Chief Program Officer, DarkSky International

POSITION OVERVIEW AND RESPONSIBILITIES

The Chief Program Officer leads DarkSky’s program team and owns the strategy, quality, and financial performance of its programs. This is a senior leadership role that reports to the Chief Executive Officer and partners closely with the Chief Development Officer and the rest of the leadership team.

DarkSky’s programs serve to enhance the mission, driving conservation outcomes across the globe. The organization develops policy, certifies products, places, and lighting applications, and educates about naturally dark landscapes and outdoor lighting. Programs support mission outcomes and can be an important driver of revenue for the organization. The Chief Program Officer will ensure these programs run well, grow over time, and remain true to DarkSky’s principles. After they settle into the role, they will be expected to identify new opportunities, lead several regional expansion efforts, and help guide DarkSky further into the conservation space.

The role also carries a clear leadership mandate. The program team is passionate about its work and is ready for steady and supportive leadership that will nurture a collaborative culture. The right person listens closely, sets boundaries with respect, and keeps the whole organization in view.

Program Strategy and Quality

• Set the direction for DarkSky’s programs and ensure each one is designed, staffed, and administered to deliver real conservation impact.
• Strengthen the certification programs, including International Dark Sky Places, DarkSky Approved lighting products and projects, and accredited lighting professionals, so they run efficiently and maintain high standards.
• Proactively analyze the marketplace to recognize opportunities to further protect dark places before they are lost.
• Apply systems-level thinking to program design, backing efforts that build efficient, automated workflows and can scale, while weighing new opportunities with discipline.
• Exercise clear authority over program decisions, in consultation with the Chief Executive Officer and other leaders as needed.
• Champion the program staff and their expertise across the organization, trust the people doing the work, and lead without micromanaging.

Technical and Communications Leadership

• Ensure technical expertise is incorporated into a diverse portfolio of lighting programs, and keep their requirements aligned and consistent.
• Working with the team and technical colleagues, write and communicate about technical elements clearly to lay audiences across the channels that carry DarkSky’s standards, from website content to program guidance.
• Sharpen DarkSky’s evaluation of certification applications while keeping the process simple and scientifically sound.
• Work comfortably with scientific, academic, and statistical data, and use it to set the baseline for program standards.

Regional Expansion

• Lead DarkSky’s regional staff to drive business development for programs in their areas, working hand in hand with the Chief Development Officer, the program team, and partners across the world.
• Grow program lines with regional reach in step with DarkSky’s advocacy work.
• Build the partnerships and national governance that let programs scale beyond any single region.

Partnerships and Field Leadership

• Identify and win the allies DarkSky needs to expand, from land trusts and conservation groups to industries and governments.
• Pursue high-value certifications that advance the mission, such as certifying major conservation lands held by partner organizations.
• Represent DarkSky’s programs in the field, including speaking at gatherings (e.g., Land Trust Alliance events and relevant local and international conferences).
• Keep DarkSky centered on ground-based light pollution while staying alert to emerging issues such as satellite constellations.

Team Leadership and Culture

• Provide steady, supportive leadership to a passionate program team, empowering staff and nurturing a collaborative culture of continuous learning and psychological safety.
• Coach and mentor staff, make the call when a decision is needed, and give direct reports what they need to do their best work.
• Live DarkSky’s team culture: do less, better; make it safe to speak up and to fail; handle disagreement with respect; keep promises; and lift colleagues up.
• Stay flexible as priorities shift and help the team pivot when plans change without losing momentum or morale.

---

Expirationdate

2027-01-14 00:00:00

Url

https://impactopportunity.org/job/9529/chief-program-officer-darksky-international/

Remote

yes

Salaryfrom

138000

Salaryto

161000

Companydescription

Potrero Group supports innovative leaders and organizations making a difference in the world with strategic planning, facilitation, organizational development, and board and executive search services. We are committed to equitable and inclusive practices in all of our work.

Companywebsite

https://potrerogroup.com

Companylocation

Santa Rosa, CA, USA