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Resilience Director
Coastal Quest
Full-time
Oakland, CA, USA
USD 95k-135k / year
Posted on Dec 8, 2025
Organization: Coastal Quest
Position Type: Full-time
Location: Headquarters in Oakland, CA
Organization 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 facilitate public-private partnerships. We are purposefully nimble, designed to solve multifaceted and complex coastal issues. We are here to achieve resilience goals, reduce threats, and implement solutions.
Essential Functions:
The Resilience Director (herein Director) will provide leadership and support for Coastal Quest’s work to increase resiliency for vulnerable coastal communities and economies. The Director will support, lead, and deliver work – in coordination with the Coastal Quest team and partners – to strengthen capacity and enhance resilience and adaptation for people, nature, and climate. The Director will work on a wide range of projects and programs for the organization and will need excellent project management and time management skills, technical writing skills, and the ability to manage multiple complex workstreams simultaneously, while working with diverse stakeholders to accomplish shared goals. Although this position works on cross-cutting coastal community issues, expertise in climate resilience working on multi-hazard solutions, including but not limited to nature-based solutions, green-grey hybrid infrastructure projects, renewable energy transition, air and water quality, wildfire management, resilience hubs, sea-level rise adaptation and implementation topics; funding and sustainable financing, economics, and policy expertise is strongly preferred. The Director will support efforts in the Bay Area and across California, working with local jurisdictions and communities to accelerate solutions and help get resources on the ground. The Director will work with communities in need of environment and climate justice and community-based organizations experiencing climate hazards and risk, as well as public agencies, jurisdictions, tribes, non-profits, and private funders, and should have strong demonstrated experience serving and collaborating with diverse stakeholders. The Director will be responsible for coordinating and leading complex multi-sectoral teams through technical grant writing, budget development, packaging of grant proposals, performing grant related pre- and post-award functions; ensuring compliance with grant regulations; working with staff and partners on grant deliverables, regulations, and policies; managing grant and contract databases; serving as the primary point of contact for grant budgets and budget modifications; managing grant implementation; managing contracting and financial monitoring of sub-awards. At least 70% of the time will be spent providing high-touch technical expertise, specifically supporting technical grant writing, complex project development, and project implementation for Coastal Quest and partners. The main duties of the Director will be, but are not limited to, the activities outlined below.
Primary Responsibilities:
- Provide subject matter expertise and project ideation support for complex climate resilience and adaptation projects to drive successful technical grant proposals and coordinate successful cross-sector partnerships across cities, counties, tribes, public agencies, non-profits, community-based organizations, and communities in need of environment and climate justice.
- Write technical grant proposals on behalf of public and non-profit partners, drive budget development, coordinate multiple simultaneous proposals, package and submit grant proposals, and perform post-award agreement functions.
- Develop workplans and guide and manage multiple grant proposals, projects and workstreams with the ability to work independently, set deadlines for team and partners, manage relationships with care, and ensure personal accountability.
- Ensure programmatic commitments, policies and procedures; financial standards and legal requirements are met and managed.
- Provide fundraising, program, and administrative technical assistance and capacity building support for a wide range of partners and fiscally sponsored projects.
Qualifications:
- Strong organizational skills and attention to detail.
- Strong facilitation skills, conflict management skills, and experience and comfort working with and bringing together diverse stakeholders.
- Strong demonstrated project management and contract management skills. Experience winning and managing large public grants.
- Excellent verbal and written communication skills and demonstrated partnership-building skills.
- Strong demonstrated experience leading complex projects and diverse partners through project development.
- Proven track record of leading coordination of and writing winning grant proposals, putting together workplans, managing multiple workstreams, delivering programs, and reporting. Subject matter expertise in climate resilience topics and sectors (e.g. ecosystems, built environment, air and water quality, disaster resilience, wildfire management, etc.)
- Strong experience with drafting contracts and grant agreements and management.
- Excellent written and oral communication skills and a working knowledge of all Microsoft Office programs, including Word, PowerPoint, and basic statistical functions in Excel.
- The ability to be a self-starter who assumes hands-on responsibility, balances competing priorities and deadlines, and demonstrates sound judgment and good problem-solving skills.
- Possession of an analytical, strategic, and creative approach to problem-solving.
- Ability to produce products in a timely fashion through collaborative processes.
- Demonstrated experience helping teams organize, track, and manage work through work planning.
- Experience in manipulating, analyzing, and interpreting financial data.
Knowledge and Experience:
- Interdisciplinary training in natural and social science, resource conservation and management, and/or policy. PhD with at least 7 years of relevant experience or Masters/MBA with at least 10 years of relevant experience.
- Critical analytical thinking experience, including quantitative and analytical skills, problem-solving, and adaptability. Significant area of expertise established related to Coastal Quest programs and strategies.
- Experience in managing complex projects or multiple projects and timelines, including workloads, contracts, budgets, and finances under deadlines.
- Experience with running and facilitating meetings.
- Experience researching, critically analyzing, and evaluating information from divergent sources and compiling it into cohesive reports and recommendations for strategy and action.
- Experience in partnership development with Tribal nations, business, nonprofit partners, community groups, and/or government agencies.
- Demonstrated experience writing winning proposals and reporting on impact.
- Applicable experience with grants and contract management.
- Experience using accounting and financial reporting systems.
- Experience with government regulations related to grants and contracts.
- Experience, coursework, or other training with U.S. Federal Uniform Guidance, state and local regulations, and standard contract clauses.
- Multi-lingual skills and multi-cultural or cross-cultural experiences are appreciated.
Application Instructions:
Please submit a resume along with the following in 1 pdf to info@coastal-quest.org:
- 1 page cover letter and resume
- 1 writing sample
- 3 references
Salary: $95,000-$135,000 depending on qualifications and experience Benefits: Competitive package, including health, eye, dental, 401k, paid time off, holidays and sick leave Closing Date: Open until filled and start reviewing resumes December 10th, 2025 Location: Headquarters in Oakland, CA in-person office hours expected in 2026 with regular travel across San Francisco Bay Area.
Coastal Quest is fully committed to attracting, retaining, developing and promoting the most qualified employees without regard to their race, gender, color, religion, sexual orientation, national origin, age, physical or mental disability, citizenship status, veteran status, or any other characteristic prohibited by state or local law. We are dedicated to providing a work environment free from discrimination and harassment and where employees are treated with respect and dignity.
Coastal Quest is an equal opportunity employer.