Executive Director

Association of Fundraising Professionals; Town of Brookfield (WI); Hybrid; USD 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

The Conservation Ag Foundation (CAF) in Wisconsin seeks an experienced Executive Director to lead fundraising, strategic growth, and nationwide education programs, advancing conservation agriculture with farmers and partners.

Reporting to the Board, you will manage finances, operations, and personnel, build enduring donor relationships, and expand collaborations with universities, industry groups, and government agencies to increase CAF's impact.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Agriculture, Business Administration, Nonprofit Management, Communications, Marketing, or related field. Master's degree preferred.
• Minimum of 5 years of progressive leadership experience.
• Executive leadership experience in nonprofit management, agriculture, publishing, education, or association management preferred.
• Demonstrated success in fundraising, donor development, grant acquisition, or corporate partnerships.
• Experience managing organizational budgets and working with Boards of Directors.
• Proven ability to build strategic relationships and develop collaborative initiatives.
• Strong communication, public speaking, organizational, and leadership skills.
• Knowledge of conservation agriculture and agricultural education preferred.

Responsibilities

• Develop and implement a comprehensive fundraising strategy to ensure long-term financial sustainability.
• Cultivate relationships with major donors, corporations, foundations, government agencies, and other funding partners.
• Lead grant development efforts and oversee grant compliance.
• Expand annual giving, corporate sponsorships, planned giving, and donor stewardship programs.
• Collaborate with the Board to strengthen fundraising participation.
• Lead implementation of the strategic plan and establish annual goals and performance measures.
• Identify new initiatives, revenue opportunities, and partnerships that expand CAF's national influence.
• Oversee organizational operations, financial management, staff, and contractors.
• Coordinate with the Board on governance and long-term sustainability.
• Develop and expand educational programs, research initiatives, webinars, publications, scholarships, and other resources.
• Advance the Foundation's national digital education platform.
• Evaluate program effectiveness and ensure measurable value to farmers and stakeholders.
• Identify emerging opportunities to encourage adoption of conservation agriculture.
• Develop relationships with agricultural organizations, universities, corporations, government agencies, conservation groups, and commodity organizations.
• Represent the Foundation at conferences and events; serve as spokesperson for conservation agriculture.
• Monitor budgets, financial controls, and risk management; implement policies and procedures.

Skills

Leadership

Fundraising

Donor development

Communications

Public speaking

Strategic thinking

Relationship building

Agriculture knowledge

Education

Bachelor's degree in related field

Master's degree preferred

Job description

Help Shape the Future of Conservation Agriculture

The Conservation Ag Foundation (CAF) is seeking an experienced, results-driven Executive Director to lead the Foundation's continued growth and expand its national impact.

CAF is dedicated to encouraging the adoption of conservation agriculture through farmer education, partnerships, research, and outreach. The Foundation works to advance agricultural practices that support soil health, farm productivity, and long-term sustainability.

This is an opportunity for a motivated, entrepreneurial leader to help shape the future of a growing organization, build strong industry relationships, expand fundraising efforts, and develop educational programs that make a measurable difference for farmers nationwide.

Position Overview

Reporting to the Board of Directors, the Executive Director will provide strategic leadership and oversee the Foundation's fundraising, financial management, educational programs, partnerships, communications, and daily operations.

The successful candidate will combine strong leadership and organizational skills with a demonstrated ability to develop funding sources, cultivate relationships, implement strategic initiatives, and achieve measurable results.

Key Responsibilities

Fundraising & Development

• Develop and execute a comprehensive fundraising strategy to support the Foundation's long-term financial sustainability.
• Cultivate relationships with major donors, corporations, foundations, government agencies, and other funding partners.
• Lead grant development efforts and oversee grant compliance.
• Expand annual giving, corporate sponsorships, planned giving, and donor stewardship programs.
• Work with Board members to strengthen fundraising participation.

Strategic Leadership & Organizational Growth

• Lead implementation of the Foundation's strategic plan and establish annual goals and performance measures.
• Identify new initiatives, revenue opportunities, and partnerships that expand CAF's national influence.
• Provide leadership for organizational operations, financial management, staff, and contractors.
• Work closely with the Board of Directors on organizational priorities, governance, and long-term sustainability.

Educational Programs & Industry Impact

• Lead development and expansion of educational programs, research initiatives, webinars, publications, scholarships, and other resources.
• Advance the Foundation's national digital education platform.
• Evaluate program effectiveness and ensure initiatives deliver measurable value to farmers and agricultural stakeholders.
• Identify emerging opportunities to encourage conservation agriculture adoption.

Partnerships & Industry Relations

• Develop relationships with agricultural organizations, universities, corporations, government agencies, conservation groups, and commodity organizations.
• Build collaborative initiatives that strengthen CAF's reach, visibility, and industry influence.
• Represent the Foundation at conferences, meetings, and agricultural events.
• Serve as a spokesperson and advocate for conservation agriculture.

Financial & Operational Leadership

• Work with the Treasurer to develop and manage annual budgets.
• Monitor financial performance and provide regular reports to the Board.
• Ensure appropriate financial controls, regulatory compliance, and organizational risk management.
• Establish effective policies, procedures, and performance expectations.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Agriculture, Business Administration, Nonprofit Management, Communications, Marketing, or a related field. Master's degree preferred.
• Minimum of 5 years of progressive leadership experience.
• Executive leadership experience in nonprofit management, agriculture, publishing, education, or association management preferred.
• Demonstrated success in fundraising, donor development, grant acquisition, or corporate partnerships.
• Experience managing organizational budgets and working with Boards of Directors.
• Proven ability to build strategic relationships and develop collaborative initiatives.
• Strong communication, public speaking, organizational, and leadership skills.
• Knowledge of conservation agriculture and agricultural education preferred.

The Ideal Candidate

We are seeking an individual who is:

• Entrepreneurial and results-oriented, with the initiative to identify opportunities and turn them into successful programs and funding sources.
• An accomplished relationship builder, capable of developing lasting connections with donors, corporate leaders, and agricultural organizations.
• A strategic thinker and effective manager, comfortable balancing long-term organizational growth with daily operational responsibilities.
• An effective communicator, able to represent CAF professionally and enthusiastically to a national audience.
• Mission-driven, with a genuine interest in agriculture, conservation, and farmer education.

Why Join the Conservation Ag Foundation?

The Executive Director will have the opportunity to work with an engaged Board of Directors and agricultural industry partners to strengthen a growing national foundation.

The position offers the opportunity to develop new educational initiatives, expand strategic partnerships, build sustainable funding sources, and play a meaningful role in advancing conservation agriculture.

Location:

This position is based Brookfield, Wisconsin, however remote or hybrid arrangements may be considered for qualified candidates. Occasional overnight travel to agricultural conferences, industry meetings, and Foundation events.

The Conservation Ag Foundation is an equal opportunity employer.