Executive Director

The Housatonic Valley Association, Inc. (HVA) is a not-for-profit organization whose mission is serving as the voice of the Housatonic River, its land and tributaries; and working and acting to protect, restore, and advocate for its natural beauty and resiliency through collaboration, education, and engagement. HVA’s strategic vision is to cultivate a healthy, climate-ready Housatonic Watershed by collaborating with partners from all parts of the watershed to monitor, protect, and improve its environment for all of its living inhabitants.

Founded in 1941, HVA is recognized by its peers as one of the most effective watershed conservation organizations in the country. HVA leads and collaborates with partners to take action for conservation in communities across the 1948-square-mile Housatonic Watershed in Connecticut, Massachusetts, and New York.

HVA’s Five Year Strategic Plan 2029 (adopted October 2023) supports three active watershed-wide conservation campaigns toward HVA’s climate-ready goal: Follow the Forest, aimed at conserving a linked forest corridor from the Hudson Highlands through the Housatonic Watershed, ultimately to Canada, that supports wildlife migration and protects the ability of forests to provide for people and regional ecosystems; Clean, Cold, and Connected, aimed at restoring and protecting waterways from the Berkshire Hills to Long Island Sound by reducing pollution, restoring stream connectivity and native habitats, and improving recreational access to water for residents and visitors; and Engagement, Education, and Sustainability, aimed at significantly growing the number of people across the entire watershed who are engaged in HVA’s mission and activities, and increasing unrestricted operating revenue to 67 percent  of HVA’s overall revenue (up from 42 percent in the projected fiscal year ending June 30, 2024).

HVA’s team consists of a 17-member Board of Directors; four Advisory Board members; 14 full-time and seven part-time conservation professionals and support staff; and two seasonal teams, including a team of River Steward interns and a Still River Connections Crew Leader and high school crew. HVA’s annual operating budget is approximately $2 million.

THE POSITION

The Executive Director will provide leadership and direction for HVA, and as chief spokesperson work across the organization to frame and advance the story of HVA, its mission and vision, guiding principles, major initiatives, and successes within the watershed community. The Executive Director will develop and maintain key strategic partnerships and alliances that broaden HVA’s reach and effectiveness and elevate and enhance HVA’s organizational stature, profile and impact.

In partnership with an engaged Board, a committed staff, volunteers, advisors, and community partners, including area land trusts and other regional environmental and preservation organizations who share a common vision and purpose, the Executive Director will ensure HVA’s pragmatic vision is aligned with its mission, values, and desired strategic goals and outcomes. Additionally, this person will lead staff in the execution, tracking, evaluation, and evolution of current programs, while identifying and implementing new partnership and convening opportunities and programs that respond to the watershed’s environmental needs.

The Executive Director will champion and enhance fundraising strategies and outreach in order to develop a broader base of unrestricted support; cultivate, solicit, and steward major donors; and develop plans and goals to support annual revenue targets and enable year-over-year growth in strategic improvement to the watershed’s environmental health.  

The Executive Director will be responsible for overall oversight, management, and implementation of HVA’s strategic vision and its conservation and advancement; Board and staff development; budget and administration; and proper overall functioning of the organization.

Ever mindful of HVA’s culture and values, the Executive Director will serve as a resource to programmatic and organizational leadership internally, fuel innovative thinking, and both acknowledge and nurture the expertise of a knowledgeable and highly dedicated staff, who are the organization’s most critical assets and are indispensable to its ongoing success.

PRIORITIES AND KEY RESPONSIBILITIES 

The Executive Director will be a passionate and highly collaborative thought leader, a convener and spokesperson for HVA, and have the following priorities and key responsibilities:

• Build and foster effective relationships with the Board and its Finance, Conservation, Advancement, Governance, and Executive Committees, keeping them fully informed of and advised about relevant issues; help develop and expand the Board by seeking and evaluating qualified Board candidates in consultation with the Governance Committee.
• Develop and cultivate deep and meaningful relationships with key and prospective HVA supporters and major donors and grow unrestricted major gifts revenue; provide leadership in developing and implementing fundraising strategies (including individual, donor, foundation, public, and corporate major giving; planned giving; and grants), and provide leadership in developing and implementing an engagement strategy to grow HVA’s membership and volunteer base across all parts of the watershed.
• Serve as a trusted and relevant partner; build and maintain strong relationships with local, state, and federal legislative and executive partners and local, regional, state, and national associations that enhance HVA’s reputation and sphere of influence, funding, and strategic impact.
• Provide robust financial management and oversight of HVA; provide appropriate input on strategic priorities and ensure all operational activities are consistent with HVA’s annual budget, as well as its mission and core values.
• Create a strong, inclusive, collaborative, and supportive internal culture including mentoring, developing, and engaging a staff dedicated to enhancing HVA’s operations and programs to measurably achieve its strategic objectives.
• Directly oversee the staff leadership; enhance interdepartmental communications and decision-making processes; provide oversight for major program changes and restructuring, and budget for revenue growth and expenditures across the organization.
• Provide oversight of contracts, grants, and legal consultation and general administrative tasks; work with the Finance/Human Resources Director to ensure compliance with federal and state guidelines and regulations, and auditing and accounting guidelines and requirements.
• Periodically assess and identify organizational resources, technologies, operations, and policies needed to work efficiently and meet the highest standards for financial controls, HR policies, fund development, and legal compliance.

IDEAL EXPERIENCE AND QUALIFICATIONS 

The Executive Director will be a mission-driven leader, a proven fundraiser, and a seasoned people manager who is passionately committed to HVA’s mission and vision. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skills, and/or abilities required:

• Understanding of the environmental, economic, and cultural challenges and opportunities across the tristate Housatonic Watershed and the perspectives of diverse stakeholders, or the ability to quickly attain that understanding.
• A well-developed and demonstrated ability to externally promote and represent HVA confidently, skillfully, and strategically, elevating the organization’s profile and success throughout its various communities of current and prospective donors and partners.
• Proven experience as a dynamic fundraiser with the ability to cultivate and steward major donors and frame the vision and concepts to secure financial support from diverse sources, including individual donors, foundations, and government, particularly in a climate of a shifting political landscape, increasing financial constraints and increased competition.
• Proven ability to lead and motivate a highly dedicated staff to whom ​​much responsibility and appropriate authority are delegated; able to envision and operationalize new initiatives and deeply understand how operational and programmatic decisions are being experienced by staff; ability to promote and enhance cross-departmental communication and sharing.
• High professional-level communications, presentation/public speaking, and writing/editing skills, with a strong sense of narrative and storytelling.
• Ability to effectively assess and utilize the relevant computer/digital systems of HVA is a plus, along with familiarity of emerging/alternative tech platforms which may be more appropriate going forward.
• Ability to travel throughout the Housatonic Watershed and beyond as needed for meetings with colleagues, donors, local, state and federal policymakers, and other stakeholders.
• BS or BA with an advanced degree preferred (MA, MS, PhD, MBA, MPA, JD) or commensurate experience.

Additionally, this person will be or have:

• Outstanding interpersonal skills along with the integrity and flexibility to foster strong and trusting relationships at all levels, inside and outside of the organization.
• Able to manage multiple priorities, ranging from the broad and strategic to the narrow and tactical without loss of focus; able to think strategically and communicate with passion.
• Keen analytic and problem-solving skills; demonstrated initiative and ability to work effectively under frequent deadlines, respond quickly to unexpected challenges and shifting priorities, and follow through on time-sensitive needs.
• Inspiring, authentic, and diplomatic; financially and operationally savvy; knowing when to lead and listen and when to follow, exercising respect, integrity, and judgment when addressing organization/partnership-level challenges and opportunities.
• Pro-active and results-oriented approach with a demonstrated track record of achieving measurable results and meeting quantifiable objectives.
• The humility and curiosity first to observe and learn HVA’s programs, projects, and partnerships, and the strengths and effectiveness of the professionals and Board members leading those programs and associations.
• Emotionally mature, with a good sense of humor and the ability to maintain balance and perspective.
• In general, to act as HVA’s premier servant-leader in carrying out HVA’s mission.

Compensation and benefits: The starting annual salary range for this full-time position is approximately $130,000 to $150,000. Benefits include health insurance, 403b retirement plan with five percent HVA match, life and short-term disability insurance, paid holidays and paid time off, and some remote work flexibility.