Science Director

Are you passionate about making a meaningful impact on our community? Seattle-based Vulcan is looking to hire a science leader to support its work advising the Paul G. Allen Family Foundation.

About Vulcan:

Vulcan was founded in 1986 by philanthropists Jody Allen and the late Paul G. Allen, co-founder of Microsoft. It includes Vulcan Real Estate, an award-winning developer renowned for sustainable commercial, residential, and retail projects across Puget Sound. Vulcan's multidisciplinary team also provides a diverse range of asset and project management support to the Paul G. Allen Estate and Trust and advises the Paul G. Allen Family Foundation on its portfolio of charitable work investing in wildlife conservation, ocean health, vibrant communities, and the arts.

Vulcan believes in diversity and recognizing all voices, and we are working to weave equity and inclusion into the fabric of everything we do. We are actively investigating and applying best practices in equity and inclusion to our recruiting, hiring, retention and benefits programs.

Position Summary:

The Director of Science will bring vision, imagination, equity best practices, and entrepreneurial capability toprogramstrategy and development,implementation, and oversightthat will result in increased biodiversity and resilience in ecosystems and enhanced recovery of prioritized species.The candidate should have a solid understandingof the giving strategies and best practices of other leading philanthropic entities in the protection, restoration, and sustainability of terrestrial and ocean ecosystems.TheScience Director reports to the Executive Director of Partnerships and Programs.The successful candidatewill understand, develop, and manage a strategic grantmaking program subject to the Foundation's leadership's review and approval.S/he/they are also responsible for the supervision of Program Officers and a Measurement, Evaluation and Learning (MEL) position.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

• Develop, and manage a strategic grantmaking program subject to the Foundation's leadership's review and approval
• Facilitate cross-program communication and ideation to understand opportunities within these areas of interest and increase awareness of potentially applicable and scalable approaches.
• Tracks emerging trends in scientific approaches to conservation management (land and ocean) and climate adaptation that might help unlock new understanding of engagement and impact.
• Build and maintain a network of expert contacts in relevant topic areas to help inform programmatic strategy, approach, and project pipeline.
• Maintain currency in multiple topic areas and provide regular updates on progress at the forefront of the sector to the Foundation's leadership and advisory committees.
• Analyze current trends and generate innovative ideas and proposed scientific approaches for conservation, ocean health, and climate.
• Bring an equity lens, focusing on culturally relevant considerations to communities impacted by decisions
• Management responsibilities include developing employees; coaching; mentoring; planning, assigning, and directing work; managing and appraising performance; pro-actively identify, address, and collaboratively resolve potential roadblocks/issues/concerns.
• Develop independent reviews of proposed approaches and projects
• Advise our nonprofit and NGO partners accelerating their work to maximize impact
• Demonstrate honesty, trustworthiness, ethics, responsibility, integrity, and fulfillment of commitments

Knowledge, experience, skill, and ability

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• Deep experience with and knowledge of ecological ecosystems and conservation approaches and practices.
• Proven expertise making and/or managing grants and building reciprocal grantee relationships.
• Proven best practices in philanthropy, ability to find common ground between multiple stakeholders, with varied interests and "must-haves", and current in measurement, learning and evaluation trends.
• Bring intellectual curiosity, flexibility, entrepreneurial spirit, and openness to input and feedback
• Proven best practices in centering equity considerations in all decision making
• Proven ability to lead and facilitate, with strong interpersonal skills, inspiring trust and able to move from ideas to action
• Communicates effectively and professionally with executive leadership and with a diverse range of people from different environments and sectors
• Represents the organization before many audiences, domestic and international, and in a wide range of situations
• Works both independently and collaboratively as a team player and with grace and flexibility when faced with multiple time-sensitive priorities and a changing environment

Education/experience/certifications

• Advanced degree in an environmental field from an accredited institution and a minimum of 10 years relevant experience that demonstrates intellectual, strategic, and managerial leadership.
• Innovative scientific publications in relevant environmental field(s).
• Service as PI on multimillion dollar grant(s) with diverse participants.
• Successful oversight of collaborative scientific endeavor(s).
• Strong preference for candidates with experience working on science and technology programs within or on behalf of a nonprofit or philanthropic organization

Special remarks regarding work environment, if applicable

• Travel estimated to be 10%

We are committed to inclusion and equal opportunity

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The job description listed above is representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Vulcan Inc. is an equal opportunity employer. Every qualified applicant will be considered for employment. We do not discriminate based on race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, age, national origin, marital status, sex, disability, political ideology, or veteran status, or other protected class.

If you need accommodation during the application or hiring process, please contact Human Resources atjobs@vulcan.comor your recruiter