Chief Financial Officer

Position Specification Chief Financial Officer Position Specification – Chief Financial Officer Page 2 Organization Santa Catalina Island is one of eight islands off the coast of southern California. Located 22 miles from Long Beach and a highly visible part of ocean views between Los Angeles and Orange County, Catalina Island has long been an enticing destination to both mainland visitors and residents—especially boaters, since line-of-sight navigation is possible and the relative proximity makes for a pleasant excursion by sail or power. As the third largest landmass in the Channel Islands group, Catalina supports a complex Mediterranean ecosystem that is home to more than 60 plant, animal, and insect species that are found nowhere else in the world. The one-hour shuttle distance and careful husbanding of resources and character have combined to produce an unspoiled destination a world apart from the commercialism and pace of everyday life across the channel. The beauty of Catalina can be enjoyed individually by foot, bike, or kayak and in groups by bus or boat. Cars are comparatively rare and their availability is restricted. Every year, more than a million people visit the island, including more than 60,000 youth campers, and approximately 4,000 are resident year-round, most living in the town of Avalon or the village of Two Harbors. Avalon, the island's primary settlement, features a full range of land and water tours, charming shops, quaint lodging, and a variety of historical and botanical landmarks related to the island's Wrigley and Hollywood heritage. The Catalina Island Conservancy (the Conservancy), an independent 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, was formed in 1972 to protect and restore the natural and cultural resources of Santa Catalina Island and to make them available for public recreation, education, and enjoyment. As such, the Conservancy is one of the oldest private land trusts in the region. The Conservancy protects 88% of the island, including more than 42,000 acres and 62 miles of beaches and coves that represent the longest publicly accessible stretch of undeveloped coastline in southern California. The Conservancy's mission is to be a responsible steward of its lands through a balance of conservation, education, and recreation. The organization takes this balance as both an obligation and an opportunity—its science, restoration, education, and outreach activities can and do serve as a model for the conservation of protected lands worldwide. Following an ambitious Master Plan in 2011, the Conservancy is currently conducting targeted, updated strategic planning to guide their efforts into the next decade; their Conservation Strategic Plan was approved in April 2021, planning for education efforts will be ratified in the fall, and the Recreation Strategic Plan will likely be finalized in spring of 2022. Conservation The Conservancy is a leader in conservation programs that protect and restore endangered species and threatened habitats. While many conservation organizations may exclude people from wild lands as a protection strategy, the Catalina Island Conservancy actively encourages the public to explore, hike, bike, and camp in the island’s beautiful interior. By promoting public access to the wonders of wild Catalina, the Conservancy generates greater understanding, appreciation, and support for its conservation mission. In 2019, more than 225,000 people visited the Conservancy’s public facilities. Position Specification – Chief Financial Officer Page 3 Just a few examples of Catalina Island Conservancy conservation projects include the recovery of the Catalina Island fox; invasive plant removal, whereby volunteers spent more than 5,600 hours in the field in just one year; fire recovery; and support of the island’s magnificent bald eagles. As a “living laboratory,” Catalina Island and the restoration work of the Conservancy represent one of the largest, most diverse landscape-level scientific experiments being conducted in community-based conservation in the nation. Education The Catalina Island Conservancy’s Education Department serves Catalina’s visitors, businesses, families, students, and the community at large. Its aim is to enrich the Catalina experience for all who visit or live there by teaching about the uniqueness of the island's ecosystem. It conducts educational outreach through two nature centers, a visitor center, its Wrigley Memorial & Botanic Garden, and guided experiences in the island’s rugged interior. In 2019, nearly 150,000 people visited the Trailhead Visitor Center, more than 49,000 guests enjoyed the Wrigley Memorial & Botanic Garden, in excess of 28,000 visited the Nature Center at Avalon Canyon, Eco Tours were given to over 9,000 people, and 790 citizen scientists were trained as naturalists. The Conservancy delivers nature-based engagement and experiential learning through formal, classroom lessons and non-formal outdoor experiences, endeavoring to prepare students of all ages to be future stewards of the island and the world. In 2019 alone, the education team interacted with more than 9,500 visitors and locals—and spent nearly 7,500 hours teaching through the NatureWorks program. Reaching all Avalon school children, the Conservancy creates opportunities for them to engage with the natural wonders of Catalina, providing accurate information and captivating nature-based experiences through NatureWorks programming, which includes after-school programs, enrichment programs, and classroom and field-based learning (also offered to mainland students in the ABC Unified School District). Adults are taught to become informed guardians and interpreters through the Naturalist Training Program and Summer Naturalist Program, and children aged eight to fifteen can participate in the gratis Jr. Naturalist Course. The island’s natural history is further explained on the last Friday of every month in the free Last Friday Lecture Series. The Island Ecology Travel Program even makes expeditions that allow participants to learn from other islands. For those unable to visit Catalina, Learning at Home programs and Science Stories make the wonder of the island available to people in any location. The Education Department also serves as a conduit between the Conservancy’s other departments and the public. Key Conservancy concepts are embedded into all education programs, with the overarching goals of providing memorable island experiences, enhancing ecoliteracy and providing meaningful connections to its audience and the Conservancy at a social scale. Position Specification – Chief Financial Officer Page 4 Recreation The Catalina Island Conservancy is unique among land trusts in the scope and diversity of its operations, ranging from highly regarded conservation and education programs to operating an airport, an extensive road and trail system, numerous public and staff buildings, a botanic garden, and diverse recreational events and programs. Catalina is a paradise for those who love the outdoors and offers incredible boating; biking; camping that ranges from campsites, boat- in campsites, and the independently operated island camps; hiking, including the 38.5-mile Trans-Catalina Trail and guided hikes in the summer; responsibly managed hunting and fishing; and naturalist-led Eco Tours that make the island’s landscape and historic sites accessible. In addition to visiting the Botanic Garden, plant lovers will relish the diversity of wildflowers on the island and can even bring some of Catalina home with them through the Ackerman Native Plant Nursery. During normal operations, those interested in using their time off to make a difference can participate in the Conservancy’s Volunteer Vacations program and the fast-footed can participate in races. The Conservancy owns and operates Catalina's Airport in the Sky, where you can visit the Nature Center at the Airport in the Sky; maintains the island's interior roads and trail system; runs the Wildlands Express Service; and provides a Ranger service to assist visitors and assure the security of Conservancy property. Conservancy Partners Key Conservancy partners on the island include the Santa Catalina Island Company (SCICO) and the University of Southern California’s (USC) Wrigley Institute for Environmental Studies. SCICO manages the commercially developable portion of the island to ensure that it retains its distinctive character while accommodating resident and visitor needs, all in close cooperation with the efforts and direction of the Conservancy. The University of Southern California, a key stakeholder in the Santa Catalina Island Company, operates the Wrigley Institute for Environmental Studies at the island's isthmus and is the primary educational institution associated with Catalina. Ties to Los Angeles County's Department of Parks and Recreation through an open space easement agreement over the Conservancy’s property involve consultation and collaboration on programs that affect public interaction with the lands under management. For more information about the Catalina Island Conservancy, please visit: www.catalinaconservancy.org or read more in their most recent annual report. Location The Chief Financial Officer (CFO) will be based primarily in the Conservancy’s Long Beach, California, offices. Regular travel to Catalina Island will be required, with occasional overnight stays. Position Specification – Chief Financial Officer Page 5 Position Concept and Key Relationships The Catalina Island Conservancy seeks a results-oriented Chief

Load more