Vice-President of Conservation

Palmer Land Conservancy (Palmer) is one of Colorado’s leading nonprofit land conservation organizations and one of the country’s first 100 nationally accredited land trusts through the Land Trust Alliance. Palmer is committed to protecting land and water for the well-being of nature and people. Since 1977, the organization has permanently protected 138,000 acres, including 20 public parks and open spaces, working farms and ranches, wildlife habitat, and scenic views. These are the places where we all live, work, and play.

We are a team of professionals who work with private landowners, as well as local, state, and federal partners to be a catalyst for community health, resiliency, and prosperity. Through these partnerships, we can achieve a lasting impact on our mission and begin to ignite a culture shift for conservation. We are committed to organizational excellence; we value our people, diverse backgrounds and experiences, equitable access, and expanding the tools we need to be successful. At Palmer, we believe people ultimately make this work happen. The more a community cares about its land and water resources, the more willpower there is to preserve and protect them. Similarly, the more a community has access to the outdoors, the healthier its population is, and the higher the quality of life. We believe in connecting people to nature and ensuring everyone can access this work's benefits.

Our main office is in downtown Colorado Springs, and we have satellite offices in Pueblo and Salida. For more information, visit palmerland.org.

The Opportunity

Guided by the ambitious goals laid out in our strategic plan, Land for Life, Palmer is relentlessly motivated to take action because of the urgent need for conservation. Backed by a drive for innovation, we are actively growing the staff capacity and fiscal strength needed to achieve our land and water conservation commitments. Palmer’s Vice-President of Conservation will have the opportunity to contribute to meaningful conservation work across Colorado, working at the intersection of land, water, and community.

Reporting to the Chief Operating Officer, the Vice-President of Conservation should possess the vision, knowledge, and leadership skills necessary to serve two crucial functions:

1. Guide and successfully implement Palmer’s strategic conservation priorities of Land for People, Land for Food, Land for Nature, and Water for Life.
2. Join the management team of the organization and work collaboratively to pursue the broad goals of organization as a whole.

The ideal candidate is a strategic thinker and program builder who is deeply committed to Palmer’s mission.  The incumbent will be able to assume the role of “player-coach” with regards to Palmer’s overall slate of conservation initiatives, assuming ownership over a portfolio of conservation land and water transaction projects while also leaning on demonstrable managerial experience and talent to effectively lead a team of five to seven staff, and a wide variety of partner organizations and service providers.

Primary Responsibilities

Lead and or Oversee Achievement of Strategic Programmatic Outcomes

• Lead teams in complex financial modeling for conservation easement, fee acquisition, and water projects throughout Palmer’s service region.
• Collaborate with the Director for Acquisitions to ensure efficient and successful completion of conservation easement and fee simple transactions.
• Manage Palmer’s farmland acquisition fund program and other funds restricted for conservation projects.
• Manage Palmer’s farm and ranchland protection work across southern Colorado and work with the management team to help expand Palmer’s service area into new markets.
• Oversee Palmer’s burgeoning water program, including the Bessemer Farmland Conservation Initiative and other emerging water initiatives in the Arkansas River Basin, including seeking innovative solutions to unprecedented challenges with water quantity variability, unique partnerships with water utilities, and developing solutions to historic buy and dry transactions with farmers and ranchers.
• Manage projects and oversee Palmer staff in order to achieve priority public access initiatives and outdoor recreation and public space opportunities in the region.
• Collaborate with the Director of Stewardship in order to ensure Palmer meets its perpetual conservation obligations and continues to meet all accreditation, regulatory and legal standards for its land protection program.

Executive Management & Program Leadership

• Pursue the goals of the five-year strategic plan and actively participate in the strategic and operational management of the broader organization.
• Assure Palmer maintains a robust pipeline of strategic conservation projects; work with the President and CEO and the management team to seek, develop, and implement projects.
• Support the Board of Trustees Land Committee in vetting real estate or water transaction projects.
• Inspire, manage, and empower a staff of rising conservation leaders; responsible for personnel actions, including hiring, performance management, and termination.  
• Guide and provide mentorship to conservation teams, providing expertise in crafting conservation easements as well as complex, multi-faceted transactions.
• Establish or improve departmental policies, practices, and procedures that have a significant impact on the organization.
• Ensure that all projects and services comply with applicable policies, procedures, and best practices of the Palmer Board, state of Colorado, Land Trust Alliance, etc.
• Cultivate deep and meaningful relationships with key funding partners—both public and private – to advance critical conservation initiatives.
• Represent Palmer on industry boards and committees, at conferences and panels, and in meetings with community members, the media, and elected or appointed officials.

Desired Qualifications

• Demonstrated commitment to land and water conservation and the values of the nonprofit sector. Informed passion and sense of urgency for Palmer’s mission and conservation in southern Colorado.
• Bachelor's degree in a relevant field (e.g. conservation, environmental science, public policy). A master's degree or J.D. preferred.
• Proven experience in a senior leadership role within a conservation-focused organization; 7-10 years of experience in conservation, water, real estate, land use planning, or a related field.
• Strong understanding of conservation transactions or real estate experience and expertise; experience crafting and successfully implementing sophisticated land conservation models, executing real estate agreements and transactions and associated conservation financing frameworks.
• Ability to motivate, lead, set objectives, and manage staff, contractors, and partners.
• Extensive project management experience; the ability to set and meet deadlines and deliver results and clear program outcomes.
• Excellent communication skills; superb writing and editing ability; demonstrated experience as an effective public speaker; and demonstrated cultural competency.
• Entrepreneurial spirit and drive; an eye for creative opportunities tied to a commitment to accountability and results.
• Excellent relationship builder and steward; ability to establish, sustain, and strengthen relationships with public and private funders, regulators, partners, and public officials.
• Experience and a proven ability to develop dynamic and complex community conservation initiatives for impact.
• Fundraising experience is desired, particularly with foundations and public agencies.

Other Requirements

• Valid driver’s license
• Physical demands may involve:

> Lifting materials and equipment – including, but not limited to, office supplies, event supplies, and boxes of swag – up to 25 pounds.

> Working in variable weather conditions at remote locations on difficult and hazardous terrain and under physically demanding circumstances.

Compensation and Benefits

This is a regular, full-time, exempt position. Annual salary will be commensurate with skills and experience, given the stated salary range. Palmer Land Conservancy offers full-time employees competitive benefits including:

• Robust employer-sponsored health care package, which includes medical, dental, and vision benefits;
• Retirement plan with company contribution;
• Employer-paid short-term and long-term disability;
• Paid parental leave;
• Senior employees are expected to be hardworking high performers; in exchange, they are supported in pursuing work-life flexibility with policies such as open paid time off, sabbatical leave, and remote work arrangements.

Culture and Values

Palmer was named one of the 2022 Best Workplaces by the Colorado Springs Gazette. Palmer leadership values a culture of generosity, trust, and dedication to conservation. The work environment is goal-based, and work plans and performance are focused on identifying and achieving attainable but ambitious objectives on a quarterly timeline. This is not a micro-managing environment; rather, employees are trusted to get their work done with a high level of personal responsibility.

Palmer Land Conservancy strives to be an inclusive and equitable place to work. We welcome candidates with diverse backgrounds and multicultural skillsets and experiences. The list of desired qualifications is aspirational; we are open to the possibility that a great candidate for this job may not precisely meet all of the above criteria; if you believe you are the right person for this job and can persuasively make that case, we encourage you to apply.