Executive Director
WASHINGTON, D.C., METROPOLITAN AREA
Position Summary
Rock Creek Conservancy seeks a visionary and innovative leader with proven experience, outstanding management skills, and fundraising expertise to serve as Executive Director. This is an exceptional opportunity for a person deeply committed to environmental work, and in particular the protection and promotion of the Rock Creek watershed and Rock Creek Park as a natural treasure and community resource. The Conservancy has experienced tremendous growth in the past few years in budget, staff, and programs, and is looking for an Executive to continue that growth trajectory.
The Organization
Rock Creek Conservancy is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization working to restore Rock Creek and its parklands as a natural oasis for all people to appreciate and protect. Rock Creek Conservancy plays a pivotal and high-profile leadership role in the Maryland/DC environmental and conservation community and has developed important partnerships throughout the region to fulfill its mission.
In collaboration with the National Park Service (NPS), the Conservancy is committed to revitalizing Rock Creek Park, the third oldest national park unit in the country. We have a formal “Friends Agreement” partnership with NPS for our work in the national park; and, through our ongoing relationships with Montgomery County Parks, local governments, and NGOs, we partner on shared goals for park revitalization, increased access, and preservation of the park’s historical, cultural, and natural resources. To protect the lands and waters of the Rock Creek watershed, the Conservancy is working to build a culture of environmental stewardship throughout the region in a variety of ways. We have established an active core of dedicated “stream team leaders,” trained volunteers who work with staff to mobilize more than 5,000 volunteers each year for invasive species removal, wildflower and tree plantings, trash cleanups, and water run-off mitigation projects. The Conservancy also promotes green practices on private property and advocates protection of Rock Creek in federal, state, county, and DC government policies. And partnering with local public charter schools, the Conservancy created the youth-based Rock Creek Conservation Corps, which engages critical younger populations in environmental stewardship through an education and service program that provides a transformative experience for young people and sets them up to be ambassadors of stewardship in their schools and communities.
Rock Creek Conservancy is governed by a strong and prestigious board of directors of nineteen people with experience in conservation, parks and public lands, fundraising, education and youth programming, communications, and nonprofit management. Board members and other volunteers participate in an active committee structure that guides and supports the executive director and its staff of 9 full-time and more than 50 seasonal employees.
Rock Creek Conservancy is listed as one of Washington’s best small charities in the Greater Washington Catalogue for Philanthropy and has received numerous awards, including Nonprofit Partner of the Year from the DC Department of the Environment.
To learn more about Rock Creek Conservancy, please see www.rockcreekconservancy.org.
Principal Responsibilities of the Executive Director
Leadership
• Provide leadership, vision, and focus for Rock Creek Conservancy as a respected and effective environmental organization.
• As the organization’s lead fundraiser, cultivate and secure support from individuals, foundations, and corporations, with assistance from the Board and development staff.
• Ensure that the Conservancy’s activities help achieve the goals and key performance indicators set forth in our strategic plan.
• Serve as the spokesperson and public face of Rock Creek Conservancy to the media, legislators, volunteers, members, donors, and partners.
• Maintain and deepen a collaborative and strategic partnership with the National Park Service, Rock Creek Park, Montgomery County Parks, as well as other relevant governmental organizations.
• Serve as an inspiring and innovative leader and convener of environmental/parks organizations in the Rock Creek watershed by developing and promoting shared goals.
• Implement a communications strategy that will increase the visibility of Rock Creek Conservancy and its issues.
• Ensure that the Conservancy recognizes and serves a diverse population, reflecting the highly diverse communities adjacent to Rock Creek Park and in the Rock Creek Watershed.
Management
• Manage the day-to-day operations of the organization, including responsibility for financial systems and working with the financial consultants and auditor.
• Attract and retain talented staff to carry out the organization’s programs, fundraising, and communications.
• Manage the Conservancy’s staff, and in particular the ED’s direct reports across the organization’s primary functional areas.
• Support an engaged board of directors as it carries out its fiduciary and governance responsibilities.
Desired Skills, Experience, and Personal Characteristics
To be successful, the executive director should be:
• Passionate about the mission of Rock Creek Conservancy, with strong professional experience in the environment, conservation, parks, or a related field.
• An excellent communicator who can both inspire and establish credibility with donors, government officials, leaders of other conservation organizations, the media, the staff, the board, and others.
• Able to think strategically and programmatically in setting priorities, allocating resources, providing follow-through, and evaluating efforts.
• Personally experienced in fundraising from individuals, foundations, federal and local governments, and corporations.
• Knowledgeable about nonprofit management, including best practices in financial management, program management, staff development, and board development.
• Familiar with advocacy and public policy formulation, at the state and county levels of government.
The Conservancy offers a competitive salary and benefits package.
To Apply
Please e-mail the following to the search committee at edpost@rockcreekconservancy.org
1. Cover letter that explains why you are interested and qualified,
2. Resume that conveys your leadership and management accomplishments, and
3. Three-year salary history (which will be held in strict confidence)
(Attached files in Microsoft Word or PDF only.)
The search committee will begin to review applications on January 16, 2018, and will accept applications until this position is filled. All applications will be treated confidentially and acknowledged promptly. No phone calls, please.
Rock Creek Conservancy is an Equal Opportunity Employer
