Hawk Mountain Road
Kempton, PA 19529.