Executive Director

ABOUT FRIENDS OF KATAHDIN WOODS & WATERS

Friends of Katahdin Woods & Waters (“Friends”) is an official philanthropic partner to Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument. The organization also partners with the National Park Service through an education agreement.

The organization has a membership of nearly 1,000 people, a partnership network that includes dozens of organizations, a 14-person board of directors, and a six-person full-time staff with seasonal support.

In 2023, the organization has three priorities: completing an inaugural capital campaign, operating a youth program called Katahdin Learning Project, and supporting National Park Service priorities including improved access to the national monument.

In 2021, the organization celebrated the conclusion of the first strategic plan. To support visitation, Friends produced five maps and guides and engaged in one-on-one conversations to help early visitors. To invest in long-term community revitalization, Friends engaged over 8,000 students in experiences through the Katahdin Learning Project. And to support the development of infrastructure in the park, Friends donated seven new tent sites by the historic Lunksoos Camps. 2023’s priorities are a bridge to strategic planning that will outline the next chapter of Friends of Katahdin Woods & Waters.

POSITION SUMMARY

The Executive Director works as part of a dynamic team of board, staff, partners, vendors, and volunteers. For general management and support, this position works under the supervision of the Board of Directors.

For the past two years, Friends of Katahdin Woods & Waters staff have worked to implement a teams-based model in which significant areas of work are delegated in part or full to teams. Work is delegated through goals approved by the Executive Director. The Executive Director leads the Management Team. The Executive Director collaborates with all team leads as needed and is a regular participant of the Development, Communications, Finance, Operations, and Grants teams.

Friends of Katahdin Woods & Waters creates an environment where staff have opportunities to learn new skills and learn on the job. Employees are not required to meet every qualification of the position. In this teams-based environment, they can also work with their supervisor to grow into project and/or team leadership and explore participation in other teams.

ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS

• Management (30%)
  • With the Board of Directors:
    • Works with the full Board of Directors and Executive, Governance, Finance, Lands & Connectivity and Development Committees to establish strategic multi-year and annual priorities
    • Recommends internal and external policies, programs, and actions to support strategic priorities
    • Supports and works with the board in major gift fundraising and member recruitment
    • Works with the Operations Coordinator to ensure scheduling, note taking, and filing to support the Board of Directors’ work
  • With staff:
    • Implements strategic multi-year and annual priorities into day-to-day operations
    • Manages and supports the Education Director, Development Director, and Finance & Communications Director
    • Establishes goals for all staff team leads and provides support to reach goals as needed
    • Facilitates annual planning process with Board of Directors and staff
  • With external parties:
    • Liaises with partners including National Park Service, Elliotsville Foundation, Inc., and the Wabanaki Advisory Board
    • Consistent with Friends’ mission, advocates for Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument and the surrounding communities within the National Park Service, Department of Interior, the Friends Alliance, the Maine Legislature, and the U.S. Congress and Senate
    • Works with community partners to harness skills and resources to reach outcomes of cohesive interest in park and community projects
• Development (50%)
  With the Development Director and team:
  • Assists in the creation of an annual income budget that sets goals for donations, grants, events, and capital projects
  • Works with Board of Directors, staff, and partners to identify fundraising priorities for annual and multi-year campaigns.
  • Engages in cultivation and stewardship of donors with particular emphasis on major and leadership donors to meet operating and capital funding goals
  • Acts as the spokesperson and public face of the organization at events
• Communications (5%)
  With the Finance & Communications Director and team:
  • Strategizes Friends of Katahdin Woods & Waters’ media response on key issues
  • Acts as the spokesperson and public face of the organization, promoting the organization’s work with donors, volunteers, and local, state, and federal governments
  • Approves press releases and talking points for the organization
• Finance (5%)
  With the Finance & Communications Director and team:
  • Oversees disbursal of funding to Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument and, when relevant, select community organizations
  • Supports the creation of annual budget with the Finance Committee and full staff
  • Monitors the annual budget with the Finance Committee and Finance Team
  • Engages in an annual audit by independent firm selected by the Board
• Operations (5%)
  With the Operations Coordinator and team:
  • Participates in and contributes to team meetings managing projects related to internal organizational systems, real property, information technology, insurances, and facilities management
  • Collaborates with Operations Coordinator to generally manage human resources matters and coordinate with third-party contractor
• Grants (5%)
  With the Development Coordinator and team:
  • Collaborates with the Development Coordinator on grant research, drafting, submission, and reporting on an as-needed basis
  • Approves of grant solicitations and reports prior to final submissions

EDUCATION, EXPERIENCE, AND KNOWLEDGE QUALIFICATIONS
EDUCATION: Bachelor’s degree (4-year degree)
EXPERIENCE: 5-10 years
REQUIRED KNOWLEDGE/EXPERIENCE: Experience working in nonprofit leadership, with Board of Directors, with financial management of budgets over $1m, with public lands, in working partnership models, in nonprofit fundraising from individual donors and foundations, and demonstrating passion for land conservation and national parks
PREFERRED KNOWLEDGE/EXPERIENCE: Experience working with federal agencies, rural communities, and with tribal communities

SKILLS QUALIFICATIONS
Basic Skills – Active Listening, Mathematics, Reading Comprehension, Speaking, Writing, Active Learning, Critical Thinking, Learning Strategies, and Monitoring
Social Skills – Coordination, Instructing, Negotiation, Service Orientation, and Social Perceptiveness
Resource Management Skills – Management of Financial Resources, Management of Personnel Resources, and Time Management
Systems Skills – Judgment and Decision Making, Systems Analysis, Systems Evaluation
Technical Skills – General Technical Skills and Technology Design

WORKING CONDITIONS & PHYSICAL DEMANDS
Working Conditions include exposure to: Dirt, Heat, Insects, Water, Cold, and Office environment

Physical demands Include: Pushing (50 lbs), Pulling (50 lbs), Floor to knuckle lift (50 lbs), Carrying (50 lbs), Sitting, Standing, Walking, Hiking, Canoeing, Climbing stairs, Climbing ladders, Sustained bending, Overhead reaching, Driving, Use of keyboard or other digital dexterity, Use of written or verbal sources of information, like reading reports, and Use of oral communication to perform work

LOCATION & TRAVEL
Friends maintains an office in Patten, Maine and a post office in Portland, Maine with satellite remote offices in Cumberland County. Travel to locations throughout Maine is a frequent requirement of this job. Remote work is possible many days of the week and will be determined in conversation with the Board of Directors and staff. The employee must maintain a reliable car and valid driver’s license.

This job description is not intended to be and should not be construed as an all-inclusive list of all the responsibilities, skills or working conditions associated with the position. While it is intended to accurately reflect the position’s activities and requirements, Friends of Katahdin Woods & Waters reserves the right to modify, add or remove duties and assign other duties as necessary.

External and internal applicants, as well as position incumbents who become disabled as defined under the Americans with Disabilities Act, must be able to perform the essential job functions (as listed on this job description) either unaided or with the assistance of a reasonable accommodation to be determined by management on a case by case basis.

SALARY & BENEFITS
Insurances (health, dental, vision), Paid Time Off (“PTO”), sick time, and employer-matched SIMPLE IRA retirement benefits are offered to all full-time Friends employees. This is a salaried exempt position with some work on nights and weekends required. The annual salary range for this position is $80,000 to $110,000, based upon qualifications and experience.

APPLICATION PROCESS
Please submit a cover letter, resume, and the names and contact information for three references to Don Hudson, Board Treasurer, at don@friendsofkww.org with the subject line “Executive Director.” Priority will be given to applications received on or before February 17, 2023 and candidates may be considered until the position is filled.