Deputy Director

Job Title: Deputy Director

Location: Austin, Texas (Hybrid possible)

Reports To: Executive Director

Supervises: Director of Communications, Outreach & Education Team, Contract Bookkeeper

Salary: $105,000–$130,000, commensurate with experience and skill set

Benefits: Health insurance, paid time off, retirement contributions, and flexible/hybrid scheduling

Position Summary

The Deputy Director is a critical senior leader at Save Our Springs Alliance (SOS), responsible for evolving and elevating internal operations, strengthening fundraising and communications infrastructure, expanding outreach and partnerships, and ensuring aligned, effective organizational leadership. Working closely with the Executive Director (ED), this role serves as a trusted thought partner and operational leader, helping develop and translate vision into executable strategies and systems. As SOS transitions from a founder-led model to a professionally managed structure, the Deputy Director will help stabilize, structure, and scale the organization’s impact. The ideal candidate is a systems thinker with a collaborative, people-centered leadership style and a deep commitment to environmental protection, community engagement, and organizational excellence.

Key Responsibilities

Organizational Leadership & Strategic Execution

• Partner with the ED on internal decision-making, priority-setting, and organizational management.
• Lead the execution of strategic initiatives across teams, ensuring coordination, accountability, and progress tracking.
• Build and refine systems and workflows to support operational clarity, long-term sustainability, and cross-functional integration.
• Foster a culture rooted in transparency, learning, inclusion, and shared leadership.

Operational, Administrative & Financial Management

• Oversee day-to-day administrative functions, including HR, finance, compliance, and vendor/contractor management.
• Supervise the organization’s $1M+ budget, ensuring financial integrity, timely reporting, and audit readiness.
• Manage the contract bookkeeper and ensure alignment with best practices in nonprofit accounting.
• Maintain and update internal policies, employee handbooks, cybersecurity protocols, and risk mitigation procedures.
• Identify and implement cost-effective operational improvements aligned with mission impact.

Staff Management & Team Culture

• Supervise the Director of Communications and the Outreach & Education staff, providing coaching, accountability, and leadership development.
• Lead hiring, onboarding, supervision, and performance management for assigned staff and contractors.
• Promote a collaborative, values-aligned team culture with clear expectations and communication practices.
• Organize internal meetings, retreats, and ongoing professional development activities.

Fundraising Strategy, Infrastructure & Support

• Collaborate with the ED to co-create and implement a comprehensive fundraising strategy rooted in organizational strengths and mission, to scale organization to $2+M in the coming years.
• Strengthen infrastructure to support development functions, including donor management systems, gift processing, acknowledgments, and grant tracking.
• Lead and delegate fundraising campaigns, proposals, and special events, ensuring professional execution and strategic donor engagement.
• Support the communications team in aligning storytelling, fundraising appeals, and donor engagement efforts.

Communications & Public Engagement

• Oversee organizational communications strategy and execution in partnership with the Director of Communications.
• Ensure alignment across communications, advocacy, fundraising, and outreach efforts to maximize impact and visibility.
• Represent SOS publicly at events, meetings, and donor/stakeholder engagements as needed.

Outreach & Education

• Provide strategic oversight of community education, public engagement, and outreach initiatives, including the development, execution, and evaluation of programs that advance SOS’s mission and connect diverse communities to environmental protection.
• Supervise outreach/education staff in delivering programs that are accessible, inclusive, and impactful.
• Strengthen community partnerships and represent SOS in regional coalitions or initiatives that amplify collective advocacy for water quality protection.

Qualifications

Required:

• Minimum 7 years of nonprofit leadership experience, including managing teams, programs, and budgets.
• Demonstrated expertise in organizational operations, systems building, and team management.
• Strong leadership, interpersonal, and communication skills rooted in equity and accountability.
• Experience with fundraising operations, donor engagement, or grant management in organizations of $1M+.
• Passion for water protection, environmental justice, or community-based advocacy.

Preferred:

• Experience in a founder-led, transitioning, or growth-stage nonprofit.
• Familiarity with environmental or legal advocacy organizations.
• Working knowledge of nonprofit systems such as CRM platforms (e.g., Salesforce), QuickBooks, or similar tools.

Education:

• Bachelor’s degree required; Master’s degree (or coursework) in Public Administration, Nonprofit Management, Environmental Studies, or a related field preferred.

Compensation & Benefits

• Salary: $105,000–$130,000, commensurate with experience
• Benefits: Health insurance, paid time off, employer retirement contributions, and flexible/hybrid work schedule (Austin-based office)

To Apply

• Complete online application, which includes providing a current resume and answering a few short answer questions on role readiness
• Candidates will be screened on a rolling basis, anticipated start date is in fall 2025