Chief Executive Officer

Chief Executive Officer

Conservation Lands Foundation 

Durango, CO or Remote

 

ABOUT THE CONSERVATION LANDS FOUNDATION

 

The Conservation Lands Foundation is a national nonprofit
organization headquartered in Durango, Colorado, with staff in
Northern and Southern California, Colorado, Idaho, Nevada, New
Mexico, Utah, and Washington, DC. 

Established in 2007, Conservation Lands Foundation was founded
on the belief that our public lands are best protected when a
national network of local advocates is working to advance a common
conservation vision. Conservation Lands Foundation works
hand-in-hand with more than 80 community-based organizations – its
 Friends
Grassroots Network – to protect the National
Conservation Lands, a collection of premier lands and waters
under the Bureau of Land Management (BLM)’s jurisdiction. National
Conservation Lands currently encompass 37 million acres and 2,400
miles of National Monuments and National Conservation Areas,
Wilderness and Wilderness Study Areas, Wild and Scenic Rivers, and
National Scenic and Historic Trails and are mostly found throughout
the West and Alaska. 

These 37 million acres comprise only 15% of the 250 million
acres managed by the Bureau of Land Management, the agency
responsible for the largest acreage of federally managed public
lands. Leaving 85% of them available for mining and
development. 

Conservation Land Foundation’s mission is to protect millions
more acres as National Conservation Lands to ensure a healthy and
prosperous future for all. Whether you’re an avid hiker, hunter,
angler, Indigenous with ancestral connections, or rarely visit
public lands, protecting these more vulnerable landscapes is
essential to wildlife, water sources, and ways of life. In addition
to working to ensure the public’s access to visit, hunt, fish,
hike, swim and otherwise recreate and experience the rejuvenating
qualities of being in nature, Conservation Lands Foundation works
to ensure smart renewable energy siting and protect lands from
development that would splinter intact landscapes and endanger
wildlife corridors and some of the most sacred cultural and
historic sites. 

The Conservation Lands Foundation mission is to
protect, restore, and expand the National Conservation Lands
through education, advocacy, and
partnerships.

There is no other nonprofit organization solely dedicated to
protecting and expanding America’s National Conservation Lands and
investing in a community-powered strategy to protect them, as well
as active partnerships with Indigenous-led conservation efforts.
With an annual operating budget of $8.5MM, Conservation Land
Foundation’s ability to be nimble, dynamic, and adaptive has made
it a leader in public land conservation.  

 

A sampling of highlights and accomplishments includes: 

Secured the protection of 15.5
million acres and more than 200 miles of public lands and waters
through their addition to the National Conservation Lands
system;
Added protections to 1.5 million
acres of land in 2023, which will improve air and water quality,
strengthen local economies, preserve sacred landscapes, and support
our overall health and well-being;
Drove a record level of public
support for the newly proposed Public Lands Rule, which puts
conservation on equal footing with other uses for the 250 million
acres managed by the BLM;
Won significant legal victories
against attacks on
Grand Staircase-Escalante and Bears Ears National Monuments and

Red Cliffs National Conservation Area in Utah;
Supported the vision and leadership
of sovereign Tribal nations and worked closely to develop
relationships and support Tribal coalition-building initiatives
with the Bears Ears National Monument and Avi Kwa Ame National
Monument designations;
Worked with community leaders, Tribal
nations, and members of Congress to advance
national monument campaigns and
legislative protections for valuable and vulnerable places in
Colorado, Oregon, California, Nevada, and New
Mexico;  
Launched a national public awareness
campaign to attract the next generation of National Conservation
Land caretakers, and; 
Granted more than $17 million since
Conservation Lands Foundation began grant-making in 2008 –
including almost $2 million in 2023 – for community-led advocacy,
restoration, and public engagement programs through its Friends
Grassroots Network. 

In the last year of the current presidency, Conservation Lands
Foundation is focused on ensuring the administration delivers on
its goal to protect 30% of U.S. land by 2030 and achieve
landscape-scale protections that will withstand future threats. As
potential changes and challenges lie ahead, the Conservation Lands
Foundation team knows that their intense focus and investment in
place-based community-powered advocacy will pay off.

The outcome of the 2024 elections will have a lasting impact on
conservation and climate policy. An administration and Congress
friendly to conservation would mean accelerating actions that
advance public lands conservation, while an administration and
Congress unfriendly to conservation will require the organization
to pivot to defense of the National Conservation Lands system as a
whole, the president’s use of the Antiquities Act, and policies
enacted over the past decades. 

To learn more about Conservation Lands Foundation, please visit:
https://www.conservationlands.org 

 

THE OPPORTUNITY

Conservation Lands Foundation is actively searching for a
dynamic Chief Executive Officer (CEO) to build upon significant
successes, ensure the continued achievement of impactful
conservation outcomes, and guide the organization through a phase
of opportunity and growth. 

 

This leadership position presents an extraordinary opportunity
to propel a well-established national nonprofit organization into
its next chapter of impact. The selected CEO will hold a pivotal
role in shaping Conservation Lands Foundation’s future and steering
its mission delivery to new heights. With oversight of a dedicated
and geographically dispersed team of 22 staff, including four
direct reports leading conservation efforts, philanthropy, finance
and operations, and communications, the CEO will report to a
diverse and engaged Board
of Trustees.

 

The next leader will be someone who brings meaningful and
credible experience in strategic leadership and vision setting,
fundraising, policy advocacy, organizational management, and
constituency building. A creative thinker with a strong aptitude
for change management, the CEO will be able to harmonize the need
to make effective and timely decisions while actively empowering
the work of the Board and staff, bringing emotional intelligence to
their interactions with an eye towards active listening, empathy,
and empowering others, both internally and externally.

 

Working with staff, the Board of Trustees, partners and other
stakeholders, the CEO will: 

 

Leadership and Organizational
Management 

Provide thoughtful and visionary
executive leadership that is inclusive, transparent, and
empowering, aligning with the organization’s mission as defined by
the Board of Trustees.
Present strategic options and plans
for organizational impact, seeking Board approval as necessary to
advance the mission.
Oversee day-to-day operations,
ensuring the overall success and sustainability of the organization
in the long term.
Organize, motivate, and mentor
internal team leaders to strategically grow Conservation Lands
Foundation’s impact, programs, and fundraising, fostering effective
mission fulfillment.
Apply innovative thinking and
performance measurements to analyze and support strategic
decision-making.
Continually cultivate a collaborative
culture between departments, emphasizing the recognition of
positive contributions.
Contribute to the strategic refresh
and actively drive its implementation.
Establish goals, objectives, and
operational plans in collaboration with the Board of Trustees,
staff, and other organizational leaders and partners.
Evaluate program success, ensuring
goals are met, and maintaining organizational focus to fulfill the
mission.

 

Development and Fundraising

Lead development and fundraising
efforts in collaboration with the Chief Philanthropy Officer,
leveraging the Board as needed to ensure the organization’s
financial health.
Advance Conservation Lands Foundation
fundraising campaigns as one of the organization’s primary and
persuasive ambassadors and participate in “asks” of prospects and
donors.
Meet with major donors and
foundations, develop and maintain robust relationships with donors,
and enhance Conservation Lands Foundation’s fundraising network
alongside the Chief Philanthropy Officer.
Initiate, cultivate, and expand
relationships with Conservation Lands Foundation’s portfolio of
individual, foundation, and corporate supporters.
Ensure the organization’s financial
stability and sustainability by actively managing healthy cash flow
and maintaining adequate reserves.

 

External Relations and Communications

Build and maintain robust and
trusting relationships with the Administration, the Department of
the Interior, Friends Grassroots Network leaders and partner
groups.
Represent the organization and serve
as the chief spokesperson publicly at events, conferences, and
partnership meetings, and collaborate with the Chief Communications
Officer to implement high-impact strategies and opportunities that
inform and inspire.
Engage in Conservation Lands
Foundation’s program work (conservation fieldwork, policy and
legal, and communications) as appropriate and as identified in the
strategic plan.
Ensure high visibility to prospects
and the public, fostering interest in engaged philanthropy.

 

Board Governance

Ensure regular and ongoing
communication to cultivate strong relationships with the Board,
providing leadership and support to members consistently.
Effectively communicate with the
Board, furnishing all necessary information for informed
decision-making in a timely and accurate manner.
Attend all Board meetings, delivering
comprehensive reports and updates on staff, current work, project
timelines, and organizational progress.
Manage staff leadership and
engagement with the board through delegation and participation in
Board Committees.
Skillfully negotiate with and
influence the board as needed to foster consensus, remind members
of outstanding deliverables, and offer support.

 

Financial Management and Administration

Collaborate with the Chief Finance
and Operations Officer to develop the overall organizational budget
and individual program budgets, seeking Board approval.
Ensure organizational financial
transparency, compliance, and accountability.
Take responsibility for the fiscal
integrity of the organization.
Monitor the Board-approved budget
and, in coordination with the CFO, oversee daily financial
operations to optimize resource utilization and enhance the
organization’s financial positioning.

 

Equity, Inclusion and Diversity

Take a leading role in Conservation
Lands Foundation’s equity, inclusion, and diversity initiatives,
ensuring their effective implementation and achievement of
benchmarks.
Champion and drive initiatives that
foster a culture of equity, inclusion, and diversity throughout the
organization.

CANDIDATE PROFILE

 

We recognize that there is a spectrum of lived and professional
experiences that will set candidates up for success in this role.
While no one candidate will have every experience outlined in the
position profile, ideal candidates will display many of the
following professional and personal qualities, skills, and
characteristics:

 

Leadership and Management

An ability to unify and inspire staff
and Board members, provide a clear and compelling vision for the
organization, ensure sound financial management for organizational
short- and long-term fiscal health, and effectively manage
geographically dispersed teams.
Proven ability to lead organizational
change, adapt to evolving circumstances, and foster a positive and
adaptable organizational culture. 
Demonstrated ability to achieve
measurable results and positive outcomes in previous leadership
roles, with a focus on driving organizational success. 

 

Fundraising 

Experience and skills as an effective
fundraising ambassador to foundation, corporate, and individual
donors with a proven track record of successfully driving
fundraising campaigns and diversifying revenue streams for
financial sustainability. 

 

Strategic Vision and Planning

A capacity to drive the
organization’s strategic vision, set clear multi-year and annual
goals, and oversee the effective implementation of strategic
plans.

 

Policy Advocacy and External Representation

Knowledge and experience in policy
advocacy, as well as the ability to serve as an engaging,
persuasive and inspiring external ambassador to key audiences,
partners, and policymakers. 

 

Communication and Relationship Building

Embodies strong communication skills
and practices to effectively inspire, influence, persuade and
message the organization’s mission, impact and vision to funders,
donors, partners, and stakeholders and to effectively build and
maintain a broad range of relationships, both internally and
externally.

 

Organizational Culture and Equity

A commitment to and experience with
promoting, upholding and advancing organizational culture, equity,
justice and inclusion within the organization and in external
relationships.
Deep respect for Tribal sovereignty
and the ancestral ties Indigenous people have to public lands.

 

Board Governance and Engagement

An ability to effectively engage
with, support and manage the organization’s Board of Trustees,
ensuring alignment with the organizations’ mission, vision, and
strategic goals. 

 

Additional Qualifications: 

A genuine passion for and alignment
with the mission
and values of Conservation Lands Foundation will be key to the
CEO’s success in this role;
15 + years of professional experience
in a related space with a demonstrated fluency in policy advocacy
and campaigns;
At least 5-7 years of direct
supervisory experience;
Bachelor’s degree and/or advanced
degree preferred; and 
An ability and willingness to travel
up to 40% of the time to represent the organization, engage with
stakeholders, donors and funders, and attend relevant events and
conferences. 

 

Research overwhelmingly shows that women and people of color are
less likely to apply to positions if they do not have 100% of
qualifications listed. Please consider applying even if you do not
have all of the qualifications noted above.

 

COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS

The annual salary range for the position is between $190,000 to
$220,000 commensurate with experience. 

 

Conservation Lands Foundation offers a competitive compensation
package with an organizational culture that supports staff
well-being and professional development. Benefits include generous
vacation and sick time; 13 paid holidays; 401(k) plan with an 8%
employer match; health, dental, and vision insurance plan; Flex
Spending program or Health Savings Account; life insurance; short
and long-term disability insurance; three month sabbatical every
seven years of employment. CLF offices are closed the week between
Christmas Eve and New Year’s Day. 

LOCATION

Durango, CO or Remote

 

While Conservation Lands Foundation has its headquarters in
Durango, CO, the majority of the staff are remote. We are open to
candidates who have successfully led organizations or their teams
remotely and would be up to the task when it comes to the necessary
travel involved in this role.

CONTACT

Kara Teising and her team at Calibrated Search, who specializes
in partnering with mission-driven nonprofits and conscious
companies, has been retained by Conservation Lands Foundation to
assist in this confidential hiring process. To express interest in
this role, please share your candidate materials HERE.

 

To nominate candidates and/or ask questions, please reach out to
[email protected].
Please list “Conservation Lands Foundation- CEO Search” in the
subject line.

TIMELINE

Calibrated Search is aiming to present a shortlist of candidates
by the week of June 3, 2024. Interviews with the Search Committee
will begin in mid-June with the goal of making a selection by the
end of July. The start date of the CEO will depend on the selected
candidate’s transition needs but we are targeting shortly after
Labor Day. Please do not delay in expressing interest.

 

Statement of Equal Opportunity

The Conservation Lands Foundation is an equal opportunity
employer and does not discriminate based on race, color, age,
ethnicity, religion, national origin, pregnancy, sexual
orientation, gender identity, genetic information, sex, marital
status, disability, or status as a U.S. veteran.
Reasonable accommodations will be made so that qualified
disabled applicants may participate in the process. Please advise
in writing at the time of application.