Overview

“At the Trust for Public Land, we don’t just save land—we save land for people to enjoy, from neighborhood parks to national parks.”

The Trust for Public Land is seeking applications and nominations for an experienced Pennsylvania State Director.

The mission of the Trust for Public Land is to create parks and protect land for people, ensuring healthy, livable communities for generations to come. Every park, playground, and public space created is an open invitation to explore, wonder, discover, and play. The Trust for Public Land has been connecting communities to the outdoors and to each other since 1972. Today, millions of Americans live within a 10-minute walk of a park or natural area created by the organization, and countless more visit every year.

The Trust for Public Land was founded in 1972 with the goal of protecting land in and around cities and pioneering new land conservation techniques. Over the years, our work expanded to include projects from the inner city to the wilderness, and our broad experience has made us a national leader and innovator in city park creation, state and local conservation funding, and using GIS for conservation planning. For more information, visit https://www.tpl.org/.

The Opportunity:

The Pennsylvania State Director is responsible for developing and managing The Trust for Public Land’s programmatic activities in Pennsylvania. The principal geographic focus of the position is Philadelphia, but the Director will also build strategic partnerships throughout the state.

The Trust for Public Land’s work in Pennsylvania employs each of the organization’s conservation strategies, from creating urban parks in Philadelphia and protecting land in the Poconos to helping establish new sources of public funding for conservation at the state and local level. The state office’s most significant investment is its Parks for People Philadelphia program, which works in partnership with public agencies to design and develop green parks, playgrounds and schoolyards in underserved neighborhoods throughout the city. The Director will have responsibility for developing a 3- to 5-year strategic plan that identifies growth opportunities in Philadelphia and new program opportunities elsewhere in the state.

In all of this work, the Pennsylvania State Director manages and mentors the operations staff and works in close collaboration with the State Director of Philanthropy to raise funding to support the office’s programs and operating costs. The State Director is also responsible for working with public/non-profit partners, major donors, the local Advisory Board, and others within the organization to enhance opportunities for success of the office and its programs. The individual must demonstrate a proven track record working with high level public officials, non-profit leaders, and the philanthropic community.

Key Responsibilities and Roles

  • Philanthropy (35%)
  • Program Development and Management (25%)
  • Management/Administration (15%)
  • External Relations (25%)

Factors Critical for Success

Within the first year, the successful candidate will have:

  • Mastered a learning curve of the Trust for Public Land to effectively assume management of the growth of the Pennsylvania office. This includes an understanding of our core practice areas (PLAN, FUND, PROTECT, and CREATE), as well as national programs, and embracing a role in fundraising.
  • Developed, in partnership with Director of Philanthropy, a list of 10-20 major donors with a strong emphasis on individuals. The State Director will be the natural partner for these donors.
  • Led the development of a 3-5 year strategic plan.
  • Begun to identify new program and project opportunities for the Philadelphia office.

Core Competencies

The Trust for Public Land is seeking a dynamic, experienced leader to lead Trust for Public Land programming throughout the state. This individual will have at least 5 years’ experience in an organization focused on public urban work and/or land protection, and at least 8 years of relevant non-profit work experience, including at least 5 years of staff management. Ideally a current or past Executive Director, s/he will have experience with public finance techniques, government funding practices and procedures, the foundation community, fundraising, marketing practices, best management practices and budgeting practices. It is desirable that candidates have a Bachelor’s degree in urban planning, urban studies, landscape architecture or related fields, with an advanced degree preferred.

In addition, successful candidates will have the following core competencies:

  • Strategic Leadership & Planning
  • Operations Management & Oversight
  • External Relations and Communications
  • Fundraising Expertise
  • Collaboration, Relationship-building and Board Relations
  • Passion for the Mission

Contact:

The Trust for Public Land has engaged Koya Leadership Partners to help in this hire. This search is being led by Liz Lombard. Please submit a resume here or e-mail Liz at the following:

Liz Lombard
Vice President, Executive Search
llombard@koyapartners.com

The Trust for Public Land does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, ethnic or national origin, age, disability, gender, sexual orientation or other characteristic covered by law with regard to employment opportunities.

Apply Here

PI96792584