Who We Are
Adventure Scientists partners with leaders working at the forefront of environmental research and conservation to design, build, and manage field data collection projects at scale, thereby accelerating solutions to urgent conservation challenges. Our model engages a broader audience in the STEM fields, as we recruit and train outdoor enthusiasts and community volunteers to collect high-quality data and become informed ambassadors for environmental issues. We enable our partners to ask broader questions and make larger strides more quickly.
We envision a world in which people live in balance with nature.
Our Commitment to Equity, Inclusion, and Justice (EIJ)
Adventure Scientists strives to create an environment where everyone feels included, valued, and safe engaging with our work, regardless of their race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender identity, ability, age, past or current military service, marital status, parental status, religion, socio-economic status, immigration status, or other identity.
How You Will Make a Difference
This role is a key member of the Programs team and reports to the Head of Programs. In this position you will lead Adventure Scientists’ strategic efforts to identify and build transformative partnerships for the organization. The Associate Director of Project Creation will be responsible for:
- Leading efforts to identify, cultivate, and advance collaborations through our pipeline from initial meeting up to our project design phase. Identifying and removing barriers to engagement with scientific partners and improving targeted outreach. Co-creating project ideas with partners that include necessary and meaningful opportunities for volunteer scientists to contribute to field data collection.
- Drafting and editing initial project proposals, a key step between partnership discussions and project design.
- Collaborating with our programs team to support the initial project planning and assessment of alignment for projects with both domestic and international organizations.
- Improving and streamlining policies and processes. Managing tools for tracking and ensuring consistency across pipeline processes. Using feedback from partner and volunteer surveys to improve our strategic partnership approach.
- Contributing to the design of organizational marketing and communications materials to appeal to potential partners.
Who We’re Looking For
You are a proactive and results-oriented professional with a proven track record of building impact-driven partnerships with a range of organizations and individuals across the conservation and scientific communities, academia, and government agencies around the world.
You have exceptional skills in initiating and cultivating relationships and are adept at recognizing and advancing the opportunity for project development and co-creation with potential partners.
You thrive on bringing ideas to life and collaborating to ensure that projects are advanced to the design phase and implemented.
You demonstrate cultural competence and a proven ability to work effectively with individuals from diverse cultural backgrounds, showing sensitivity and respect for different perspectives, values, and customs.
If you are passionate about developing projects that include volunteer scientists in support of conservation and climate solutions, this is the adventure you've been waiting for.
The Associate Director of Project Creation must have:
- 7+ years experience in sales pipeline management. Proven experience engaging with and influencing multiple types of stakeholders in a variety of geographies.
- Ability to research, understand, and translate complex scientific concepts in a compelling way to support the generation of new project partnerships.
- Experience as a strategic thinker with a proven track record of producing clear, actionable documentation and improving business processes.
- Prior people management experience.
- Ability to be flexible and accountable when working independently and collaboratively.
- Excellent writing and verbal skills with ability to craft thoughtful, inclusive communications (external and internal communications, messaging, talking points, etc.) for scientific and non-scientific audiences.
- Demonstrated commitment to equity, inclusion, and justice, and elevating a diversity of voices in the scientific, conservation, and/or outdoor fields.
- Comfort working remotely and assisting in the growth of a rapidly growing, fast-paced and dynamic nonprofit organization.
Preferred Background and Qualifications
- Bachelor’s degree, graduate degree, or commensurate experience.
- Experience with Salesforce, Asana, and Google Workspace.
- Field data collection experience as a scientist or (volunteer/ citizen/ community/ participant) scientist is desirable.
- Fluent English - Spanish or other languages is desired.