Executive Director

The Upper Sugar River Watershed Association (USRWA) seeks a new Executive Director to guide a dedicated staff and lead the organization into the future.

About the Position
The Executive Director will be a part-time position of 20 hours per week responsible, in collaboration with the Board of Directors, for the vision and leadership of USRWA as well as its financial health and stability. They are also the leader for individual projects and manager of staff, contracts, and grants. Reporting to the Board of Directors and directly supervised by the Executive Committee, the Executive Director oversees strategy, financial management, fund development, and high-level operational issues. The Executive Director is the primary liaison with local governments, state agencies, donors, and community leaders and associations.

Principal Duties and Responsibilities

Strategic Responsibilities

• Leverage funding from multiple sources including state and private foundations, membership, private donors, and business partners
• Support the Board in identifying and cultivating major individual, corporate, and foundation donors.
• Grow and maintain key relationships with municipalities (town, city, village, county), wastewater utilities, WDNR, Farmers for the Upper Sugar River, schools, service groups, businesses, donors, and more.
• Actively seek out partnerships to grow Upper Sugar’s relationship with historically underrepresented communities and to further diversity, equity, inclusion and social justice initiatives.
• Implement the strategic plan (A Healthy Watershed for All 2021-2026), an ambitious plan to continue the growth the Upper Sugar has enjoyed as watershed leader and a regional voice for conservation with equity and access for all communities as a centerpiece.

Operational Responsibilities

• Manage personnel including supervising, reviewing, hiring, wage adjustments and regular updates necessary for remote work.
• Manage finances including creating an annual budget, updating the budget throughout the year, and executing a financial plan that strengthens the organization’s financial position.
• Manage grants, in partnership with program staff, including the writing, implementation, budgeting and reporting on grant-driven projects;
• Manage the fiscal sponsorship for two farmer-led watershed groups: Farmers of the Upper Sugar River and Biological Farming Friends, another conjoining farmer-led group
• Build annual work plans around the actionable items in the strategic plan
• Work with Board Treasurer to coordinate accounting and bookkeeping services
• Report to the board of directors monthly and work in conjunction with the board president as needed between board meetings

Professional Skills and Qualifications
It’s rare for a single individual to possess all the desired experiences and qualifications, however the successful candidate should bring many of the following qualifications, skills, experience, and qualities to the role:

• Fundraising, financial management, and project management experience
• Non-profit, public sector, or private entrepreneurial experience
• Creating and managing organizational budgets
• Experience in, and commitment to, championing DEIJ initiatives
• Successful grant writing and reporting experience
• Strong leadership skills in a remote work environment
• Community and relationship building experience with diverse groups of collaborators: for example local and county municipalities, schools, farming groups
• Must be able to travel regularly around the watershed and greater Dane County area

Compensation and Benefits (for 20hrs/week)

• Starting annual salary: $30,000 based on experience
• Benefits package including paid holidays, paid time off (vacation and sick), contribution to medical insurance, and professional development stipend
• 403(b) employee retirement plan available
• Flexible hours and mostly remote work with a physical office located in Mt. Horeb

About the Organization
The Upper Sugar River Watershed Association (USRWA) seeks a passionate and experienced leader to guide the organization into its next successful chapter. Started in 2001 by a small group of enthusiastic individuals with concerns for a river in their community,USRWA has steadily grown to be a professional and award-winning non-profit with three paid staff in addition to its board, interns, and volunteers. Our current strategic plan, A Healthy Watershed for All, serves as a blueprint for what we hope to accomplish together through 2026.
Because of the strengths of Upper Sugar’s leadership to date, we are an organization with:

• A focused and comprehensive effort to protect, manage, restore, and advocate for the Upper Sugar River Watershed;
• The ability to build partnerships among people and organizations to help improve and preserve this watershed;
• An exemplary farmer-led group dedicated to sustainable practices that improve the health of the watershed;
• A strong portfolio of public education and outreach materials created in collaboration with local educators and community organizations; and
• A focus on volunteer and community engagement in all of its activities.