Executive Director – Northwest Trail Alliance

POSITION: Executive Director

REPORTS TO: Board of Directors

STATUS: Full-time

SALARY: $80,000 annually

BENEFITS: health benefit stipend, home office allowance, PTO

LOCATION: Portland, OR

WORK CONDITION: Remote work with some need for in-person event attendance

THE ORGANIZATION

Our Mission
Our mission is to advocate for new trails, to protect, improve, and build sustainable mountain bike trails, and to create recreation opportunities for mountain biking.

Our Vision
The Northwest Trail Alliance’s (NWTA) vision is for a culture of land stewardship and community engagement to be central to mountain biking. This involves a large, engaged membership, solid partnerships with land management agencies, good relationships with sponsors, a strong leadership and communications team, and close ties with the mountain bike industry.

Who We Are
We are an organized and motivated group of volunteers with over 30 years of advocating for access to trails, building trails, and maintaining trails. We are a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization located in Portland OR, serving roughly a 60-mile radius extending from the Oregon coast, into parts of Southern Washington’s Gifford Pinchot National Forest and Mount St Helens National Monument, and to the Western foothills of Mount Hood National Forest. We work with approximately 10 federal, state, county, and municipal land management agencies, as well as private land managers.

THE POSITION

The Northwest Trail Alliance seeks a positive, collaborative, and team-oriented leader to fulfill our mission through stewardship, advocacy, and engagement of our membership. Our Executive Director will share and embrace our vision for a culture of land stewardship and community engagement to be central to mountain biking.

The Executive Director will support and work closely with NWTA’s employees, currently a communications contractor, and a development director, and report to the Board of Directors to ensure sound financial management while maintaining a safe and enjoyable work environment for NWTA’s employees and volunteers. 

CORE RESPONSIBILITIES

Operations & Board of Directors Management

• Develop and implement, in partnership with the Board of Directors, a strategic plan that meets the needs of the organization
• Responsible for annual submission and management of proposed budget to the Board of Directors
• Establish and manage organizational policies and procedures (including, but not limited to: insurance, banking, human resource operations, etc.)
• Engage, educate, and support the Board to diversify, stabilize and increase funding for the organization
• Work closely with the Board of Directors to research funding sources, develop fundraising plans, cultivate, and solicit major donors, and write and submit grant proposals

Program

• Work closely with the staff and Board to plan, implement, and evaluate NWTA’s programs (youth or otherwise)
• Manage NWTA’s membership program and build strategies around program growth and retention
• Assure that NWTA is a sustainable organization that is not key-person dependent for its ongoing operation
• Monitor program budgets and the organizational calendar to ensure activity is well-coordinated

Staff, Advocacy, & Community Engagement

• Hire, train, manage, and develop staff within a culture where their ideas are valued, and the results of their work are clear
• Manage organization contracts – vendors, contract professionals, professional services, land access agreements, and others to be determined
• Work closely with staff and board to ensure members, donors, and sponsors are provided exemplary service 
• Establish and maintain relationships with those coordinating volunteer activities
• Work with communications contractor to ensure media outlets and public relations have a consistent look, message, and frequency. 
• Meet with land-use management agencies regularly to discuss and advocate for priorities, projects, and strategies to ensure continued trail access and increased mountain bike riding opportunities
• Continue to build positive and supportive relationships with a diverse set of partners including recreation nonprofits, conservation organizations, industry, and land managers to further support NWTA’s strategic plan initiatives and objectives.
• Create a symbiotic relationship with federal, state, and local land management agencies that is based on transparency, respect, and trust

SKILLS & QUALIFICATIONS

• Minimum of 5 years’ experience in nonprofit management, including demonstrated experience working with a nonprofit board of directors
• Ability to develop a strategic plan that enables sustainable maturation and growth of the organization, and demonstrated ability to implement successful strategic plans
• Fundraising strategy development, grant application and award execution, and excellent donor relations skills
• Demonstrated ability to work with local and state-level government agencies to build strong relationships and support organizational goals
• Strong knowledge of nonprofit finance operations, including budget preparation, analysis, decision making, and reporting
• A collaborative, transparent, innovative, results-oriented, and accountable leadership style
• Excellent oral and written communication skills and the ability to engage with a variety of audiences positively and professionally
• Strong organizational and planning skills
• High proficiency with technology and software
• Ability to lead, mentor, and motivate organization staff/board

APPLICATION INFORMATION

Nonprofit Professionals Now is pleased to be working with Northwest Trail Alliance in the efforts to fill this key role. To review the full job description and apply, please visit: https://npprofessionals.hiringthing.com/job/423274/executive-director-nw-trail-alliance

All applications must contain a resume and cover letter. All materials are reviewed and considered as part of the hiring process.

Application Deadline: May 16, 2022

NWTA works to promote fairness and respect among our directors, members and non-member volunteers. It is a priority of ours to prevent unlawful discrimination due to any protected characteristics of age, ability, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race (including color, nationality, and ethnic or national origin), religion or belief, gender and sexual orientation. All applicants are encouraged to apply.