Chief Strategy Officer

Grassland loss is the greatest conservation issue facing eastern North American biodiversity. Our precious Southeastern grasslands are nearly extinct, and the species that depend on them are fading fast. Many of our Southeastern grasslands that managed to persist through the past 200 years have disappeared in the past quarter-century. What will the next 25 years bring? As a conservation community, we are only now beginning to realize the extent of our once widespread grasslands. To reverse the decline in grassland biodiversity, our response must be rapid and unprecedented in magnitude. This immensely complex and ambitious challenge will require some of America’s brightest and most creative minds in conservation and philanthropy to solve. Are you ready to join the Southeastern Grasslands Institute’s team?

Austin Peay State University’s Southeastern Grasslands Institute (SGI) invites applications for a full-time, non-tenure-track position as Chief Strategy Officer (CSO). Reporting directly to the Executive Director, the CSO leads the design, execution, and evaluation of strategic initiatives, ensuring alignment with the organization’s long-term goals and conservation outcomes. This role requires a visionary strategist and connector, a great listener, a strong communicator, and an experienced program leader capable of translating conservation science and policy into scalable action within the growing network of SGI’s senior leadership team and its nationwide network of partners and funders. This position may be located at SGI headquarters in Clarksville, TN, or remotely in the following states: AL, AR, FL, KY, LA, NC, OK, TX.

Primary Duties and Responsibilities

• Lead the development and execution of multi-year strategic initiatives that advance the organization’s mission and national conservation priorities.
• Identify emerging opportunities, risks, and innovations in the conservation landscape and guide the organization’s strategic response.
• Serve as a trusted advisor to the Executive Director and senior leadership team on organizational direction and external positioning.
• Oversee the implementation and coordination of complex, cross-cutting partnership networks (e.g., SGI’s work with the America’s Grasslands Coalition and Volgenau Climate Initiative) and across programs (science and restoration, landscape conservation, mapping and planning, community engagement, tribal relations).
• Coordinate internal resources and external partnerships to ensure effective execution, impact measurement, and reporting.
• Ensure initiatives remain on schedule, within scope, and aligned with organizational values and ecological goals.
• Build and maintain strategic relationships with key stakeholders, including governments, NGOs, funders, Indigenous and local communities, and private-sector allies.
• Represent the organization at high-level events, coalitions, and policy forums to advance strategic initiatives and partnerships.
• Working with the Director of Philanthropy and the Executive Director, support fundraising efforts by identifying funding opportunities, opportunities for sustainable financing, cultivating donor relationships, and contributing to grant proposals.
• Promote a culture of innovation, collaboration, and results-based management within the organization.
• Mentor and support staff involved in strategic projects to build internal leadership and capacity.
• Lead strategic planning cycles and facilitate organizational retreats or learning reviews as needed.
• Contribute to organizational goals by achieving measurable outcomes in partnership development, securing funding, and strategic plan implementation.
• This position may have a light amount of supervisory experience (1-2 direct reports max).

Physical Requirements

• Ability to work at a computer for extended periods.
• Capacity to travel domestically, including occasional overnight trips, to attend meetings, conferences, and site visits.
• Ability to participate in field visits that may involve uneven terrain, variable weather conditions, and moderate physical activity.
• Must be able to communicate effectively in person, via phone, and in virtual meetings.
• Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Required Minimum Qualifications

• Master’s degree or higher in Environmental Science, Public Policy, Business, International Development, or a related field.
• 10+ years of senior-level experience in conservation, strategy development, or complex program management.
• Ability to think big-picture while managing tactical execution.
• Must be a connector and good at maintaining relationships with a wide diversity of stakeholders from corporate and philanthropic partners to on-the-ground conservation professionals.
• Demonstrated success leading multi-stakeholder initiatives and securing major partnerships or funding.
• Deep knowledge of conservation science, policy, and/or community-led approaches.
• Exceptional communication, facilitation, and interpersonal skills.
• Comfortable navigating uncertainty and working in fast-paced, mission-driven environments.
• Familiarity with conservation finance, climate adaptation, or landscape-scale restoration.