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Director, State of America’s Rivers Campaign
American Rivers
Washington, DC, USA
USD 85k-90k / year
Posted on Nov 12, 2025
JOB TITLE: Director, State of America’s Rivers Campaign
POSITION CLASSIFACTION: Director I
SALARY BAND: B
REPORTS TO: Vice President, Communications and Marketing
LOCATION: Washington, DC preferred; remote possible
About American Rivers
American Rivers is championing a national effort to protect and restore all rivers, from remote mountain streams to urban waterways. Healthy rivers provide people and nature with clean, abundant water and natural habitat. For 50 years, American Rivers staff, supporters, and partners have shared a common belief: Life Depends on Rivers℠.
The beauty of rivers is that they connect all people and communities – including within our organization. The life experiences, knowledge, innovation, and talent that different people bring to our work provides perspectives, experiences, and competencies which are critical to our effectiveness in protecting wild rivers, restoring damaged rivers, and conserving clean water for people and nature.
JOB SUMMARY
The Campaign Director will develop and lead the State of America’s Rivers campaign, which tracks key indicators of river health and publicizes the information to spur decision makers to act. This position will oversee the collection and analysis of data, manage the development of an interactive public web tool, direct the process for assigning river health grades to states, and coordinate communications and policy advocacy strategies. This is an excellent opportunity for a meticulous project manager who is passionate about using data and compelling public communications to drive positive change for rivers and communities.
PRINCIPAL RESPONSIBILITIES:
Campaign Leadership: Develop and implement the overall strategy for the State of America’s Rivers campaign, ensuring alignment with organizational goals.
Project Management: Establish timelines, deliverables, and accountability systems to ensure smooth execution across multiple workstreams.
Communications & Advocacy: Collaborate with communications staff to develop the State of America’s Rivers report and associated collateral; work with policy staff to connect findings to advocacy campaigns at the state and federal levels.
River Health Grading: Coordinate the process of establishing grading criteria, seeking expert input, and assigning state-level river health scores.
Stakeholder Engagement: Build and maintain relationships with scientists, advocates, and partner organizations to seek feedback on strategy and broaden the campaign’s reach and impact.
Data Management & Analysis: Coordinate with our science partners, overseeing the collection, vetting, and integration of data on river health indicators.
Public Web Tool Development: Partner with internal teams and external vendors to design and maintain an interactive, user-friendly digital platform that makes river health data accessible to the public, policymakers, and media.
Evaluation & Reporting: Track progress, measure impact, and produce updates and reports for organizational leadership, funders, and external audiences.
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS
- Bachelor’s degree in environmental science, public policy, communications, or a related field.
- At least 7 years of experience in campaign management, public policy, conservation, or related fields.
- Demonstrated success in managing multi-faceted initiatives involving data, communications, and advocacy.
- Strong project management skills, with the ability to manage complex timelines and coordinate across multiple teams and partners.
- Experience translating scientific data into compelling, accessible formats for public and policymaker audiences.
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
- Deftly manage and coordinate between multiple internal and external stakeholders.
- Familiarity with digital tools and platforms for data visualization and public engagement.
- Commitment to the mission of American Rivers.
Preferred qualifications
- Experience with data visualization tools.
- Demonstrated ability to design or manage large-scale public-facing campaigns that influence decision makers.
- Experience managing consultants or external vendors (e.g., web developers, communications firms).
- Knowledge of conservation, river ecology, and/or environmental policy.
Candidates who are unsure if they meet all minimum qualifications or who have transferrable skills and experience beyond the conservation sector are encouraged to apply.
COMPENSATION
American Rivers offers marketable compensation that reflects the qualifications and experience of the selected candidate. The salary range for this position is $85,000-$90,000 depending on experience and qualifications. We provide a comprehensive Total Rewards package to our full-time, regular employees, including:
- Health and Wellness: Medical, dental, vision, long-term and short-term disability, and life insurance.
- Financial Security: After one year of service, American Rivers begins contributing a 3% employer contribution. There is no vesting schedule for employer contributions as employees are 100% vested upon participation.
- Time Off: Four weeks of paid leave, eleven paid holidays, three floating holidays, and sick leave.
At American Rivers, we are committed to supporting our employee’s well-being, professional growth, and financial security, ensuring they can thrive both at work and in life.
COMMUNITY AND OPPORTUNITY
- At American Rivers, our core values drive everything we do – we Lead with Collaboration and Trust, Infuse Equity and Justice, Deliver Results, and Ensure Staff and Volunteers Thrive. We are committed to fostering a workplace where employees feel valued, supported, and empowered to make a difference.
- Our culture prioritizes work-life thriving through Focus Fridays (no internal meetings), professional development opportunities, a home office stipend and our comprehensive leave policies, including sabbatical leave (every seven years) and paid parental leave (six weeks w/ one year of service).
- We also ensure leadership stays connected to staff needs through an internal advisory group, fostering open communication and continuous improvement.
- At American Rivers, our people are our strength, and we are dedicated to building a thriving, inclusive workplace where everyone can grow and contribute to our mission.
American Rivers is committed to providing reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities upon request. To request this document in an alternate format or to request reasonable accommodation, please contact the Human Resources department at 202-243-7040 or recruitment@americanrivers.org. Please note that one week’s advance notice is preferred.
Applicant must be legally allowed to work as an employee in the United States. American Rivers is an Equal Opportunity Employer.
Candidates of all personal and professional backgrounds are encouraged to apply.