Program Director, The Wild Trust

Partners for Climate Action (PCA) seeks a talented leader to serve as the founding Program Director for its new conservation initiative, The Wild Trust. 

Dedicated to restoring ecological balance in the Hudson Valley and beyond, The Wild Trust addresses the crisis of white-tailed deer overpopulation through ethical deer management, public education, food systems programming, and coalition building. The Program Director will serve as the founding leader of this initiative, working to build organizational capacity, refine and advance the strategic plan, and establish The Wild Trust as a credible and catalytic voice in regional conservation. This position reports to the Executive Director of PCA.

Salary:  $103,000

See full job description here and below.

Interested parties should send their resumes along with a cover letter to jobs@climateactionhv.org.  Please email with the following subject line: (YOUR NAME): PD Wild Trust

SUMMARY:

The Wild Trust is a new conservation initiative supported by Partners for Climate Action (PCA), a fiscally sponsored project of The New World Foundation. Dedicated to restoring ecological balance in the Hudson Valley and beyond, The Wild Trust addresses the crisis of white-tailed deer overpopulation through ethical deer management, public education, food systems programming, and coalition building. The Program Director will serve as the founding leader of this initiative, working to build organizational capacity, refine and advance the strategic plan, and establish The Wild Trust as a credible and catalytic voice in regional conservation. This position reports to the Executive Director of PCA.

Key Responsibilities:

• Organizational Leadership: Develop and execute The Wild Trust’s strategic vision in collaboration with the PCA Executive Director and advisory board. Guide the organization through its founding period, establishing programs, culture, and operational infrastructure.
• Fundraising & Financial Management: Lead fundraising efforts including individual donors, foundation grants, corporate and community partnerships. Develop a case statement for philanthropic support, identify prospective donors, and manage budgets to ensure financial sustainability.
• Programs & Partnerships: Oversee the launch and delivery of education, food systems, and community science programs. Build and maintain partnerships with land trusts, municipalities, environmental organizations, hunting communities, and academic institutions.
• Marketing & Communications: Work in partnership with the Communications Director to develop and implement a comprehensive plan to effectively communicate and market The Wild Trust’s mission, programs, and impact to target general interest audiences across the Hudson Valley and beyond.
• External Affairs: Represent The Wild Trust at public events, media engagements, and community forums.
• Team & Operations: Recruit and manage staff and contractors. In coordination with PCA, maintain a CRM database.
• Governance: Work closely with the advisory board to develop and support a 3-5-year plan, and evaluate the merits of an eventual transition to independent 501(c)(3) status.

Required Skills & Qualifications:

• Leadership: Minimum of 5 years of experience in nonprofit leadership, conservation, environmental advocacy, or related fields. Experience building or scaling an organization is strongly preferred.
• Fundraising: Demonstrated success in fundraising and donor relations, including foundation grants and individual major gifts, and stewardship.
• Communications: Excellent verbal and written communication skills with the ability to engage diverse audiences, from scientists and policymakers to hunters and community members.
• Mission Alignment: Passion for ecological conservation and the Hudson Valley region. Familiarity with deer management, hunting culture, or land stewardship is a strong plus.
• Interpersonal Skills: Collaborative leadership style with the ability to build relationships with advisory board members, volunteers, partner organizations, and the public.
• Problem Solving: Entrepreneurial mindset with comfort working in an early-stage organization, managing ambiguity, and building systems from the ground up.
• Education: A Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience working in a relevant field is desired; an advanced degree is a plus.

 Working Conditions

• Expected Start Date: September 1, 2026
• Typical working schedule is Monday to Friday from 9 am to 5 pm. Periodic evening or weekend work as needed
• Hybrid with expectations to be in the office (Catskill, NY) at least once/week
• Occasional travel for meetings or events

 Compensation Range

• This is Full‑time, Exempt position reporting to the Executive Director of Partners for Climate Action.
• The estimated base annual salary for this position is $103,000. This figure represents The New World Foundation’s good faith and reasonable estimate of the possible base salary at the time of posting.

Benefits Offered

• Health and Dental Insurance
• Flexible Spending Account
• Retirement Plans
• Life Insurance
• Paid Family Leave
• Paid Time Off and Paid Holidays