senior policy analyst

intern

program director

regulatory affairs specialist

associate

Defenders of Wildlife

I've worked at Defenders for some time now, and I've been really disappointed with how little the company's leadership has taken accountability for company culture issues. It seems management is willing to blame everyone else but look inward despite staff and consultants repeatedly pointing out issues of equity, poor benefits, toxic culture, etc. 

Though many of the staff members are incredible and do good work to fulfill their mission to help endangered species, I would not encourage anyone to work here. Nor would I encourage people to donate to the organization under the current leadership. 

I've been thoroughly disgusted by seeing the new Form 990s online and realizing how much money goes to leadership and to the CEO while Defenders posts jobs on Indeed (like the mail clerk position), for barely above minimum wage. It is unethical for an organization to pay so little to its employees that they cannot support themselves in DC, when they have also required the person who previously held that position to come to work during periods of high transmission for covid since August. And regardless, imagine the complete and utter lack of empathy and financial insulation from the impacts of inflation that Defenders leadership must have to create positions that pay so little and expect so much. 


What is the best part of working at the company?
Employment of CITES and the MMPA.
I like bussing furrers and fur permiters.

What is the most stressful part about working at the company?
Waiting for seizure.   Sometimes it takes forever for someone to pay attention.  Althoughcourts are usually responsive to pelt charges 

What is the work environment and culture like at the company?
Disparate .  The people I worked with are largely at different agencies, and some of this work is covert 

What is a typical day like for you at the company?
I look up the perpetrators address to see if they still have employment from a central company.  Then I assess the type of accusations the court should make, and see if there are bonds that require the perpetrators to be imprisoned.  I go some distances to find if there is any activity associated with the residency

The most common phrase at Defenders of Wildlife is "That's not my job." 

My position was very limited and my direct supervisor was not encouraging or supportive. I did not feel as though it was a creative and team oriented unit. Goals were simply expected to be met. Often times with no explanation of process, goals, results. Made me question ethics...

HR team does amazingly considering how cold hearted most of the management is there. So many inappropriate interactions and boundaries crossed regarding policy, communication and being fairly treated in comparison to others within the same circumstance. Management needs training in sensitivity and effective management.

I really enjoy coming to work everyday. The workload is high, but manageable. My manager listens to my suggestions and requests and responds in a supportive way, even if it's a bit outside the box. Creativity and dedication are supported in my department. 

The dress code is business casual, and people are very collegiate. There is a lot of energy and ideas coming from the team members here. 

On the whole, I'm glad I found a place with other people dedicated to conservation, smart policy, and animal puns.

What is the best part of working at the company?
The organization is a family of like minded people who are dedicated to wildlife conservation 

What is the most stressful part about working at the company?
Deciding if I should leave (I should have stayed))

What is the work environment and culture like at the company?
Collegial and friendly 

What is a typical day like for you at the company?
Busy hey fun..at the end of the day you know you were part of something good.

Read the reviews on other sites before you apply for a job here. Those reviews aren't an exaggeration or written by bitter staff. Leadership is abusive to staff and incompetent. The organization's funding continues to falter. On the plus side, many of the colleagues are generally wonderful people who care very much about wildlife and conservation.

Although it's probably because the conservation space is somewhat of a privileged area to work in, the company suffered from a lack of diversity. Everyone was super kind and supportive, but I just wish I could've seen more diversity. 

The mission of this organization carries through every position. You know that what you are doing has an impact on the important work of saving wildlife and protecting the environment.

This was one of the best experiences I've ever had with a 503 C4. It was very long hours with a lot of responsibility, but I really loved the people and the end result of the campaign.

Defenders of Wildlife is a generally a supportive place to work, especially if you're starting out in an entry level position, but opportunities for advancement are very limited.

Top Job Titles	Average Salary
Senior policy analyst 2 salaries reported	$110,500 per year
Intern 6 salaries reported	$20.00 per hour
Program director 4 salaries reported	$130,000 per year
Regulatory affairs specialist 1 salary reported	$49,500 per year
Associate 2 salaries reported	$54,500 per year

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