Colorado Nonprofit Association

Executive Director

NOTE: This job description is not intended to be an exhaustive list of all duties, responsibilities, or qualifications associated with the job.

POSITION SUMMARY:
RMFI is a 43-year-old 501(c)(3) nonprofit environmental stewardship organization based in Colorado Springs, Colorado, dedicated to the conservation and stewardship of public lands in Southern Colorado. RMFI works across land management jurisdictions to complete a wide variety of trail and restoration projects including trail construction, trail maintenance, wildfire restoration, forest health and mitigation, landscape restoration, and other important projects and initiatives.

The Executive Director reports to the Board of Directors and is responsible for the organization’s consistent achievement of its mission and financial objectives. The Executive Director provides strategic, thoughtful, and visionary leadership to guide and support RMFI’s mission of public land stewardship.

Working closely with the Board, the Executive Director facilitates the development and implementation of the strategic plan and is responsible for the planning, oversight, and successful execution of programs, administration, development, and day-to-day management of the organization. RMFI employs 7 full-time staff, about 20-25 seasonal field staff and the Executive Director manages a current budget of approximately $1.8 million.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:
VISION, MISSION, STRATEGY:

• Responsible for the organization’s consistent achievement of its mission and financial objectives.
• Oversee program development and administration, communications, personnel and staffing, budget and finance, fundraising, reporting, and evaluation needs for the organization.
• Work with the Board of Directors and staff to ensure the organization has a long-range strategy for achieving its mission, goals, and financial viability.
• Provide leadership in developing program and organizational plans with the Board of Directors and staff.
• Maintain and utilize working knowledge of significant developments and trends in the field.
• Build respect and profile for the organization in its various constituencies. Support the overall field/movement in which the organization works.

FUNDRAISING:

• Seek out, identify, and pursue sources of funding, including grants, contracts and agreements, donations, sponsorships, etc. to support short and long-term organizational financial goals.
• Identify, cultivate, solicit, acknowledge, and steward individual donors, foundations, organizations, government entities, corporations, and other supporters. Cultivate and enhance relationships with key major donors, sponsors, and supporters.
• Lead strategy of special appeals, mailings, and events.

PARTNERSHIP DEVELOPMENT & COMMUNITY LEADERSHIP:

• Serve as an effective spokesperson for the organization. Foster effective working relationships with its constituencies, including clients/members/patrons, other nonprofits, government agencies, educational institutions, elected officials, funders, and the general public.
• Establish sound working relationships and develop complex cooperative agreements/arrangements with land management agencies, community groups, businesses, and organizations to foster collaboration.
• Develop and manage partnerships with diverse stakeholders.
• Serve as a liaison to various leadership teams on collaborative efforts across the region.
• Ensure communication vehicles are developed and effectively utilized (annual reports, final programmatic reports, website, social media, e-newsletters, etc.).

ADMINISTRATION OF ORGANIZATION:

• Establish and lead an effective administrative team. Analyze organizational processes to devise strategies in leading teams toward meeting strategic goals and objectives.
• Maintain a climate of excellence, accountability, and respect.
• Recruit and retain a qualified and diverse staff. Foster an inclusive workplace where diversity and individual differences are leveraged to achieve the vision and mission of the organization.
• Ensure compliance with relevant workplace and employment laws.
• See that employees have appropriate certifications and training.
• Ensure job descriptions are developed, and regular performance evaluations are conducted.
• Encourage staff development and education.

FINANCIAL SUSTAINABILITY AND MISSION IMPACT:

• Ensure adequate control and accounting of all funds, including maintaining sound financial practices.
• Design, implement, adapt, and phase out programs and activities to optimize mission impact.
• Work with the staff, finance committee, and the Board to prepare budgets, monitor progress, and initiate changes (to operations and/or to budgets) as appropriate.
• Maintain official records and documents, and ensure compliance with federal, state, and local regulations and reporting requirements.
• Develop realistic, ambitious plans for acquiring funds.
• Ensure all funds are disbursed in accordance with contract/agreement requirements and donor designations.
• Establish positive relationships with individual donors, government agencies, corporations, organizations, and other supporters.

BOARD OF DIRECTORS:

• Keep Board members fully informed regarding the condition of the organization and important factors influencing or potentially impacting it.
• Ensure Board committees are appropriately supported.
• Work with Board officers to ensure the Board is effective as a governing body and that recruitment, involvement, and departures of individual Board members are effective.
• Communicate in a timely, clear, and professional manner with the Board to ensure a fruitful working relationship is constantly being cultivated.

REQUIRED SKILLS AND ABILITIES:

• Bachelor’s degree, or equivalent experience, in a natural resource-related field required (Master’s degree preferred).
• Strong conservation ethic and belief in RMFI’s mission; familiarity with our core project areas is a plus.
• Personal qualities of integrity, credibility, and transparency.
• Proven leadership, management, and motivational skills required.
• Excellent public speaking and presentation skills required.
• A successful track record in setting priorities; keen analytic, organization, and problem-solving skills, which support and enable sound decision-making.
• Excellent communication and relationship-building skills with an ability to prioritize, negotiate, and work with a variety of internal and external stakeholders.
• A multi-tasker with the ability to wear many hats in a fast-paced environment.
• Strong writing skills required.
• 3 years nonprofit management experience preferred.
• Grant writing and fundraising experience preferred.
• Proficient in Microsoft products (e.g. SharePoint, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Teams, etc.)
• Valid driver’s license required.
  
  This is a full-time (exempt) salaried position based in Colorado Springs, Colorado. To fully meet the job requirements some travel, evening, and weekend work is required.