Executive Director

~ At nearly 270,000 acres (422 square miles), Tejon Ranch is the largest contiguous parcel of private land in California. ~

Located along Interstate 5 between Los Angeles and Bakersfield, the Ranch straddles the Tehachapi Mountains and lies at the convergence of four of California's ten major ecological regions: Great Central Valley, Sierra Nevada, Mojave Desert, and Southwestern California.

The diversity of plants and animals found on Tejon Ranch reflects its position as a "biogeographic crossroads," where species unique to each of these regions can be found together. Tejon Ranch was founded in 1843 and is now the principal asset of Tejon Ranch Company, which was incorporated in 1936.

Position Overview

The Tejon Ranch Conservancy seeks a mission-focused, dedicated, and innovative Executive Director to build on its accomplishments to date and expand its contributions to conservation on Tejon Ranch and beyond, leading the Conservancy to its next level of financial, programmatic, and organizational success. This is a high-profile opportunity for a dynamic conservation professional.

The successful candidate will provide outstanding organizational leadership and passionately communicate the Conservancy's mission and achievements to internal and external stakeholders.

Working in partnership with the Board, Tejon Ranch Company, conservation leaders, and other critical community stakeholders, the Executive Director will serve as a strategic leader in implementing the Ranch-wide Agreement and executing sustainable and forward looking conservation programs and public access activities on Tejon Ranch's conserved lands.

The Executive Director will also interact with public agencies on important conservation programs and other critical planning activities. S/he will be a collaborative leader, an excellent manager, and an accomplished fundraiser. The ideal candidate will have a deep familiarity with land trust practices, as well as an entrepreneurial mind and the capacity to provide tangible benefits to the Conservancy.

The Executive Director will report to the Board of Directors and will lead and oversee all functions of the Conservancy in accordance with policies established by the Board.

The location for this position is flexible. The Conservancy's headquarters are located in Lebec, CA, approximately 60 miles north of Los Angeles and 30 miles south of Bakersfield. To successfully carry out the internal and external duties of the role, the Executive Director must be based in a location that allows her or him to spend significant time (approximately half) at headquarters and on the Ranch, as well as engage in frequent travel. 

Responsibilities 

The Executive Director will perform the following and other duties as assigned: 

• Guide the Conservancy in achieving its mission, ensuring its programs build on accomplishments to date and further strengthen the quality, relevance, and profile of the organization.
• Recommend to and assist the Board in developing overall objectives, strategies, and programs to achieve the organizational goals of the Conservancy, and oversee the implementation of all adopted policies, programs, plans, and procedures.
• Ensure the preparation of annual plans and budgets for review and adoption by the Board of Directors and be responsible for overseeing staff and ensuring that the approved work program is carried out, pursuant to the adopted budget.
• Work with the Development Director to fundraise for the implementation of the Ranch-wide Management Plan and significantly increase financial support for the Conservancy's science, public access, and restoration programs from individual, institutional, agency, and corporate supporters.
• Represent the organization externally, making public presentations as required and engaging in and overseeing communications with members of and contributors to the Conservancy, the general public, media, governmental agencies, and representatives of groups interested in environmental issues.
• Raise the profile of the Conservancy within the national land trust and conservation communities, garnering recognition for its valuable and unique assets and programs.
• Guide the development of the second iteration of the Ranch-wide Management Plan-including the Public Access Plan-in conjunction with Conservancy staff and Board, partners, and consultants.
• Work closely with the Pacific Crest Trail Association, Tejon Ranch Company, and the US Forest Service to re-align the Pacific Crest Trail through Tejon Ranch.
• Ensure that the books, records, and files of the Conservancy are maintained in good order at all times, and that financial records are at all times in compliance with all nonprofit reporting and other legal requirements.
• Oversee real estate and land acquisition transactions in compliance with the highest standards of land trust practice.

Qualifications 

The successful candidate will have the following professional and personal qualifications: 

• 10+ years of substantive and relevant work experience, land trust experience strongly preferred.
• Strong leadership skills, including an engaging and energetic demeanor and the ability to inspire and motivate staff, donors, and potential partners.
• Demonstrated conservation ethic and a commitment to serving the Conservancy's mission.
• Demonstrated leadership and business acumen and a proven record leading organizational growth and effectiveness.
• Proven success securing funding for an organization or business/program function.
• Experience engaging and fully utilizing a board.
• Comfort in dealing with the budgeting process, project coordination, and management of staff and financial resources.
• Demonstrated ability to work collegially and constructively with colleagues and partners with disparate interests and backgrounds.
• History of conservation work in working lands or private ranch/farm settings.
• Ability to increase fundraising with individuals of high net worth, private, and family foundations and corporations, and an interest in trying new ideas in fundraising.
• Experience working with county, state, and national public policy leaders and an understanding of the important role of regulatory agencies and other community planning bodies.
• Experience working on land transactions and with title companies, appraisers, etc. highly desirable.
• Bachelor's degree required, graduate degree in natural resource science or management or equivalent experience strongly preferred.
• Excellent communication skills, with proven ability to write and speak articulately and persuasively.
• Ability to listen to others and learn from their best ideas.
• Initiative, inquisitiveness, and intellectual curiosity.
• Ability to work collaboratively with various stakeholders to resolve issues in a win/win manner.
• Excellent interpersonal and relationship building skills and sense of humor.
• A personable, trustworthy, and diplomatic demeanor, and impeccable integrity.
• Exceptional analytical, strategic, and tactical abilities.
• Willingness to travel. 

Additional Information

The Tejon Ranch Conservancy was formed in 2008 when the Tejon Ranch Company reached agreement with five well-known environmental organizations on a comprehensive, ranch-wide conservation and land use plan.

The Tejon Ranch Conservation and Land Use Agreement with the Sierra Club, Natural Resources Defense Council, Audubon California, the Planning and Conservation League, and Endangered Habitats League set forth the plan for permanent conservation of up to 240,000 acres of the ranch, established and provided a mechanism for funding the Tejon Ranch Conservancy, and opened the ranch to significant public access.

The Tejon Ranch Conservancy is an independent, accredited land trust that works with Tejon Ranch Company to oversee all the conserved lands and provide public access. The Conservancy's mission is to preserve, enhance, and restore the native biodiversity and ecosystem values of Tejon Ranch and the Tehachapi Range for the benefit of California's future generations. Under the Ranch-wide Agreement, Tejon Ranch Company provides the initial operational funding for the Conservancy until 2022.

The Conservancy is governed by a 12-member board consisting of four members appointed by Tejon Ranch Company, four members appointed collectively by the environmental resource organizations that signed the Agreement, and four independent members appointed by the Board. In 2013, the Conservancy adopted an exemplary Ranch-wide Management Plan to guide the stewardship, enhancement, and restoration of Tejon Ranch conserved lands. 

Compensation: The Tejon Ranch Conservancy offers an excellent benefits package and a competitive salary that is commensurate with experience.

To Apply

Please click below: "Apply Now Online!" to email your resume, cover letter, and salary requirements. This position will remain open until filled.

~ The Tejon Ranch Conservancy is an equal opportunity employer. Women and minorities are encouraged to apply. ~