Director of Business Systems

Overview

The National Audubon Society is a nonprofit conservation organization that protects birds and the places they need, today and tomorrow. We work throughout the Americas using science, advocacy, education, and on-the-ground conservation. Audubon’s state, regional, national, and international programs, nature centers, and chapters have an unparalleled wingspan that reaches millions of people each year to inform, inspire, and unite diverse communities in conservation action. As a sentinel species, we recognize that the fate of birds is inextricably tied to the fate of us all.

Audubon has more than 700 staff working across the United States and seven countries in 17 state and regional offices, 41 nature centers, and 23 wildlife sanctuaries. Together as one Audubon, we aspire to alter the course of climate change and habitat loss, leading to healthier bird populations and reversing current trends in biodiversity loss.

Audubon is committed to a culture of workplace excellence, where our talented and diverse staff are deeply engaged, with a strong sense of belonging. The birds Audubon pledges to protect differ in color, size, behavior, geographical preference, and countless other ways. By honoring and celebrating the equally remarkable diversity of the human species, Audubon will bring new creativity, effectiveness, and leadership to our work throughout the hemisphere.

Position Summary

The Director of Business Systems is responsible for the management, operation, and maintenance of Audubon business systems, including all components of CRM, ERP, and financial operations software. The person in this role will be charged with overseeing the strategic effectiveness of Audubon’s operational and programmatic work through the configuration, development, and deployment of enterprise platforms, data systems, and some internal-facing web applications, much of which is centered around Salesforce for high-touch fundraising and Blackbaud Financial Edge NXT for financial management. Audubon also relies on several legacy custom applications for financial operations that need replacement as part of a larger technology transformation.

This role manages a team of business analysts supporting both the day-to-day operations and the planning and execution of systems development, in partnership with technology vendors. Focus on business solutions in service to organizational goals is essential, while balancing considerations of quality, cost, and schedule. The Director of Business Systems sits in the Technology department and reports into the Senior Director of IT.

Compensation:

$140,000 to $150,000/year

Essential Functions

• Own and drive the strategy, roadmap, technical health, and management of key business systems, including Salesforce (NPSP) and Financial Edge NXT, in collaboration with the Senior Director of IT and Chief Technology Officer.
• Oversee the day-to-day administration and operations of above systems including assigning tasks, provisioning, end-user support, error troubleshooting, etc.
• Partner with cross-organizational stakeholders in Finance, Development Services (fundraising), and state/regional leadership to assess business processes, understand project objectives, negotiate scope, develop effective strategies, and identify change management challenges and opportunities.
• Act as owner of large-scale projects to modify or replace key systems, including feasibility assessment, resource planning, vendor procurement, and overseeing execution, in partnership with Audubon’s Delivery office.
• Develop strategic plans for expansion of business systems within the existing environment and encompassing new structures, including grants management and international operations.
• Proactively identify obstacles or process inefficiencies and manage projects to streamline business processes.
• Document the development process, decisions, risks, status etc. required to deliver and support successful business solutions.
• Lead and mentor a team of two business analysts.
• Fluidly serve as a bridge between business and technical staff to maximize operational efficiencies.
• Work closely with the Director of Data Engineering and their team on supporting financial and marketing integrations and reporting capabilities based on Audubon’s data warehouse.
• Identify, evaluate, procure, and oversee vendors to support implementations and operations as needed.
• Other job-related duties as assigned.

Qualifications and Experience

• 10+ years of relevant progressive experience, including 5+ years leading a business systems unit along with management responsibilities in support of CRM and ERP.
• Experience with agile methodologies and in leading agile workflows.
• Deep experience with Salesforce (especially for nonprofit fundraising) and enterprise financial systems; knowledge of Blackbaud Financial Edge NXT and EveryAction a plus.
• Knowledge of grant, time, and donor management systems.
• Strong detail-oriented execution skills, and the ability to lead teams on the ground to move projects from conception to completion.
• Excellent collaboration skills, with the ability to understand and apply business system needs and requirements from a diverse set of organizational stakeholders, and to communicate effectively with non-technical collaborators.
• The ability to manage and maintain healthy vendor relationships, and the ability to seek and evaluate new high-quality vendors to supplement internal staff on a project-by-project basis.
• Strong commitment to Audubon’s equity, diversity, inclusion and belonging (EDIB) values.
• Genuine passion for conservation and the mission of the National Audubon Society.

EEO Statement

The National Audubon Society is a federal contractor and an Equal Opportunity Employer (EOE). All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability or protected veteran status. We are committed to a policy of nondiscrimination, inclusion and equal opportunity and actively seek a diverse pool of candidates in this search.

Accessibility Statement

The National Audubon Society endeavors to keep our careers site accessible to any and all users.  If you would like to contact us regarding the accessibility of our website or need assistance completing the application process, please contact Accommodations@audubon.org. This contact information is for accommodation requests only and cannot be used to inquire about the status of applications.

COVID Policy

All new hires must be fully vaccinated prior to their start of employment unless they are pre-qualified by HR for exemption.