Executive Director

Opportunity

Siskiyou Land Trust (SLT) seeks an experienced Executive Director (ED) with fund development and financial management experience to lead a successful, growing organization into its next era of conservation, stewardship, outreach, and fundraising. This is an exceptional opportunity for a proven leader to build upon our conservation momentum, and work collaboratively with talented staff and board to support our mission and sustain the organization in perpetuity.

About Us

Based in Mount Shasta, CA, SLT serves Siskiyou County and has been a regional conservation leader since 1993. We partner with willing landowners, volunteers, and conservation organizations to protect forestlands, agricultural lands, and wildlands, restore habitats, and engage our community to foster environmental stewardship. SLT is well on its way to the 30×30-aligned goal to protect 100,000 acres in far Northern California by 2030.

• SLT’s acquisition efforts have resulted in 42,800 conserved acres, both as Conservation Easements and fee owned property. SLT also has an additional 35,000 acres in the active project pipeline.
• Stewardship projects include forest health, meadow restoration, wildlife habitat enhancement, endangered species protection, and conservation easement monitoring.
• SLT’s education and outreach programs engage hundreds of community members, students, and researchers and create connections with the lands of Siskiyou County.

Siskiyou County contains some of California’s most intact wild and working landscapes with incredibly high biodiversity and conservation value. With SLT’s track record of successful projects and skilled staff, the opportunity for landscape scale impact is significant.

Our strategy 

Siskiyou Land Trust prioritizes landscape-scale conservation—protecting wild and working lands adjacent to conserved public and private properties. By connecting these lands, we strengthen wildlife migration corridors, biodiversity, watershed health, and the region’s open viewscapes, amplifying our impact.

Organizational momentum 

In recent years, SLT has applied for Land Trust Alliance (LTA) accreditation, updated our strategic plan, developed a stewardship department, and expanded the Board into a high-functioning group of professional leaders. We seek a creative and thoughtful leader to build on this foundation with a focus on long-term organizational sustainability. 

Role Overview

The new ED will join a high-performing team of conservation and administrative professionals aligned around SLT’s strategic goals. Department leads (Acquisition, Stewardship, and Operations) provide program management, enabling the ED to invest significant time in fund development and broadening SLT’s base of financial support.

Key Priorities & Responsibilities

In close collaboration with staff and board, the ED will sustain and enhance SLT’s organizational health, effectiveness, and financial resilience through:

• Fundraising & Development
  • Build and execute a comprehensive fund development strategy for operations and long-term stewardship (annual campaigns, appeals, membership, grants, events, endowment growth, and major/planned gifts from individuals, foundations, and corporations).
  • Cultivate a culture of philanthropy across the organization, including data-informed practices and cross-departmental participation in development.
  • Assess the need for and, if appropriate, hire development staff with board approval.
• External Relations & Advocacy
  • Serve as a SLT ambassador and build relationships with donors, funders, partners, agencies, community leaders, and the media.
  • Strengthen partnerships that advance SLT’s mission and visibility.
• Financial & Organizational Management
  • Develop and manage the annual budget; steward finances with the Treasurer, department leads, and board.
  • Ensure operations align with the budget, Land Trust Alliance Standards and Practices, and Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP).
  • Lead strategic planning implementation; set timelines, track progress, and report results; periodically refresh the Strategic Plan with board and staff participation.
• People Leadership
  • Support and collaboratively manage department leads on complex projects and program execution; be a thought partner for program development and growth.
  • Champion staff professional development in management, finance, technical skills, and more.
  • Assess the need for hiring additional land conservation professionals, as appropriate and with board approval.
• Board Partnership & Governance 
  • Work with Board President to plan meetings and board member orientation, training, and development. 
  • Assist committee chairs as needed. Report regularly on organizational performance and finances, highlighting risks and recommending solutions. 
  • Ensure compliance with LTA standards and practices for accreditation.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience. 
• Minimum 8 years of progressively responsible leadership experience. 
• Demonstrated commitment to land and natural resource conservation. 
• Proven success in nonprofit fund development (individual giving, major donors, corporate sponsorships, planned giving) and in building/expanding programs that reliably fund operations. 
• Experience with financial management and strategic planning. 
• Strong aptitude for managing and using data to drive strategy, and technical experience working with CRMs and Microsoft Office 365.   
• Exemplifies SLT’s core values: integrity, thoughtfulness, honesty, optimism, kindness, and inclusiveness. 
• Fosters a workplace grounded in mutual respect, collaboration, and clear communication. 
• Excellent interpersonal, organizational, analytical, and time-management skills. 
• Robust financial acumen, including budgeting and clear financial reporting. 
• Strong public presence—articulate, optimistic, energetic—with the ability to motivate and inspire diverse audiences; demonstrated community outreach experience. 
• Must work and live in Siskiyou County, California (not a remote position).
  

Preferred Qualifications

• Strong written and verbal communication; outgoing, friendly personality; effective internal/external communicator.
• Experience with land trusts, community and landowner relations, organizational health, conservation strategies, and Land Trust Alliance Standards and Practices.
• Demonstrated commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion; experience working with underrepresented populations.
• Advanced degree (or equivalent experience) in nonprofit management, business, law, natural resource management, or a related field.
• Familiarity with the ecology and natural resources of Northern California/the Pacific Northwest.

Compensation & Benefits 

• Salary range: $100,000–$115,000, commensurate with experience and qualifications. 
• Full-time, salaried, exempt position.
• Siskiyou Land Trust provides full health benefits, 401K matching retirement plan, paid holidays, vacation, and sick leave.  

To Apply

Please click "Apply" below to email a resume, cover letter, and three references to the SLT Hiring Committee. Position is open until filled. 

 Siskiyou Land Trust is an Equal Opportunity Employer.