Location: California (preferred); home office (telecommute)
Type: Permanent Full-time (1.0 FTE); Exempt (Salaried)
Compensation: $137,280 - $175,000 DOE ($143,181.88 - $180,901.88 including home office and phone stipends) with benefits, including but not limited to 11 paid holidays annually; three weeks of vacation annually (progressive); sick leave; substantial employer contribution to health insurance plan; dental and vision plans; employer contribution to retirement plan.
Apply by: Open until it is filled, but for full consideration please apply no later than November 3, 2025.
Position Summary and General Duties: The Executive Director (ED) reports to the Board of Directors (BOD) and is expected to identify and implement short- and long-term goals and to be accountable to the BOD for achieving those goals. The ED is directly responsible for supervising a senior staff that includes the Chief Financial Officer, Director of Conservation Science and Stewardship, General Counsel, and Director of Administration. The ED coordinates with senior staff to shape the future evolution of CNLM, including its programs and acquisitions.
The ED is responsible for leading and shaping the organization’s strategic vision, operational effectiveness, land acquisition, stewardship, and government, tribal, and stakeholder engagement. This ED serves as the primary liaison with the BOD, donors, partners, staff, and the community. The ED serves as the public face of the organization and represents the values and mission of the organization. This includes working to ensure CNLM is a leader in conservation, helping to sustain CNLM financially by generating private and public funding, and engaging external parties in CNLM work.
About CNLM: The Center for Natural Lands Management (CNLM) is a nonprofit organization and land trust accredited by the Land Trust Accreditation Commission (LTAC), operating in California, Oregon, and Washington.
The mission of the Center for Natural Lands Management is:
• To conserve native species, their habitat and functioning ecosystems in perpetuity;
• To own and/or manage lands in an ecologically beneficial manner consistent with local, state and federal environmental laws and with science-based stewardship;
• To promote the conservation values of such lands through education;
• To promote and facilitate uses of land by the public that preserve the conservation values; and
• To cooperate with public and private entities in their efforts to protect native species and their habitats for the public benefit.
CNLM has 60 employees and is responsible for the management, stewardship, and protection of over 75,000 acres of lands held in fee title or conservation easement.
RESPONSIBILITIES
Leadership and Strategy:
• Be a publicly visible leader of CNLM actively, broadly, and with integrity and be able to inspire support for our work;
• Creatively and systematically advance the quality and quantity of conserved lands;
• Work closely with the BOD to ensure strong board governance and capacity and facilitate the development on ongoing review and revision of organizational plans and performance measures;
• Actively inform and engage the BOD in issues of importance to the operations and strategy of the organization; and
• Assist BOD in the recruitment, evaluation, and selection of BOD members and leverage its expertise and networks for the benefit of CNLM.
Community Engagement & Advocacy:
• Build meaningful and productive relationships with local, regional, state, and federal governments and agencies and tribes to communicate and further CNLM’s strategies and priorities and to build support for its ongoing work
• Establish communication pipelines with local, regional, state, and federal governments and agencies and tribes
• Represent the organization in public forums, policy discussions, and conservation coalitions.
• Promote public awareness of conservation initiatives through events, education, and media.
Land Protection and Stewardship:
• Establish and maintain effective working relationships with organizations involved in land conservation;
• Ensure that CNLM’s interests are advanced through collaborative and open relationships with local, state and federal officials, agencies, and tribes;
• Cultivate and enhance positive relationships with landowners, environmental organizations, and relevant stakeholders to identify and implement conservation projects;
• Empower and assist CNLM staff and others in designing and implementing effective land acquisitions and conservation easements including developing Property Analysis records and undertaking due diligence to close transactions in a timely manner;
• Oversee conservation transactions, monitoring and enforcement and ensure compliance with the highest standards of land trust practices;
• Ensure CNLM has adequate capacity to provide responsible professional stewardship of land and conservation easements that it holds.
Internal Leadership and Operational Management:
• Oversee day-to-day operations, including budgeting, finance, HR, and administration
• Evaluate CNLM’s progress in meeting its strategic goals and facilitate updates to the strategic plan’s development and monitor annual work plans;
• Recruit, nurture, and challenge a motivated professional staff; delegate specific responsibilities with appropriate authority and establish accountability; foster open, positive communications;
• Lead CNLM in building the organizational structure including policies, procedures, and systems to meet future growth; build institutional and professional capacity to assure ongoing success and stability;
• Annually develop and monitor CNLM’s budget and provide oversight of the fiscal operation of CNLM with the BOD;
• Oversee adherence to Land Trust Alliance Standards and Practices to maintain accreditation;
• Ensure effective management of HR, accounting, IT and administrative functions; and
• Ensure clear, transparent, and effective communication, reporting and feedback between the BOD and staff through various committees and organizations structures.
REQUIREMENTS / QUALIFICATIONS
• Proven leadership experience in a nonprofit, conservation, and/or land trust setting.
• Strong knowledge of environmental laws, land conservation tools, real estate transactions, and environmental policy.
• Demonstrated success in government and tribal relations and relationship management.
• Excellent organizational, communication, and interpersonal skills.
• Experience managing budgets, staff, and programs.
• Bachelor’s degree required; advanced degree in environmental science, nonprofit management, law, or related field preferred.
WORKING CONDITIONS
• Periodically required to hike through a variety of habitat types and terrain, walking over uneven ground, climbing over obstacles, moving through thick vegetation, and accessing remote locations
• Regularly sits or stands at a desk or computer workstation
• Regularly required to operate a CNLM vehicle
• Frequently works in an environment that involves supervising employees, managing public visitors, negotiating projects with regulatory agencies and others;
• Frequently involves working alone—in the field, as the sole CNLM representative at meetings, and at a home-office
• Some evening and weekend responsibilities required, including travel
• May be required to lift, position, or otherwise move objects weighing up to 50 pounds.
The working conditions described here are representative in part of those that will be encountered by an employee in this position. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to successfully function in these working conditions.
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The above statements are intended to describe the general nature of the work being performed by people assigned to this work. This is not an exhaustive list of all duties and responsibilities. CNLM management reserves the right to amend and change responsibilities to meet business and organizational needs as necessary.
CNLM is an Equal Opportunity employer. Personnel are chosen based on ability without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, marital status or sexual orientation, in accordance with federal and state law.
This position description does not constitute an employment agreement between the CNLM and the employee and is subject to change by CNLM as the needs of the CNLM and requirements of the job change.
TO APPLY:
Qualified applicants must provide: a detailed letter of interest, and a detailed resumé.
Electronic submissions are highly preferred.
Email or mail these materials to: careers-ed@cnlm.org
Center for Natural Lands Management
27258 Via Industria, Suite B
Temecula, CA 92590
