Executive Director

After 15 years of transformative leadership from its first executive director, Wild Rivers Conservancy is searching for the next leader to guide its work protecting the St. Croix National Scenic Riverway and its watershed. This is a rare opportunity for an experienced executive to head a well-established, highly regarded, and effective nonprofit based in Osceola WI.

Wild Rivers Conservancy was founded in 1911, established as a nonprofit in 2008, and in 2011 became the official philanthropic partner for the St. Croix National Scenic Riverway, a unit of the National Park Service. Our mission is to inspire stewardship to forever ensure the rare ecological integrity of the St. Croix and Namekagon Riverway. Our work focuses on our long-term commitment of protecting the vibrant ecological, cultural, and recreational value of our great rivers. The Conservancy is the voice of the river and the only organization with a watershed-wide scope in the St. Croix River basin. As the non-profit partner for the Riverway, we work with the National Park Service to support Riverway protection and enhancement, provide opportunities for people to explore and discover the St. Croix and Namekagon Rivers, and enhance the role of the rivers in the lives of new, more diverse stewards. We prioritize conservation activities that improve water quality, protect and enhance land, and increase stewardship efforts. 

At Wild Rivers Conservancy, we: Recognize that the health of the watershed is critically important to the health of the St. Croix National Scenic Riverway; Act with thoughtful urgency; Take strategic action, focusing on and achieving measurable results that make a difference; Collaborate with and empower other organizations and individuals instead of working alone; Respect, engage, and leverage the passion of local people in their communities; Conduct our work in a spirit of respect, transparency, and openness; Celebrate natural and cultural diversity within the watershed.

Position Summary

The Executive Director has overall strategic and operational responsibility for Wild River Conservancy’s execution of mission, financial health, impact and effectiveness, and organizational culture. The executive director leads a team of 13 professionals and reports to a 22-member Board of Directors, and works collaboratively with our primary partner the national park service. They are responsible for managing a $1.3 million annual budget. Someone that is excited to lead a well-established organization, with a strong membership base, and able to leverage and grow the established partnerships, will flourish at this unique organization.

Core Functions

• The Executive Director is a trusted leader for Wild Rivers Conservancy, representing the organization in the community and the liaison to the National Park Service
• Establishes and maintains relationships with key stakeholders including donors, foundations, board and committee members, non-profit leaders, government agencies and officials, community, and media
• Oversees fundraising and development and takes the lead on significant fundraising requests
• Ensures the strategic plan reflects the mission and vision, and is implemented through the annual work plan
• Advocates for the St. Croix National Scenic Riverway and its watershed through local, state and federal outreach efforts
• Hires and leads staff in development and implementation of work-plans in support of the strategic plan
• Develops and controls the budgets, and ensures fiscal responsibility
• Ensures the overall consistency and quality of the Conservancy’s programs and activities

Qualifications

The next Conservancy Executive Director will be authentic, collaborative yet decisive in style, with a willingness to learn from and care for the team. They will have emotional intelligence and be a fearless, tenacious visionary, open to creative, innovative, resourceful ideas and possess a natural ability to develop strong working relationships across a wide spectrum of agencies, organizations and individuals. An affinity for the St. Croix National Scenic Riverway and its watershed is desired. 

• BA or equivalent experience, with at least five to seven years of nonprofit leadership and management
• Experience in operational and financial oversight, budget development and management
• Demonstrated success with fundraising, with experience in creating and sustaining diverse revenue sources
• Strong interpersonal skills for effective engagement with internal and external partners and constituents, and with different units of government
• Experience working collaboratively with and reporting to a Board of Directors
• Ability to manage multiple initiatives in a dynamic, shifting environment with timeliness, flexibility and professional manner
• Excellent written and verbal presentation and communication skills
• Passion for natural resources and preferably the Riverway, and bringing a more diverse constituency to our work
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office or Google productivity suite and CRM platforms; NEON experience is a plus
• Must be authorized to work in the United States, have a valid driver’s license and reliable transportation