Two Positions:

• Chief Operating Officer
• Chief Conservation and Science Officer

The Catalina Island Conservancy was formed in 1972 to protect and restore the natural and cultural resources of Santa Catalina Island, and to make them available for public recreation, education, and enjoyment. Santa Catalina Island is one of eight islands off the coast of Southern California. As the third largest landmass in the Channel Islands group, Catalina supports a complex Mediterranean ecosystem. Every year, approximately 1 million people visit the island and at least 4,000 are resident year-round.

The Conservancy’s mission is to be a responsible steward of its land through a balance of conservation, education and recreation. Its science, restoration, education and outreach activities can and do serve as a model for the conservation of protected lands worldwide in the context of human use. As a “living laboratory,” Catalina Island
and the restoration work of the Conservancy represent one of the largest, most diverse landscape-level scientific experiments being conducted in community-based conservation in the nation. The Conservancy has a full-time staff of just over 70 individuals, an annual operating budget of approximately $10 million, and an endowment of close to $45 million. As such, it is one of the largest land trusts in California actively engaged in long-term stewardship.

The Conservancy is seeking a Chief Conservation and Science Officer (CCSO) to provide visionary leadership and direction of its integrated ecosystem-based conservation and science programs on Catalina Island. This will include implementation of the Center for Conservation Innovation identified in the Conservancy’s recently completed 20 year master plan, Imagine Catalina. The CCSO will collaborate externally with scientists, educators, academic institutions and other conservation oriented land management organizations as well as internally with colleagues to develop and nurture the leadership and professional capacity of the conservation team. The CCSO will be integral to the development activities of the organization and will be expected to represent the Conservancy in professional organization and to produce publications in professional journals and popular media.

The Chief Operating Officer will lead the Conservancy’s facilities construction, renovation, and maintenance programs, including regulatory agencies interface. The position requires a strong understanding of all the technical components related to construction, renovation, and maintenance projects, including the adoption of green building design principles. Strong capital project management skills are required, as well as being able to communicate effectively about capital projects with the President, Board of Directors, Staff, Island stakeholders, and regulatory agencies.

Candidates must be willing to work and reside on Santa Catalina Island.

Full position details and application instructions

Or contact:
Shelli Herman and Associates, Inc.
Attention: Michele Lyons
[email protected]