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VIRGINIA CONSERVATION NETWORK EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

POSITION SUMMARY

The Virginia Conservation Network (VCN) is looking to hire a dynamic leader as its next Executive Director.

BACKGROUND

VCN is the partnership of over 160 environmental organizations working together to protect Virginia’s natural resources. VCN works to build capacity and long-term power for our partners and the movement through shared resources and training. VCN is a facilitator of strategic action, a resource for Network Partners statewide, and a constant conservation presence in Virginia’s Capitol. Playing a unique role in Virginia’s conservation community, VCN helps the community speak with one coordinated voice.

VCN’s Network Partners work on a wide range of issues including the cleaning up of the Chesapeake Bay, coastal resiliency, protecting wildlife habitat, increasing access to parks and trails, making our communities more walkable and bikeable, achieving 100% clean energy, fighting new fossil fuel infrastructure, ensuring environmental justice, and more. Given the diverse work of our partners organizations, VCN organizes its programs into four main categories: Healthy Rivers, Clean Energy and Climate, Land Conservation, and Land Use and Transportation.

The organization and its staff focus on strengthening the conservation community as a whole and winning environmental victories that benefit all Virginians. VCN is committed to its core pillars of Diversity, Equity, Inclusivity, and Belonging (DEIB), which support a strong and diverse network and raise the standards for Virginia's environmental movement.

The staff team of eight are all respected leaders in Virginia’s environmental community who drive meaningful, mission-driven environmental change across Virginia. The team cultivates an equitable, people-centered movement grounded in collaboration, respect, and trust.

Over the last nine years, under the leadership of VCN’s current Executive Director, the organization has grown in size and impact, bolstering the conservation and environmental community movement infrastructure in the state of Virginia. The current Executive Director is stepping down at the end of the year. The VCN Board of Directors is looking for the next dynamic leader of the organization capable of executing a successful leadership transition that allows the organization to continue to grow and thrive.

RESPONSIBILITIES

Fundraising

• Act as the primary fundraiser for the organization. Build relationships with and raise money from VCN’s existing foundation funders and help grow the support from new foundations.
• Bottomline VCN Annual Dues renewal. Maintain relationships with VCN Network partners to ensure VCN is a responsive partnership worth their annual investment.
• Maintain and build up an individual giving program through annual individual giving mailing, online giving, and one on one meetings.

Network Builder

• Maintain VCN’s status as the hub for the conservation community in Virginia by developing and maintaining authentic relationships with Network Partners, seeking regular feedback, and making adjustments to core services as needed
• Work with staff to host three main annual events for partners – VCN Annual Meeting & Partner Retreat, Legislative Preview, and Conservation Lobby Day.
• Organize and run the VCN Directors table – bringing together the executive directors of the staffed partners.
• Work with staff to actively recruit new partners to VCN throughout outreach, one on one meetings and annual mailings.

Fiscal & Organizational Compliance

• Develop, in concert with the Board of Directors, the organization’s annual budget (currently $1.3 million). Maintain fiscal responsibility of the organization throughout the year through responsible budget and cashflow management.
• Ensure VCN meets annual federal and state compliance and reporting requirements. Ensure proper tracking of state and federal lobbying expenses.
• Maintain the financial health of the organization by striving to add to the organization's financial reserve annually

Staff Management, Recruitment, Retention & Organizational Culture

• Provide day-to-day management and support to VCN’s director team (4 direct reports)
• Run regular internal staff, program team and leadership team meetings as well as an annual staff retreat focused primarily on team building
• As needed, bottom line recruitment, hiring, onboarding and training of new staff members
• Ensure VCN is building a diverse, equitable and inclusive workplace

Leading Voice for VCN & VA’s Conservation Community

• Raise the visibility and credibility of VCN as a go-to organization for the Governor’s office and key agencies through regular meetings and communication with the Secretary of Historic & Natural Resources, Conservation Agency Directors, and other policy makers.
• Be a spokesperson for Virginia’s environment, for VCN and for its Network Partners including speaking engagements in front of a few dozen to a few hundred attendees.
• Build relationships with strategic allies outside of the VCN network in the clean energy, agriculture, housing, and justice sectors.

Strategic Campaign Facilitator

• Work with the VCN program team to shepherd VCN Partners through the annual Our Common Agenda Briefing Book process
• Lead and participate in high-level, strategic, decision-making meetings to advance priority campaigns.
• When there is a disagreement within the VCN Network, work to de-escalate disagreements behind closed doors through one-on-one and facilitated group discussions as needed.
• Represent VCN on key steering committees including the VA Energy Foundation Steering Committee and the Choose Clean Water Steering Committee.

Liaison to VCN Board

• Work with the board chair to organize board meetings through agenda, materials ahead of time for review and feedback.
• Work with board to recruit a diverse board that reflects the demographics of Virginia and to provide an inclusive environment for participation and engagement.

ABOUT YOU

People-Centered Relationship Builder - You love engaging with all types of people. You’re just as comfortable talking to a Governor as you are a volunteer community member. You can connect with a rural community leader just as easily as a youth climate advocate. You understand that working in a diverse movement means bringing together people with all different experiences, cultures & perspectives. You thrive on getting to know people’s stories and helping people see each other's perspectives.

Intersectional Environmentalist - You are passionate about protecting the environment. You see the intersection of water quality, land use, climate change, energy, and wildlife. You recognize and are excited that VCN’s partnership works on everything from public transportation access to oyster restoration; scaling our clean energy commitments to connecting wildlife corridors.

Behind the Scenes Leader - You know that the work that happens to prepare a big meeting is just as important as the meeting itself. You are a proven project manager and love to pull together a purposeful agenda that makes progress on strategic conversations. You don’t mind being in the limelight when the moment is right but, your first instinct is to lift up the voices of others through programs and events.

Comfortable with Conflict - You understand that many of the biggest environmental problems of our day come with conflict. You have experience addressing conflict head-on while bringing down the temperature of disagreements. You are a mediator that looks to solve big problems with action.

Pragmatic, Optimistic Change Maker - You have experience making change and are a visionary. You know we’re up against huge challenges. You use the success of past wins to drive future optimism that, if we work together, we can make more change possible. You recognize that progress can come in both inches and yards. You lead with joy, celebration and continued momentum.

Strategic Campaigner - You recognize that our movement is a jigsaw puzzle and it requires all of the pieces to be successful - policy, advocacy, grassroots, legal, communications, and education. You’re able to step back and see future alignment and future gaps. You simultaneously focus on executing tried and true campaign tactics while not being afraid to try new things. You grow ideas at the speed of trust. You value organizing and have a keen political eye.

Mentor, Trainer & Organizational Builder - You know that the best leaders are those that build the strongest team. You have a knack for finding the best people to join you and putting them into positions where they thrive. You enjoy recruiting people to be a part of what you’re doing.

Equity-Centered Approach - You recognize that low-income people, Black people, Indigenous people, and people of color have disproportionately shouldered the burden of pollution in our communities. You have a proven track record working on diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice at an organizational level. You strive to build a movement and organization that reflects the demographics of the Commonwealth, ensuring the protection of natural resources for everyone and a sustainable future for all communities.

QUALIFICATIONS

Candidates should come with at least 10 - 12 years of experience in non-profit, advocacy, and / or public policy experience. Candidates should have a commitment to conservation and the environment, as well as working collaboratively and growing the voice of the environmental community. VCN is looking for candidates with experience in leading the strategy and the execution for advocacy, grassroots organizing, campaigning, and/or community outreach on issues such as clean water, recurrent flooding, climate change, clean energy, wildlife, transportation, public health, and/or social justice. Candidates must bring humility and emotional intelligence to their work and an excitement in building relationships with partners within the environmental community.

Candidates should have a proven track record of bringing a diverse set of individuals together through coalition coordination, multi-stakeholder facilitation, and/or strategic campaign development. Additionally, candidates should have experience building relationships with policymakers and/or government staff at the local, state, or federal level. We’re looking for candidates with the experience and commitment to work with individuals with different racial, ethnic, socio-economic, cultural, geographic, and religious backgrounds. Candidates must be committed to VCN’s goals around diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice.

Candidates should have experience with staff management, managing a budget, and fundraising from individuals and foundations.

Diversity of experience and skills combined with passion is key to innovation and a culture of excellence. If you meet more than 75% of the qualifications of this description and are excited about the role, we support your application and encourage you to apply.

DETAILS

This is a full-time, salaried position based in Richmond, Virginia. The position reports to VCN’s Board of Directors and is viewed as a leadership position within the broader environmental movement in Virginia. The position requires working outside of the typical business days a few times a month and regularly when the General Assembly is in session. This position includes travel throughout the state, on average, 2 - 5 days a month for partner meetings, conferences, and retreats. A driver's license is required, but owning a car is not. VCN offers a hybrid work option outside of the General Assembly session. Hybrid work requires high-speed internet capable of video meetings.

COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS

The salary range for this position is $115,000 - 125,000 based on relevant experience. In addition, VCN offers a competitive benefits package, which includes:

• Paid time off every year: 4 weeks (20 days) of vacation, 5 sick and wellness days for physical and mental health, 14 paid holidays.
• Employer contribution of 100% of monthly premium cost towards a healthcare plan for employees, including dental and vision coverage (50% for spouses, domestic partners & dependents).
• 4% employer match towards a 503b retirement savings account
• 12 weeks of paid parental leave for the birth or adoption of a child
• Commuter benefit of up to $150 / month, which can either be used towards a parking spot downtown, reimbursement towards driving / daily parking, and/or green commuter credits for walking / biking / or bussing into the office.
• $50 monthly cell phone reimbursement

In addition, staff are given a yearly allotment towards professional development and participate in an annual staff retreat to a different scenic region of the state each year.

We are proud to be an equal-opportunity employer. It is the policy of Virginia Conservation Network to consider all candidates equally without regard to age, race, gender, religion, sexual orientation, national origin, disability, or other non-merit factors.

TO APPLY

The preferred deadline for this position is Friday, October 31, 2025. To apply, please upload your resume and respond to the application questions on this form. This search is being supported by NRG Consulting Group. Please reach out to [email protected] and cc [email protected] with any questions.

HIRING TIMELINE

• Application Deadline: Friday, October 31, 2025
• Interviews: Mid-November
• Final Offer Issues By: Early December
• Target Start Date: January 2026