Associate/Assistant Director

Position Description 

Upper Savannah Land Trust (USLT) seeks an Associate or Assistant Director to expand its capacity and leadership in land conservation.  The western Piedmont of South Carolina is a stronghold of rural working lands, critical watersheds, unique habitats, and compelling history.  Since 2000, USLT has been working with private landowners to protect the rural character of an eight-county area.  Development pressure and property value, driven by the neighboring metropolitan areas of Greenville/Spartanburg, Columbia, and North Augusta, increasingly threaten the rural, natural, and historic character of our operating area. Accredited since 2018, USLT successfully renewed its status with the Land Trust Accreditation Commission in 2023 and seeks an experienced practitioner of conservation easements to better meet the demand for additional protection, and better steward the 56,000 acres of conservation easement lands already in its portfolio.  Over its 23-year history, the USLT organization has evolved from all-volunteer and Board-operated, to part-time contract-staff, consisting of an experienced Executive Director (ED) with occasional administrative, accounting, and legal support, now adding a full-time employee with this new position.  USLT’s long-term stewardship fund recently surpassed the $1 million mark and is a testament to strong community support and commitment to financial sustainability.

Position Summary:

Reporting to and assisting the ED, the Associate or Assistant Director will be expected to take a significant and relatively independent role in one or more aspects of Land Trust operations, depending on expertise and experience.  These could include (but are not limited to) landowner outreach and negotiation, easement monitoring and stewardship, technical and administrative support including management of databases and documents, document development and report-writing, donor outreach and fundraising, marketing and communications, or event planning.  A successful applicant at the Associate Director level would also take on significant external and leadership responsibilities, with the ability to step into many of the ED’s current roles as appropriate.

The successful applicant will partner closely with both Executive Director and Board to develop and manage the growth of the Upper Savannah Land Trust and its strategic response to an ever-increasing demand for the organization’s services. Specific duties and responsibilities listed below can be tailored to take maximum advantage of individual skill sets and to complement those of the ED and Board.

Duties and Responsibilities:

1. Program Leadership

• Advise and assist in structuring workflow and leading teams (staff, board, and committees) to deliver outstanding work products, consistent with accreditation standards, in a timely manner.
• Advance our thinking around specific topics and emerging practice, including technology.
• Share responsibility for informing, reporting, and communicating with Board, and membership.
• Share responsibility to represent USLT in conferences, professional associations, and other public

2. Land Trust Operations.    

a.    Land Protection and Stewardship 

• As directed by the Executive Director, participate or take responsibility for landowner dialogue, field reconnaissance, preliminary easement drafting, baseline development, and document development associated with conservation easements. 
• Assist the Board’s Monitoring Committee and Volunteers in aligning monitoring schedule, techniques, and reporting with annual easement monitoring requirements and expectations for accreditation. 

b.   Organizational Support

• Support/assist ED and Board in budgeting and financial
• Help to identify best practices and improve internal systems with an emphasis on accreditation standards, future needs, and budget realities.
• Inform and support the selection and adoption of technology solutions for information storage and querying, document development/management, and field operations.
• Inform and support strategies for internal and external messaging around land protection progress, key accomplishments, events, fundraising, and public policy matters.

c.   Development Support 

• Assist the Executive Director and Board in developing and implementing fundraising and engagement strategies appropriate for USLT membership, supporters, and other donors.
• Assist the Executive Director and Financial Specialist tracking and managing donor engagement and acknowledgements.
• Assist the Executive Director and Board with planning and implementation of fundraising and/or outreach/education events.
• Assist in the identification, application, and management of public and private grants consistent with USLT’s mission.

3.  Additional Essential Duties

Despite its steady growth, Upper Savannah Land Trust remains a small, grassroots organization. As such, this position may require flexibility to assume additional duties as directed by the Executive Director to retain and advance the viability of the organization.

Desired Qualifications:

EXPERIENCE:

• Three or more years in a support or mid-level position at an accredited land trust (preferred), or other public, private or nonprofit organization with similar duties and responsibilities.
• Deep experience in at least one of the three Land Trust operational areas outlined above: Land Protection/Stewadship, Organizational Support, or Development Support, with some experience or familiarity with the other two.
• Applicants with experience in similar or adjacent roles that involve land conservation, land management, environmental protection, real estate law, or organizational development may also be considered if they can demonstrate the ability to bring valuable skills and perspectives to conservation easement work without significant or long-term supervision.

TECHNICAL:

• Some familiarity and experience with the natural resources of the southeastern U.S., whether in a scientific, educational, land management, or conservation role.
• Some familiarity and experience with software applications common to most professional workplaces, e.g. Microsoft Office. Database and/or GIS experience is a plus, but not essential.

INTERPERSONAL:

• Demonstrated ability to build and maintain relationships with a wide array of people from diverse backgrounds.
• Outstanding communication and interpersonal Proven ability to work with efficiency, flexibility, and good humor.
• Ability to exercise tact and diplomacy in organizational

WORK ETHIC

• Self-starter, self-disciplined person with spark, imagination, and
• Success in roles requiring execution of multiple tasks while responding to multiple
• Proven ability to remain focused in the face of pressure, delivering against timelines, and not intimidated by tasks or time limitations.

MOTIVATIONAL

• Passionate about the mission and impact of USLT.
• Comfort level with trade-offs between ecological protection and sustainable management of natural resources on working lands.