Utah and Great Basin Director

ABOUT TROUT UNLIMITED

Trout Unlimited (TU) is a national organization with 300,000 members and supporters organized into over 400 chapters and councils nationwide. These dedicated grassroots volunteers are matched by a respected staff of organizers, lawyers, policy experts, and scientists, who work out of more than 45 offices across the country.  Our mission is to conserve, protect, and restore North America's cold-water fisheries and their watersheds.  

POSITION SUMMARY

The Utah and Great Basin Director serves as TU's representative in Utah and the Great Basin and provides strategic leadership across conservation, policy, fundraising, communications, and organizational development. The Director represents TU with elected officials, agencies, foundations, donors, corporate partners, media, and diverse stakeholders to advance conservation outcomes and strengthen TU's influence and effectiveness throughout the region. The Director is responsible for overseeing a portfolio of work that advances TU’s mission through protecting, restoring, reconnecting, and sustaining priority waters and meets the goals outlined in TU's organization-wide strategic plan. The Director will work with external and internal partners and oversee a team responsible for delivering successful outcomes around the organization’s priority conservation activities, in close coordination with relevant TU state councils and chapters. 

The Director is responsible for the management and oversight of a growing team of 10 national staff that delivers conservation, policy, community engagement, and strategic partnership outcomes in service to the organization’s mission and vision. Focal areas include the Upper Colorado River Basin, Great Salt Lake Basin, and Bear River Basin in Utah, plus watersheds in Nevada. The Director, in coordination with the Vice President, Rocky Mountain Region, will develop and guide the implementation of integrated strategies for Utah and the Great Basin to ensure alignment across the various functions, and develop and maintain partnerships with other conservation organizations, state and federal agencies, TU members and supporters, and other external partners. The Director will oversee staff’s efforts to build and diversify the community of volunteers and supporters within the region, and, in collaboration with development, work with donors and others to raise funds. This position requires a high degree of collaboration and capability to operate in a geographically dispersed organization with multiple constituencies, partners, and volunteers. 

The role is remote, work-from-home, with travel required (approximately 20-40%, primarily within Utah). 

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• Serve as TU's representative in Utah and the Great Basin, maintaining strong relationships with elected officials, agency leaders, foundations, major donors, private landowners, tribes, industry partners, media, and conservation organizations. Represent TU in public forums and collaborative processes and help shape policy and conservation priorities affecting the region.
• In consultation with the Vice President, set strategic direction and goals for conservation in Utah and the Great Basin, which may include habitat restoration, water policy, collaborative conservation, public engagement, fundraising priorities, and strategic partnerships. Ensure effective execution of the strategies to achieve Priority Waters objectives, ensuring coordination between national staff and relevant TU state councils and chapters, and inclusion of relevant communities, including those that may be considered marginalized.      
• Build and maintain a strong, integrated program team who will execute the strategies to achieve identified goals. Lead and manage the team, to include aligning work plans and performance expectations, holding staff accountable, obtaining staff training, and creating an inclusive,  supportive work environment. Mentor and develop emerging leaders and cultivate organizational capacity to ensure long-term program sustainability.
• Work directly with functional area staff (e.g., science, finance, human resources, communications, and development) assigned to Utah and the Great Basin, to include collaborating with functional leadership to set goals, establish work plans, provide performance feedback, and provide day-to-day direction.
• Develop and manage the Utah and Great Basin program budget, and interface regularly with the Vice President and other state/regional directors to strategically identify, secure, and steward diverse funding sources including philanthropic gifts, foundation grants, corporate partnerships, and public funding opportunities. Ensure budgets and work comply with funder terms.
• Work closely with Government Affairs and program staff to develop and execute state and federal policy strategies and cultivate productive relationships with policymakers and elected officials.
• Establish and maintain productive and strategic relationships with key decision-makers and partners, such as key elected officials, policymakers, media and resource managers, property owners, and conservation and sportfishing organizations. Key relationships include tribes, agriculture producers, industry partners, water users, and foundations.  
• Build and maintain strong relationships with TU’s Utah and Nevada councils and chapters, including TU’s members and grassroots leaders. Work collaboratively and coordinate with Volunteer Operations on issues and sharing of best practices. 
• Guide engagement staff in developing effective strategies to engage local communities, members, and supporters, and assist in growing TU’s base of supporters. 
• In partnership with Development, lead fundraising efforts and cultivate relationships with individual donors, foundations, and corporate partners. Serve as a primary ambassador for Trout Unlimited and actively participate in donor stewardship and major gift development.
• In coordination with and assisted by TU’s marketing and communications staff, ensure TU’s value proposition and conservation work is effectively communicated to target audiences, including funders and policymakers. 

• A minimum of 5 years leading an interdisciplinary and dispersed team within the field of conservation or non-profit, or similar experience in the public or private sector.
• Bachelor’s degree required; advanced degree in a field related to conservation a plus.
• Proven ability to build coalitions among diverse interests.
• Proven ability to engage effectively with policymakers and elected officials.
• Proven ability to represent an organization publicly and strategically.
• Proven ability to fundraise and manage budgets.
• Experience managing contracts and funding agreements.
• Strong written and oral communication skills, including the ability to communicate effectively with a variety of audiences.
• Strong organizational skills and ability to work independently.
• Familiarity with aquatic conservation, watershed restoration, water policy, and natural resource management issues.
• Understanding of the political context in which TU’s conservation work is executed within the state(s), to enable the informed selection of goals, strategies, and tactics.
• Passion for the outdoors and TU's mission.

At TU, we value a diverse representation of staff, and we actively seek candidates for this position who come from communities that have been historically under-represented in conservation and those who have been most impacted by degraded rivers and streams. We are committed to the inclusion of all people to participate in our work to care for trout and salmon and clean our shared waters.

We are proud to be an equal opportunity employer.

COMPENSATION

Starting salary: $110,000-$120,000

Should the level of the role change during the hiring process, the applicable base pay range may be updated accordingly. Compensation decisions are dependent on several factors including, but not limited to, an individual’s qualifications, location where the role is to be performed, internal equity, and alignment with market data. 

HOW TO APPLY

Please upload a resume, cover letter, and three professional references using TU's Paylocity application system. Applications are due at the close of business on Monday, July 20th.