Executive Director, Land and Communities

Lincoln Institute of Land Policy; Cambridge (MA); On-site; USD 150,000 - 240,000; Full time

Job summary

The Lincoln Institute of Land Policy, based in Cambridge, MA, seeks an Executive Director of Land and Communities to lead strategy, research, and external engagement. You will oversee program content, ensure high-quality research outputs, and advance fundraising with a focus on equitable land policy and sustainable urban development.

The role requires guiding Directors, shaping cross-cutting initiatives, and elevating the Institute’s national and international voice through conferences,

Qualifications

• Experience leading research or policy programs in a nonprofit or academic setting.
• Strong ability to build and sustain external funding relationships.

Responsibilities

• Set vision and strategy for Land and Communities to drive impact.
• Oversee directors and associate directors; guide program development and content.
• Represent Lincoln Institute publicly at conferences and media opportunities.
• Collaborate across units to align research with education and outreach programs.

Skills

Strategic leadership

Fundraising

Policy research

Team development

Job description

About the Lincoln Institute

The Lincoln Institute of Land Policy, a private operating foundation, envisions a world where communities thrive from efficient and equitable allocation of limited land resources; where stewardship of land and water resources ensures a livable future; and where prosperous cities and regions provide essential public goods and services through coordinated land use planning and public finance. We organize our work around three impact areas wherein effective land policy can make a difference: Land and Communities, Land and Water, and Land and Fiscal Systems. We are based in Cambridge, Massachusetts; Phoenix, Arizona; Washington, DC; and Beijing, China; but our work has a global scope. Several centers and initiatives focus on land policy in key geographies—China, Latin America, Europe, Africa— as well as specifics tools, topics, and issues within our three impact areas.

Land and Communities Impact Area

Through forward-looking land policies that prioritize public good over private profit, the Land and Communities impact area of the Lincoln Institute of Land Policy helps leaders implement land policies that expand access to secure and affordable housing, mitigate climate change and facilitate adaptation, and create local/regional economies that work for everyone. Across the current Land & Communities programs—Housing and Land Policy, Urban Sustainability, and Remaking Local Economies—the team conducts timely and relevant research, builds networks to advance policy innovation, and strengthens the capacity of leaders to create change globally. The Executive Director will have considerable ability to shape and direct the impact area, consistent with the Lincoln Institute's overall strategy.

Position Overview

Reporting to the Chief Program Officer, the Executive Director (ED) of Land and Communities plays a senior leadership role at the Lincoln Institute, determining vision and strategy to foster prosperous, sustainable communities through cutting-edge land policy and land management. The ED defines desired outcomes for the Land and Communities impact area; collaborates with the C-suite and senior Program leadership to advance new opportunities; and guides development of new research, knowledge, practices, and other original content. The ED oversees fundraising and other programming resources, to ensure evidence-based work that delivers tangible outcomes across diverse geographies. The ED also strengthens the Lincoln Institute's international voice on equitable, sustainable community outcomes.

The ED supervises the Land & Communities directors, nurturing development and dissemination of their programs, overseeing their content and practices, and ensuring robust collaboration across the organization. The ED also represents the Lincoln Institute publicly, providing expertise for conferences, media opportunities, and other external speaking engagements.

What You Will Do

Set and Develop Strategy

• Set and enforce research priorities and quality standards for research, and influence the design of educational and technical assistance programs that rely on that research.
• Empower teams to develop and implement their respective strategies and proposals for external funding.
• Collaborate across the organization to implement strategy for climate adaptation, housing, property rights, and other cross-cutting issues.
• Collaborate with the Executive Director for Research to coordinate research initiatives and outputs with curriculum development, to serve Claremont Lincoln University and other educational institutions.
• Lead budget development and resourcing for the impact area: Request endowment funds from the Board of Directors, engage funders, and collaborate with the Lincoln Institute's Partnerships unit and senior leadership to build a development pipeline.
• Collaborate with the communications team to inform and develop strategic communications within the impact area.

Generate and Develop Knowledge

• Lead the identification and development of key concepts and issues for the Land and Communities impact area, in collaboration with Land and Communities staff, and in consultation with the Chief Program Officer and other Executive Directors.
• Develop and/or manage initiatives to support the conceptualization, design, implementation, and assessment of new programs, projects, and emergent issues within the Land and Communities impact area.
• Identify and analyze emergent issues and related mid- and long-term programmatic objectives (see “Strategy Development”).
• Contribute content, ideas, and material that inform or align with the mission and identity of the Lincoln Institute, including ways the Land and Communities impact area can complement other impact areas and Centers within the organization.

Manage and Develop Teams and Programs

• Empower the impact area’s Directors and Associate Directors to identify relevant, timely work.
• Cultivate a collaborative, high-performing team environment by mentoring direct reports, fostering open communication, and championing shared ownership of goals.
• Collaborate with team members and other staff on publications, communications, and events management.
• Contribute to the organization’s program assessment system and annually help evaluate the impact area’s content, quality, and the impact of its activities and outputs.
• Lead and oversee annual measurement and evaluation of goals to increase overall impact.