ATREE USA was established in 1996 to foster collaboration among US-based organizations and institutions in the Global South in the field of Sustainability Science. An independent, registered 501c3 non-profit organization, ATREE USA (www.atreeusa.org) promotes and supports the various programs and initiatives of the Ashoka Trust for Research in Ecology and the Environment (ATREE), India.

ATREE is a globally recognized non-profit organization focused on environmental conservation and sustainable, socially just development. Over the past 25+ years, ATREE (www.atree.org) has established itself as a premier institution working on critical challenges and opportunities in environmental conservation and sustainable development. It was consistently ranked among the top 20 environmental think tanks worldwide by the University of Pennsylvania and selected as one of the world’s 40 most innovative changemakers focused on environmental sustainability at the Stanford Sustainability Summit, 2024. Dr. Kamal Bawa, the founder of ATREE, received the prestigious Dr. M.S. Swaminathan Award for Leadership in Agriculture in 2023. 

ATREE-USA, which is based in Boston, is searching for its first Executive Director (ED) based on a decision by its board of directors. 

Reporting to the Board of Directors, the Executive Director (ED) will work closely with ATREE’s iconic founder to manage ATREE USA’s essential efforts to mobilize human and financial resources for ATREE’s work in India and to elevate ATREE’s brand in the critical U.S. market. The ED will be expected to become familiar with ATREE’s team and field operations in India through frequent interactions, collaborations, and visits. A major focus on the role will be interacting with major donors in the U.S. and staffing Dr. Bawa so that his own contacts with supporters are high-quality, action-oriented, and properly documented. Significant travel will be required. Over time, the ED will gradually assume many of the leadership roles now filled by Dr. Bawa as the organization enters an exciting new era in providing leadership to the environmental movement in India and beyond.

Key Responsibilities

Leadership & Management:

• Ensure ongoing organizational excellence, rigorous results tracking, and a consistently high quality of finance and administration, fundraising, communications, and systems; recommend timelines and resources needed to achieve ATREE USA annual and strategic goals and work with other leaders to achieve them.
• Actively engage and energize ATREE USA volunteers, board members, event committees, partnering organizations, and funders.
• Coordinate the work of ATREE USA’s consultants, key volunteers, funders, and board of directors with ATREE’s team in India, and over time build a small staff in the U.S. to ensure professionalism and sustained growth. 
• Develop, maintain, and support a growing and strengthening Board of Directors and Advisory Board; serve as an ex-officio member of each board committee; plan board meetings with input for all key parties; gradually expand the board consistent with an agreed-upon growth strategy; and seek and build board involvement with strategic direction for national expansion with an emphasis on key markets.

Fundraising & Communications:

• Expand revenue generating and fundraising activities to support program operations through identifying, cultivating, soliciting and stewarding donors and supporting board members in their donors engagement work.
• Plan, manage, execute and follow up on donor-cultivation and brand-building events.
• Represent the organization at conferences, seminars, symposia, and other convening related to philanthropy, India, conservation and climate change. 
• Deepen and refine all aspects of communications, from web presence to external relations and retail fundraising, with the goal of creating a stronger brand.
• Use external presence and relationships to garner new opportunities.

Operations and Compliance:

• Ensure compliance with all applicable local, state and federal laws and the timely submission of the organization’s tax return and maintenance of its status as 501c3 public charity. 
• Manage and ensure continuous improvement of organizational systems including embracing emerging technologies for the organization’s benefit. 
• Ensure protection of the organization’s assets, including through periodic updates of its cyber-security policy and privacy policy. 
• Manage third party credentialing and ratings for the organization to ensure the confidence of stakeholders. 

Qualifications:

The ED must be thoroughly committed to ATREE USA’s mission. All candidates should have proven leadership, coaching, and relationship management experience. The ideal candidate would have the following qualifications and qualities:

• A college degree (an advanced degree is preferred), with at least 5 years of relevant professional experience with a proven ability to advance relationships with funders and secure funding.
• Excellence in organizational management with the ability to coach staff, manage, and develop high-performance teams, set and achieve strategic objectives, and manage a budget.
• Past success working with a Board of Directors with the ability to cultivate relationships with existing board members while gradually recruiting and onboarding new members and shaping a healthy board culture.
• Strong marketing, public relations, and fundraising experience with the ability to successfully engage a wide range of stakeholders, especially high net worth individuals.
• Experience working in environmental conservation and sustainable, socially just development.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills in English (with knowledge of any Indian language being a plus); a persuasive and passionate communicator with excellent interpersonal and multidisciplinary project skills.
• Action-oriented, entrepreneurial, adaptable, and innovative approach to business planning.
• Ability to work effectively in collaboration with diverse groups of people and cultures.
• Passion, idealism, integrity, positive attitude, mission-driven, comfort with ambiguity, and self-directed.

Location: This is a remote position that can be based in any of several major metropolitan areas in the United States. Candidates who can be based in or relocate to the Boston, New York, or San Francisco metro areas are especially encouraged to apply. The position will require in-person attendance at donor events or conferences and will be expected to travel extensively. Candidates must be legally permitted to work in the United States. 

ATREE USA values multiple perspectives and viewpoints from diverse constituencies because we recognize that diversity informs more effective solutions. ATREE USA is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to creating a diverse and inclusive company culture, and does not discriminate against candidates and employees because of their disability, sex, race, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, national origin, age, veteran status, or any other protected status under the law. 

Please submit a resume and cover letter regarding your interest in the position to AMC Consulting which is leading the search at: atreeusaedsearch@gmail.com. The salary range is competitive for an organization of ATREE USA’s size, and will be commensurate with the experience and capabilities of the selected candidate.