Seeking Vice President of National Operations

The Organization

Founded in 1988, River Network is the leading national organization exclusively dedicated to
empowering and uniting grassroots action to protect rivers and watersheds. Our work benefits
thousands of organizations, including river groups, watershed associations, land trusts, Native
American communities, environmental justice groups and local governments, and millions of
people in all 50 states. River Network staff include climate and health experts, field organizers,
scientists, policy analysts and educators. We are the only national environmental organization
headquartered in Portland, Oregon and have field staff in the Northeast, Mid-Atlantic, Southeast,
Southwest and Northern Rockies.

River Network has just completed a collaborative planning process involving hundreds of our
most active Partner groups, leading national environmental organizations, scores of state and
federal government agencies, and researchers at the forefront of science. The plan outlines a path to successful protection and restoration of our country's water resources by empowering local leaders to safeguard and care for their "home waters.”

The Position

The Vice President of National Operations will have broad leadership responsibilities and will
serve as a strategic partner to a talented team of program directors and the larger staff. This is
both a financial management position and an internal leadership position to allow the
President/CEO to focus on longer range planning and external duties.
Reporting directly to the President and Chief Executive Officer, the Vice President of National
Operations will serve as a senior member of the River Network Management Team as we lead
strategy to galvanize our national network to achieve four strategic goals:

1. Strengthen community commitment and connection to their home rivers and waters;
2. Protect and restore whole ecosystems in threatened watersheds across the country;
3. Prevent water-related public health problems in key communities at risk; and
4. Address our country’s shifting water and energy demands and availability in the face of
   global climate change.

The Vice President of National Operations will lead a team of senior professionals in the areas of
finance, human resources, office management and information technology. In addition, s/he
directly supervises the Director of Education & Outreach and Director of Field Mobilization. This position is full-time and based in Portland, Oregon.

This position has overall responsibility for:

Financial planning and management

• Serve as Chief Financial Officer, responsible for the financial affairs of the organization.
• Interpret our financial situation and help board and staff make effective and insightful
  decisions about how to best allocate resources and preserve financial strength.

• Develop and maintain the annual budget, cash flow forecast, and financial statements.
• Lead continuous improvement in grants management and accounting systems.
• Manage financial reporting to a wide array of foundation, corporate and government funders.
• Ensure work with Congress and agencies complies with all applicable laws and policies.
• Oversee the annual audit and maintain thorough knowledge of GAAP as it applies to
  nonprofit organizations.

• Deploy as needed expertise of financial consultants for duties described above.

Human Resources

• Help staff manage workload, develop rewarding careers, and find joy in the workplace.
• Supervise staff recruitment, orientation and retention, annual performance evaluations,
  compensation and fringe benefits issues, and staff development.

Program Strategy

• Work as part of a team as a facilitator, architect and strategist to develop and oversee the
  annual organization-wide work plan to achieve ambitious five-year goals for building
  grassroots strength, protecting habitat, ensuring public health, and addressing climate change.

• Supervise and support the directors of the National Education & Outreach Program and Field
  Mobilization Program to serve and grow our constituency, promote learning throughout the
  network, build organizational capacity and mobilize campaigns.

Information Technology

• Oversee strategies to optimize information technology to best serve the River Network board,
  staff, Partners and larger network.

Management

• Serve as a key member of the River Network Senior Management Team.
• Interact regularly in cross-organizational teams and special projects.
• Recruit, manage and mentor a team of specialists to support the development and execution
  of the program strategy.

• Establish and monitor staff performance and development goals, assign accountabilities, set
  objectives, establish and monitor priorities, and conduct annual performance appraisals.

• Promote a culture of respect, performance, continuous learning and a commitment to the
  individual.

Board

• Attend all board meetings.
• Staff the board Finance Committee and liaison to Program Committee
• Act as backup for President/CEO as needed.

Our Ideal Candidate

The individual we select for this critical position will be highly strategic in their thinking. She/he
may be an Executive Director with strong financial skills or a Chief Financial Officer or
Operations Executive grounded in programs. The Vice President of National Operations must be
able to talk the language of programs and be a financial partner to the program staff. She/he will
be experienced in developing financial systems and accounting practices that build financial
sustainability and creative in identifying and seizing opportunities for boosting the bottom line.

The next Vice President of National Operations will possess superior relationship-building skills
that create a positive and rewarding environment within the office and across our larger network.
Candidates for the position of Vice President must actively subscribe to the principles of
workplace democracy, and passionately support a culture of egalitarianism and collaboration
where success is achieved by supporting and empowering others. Successful candidates will be
dedicated to achieving and promoting a work/life balance for all employees that allows staff time
for enjoyment of the places we work every day to protect.

Qualifications

• Seasoned leader with a passion for environmental protection and proven record of results.
• At least 10 years’ progressive leadership experience with solid grounding in accounting and
  financial management.

• Deep understanding of the financial and legal issues facing 501c3 and 501c4 organizations.
• Solid experience in grant administration.
• Experienced in social change and advocacy organizations.

• High level of integrity and responsibility; commitment to values of mutual respect and
  collaboration, team work, diversity and support for the individual.

• Excellent communication, interpersonal and management skills.
• Program design experience highly desirable.
• Human resources management and Information Technology experience highly desirable.
• MBA or equivalent experience.

River Network is an equal opportunity employer. Qualified candidates are considered for
employment without regard to age, race, color, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation,
disability or veteran status.