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Senior Director
Coastal Quest
Sales & Business Development
Berkeley, CA, USA
USD 129k-160k / year
Posted on Oct 27, 2025
Organization: Coastal QuestPosition Type: Full-timeLocation: Headquarters in Oakland, CAOrganization Description:Coastal Quest is a 501(c)3 nonprofit working collaboratively with communities to build a more resilient coast by increasing inclusive, science-based planning, governance, financing, and project implementation for a just, prosperous, and sustainable future. Coastal Quest works around the world, from white water to blue water, on lakes and shorelines, and at the land-water connection. We provide project management, science, and technical expertise, connect partners with financial and human resources, contract management, grantmaking, and facilitation of public-private partnerships. We are purposefully nimble and designed to solve multifaceted and complex coastal issues. We are here to achieve resilience goals, reduce threats, and implement solutions.Essential Functions:This new leader will be a strategic thought partner to the Executive Director and will collaboratively lead the organization’s efforts to articulate and implement a 2024-2027 strategy to transform equitable multi-benefit coastal solutions philanthropy for people, nature, and climate that aligns with Coastal Quest’s theory of impact. The Senior Director will take a leadership role in organizing public and philanthropic partnerships to support the organization’s programs and shift the field’s resources toward strategies that achieve our mission.The coastal ecosystems-focused Senior Director will provide support for Coastal Quest’s work to achieve our two goals – 1) build multi-benefit solutions for healthy and resilient coasts and 2) increase coastal resiliency for vulnerable communities and economies. The Director will support projects focused on building community-driven, resilient coastal ecosystems and nature-based solutions. The Sr. Director will lead and deliver on work – in coordination with the Coastal Quest team and our partners – to strengthen capacity and enhance coastal management for people, nature, and climate. The Sr. Director will lead and support the Organization as we grow and build innovative programs that tell compelling stories and enhance our impact in the coastal and climate space. This role involves overseeing and implementing existing projects and working with the Coastal Quest team and partners to grow additional projects to achieve our goals. The role involves being a representative for Coastal Quest, as well as overseeing and working on a wide range of projects and programs for the organization. The Senior Director will need excellent time management skills and the ability to manage multiple workstreams simultaneously. Although this position works on cross-cutting coastal issues, expertise in sea level rise adaptation, water quality, restoration and management, blue carbon, as well as eDNA and other cutting-edge solutions is beneficial.The Senior Director has outstanding leadership and development skills and the desire to help grow our team. They flourish in a collaborative, solutions-oriented, and nimble working environment and thrive in a position with a wide variety of partners, clients, projects, and job responsibilities. The new Senior Director will be a politically astute partner who can bring in public financing and a philanthropic organizer who is excited by the opportunity to leverage the power of public financing and philanthropy in support of diverse, high-impact partners on the ground.Main duties include, but are not limited to: Providing strategy, vision, and leadership to the next-level build of a strategic partnerships function for Coastal Quest; collaborating with the Executive Director to create and implement a multi-year public financing and philanthropy strategy; developing close collaborative partnerships with ally organizations; centering equity, nature-based solutions, and coastal resilience; and programmatic partnership, stewardship, and implementation across California, the Pacific, and beyond, including initiatives such as the Intertidal Marine DNA Library, State Parks sea level rise adaptation, and the Orange County Climate Resilience Partnership.Qualifications:Strategic Vision and Core Knowledge: Broad knowledge of the public financing and philanthropy field; ability to track trends in environmental and climate change philanthropy; proven thought leadership; track record designing initiatives and funding strategies for 501(c)(3) programs; demonstrated passion for justice and equity.Programmatic Partner and Implementation Work: Track record of building and maintaining strategic partnerships; strong convening and facilitation skills; superb communication and external relations; oversight of scoping, work planning, budgeting; manage programs and projects on time and within budget; QA/QC of deliverables.Management and Team Leadership: Experience mentoring and leading multi-disciplinary teams; fostering a culture of transparency, accountability, and integrity; contract and grant management; coordination with the Director of Finance and Grant Administration; commitment to DEIB.Additional Qualifications: Ability to produce products through collaborative processes; strong written and oral communication; Microsoft Office proficiency; excellent project management including federal/state grants; winning and overseeing multi-million-dollar grant proposals; independent judgment; self-starter; experience with diverse audiences; discretion and confidentiality; strong commitment to Coastal Quest’s mission.Knowledge and Experience: Interdisciplinary training (natural/social science, resource conservation/management, communications, and/or policy). PhD or MS/MBA with at least 10–12+ years relevant experience; 15+ years’ related professional experience or equivalent; experience managing complex projects and timelines; consulting experience strongly preferred; managing public grants; managing grant-making and capacity-building programs; financial systems experience; leading a growing programmatic team; setting up QA/QC systems and evaluating impact; running/facilitating meetings; research and synthesis; partnership development; writing winning proposals and impact reporting; analytical thinking and problem-solving; multi-lingual/multi-cultural experience appreciated.Application Instructions: Please submit in one (1) PDF to info@coastal-quest.org: 1-page cover letter and resume; 1 writing sample; 3 references. Please write your subject line as “Coastal Ecosystem Senior Director”.Salary: $129,000–$160,000 depending on qualifications and experience, no relocation package.Benefits: Competitive package, including health, eye, dental, 401k, paid time off, holidays and sick leave.Date Review: We will start reviewing applications on November 22nd, 2024.Location: Headquarters in Oakland, CA.