VNRC’s new Executive Director will step in at a time of great opportunity, change, and challenge. The spiraling impacts of climate change hit Vermont hard last year when catastrophic flooding and landslides washed out roads and bridges and created significant property loss. This brought to stark light how climate and the environment are intertwined with economic, transportation, and housing issues, especially for low-income and marginalized groups who are most impacted by environmental degradation. As a majority white field, the environmental movement struggles to include and lift the voices of these groups.
VNRC is at the pinnacle of its 60-year legacy, and the new Executive Director will leverage its many strengths – a talented and highly-respected staff, a strong financial position, its powerful role in the state legislative process, its network of partnerships and coalitions, a long history and impact in VT’s environmental movement, and an engaged and diverse board of directors – to strategically grow VNRC to continue protecting the state’s remarkable natural resources and tackle the challenges ahead.
As the new Executive Director assumes leadership, key priorities in the first 12-18 months will be to:
- Cultivate strong relationships with staff and continue to foster a climate of trust and community.
- Build trust and relationship with the Board and support an ongoing governance development process.
- Work with staff to develop and implement strategies to engage younger segments of the population in conservation efforts.
- Establish relationships with key constituents: legislators, coalition partners, partnering state departments, and funders.
- Gain a solid understanding of VNRC’s history and context and its role in Vermont’s environmental context.
- Advance VNRC’s work on diversity, equity, and inclusion issues and environmental justice.
- Continue to secure funding through grants and from individual donors, with a focus on strengthening current and building new donor relationships.
- Continue to advance VNRC’s policy work at the state level.
- Begin the process of engaging VNRC’s Board and staff to develop a strategic plan.
- Assess and improve VNRC’s operations and structure: evaluate current work systems and identify and address structural issues.
- Coordinate with VCV’s Executive Director to understand and strengthen the relationship between the organizations and VCV’s role in the political process.
Position Duties and Responsibilities
The Executive Director Manages and coordinates all programs, generates organizational cohesion and sense of direction, keeps the Board of Directors informed and engaged, maintains and strengthens membership and development, and provides an articulate voice for VNRC on all issues. Through its strategic partnership with Vermont Conservation Voters (VCV), the Executive Director also serves as the Deputy Director of that organization and supports VCV’s electoral work in accordance with a Memorandum of Agreement and Cost Sharing Agreement between the 501(c)(3) and 501(c)(4) organizations.
Core duties include:
- Assuring success of VNRC goals and strategies identified in the Ends Policies.
- Managing all aspects of the organization through strict compliance with the Executive Directives set forth in VNRC’s Governing Means Policies.
- Maintaining an effective and engaged relationship with the VNRC Board through strict compliance with the Board-CEO Relationship guidelines set forth in VNRC’s Governing Means Policies.
- Developing and overseeing long range fundraising, membership development, and financial management and marketing plans, including the design and implementation of direct mail, phone, and digital outreach efforts.
- Preparing Annual Budgets and Work Plans and overseeing the judicious financial management of the organization.
- Developing and maintaining strong relationships with existing and prospective VNRC members, major donors, and foundations. Establishing and overseeing the implementation of attainable membership and development goals annually.
- Providing support and constructive guidance for all staff in accordance with Personnel Policies, annual evaluations and ongoing supervision; hiring new staff as needed.
- Developing and articulating VNRC positions on a wide range of topics and policies to multiple audiences.
- Overseeing the strategic use of litigation to achieve VNRC’s goals and priorities.
- Overseeing the careful stewardship and maintenance of VNRC’s properties.
- Being in regular and constant contact with political, community, and organizational leaders in Vermont and the region.
- Helping VNRC take the leadership role in environmental issues in Vermont.
- Ensuring that environmental justice and equity is a central consideration when establishing priorities and crafting public policy.
- Coordinating with the Vermont Conservation Voters on annual budgeting, shared resource deployment, and providing support to VCV’s work in accordance with the Memorandum of Understanding and Resource Sharing Agreement between the two organizations.
The ideal candidate will demonstrate the following capacities:
Passion For and Understanding of Environmental Advocacy
- Passion for VNRC’s work to protect and strengthen Vermont’s environment and communities, preserve connected forests and wildlife habitat, advocate for clean toxic-free land and waters, safeguard productive working lands, and advance renewable energy and long-term climate resilience.
- Understanding of the multiple components and complex dimensions of natural resource conservation.
- Commitment to equity, inclusion, and diversity principles.
- Experience in environmental justice work.
A Seasoned and Collaborative Organizational Leader
- Background in nonprofit organizational management and in strategically managing an organization through growth.
- Solid understanding of nonprofit finances with complex budgets and multiple funding streams and ability to strategically align and maximize resources.
- A bridge-builder who fosters collaborative relationships with and among community and policy partners.
- Ability to foster an organizational and staff culture that is equitable, diverse, and inclusive.
- A collaborative approach to managing staff, along with the ability to be decisive when needed; a track record in fostering a trusting and independent work environment.
- A strategic and visionary thinker with experience leading strategic planning processes.
A Skilled Fundraiser
- A solid understanding of fundraising strategies and a track record of successful fundraising across all areas of development – including planned giving and soliciting and securing major gifts.
A Relationship Builder, Networker, and Collaborator
- A people person with strong emotional intelligence.
- Skills in mediating conflict among groups and individuals with diverse perspectives to achieve shared goals.
- A track record of building strategic and lasting relationships, networks, and partnerships with diverse groups of people.
Exceptional Communication Skills
- A strong public speaker with the ability to convey technical information in a clear, concise, and compelling manner to diverse audiences, including legislators, students, and the press.
- An exceptional and authentic communicator who can pivot quickly between different groups and styles of communication – legislators, community leaders, local citizens, media.
- Excellent writing skills.
Strong Advocacy Skills, Policy Knowledge and Political Acumen
- Familiarity with key policy issues surrounding environmental conservation and understanding of how policy impacts equity.
- Knowledge of and experience advocating for legislative policy in the environmental or related field.
- Politically savvy, able to navigate and strategically pivot in challenging political environments.