Deputy Director

Aspen Valley Land Trust (AVLT) is seeking a Deputy Director to join our team. This position is fundamental to the long-term success of AVLT and essential to overseeing the day-to-day functions of the organization, maintaining effective communication within the organization, assisting the Executive Director and Board of Directors with long-term planning, and ensuring that AVLT fulfills its conservation and stewardship goals. The role supports the Executive Director primarily in managing and guiding staff, enhancing interdepartmental communication, developing and implementing organizational strategies, leading key initiatives and special projects, streamlining project management, and supporting fundraising efforts. The role is critical to advancing the land trust’s mission and accelerating land conservation efforts in the region.

This is a new, full-time, salaried position. It may be structured to best suit the successful candidate’s strengths, qualifications, and experience. Basic duties of this position may include:

Leadership and Management

• Support the Executive Director (ED) in developing and implementing organizational strategic plans, policies, procedures, and goals.
• Assume essential function of ED during ED’s absence or when assigned.
• Oversee and manage approximately 4-6 staff positions, providing leadership, guidance, regular check-ins and professional development opportunities.
• Participate in hiring, onboarding, and training of staff.
• Help staff develop annual and quarterly work plans with measurable outcomes to support strategic goals and objectives, with oversight from ED.
• Ensure effective internal communication and coordination among teams in alignment with AVLT’s culture commitment.
• Facilitate decision-making by helping to gather information, structure decisions, and ensure follow-up on action items across departments.
• Assist ED in managing select board committees. Help ED coordinate relationships with board members, set agendas, and present at meetings as appropriate.

Advancing Conservation Goals

• Work with partners, consultants, and advisors as necessary to develop programs and projects.
• Monitor and report on progress toward organizational objectives, ensuring that staff have the support and capacity necessary to attain objectives.
• Oversee data collection and analysis for conservation outcomes, helping the team measure and communicate the project impact.
• Stay up to date on the latest strategies and tools in land conservation and stewardship. Work with ED and staff to continuously integrate emerging information to respond to evolving challenges and advance long-term conservation goals.
• Assume role of or oversee staff Project Manager for AVLT’s Coffman Ranch and/or Marble Basecamp infrastructure development and program management.

Fundraising and Development

• Collaborate with the development and communications team to identify and pursue funding opportunities, including grants, individual donors, and corporate sponsors.
• Assist with Conserving Land and Connecting Community campaign activities and relationship building. • Supervise grant applications, tracking, and reporting for the organization.
• Oversee data collection and analysis for fundraising and event outcomes. Provide general support for events, fundraising, communications, and other AVLT duties as appropriate.
• Represent the land trust at public events, meetings, and in communications with media, donors, and the community.

Finance and Operations

• Assist Executive Director, Finance Director, and staff to develop program and grant budgets aligned with AVLT’s strategic plan and assist in the regular reporting and evaluation of those budgets.
• Maintain working knowledge of operating budget and financial performance of AVLT.

Skills and Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree and at least 5 years’ experience in land or water conservation, natural resource management, land planning, agriculture, non-profit or business management, leadership, or related field.
• Proven leadership and management experience, with the ability to motivate and manage staff.
• Meeting facilitation and team-building skills.
• Project management experience; ability to coordinate multiple partners and goals.
• Ability to organize people and tasks efficiently, identify the best systems for getting things done and evaluating success. Know what to measure and how to measure it.
• Experience and/or willingness to engage in fundraising, including grant writing and donor cultivation.
• Sense of tact, awareness, compassion, and humor when working with others.
• Comfort with public speaking on behalf of AVLT.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, both verbal and written, with experience engaging diverse stakeholders. Ability to communicate vision, passion, and inspiration, while also being clear, kind, and constructive.
• Proficiency with MS Office, including Sharepoint, PowerPoint and Excel, and Google Business Suite.
• Basic understanding of employment and human resources principles and practices helpful.
• Bilingual fluency (English/Spanish) preferred.

Other Information: This position is based out of the main AVLT office in Carbondale. Occasional weekend and evening commitments are required (4-6 weekend days per year and occasional evenings). Valid driver’s license and personal transportation to occasional meetings and site visits throughout AVLT’s service area.

Reporting: This position will report to the Executive Director.

Salary and Benefits: Full time, exempt position. Salary range $90,000-$120,000 depending on experience. Flexible work schedule; paid vacation, sick leave, and holidays; retirement plan; employee health insurance and HSA contributions (with options for dental and vision insurance); professional development opportunities and trainings; travel and expense reimbursements.

AVLT’s commitment to justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion: Aspen Valley Land Trust is an equal opportunity employer. All applicants will be considered for employment without attention to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, and veteran or disability status. AVLT believes that conservation is community building, and should seek to support more inclusive, healthy communities. We believe in collaborating with, learning from, and serving the diverse communities across our region, because everyone has the right to enjoy open spaces, special places, and a healthy environment. We also believe conservation should reflect the values and changing needs of our communities.