Chief Executive Officer

Reports to

Board of Directors

Arboretum San Antonio, a 188-acre museum of trees, is envisioned as a revitalizing sanctuary not only for the regional community but also for national and international neighbors who view San Antonio as a destination. As a transformative space on the southeast side of San Antonio, where equitable access to safe, green spaces has historically been unavailable, the Arboretum will bring a balance to this area and mitigate heat and air pollution, especially important attributes as San Antonio’s population continues to increase and temperatures continue to rise.  A highly engaged board of directors and an informed set of subject matter expert advisors is now embarking on a master planning process, engaging the community in envisioning and building an arboretum that truly reflects South Texas’ rich and diverse heritage and culture. This effort is a long-term investment for the San Antonio region that will take significant visionary investments and time, from seed to growth into the flourishing museum of trees envisioned. 

We seek an accomplished professional who demonstrates proven expertise in organizational leadership, fundraising, public outreach, and horticulture.

The qualified candidate will possess strong communication and personal presentation skills that are effective with a wide range of audiences including major donors, foundation professionals, corporate executives, elected officials and key governmental administrators. The ability to speak extemporaneously and to write clearly is essential.

This person must be highly organized and skilled at advanced planning, and resourceful and creative in addressing unforeseen problems that require changes to plans. Leadership traits such as adaptability, resilience, open-mindedness and emotional control are essential. Experience working with a diverse team of contractors such as landscape architects, equipment vendors, nurseries, tradesmen/women and project managers is a must.

Experience working in development/redevelopment of major outdoor natural areas, from conception to execution is highly desired. The ideal candidate will have deep sophistication in translating the goals of the Board and the community into prioritized projects and activities that will fulfill the long-term vision of ASA. Proven success in obtaining significant resources from both public and private sources to fulfill major projects is a must.

Experience in hiring and managing employees will be essential along with the ability to prioritize work activities and delegate individual responsibilities with clarity and as part of a high-performing team. The successful candidate will be routinely interacting with various board committees and other volunteers, thus prior experience with volunteer management would be highly desirable.

An advanced degree in a relevant discipline such as public administration, horticulture, landscape architecture, ecology, arboretum/public garden management or related academic tracks is desirable. We seek candidates with a minimum of ten years of progressive supervisory experience and demonstrated success in a similar role at another public or aligned institution. Bilingual, particularly Spanish, is highly desirable.