Executive Director

Mountain Area Land Trust; Denver (CO); On-site; USD 113,000 - 138,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health and life insurance

SIMPLE IRA with employer contribution

Paid time off

Job summary

Mountain Area Land Trust (MALT) is a nationally accredited nonprofit land trust protecting Colorado’s land, water, wildlife, and heritage. Based in Evergreen, CO, the Executive Director leads programs, fundraising, and external relations across six counties, reporting to the Board and working with staff to advance conservation impact.

The role oversees operations, finances, and accreditation compliance, while expanding community partnerships, donor engagement, and education initiatives to

Qualifications

• Experience leading nonprofit operations with fundraising & donor relationships.
• Successful organizational management, strategic planning, and financial oversight.
• Strong ties to Colorado’s mountain communities and six-county area.
• Experience cultivating donors or leading fundraising programs.
• Ability to work effectively with a governing Board.
• Excellent written, verbal, and public speaking skills.
• Sound judgment, integrity, and collaborative leadership.

Responsibilities

• Provide vision and direction for programs, operations, and long-term growth.
• Align programs with mission, strategic plan, and financial capacity.
• Identify emerging conservation opportunities, community needs, partnerships, and organizational risks.
• Lead, mentor, and empower staff with clear expectations and accountability.
• Provide strategic leadership for fundraising and donor engagement with the Board.
• Cultivate and steward relationships with donors, foundations, corporate partners, and other supporters.
• Oversee the management of land and stewardship programs and ensure accreditation standards.

Skills

Nonprofit leadership

Fundraising & donor relations

Strategic planning

Staff leadership

Financial oversight

Board governance

Public speaking

Interpersonal communication

Collaboration & teamwork

Decision making

Job description

Executive DirectorAbout Mountain Area Land Trust

Mountain Area Land Trust (MALT) is a nationally accredited nonprofit land trust dedicated to protecting Colorado’s natural areas, wildlife habitat, streams and rivers, working ranches, and historic lands for future generations. Since 1992, MALT has conserved more than 28,000 acres across a six-county service area encompassing Jefferson, Clear Creek, Park, Gilpin, Teller, and Boulder counties.

In addition to permanently protecting land, MALT stewards conserved properties, manages publicly accessible natural areas, provides environmental education, and engages communities in caring for Colorado’s land, water, and wildlife. MALT operates with an annual budget of approximately $1.2 million and a professional staff of 8 employees working across conservation, stewardship, philanthropy, education, and administration. This work is made possible by a talented team, an engaged Board of Directors, landowners, donors, volunteers, and public and private partners. MALT’s welcoming and collegial workplace culture is grounded in professionalism, mutual respect, shared accountability, and a commitment to achieving results together.

The Opportunity

The Executive Director has the opportunity to lead a respected, nationally accredited land trust at an important time for conservation in Colorado’s mountain communities. Building on more than three decades of accomplishments, the next Executive Director will help shape MALT’s future and expand its impact in protecting the land, water, wildlife, and places that define Colorado’s way of life.

Serving as MALT’s chief executive officer and reporting to the Board of Directors, the Executive Director provides strategic, organizational, and community leadership in advancing the organization’s mission. Working closely with staff and the Board, the Executive Director establishes strategic priorities, secures the resources needed to accomplish them, and serves as a visible ambassador for MALT, cultivating the relationships and resources needed to ensure the organization’s continued success.

Key Leadership ResponsibilitiesStrategic and Organizational Leadership

• Provide vision and direction for MALT’s programs, operations, and long-term growth, working with the Board and staff to translate strategic priorities into measurable goals.
• Ensure that MALT’s programs and resources remain aligned with its mission, strategic plan, and financial capacity.
• Identify emerging conservation opportunities, community needs, partnerships, and organizational risks while fostering collaboration across program areas.

Staff and Organizational Culture

• Lead, support, mentor, and empower a skilled professional staff while establishing clear expectations and accountability.
• Preserve and strengthen MALT’s welcoming, collaborative, respectful, and mission-driven workplace culture.
• Ensure that appropriate personnel policies, organizational systems, and professional-development opportunities are in place.

Fundraising and External Relations

• Provide strategic leadership for fundraising and donor engagement in partnership with philanthropy staff and the Board.
• Cultivate and steward relationships with major donors, foundations, corporate partners, and other supporters.
• Strengthen contributed-revenue programs, including individual giving, grants, sponsorships, planned giving, and special initiatives.
• Serve as a compelling spokesperson who strengthens awareness of MALT’s mission, accomplishments, and regional impact.
• Build productive relationships with landowners, partner organizations, elected officials, public agencies, and community leaders.

Conservation, Stewardship, and Education

• Provide executive oversight of MALT’s land and water conservation and stewardship programs and support staff in completing complex land-protection projects.
• Ensure the permanent stewardship of conserved lands and compliance with Land Trust Alliance standards and practices.
• Oversee the strategic management of MALT-owned properties and support the continued development of environmental education and community-engagement programs.
• Encourage partnerships that expand MALT’s expertise, reach, and conservation impact.

Financial Management and Board Partnership

• Develop and monitor the annual budget in partnership with staff and the Board, ensuring responsible financial management, appropriate internal controls, and regulatory compliance.
• Oversee organizational policies, contracts, insurance, risk management, technology, data systems, and corporate records.
• Ensure that MALT maintains its national accreditation and complies with applicable legal, ethical, and professional standards.
• Serve as the primary liaison between the Board and staff, providing timely information and supporting effective governance, Board engagement, and committee work.

Qualifications

The successful candidate will demonstrate:

• A strong commitment to MALT’s mission and to the permanent protection of Colorado’s land, water, wildlife, and way of life.
• Leadership experience in nonprofit operations and a strong understanding of the essential role fundraising and donor relationships play in sustaining mission impact.
• Demonstrated success in organizational management, strategic planning, staff leadership, and financial oversight.
• Established roots in, or strong familiarity with, MALT’s six-county service area—particularly Evergreen—and an understanding of the communities, landscapes, and relationships that shape MALT’s work.
• Experience cultivating donors, securing philanthropic support, or leading a comprehensive fundraising program.
• Experience working effectively with a governing Board.
• Excellent written, verbal, interpersonal, and public-speaking skills, with the ability to develop trusted relationships across diverse constituencies.
• Sound judgment, integrity, emotional intelligence, and a collaborative, approachable leadership style grounded in humility, mutual respect, and open communication.

Preferred Experience

• Experience in land conservation, natural-resource management, environmental education, or a related field.
• Familiarity with conservation easements, land transactions, long-term stewardship obligations, or Land Trust Alliance standards and practices.
• Knowledge of Colorado’s conservation community, rural and mountain communities, or relevant public agencies.
• Experience overseeing organizational growth, facilities, fee-owned properties, or multiple program areas.

Compensation and Location

This is a full-time, exempt position based in MALT’s Evergreen, Colorado office, with regular travel throughout MALT’s service area; some evening and weekend activities are required. The anticipated salary range is $108,000–$125,000 annually, commensurate with experience and qualifications. MALT also offers a competitive benefits package, including health and life insurance, a SIMPLE IRA with an employer contribution, and paid time off.