Strategic Initiatives Director

About Western Landowners Alliance (WLA): Founded in 2012 by landowners and managers, the organization aims to increase the wellbeing of working lands in the American West and the living communities, including human and wildlife, that depend on them. 

Position Overview: The Strategic Initiatives Director leads a portfolio of emerging programs and initiatives that advance WLA’s mission and strategic priorities. Strategic Initiatives are exploratory or innovative bodies of work designed to address emerging opportunities, test new approaches, and develop promising ideas into ongoing bodies of work.

This role is responsible for guiding new initiatives from exploration and concept development through testing, implementation, evaluation, and institutionalization. Working across WLA and with select external partners, this role assesses emerging opportunities, develops strategies and partnerships, identifies resources and establishes the structure necessary for promising initiatives to succeed. This role also evaluates when initiatives should be scaled, transitioned into established WLA programs, continued as time-limited efforts, or concluded based on results and organizational priorities.

Amount of Time & Status: 40 hours a week, exempt, Monday-Friday

Location: This position is remote with required residency in the American West. Periodic travel will be required. 

Reports to: Chief Programs Officer

Direct Reports: Field Manager and Science and Research Manager.

Compensation: $85,000-$110,000. Salary is commensurate with experience. Western Landowners Alliance offers comprehensive health, dental, and vision insurance, paid time off, parental and medical leave, 403b retirement savings account with a discretionary match, life insurance, short-term disability benefits, and an employee assistance program.

Duties/Responsibilities Include:

• Lead and manage a portfolio of emerging and strategic initiatives aligned with WLA’s mission, strategic plan, and organizational priorities.
• Identify emerging opportunities, challenges, and areas of innovation where WLA can provide distinctive value to landowners and working lands across the American West.
• Develop promising concepts into well-defined initiatives with clear goals, strategies, work plans, budgets, resource requirements, performance measures, and criteria for success.
• Guide initiatives through exploration, design, testing, implementation, and evaluation, establishing decision points and recommending whether initiatives should be scaled, transitioned into established programs, redesigned, or concluded.
• Collaborate across WLA to ensure strategic initiatives draw on organizational expertise, respond to landowner needs, integrate relevant science and research, and complement existing programs.
• Build and maintain partnerships with landowners, agencies, conservation organizations, universities, Tribal governments, funders, and other stakeholders to advance strategic initiatives.
• Manage initiative budgets, grants, and resources and support fundraising through concept and proposal development, grant writing, funder engagement, and collaboration with WLA’s development staff.
• Evaluate initiative outcomes and impact, capture lessons learned and apply insights to strengthen WLA’s programs and organizational strategy.
• Provide support to existing projects and programs, as needed.
• Represent WLA and its strategic initiatives with partners, funders, decision-makers, and other external audiences, working with communications staff to share relevant results and lessons.
• Supervise, mentor, and manage program staff, contractors, and consultants, fostering effective collaboration, accountability, and professional development.
• Serve as an active member of WLA’s Leadership Team, contributing to organization-wide strategy, planning, budgeting, coordination, organizational development, and decision-making.
• Other duties as assigned.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Minimum Bachelor’s degree in related field from an accredited institution or equivalent work experience required.  
• Seven or more years of progressively responsible experience in program development, conservation, natural resources, working lands, nonprofit leadership, innovation, or related field, including experience developing or launching new programs or initiatives.
• Demonstrated ability to take emerging or ambiguous opportunities from concept through strategy development, implementation, evaluation, and decision-making.
• Experience managing a portfolio of projects, programs, or initiatives with different timelines, funding levels, stakeholders, and degrees of uncertainty.
• Demonstrated ability to think strategically while also translating ideas into clear plans, priorities, budgets, milestones, and measurable outcomes.
• Experience supervising and mentoring professional staff and building collaborative teams.
• Strong judgement and demonstrated ability to make decisions in situations where information, resources, or funding may initially be limited.
• Ability to assess the potential value, feasibility, organizational fit, resource requirements, and risks of new opportunities.
• Familiarity with working lands, natural resource conservation, rural communities, agriculture, wildlife, water, or related issues in the American West strongly preferred.
• Experience working with landowners and an understanding of landowner perspectives and the economic, ecological, and community dimensions of working lands preferred.
• Experience facilitating meetings and working with diverse constituencies
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills; detail oriented, strong independent work ethic; and ability to manage multiple priorities in a dynamic work environment
• Valid driver’s license and reliable transportation required
• Willingness and ability to maintain confidential information and work with diverse populations
• Strong technology literacy and adaptability, including the ability to learn and effectively use new software, digital tools, and collaborative platforms.

Working Environment/Physical Activities:  Work environment is an office setting with occasional field visits. Physical activities include sitting at a desk and working on a keyboard and computer several hours a day; conducting business over the telephone and via email; standing for long periods of time; periodic travel and traveling by plane and long distances by vehicles (including traveling on unpaved roads). This position may also require moving agency materials up to 25 pounds. This position requires the ability to facilitate meetings and interface professionally with the public.

Application Procedure:  Please submit your resume and cover letter (required) via our website. Please, no phone calls. Western Landowners Alliance values diversity and inclusivity and is committed to providing a supportive and inclusive environment for all team members regardless of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, national origin, age, disability, marital status, or political affiliation. We encourage all qualified and interested candidates to apply. Priority will be given to applications received by Tuesday, August 25th.

Target start date: Immediately