EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

The Long Tom Watershed Council Mission: to improve water quality and watershed condition in the Long Tom River Basin and surrounding drainages through education, collaboration among all interests, using the collective wisdom and voluntary action of our community members.

Everything we do at the Long Tom Watershed Council (LTWC) reflects our mission, culture, and values. To nurture our watershed, we believe in cultivating a diverse set of partners who embrace connection to the larger ecological, cultural, innovative, and caring community. Do you share our values? Are you good at understanding different viewpoints and finding common ground, even when there is disagreement? Are you energized by bringing together the ideas and goals of a team of skilled and passionate professionals into an achievable plan? Do you have a strong commitment to equity and a desire to help care for our watershed community, both human and non-human?
Will you collaboratively lead us in our efforts to enhance our programs, strengthen our relationships, and build on our extraordinary portfolio? Do you find joy in nature, whether it’s spotting a unique bird, finding a smooth river rock, or watching a native fish in a stream? If this sounds like you, we’d love for you to be our next Executive Director!

About the Long Tom Watershed Council
For 25 years, the LTWC, headquartered in Eugene, OR, in the heart of the Long Tom Watershed, has worked with our communities to build a culture of neighbors helping neighbors do the right thing for land and water we share. We believe in learning from our experiences and adapting our strategies to achieve the best possible results for our community and the watershed. We also believe in carefully stewarding the multi-million-dollar grant-based budget that allows us to bring innovative solutions to the watershed and beyond. Our work encompasses the Urban Waters & Wildlife Program; Rural Habitats Program, and the Traditional Ecological Inquiry Program (TEIP). We are proud of our commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice (DEIJ). Our team, board, and partners are humbly honored to engage respectfully with regional Tribal nations, especially through our joint efforts with the Traditional Ecological Inquiry Program (TEIP) and cultural and prescribed fire efforts. Visit longtom.org for more information about the LTWC and its programs and people.

Position Summary

At the LTWC, we are particularly proud of the team dynamic that permeates our culture, and we look to our next Executive Director (ED) as the leader of our incredible cadre of passionate subject matter experts. Our ED will steward the mission and strategic vision while also bringing a critical eye to future organizational enhancements. Our ED will lead our fundraising efforts while also helping shape our broader priorities. Our ED will be the face of the Long Tom and will strengthen our long-time relationships with the Upper Willamette Stewardship Network (UWSN) Partners, other regional collaboratives, agencies, tribes, and philanthropic supporters. Our leader will enjoy dedicated support from the Board of Directors and administrative support from a team that includes the Director of Programs, the Finance Manager, and the Operations Manager, and a staff totaling about 12 people. Most importantly, our ED will have energy and compassion, will help create calm out of occasional chaos, and will embrace all that we love about working for, with, and in the Long Tom Watershed.

Key Responsibilities

– Mission and Strategic Direction: The ED works with the board, staff, partners, and the community to identify opportunities to advance LTWC’s mission and leads organizational efforts to craft priorities and develop an exciting achievable strategic vision. The Executive Director partners with the Director of Programs to develop the long-term strategic framework and annual work plan for programmatic activity.
– Financial Leadership: With support from the Director of Programs, the ED oversees the development of the annual budget and works with administrative team and the Board to make critical financial decisions, ensure healthy financial practices, and uphold fiscal management philosophies.
– Fundraising: The ED creates and leads all non-grant-based fundraising efforts and is the key contact with major donors/funders and prospective donors. A successful ED will develop innovative fundraising plans, create new revenue streams and fundraising capacity, and develop strategic partnerships to support the council’s mission.
– Communications/Community Relations: As chief spokesperson, the ED ensures consistent messaging and serves as its most visible representative in the community while also embracing the importance of internal communications. The ED oversees the creation of an annual communications and marketing plan with support of program managers and communications staff.
– Programming: Together with the Director of Programs, the ED supports the program leadership team in evaluating new opportunities by providing strategic direction and helping evaluate the risks and benefits of proposed programs, projects, and organizational relationships. The ED supports the development of new initiatives and opportunities that emerge in dynamic partnership environments. The ED ensures that programs/projects incorporate DEIJ considerations where possible.
– Management/Administration: The ED works closely with the administrative team to ensure that sound organizational systems, processes, and procedures are upheld and that the organization is in compliance with legal and industry standards.
– Culture and Human Resources: The ED cultivates a culture of kindness, openness, and collaboration and supports the deepening of expertise and professional development of the team with an eye to organizational resilience, succession planning, and retention of institutional knowledge and relationships. The ED hires, fires, and supervises staff and ensures that appropriate employer policies are in place and followed. The ED also assists the Board in nomination, recruitment, and onboarding processes.

A SUCCESSFUL CANDIDATE will bring to the Long Tom Watershed Council:

● Minimum of 5-years relevant leadership experience in nonprofit management and governance
● Strong experience in grant-based fiscal management and nonprofit budgeting for an organization with over $1 million in annual grant income
● Successful track record in fundraising with private/corporate contributions
● Familiarity with ecological restoration and watershed management principles and the ability to converse with stakeholders on these topics
● Excellent verbal and written communication skills and good listening skills
● An entrepreneurial spirit and enthusiasm to tackle broad-based, multi-stakeholder issues
● Comfort with a high degree of uncertainty and ability to adapt and be flexible in problem- solving
● Experience engaging in facilitating multi-party decision-making and leading both highly structured and relationship-based collaborative processes
● Success in working with diverse populations and positively navigating conversations with constituents with differing points of view
● Demonstrated commitments, training or relevant experience in advancing principles of diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice
● Experience successfully managing a multidisciplinary team across a wide range of subjects and ecological/social contexts
● Experience in work planning and strategic planning
● Demonstrated experience responding to change, overcoming challenges, and learning from feedback

Compensation: This is a full-time exempt position with a salary range of $85,000 to $95,000 based on experience. Benefits include 8% automatic retirement contribution; health insurance currently covered at 75% of premium for employees (20% for dependents); cell phone stipend, and generous and flexible PTO.

Workplace Information: Work occurs at the Council office, at various field and meeting locations throughout the watershed and region, and may include travel and meetings in Oregon or elsewhere in the U.S. Candidates must live or be willing to relocate to the Eugene, OR, area. The ED must have the means to move easily and quickly around the watershed for various assignments. Weekends and evenings are part of a flexible work schedule. LTWC is an equal opportunity employer. Reasonable accommodations will be made for applicants with disabilities.

Equal Opportunity Employer: The Long Tom Watershed Council is an equal opportunity employer, and we are committed to promoting a diverse and inclusive organization. All applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, national origin, age, veteran status, disability, sex, gender identity or expression, genetics, sexual orientation, religion, political beliefs, income status, marital status, or familial or parental status in employment in any program or activity conducted by the council. Candidates from underrepresented groups and with diverse lived experiences are encouraged to apply.

DEIJ Statement: Since 2018, the council has invested significantly in exploring what diversity, equity and inclusion mean for the soul of our community, and the core of our work. At the Long Tom Watershed Council, we believe the health of the watershed is dependent upon the contributions of all people. We believe the organization’s strength depends on breaking down implicit, systemic inequities. We strive to create an inclusive and welcoming environment that grows our collective wisdom.

How to apply:
Date Posted: October 15, 2024
Please submit application materials in PDF format combined into one document to apply@longtom.org
Please include:
• Cover letter with contact information (no more than two pages) addressed to the Long Tom Watershed Council Board of Directors describing your qualifications and interest in the position
• Resume that demonstrates how you meet the qualifications and describes your experience and key accomplishments
• Three (3) professional references with contact information (name, phone, and email) and a brief description of your relationship with each

Applicant review begins November 4, 2024. The position is open until filled.
For more information about the Long Tom Watershed Council, visit longtom.org