Reports to: Board of Directors (via Board Chair)

Salary: $110,000 – 120,000 annually

Benefits: medical, dental, PTO, retirement (see benefits for full details)

Hours: Full-time, Exempt, 40 hours, Monday – Friday with occasional weekend or evening events.

Location: Portland, OR. In-person.

About Forest Park Conservancy

Forest Park Conservancy (FPC) works to conserve the greater Forest Park area by protecting and restoring these ecosystems for present and future generations. The organization offers inclusive programs that engage and educate the community while promoting safe, responsible, and equitable access to nature. As the nonprofit partner helping to steward one of the nation’s largest urban forests, Forest Park Conservancy plays a vital role in balancing ecological health, public use, and long-term conservation.

Forest Park Conservancy is entering an important new chapter. Following several years of transition, the organization is focused on strengthening institutional stability, deepening strategic alignment, and clarifying its long-term vision and role within the broader conservation sector. With a deeply committed staff, board, passionate volunteers, and strong community relevance, FPC is poised to build on its impact with experienced, steady leadership.

Forest Park is one of Portland’s crown jewels encompassing over 5,200 acres of trails, habitat, and outdoor splendor. Leading Forest Park Conservancy means shepherding a brand that represents both ecological stewardship and the joy of shared outdoor experience. The work is serious and meaningful, but it is also rooted in a deep appreciation for the beauty and connection that Forest Park inspires.

About You

You are an experienced nonprofit executive who brings both confidence and humility to leadership. You have guided organizations through complexity and change, and you understand that clarity and stability are built through consistent presence and follow-through. You value collaboration, but you are also comfortable making clear decisions, setting priorities, and guiding teams through ambiguity with steadiness and care.

As a steady leader, you bring a passion for environmental work, with a track record of strengthening small nonprofits, including success in fundraising and cultivating relationships with business and community partners. You know how to build, renew, and sustain donor and partner relationships, including re-engaging supporters as an organization enters its next phase of growth. You are energized by public partnerships, adept at navigating complex stakeholder environments, and skilled at representing an organization with credibility, clarity, and integrity.

In this role, you are motivated by the opportunity to lead with purpose and long-term vision, while also rolling up your sleeves to get the work done. You strengthen organizational confidence while helping chart a unified strategic direction for staff and board. You believe in creating healthy boundaries between governance and management, supporting staff well-being and retention, and aligning mission ambition with organizational capacity. Most of all, you are drawn to the responsibility of helping to steward treasured urban forests, strengthening an organization that protects them, and leading with intention for the future. You are energized by representing one of Portland’s most iconic natural spaces and working alongside passionate staff, committed volunteers, and an engaged board. You understand that while the work requires discipline and strategic rigor, you also share the joy that these urban forests bring to the community.

Position Overview

The Executive Director (ED) provides strategic, operational, and visionary leadership for Forest Park Conservancy. Reporting to and collaborating closely with the Board of Directors, the ED oversees all aspects of the organization’s mission delivery, financial management, partnerships, and staff operations. The ED serves as the primary spokesperson and ambassador for Forest Park Conservancy, advancing conservation, stewardship, community engagement, and equity across all programs and initiatives.

The Executive Director ensures leadership continuity, sharpens mission alignment with organizational priorities, and guides a unified strategic direction for Forest Park Conservancy. This includes aligning staff and board around clear goals, strengthening governance practices and role clarity, and positioning the organization for long-term sustainability.

This role requires an experienced nonprofit executive with strong fundraising leadership and the ability to navigate complex relationships with public agencies, donors, and community partners. The Executive Director will lead with clarity, discipline, and empathy, supporting staff well-being while representing Forest Park Conservancy with credibility and confidence in the broader conservation and civic landscape.

Key Responsibilities

Strategic Direction & Board Governance

• Partner with the Board of Directors to set and steward a clear, unified long-term vision for Forest Park Conservancy.
• Champion FPC’s commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility in all programs and partnerships.
• Lead the refinement and execution of a strategic plan that aligns mission, capacity, and resources.
• Translate strategy into annual priorities, goals, and performance metrics for both staff and board.
• Establish and maintain clear roles, responsibilities, and boundaries between governance and management.
• Support board development, recruitment, onboarding, evaluation, and succession planning to strengthen governance and accountability.
• Provide timely, accurate, and transparent reporting to the board on organizational performance, risks, and opportunities.

Fundraising & Strategic Partnerships

• Serve as the organization’s lead fundraiser and partner with the development manager in building, renewing, and sustaining relationships with major donors, foundations, and institutional partners.
• Lead the development and execution of a diversified fundraising strategy that supports long-term financial sustainability.
• Cultivate and maintain strategic partnerships with public agencies, businesses, conservation organizations, and community stakeholders.
• Serve as a visible ambassador for Forest Park Conservancy with funders, partners, and the broader community.

Organizational Leadership & Culture

• Manage day-to-day operations to support continuity and long-term focus for FPC in its next chapter.
• Provide steady, visible leadership that builds alignment and shared confidence across staff, volunteers, and board through clear communication and consistent decision-making.
• Foster a healthy, inclusive, and high-performing organizational culture grounded in respect, accountability, and collaboration.
• Lead, mentor, and support staff, with attention to workload management, staff sustainability, and long-term retention.
• Ensure effective hiring, onboarding, supervision, evaluation, and professional development practices.

Conservation Leadership & Community Engagement

• Provide knowledgeable leadership and advocacy in forest conservation, land stewardship, and ecological restoration.
• Guide and support stewardship, volunteer, and community engagement programs in alignment with organizational priorities and capacity.
• Maintain and strengthen partnerships with Portland Parks & Recreation and other public agencies.
• Serve as a credible spokesperson on conservation, stewardship, and access issues affecting Forest Park and surrounding natural areas.
• Balance conservation goals, public access, and community expectations with diplomacy and clarity.
• Provide oversight on the management of FPC-owned and managed properties to ensure ecological integrity and compliance with property agreements and conservation easements.

Financial Management & Sustainability

• Ensure the organization’s overall financial health, stability, and transparency.
• Lead budgeting, forecasting, and financial planning in partnership with the Treasurer, Finance Committee, and staff.
• Strengthen financial systems, reporting, and internal controls to support informed decision-making.
• Maintain operating reserves to support long-term financial resilience and organizational confidence.
• Align financial management with strategic priorities, staffing levels, and program capacity.

Minimum Qualifications

• 5+ years of senior nonprofit leadership experience, including experience as an Executive Director or equivalent senior executive role.
• 3+ years financial oversight experience, including budgeting, forecasting, and reserve management.
• 3+ years experience in fundraising, including major donor cultivation and institutional partnerships.
• Experience with volunteer-focused organizations and working in partnership with public agencies or municipalities.
• Familiarity with Portland’s environmental, conservation, and nonprofit landscape.
• Demonstrated ability to lead and support staff in complex and dynamic environments with clarity and care.
• Experience working effectively with boards, including strengthening governance practices and accountability.
• Track record of exceptional communication, relationship-building, and public leadership skills.
• Valid driver’s license, access to a reliable car with automobile insurance, and an acceptable driving record.

Preferred Qualifications

• Demonstrated experience in forest conservation, land stewardship, natural resource management, or closely related environmental fields.
• Experience managing or overseeing conservation easements or land holdings.
• Advanced degree in a relevant field.
• Proven success leading organizations through periods of change and growth.

Benefits:

• Medical and Dental insurance (Kaiser Permanente)
• Healthcare & Dependent Care Flexible Spending Account
• SIMPLE IRA with employer contribution up to 2% of salary
• 15 days PTO plan after 90 days
• 12 paid holidays
• Sabbatical Leave
• Sick and Bereavement Leave
• Jury Duty
• Volunteer Leave

How to Apply:

Nonprofit Professionals Now (“NPN”) is pleased to work with Forest Park Conservancy to fill the role of Executive Director.

All applications must contain a resume and cover letter. Once materials are submitted, NPN staff will review as part of the hiring process.

Application Deadline: April 9, 2026

Equal Opportunity Employer

Forest Park Conservancy is an equal opportunity employer. We comply with all applicable federal, state, and local employment laws, including the Americans with Disabilities Act and the Oregon Equality Act. We do not discriminate or tolerate harassment based on race, color, religion, sex, pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, age, marital or familial status, disability, genetic information, veteran or uniformed service status, or any other status protected by law. All hiring decisions are made based on qualifications, merit, and organizational needs.