Executive Director - Lopez Community Land Trust

Shelterforce Magazine; Lopez Village (WA); On-site; USD 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

Lopez Community Land Trust (LCLT) seeks a mission-driven Executive Director to lead operations and external relations for a small, high-impact nonprofit on Lopez Island.

Reporting to a volunteer board, the ED balances land stewardship, affordable housing development, fundraising, and community engagement while guiding staff and volunteers.

The role demands strategic vision, relationship-building across partners and funders, and the adaptability to work in a remote island context.

Qualifications

• Minimum five years of senior-level nonprofit experience or in a similarly complex organization.
• Proven affordable housing and community land trust experience, with experience navigating complex projects.
• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience in public/nonprofit management or business administration.

Responsibilities

• Lead organizational strategy and external relations, reporting to the Board of Directors.
• Oversee fundraising, donor relations, and financial sustainability while guiding staff and volunteers.
• Represent LCLT publicly and build partnerships to advance land stewardship and housing initiatives.

Skills

Relationship-building

Fundraising

Leadership

Stakeholder engagement

Education

Bachelor's degree or equivalent experience

Job description

Lopez Community Land Trust (LCLT) is seeking a mission-driven, community-oriented Executive Director to lead the organization in collaboration with existing staff and a volunteer board. This is a great opportunity to serve as the public face of a trusted hyper-local, land-based organization.LCLT is part of a global land reform movement. Established in 1989, LCLT has the expressed goal to contribute to a diverse island community through land-based programs in affordable housing, sustainable agriculture and rural development (SARD). Our work centers on preserving and expanding permanently affordable access to land for those typically locked out of the marketplace.LCLT’s tagline is Unleashing the Power of Community. Our emphasis is on developing projects that meet the needs of the Lopez community through affordability, stewardship and ecological viability for future generations.The way we build, the relationships we cultivate, our resources and financial management, all require a deep love of and commitment to a long vision. LCLT is an atypical community land trust with a focus on both SARD and housing programs. Lopez Island is considered remote and beautiful, with unreliable ferry transportation service, lower wages and yet a high cost of housing.Our annual operating budget is approximately $650,000 of which 50% is covered through rents, fees, interest and the other 50% raised through local donors. We operate with a three-person professional staff and a volunteer board.The ED will provide strategic, operational, and external leadership for LCLT. The ED represents LCLT publicly, stewards’ relationships with collaborators, ensures strong internal operations with an emphasis on best practices, and advances the organization’s purpose adopted in 1989.Reporting to the Board of Directors, the ED leads a dedicated team of staff and engages with community members, leaseholders, renters, grantors (public and private), donors, and volunteers. This role is both hands-on and strategic, balancing land development and stewardship, fundraising, leadership, and community engagement in a small, high-impact organization.LCLT holds a General Contractors license. The current ED frequently serves in both the ED position and the Project Manager role in construction projects. This combined skill set is not explicitly being sought but would be welcome should a candidate have similar sets of skills.If you are interested in this type of work, please consider applying for the position of Executive Director.

The purpose of the Land Trust:

1. Acquire and hold land in trust in order to provide for permanently affordable housing. Homes shall be built and lands shall be used in an environmentally sensitive and socially responsible manner.
2. Provide permanently affordable access to land for such purposes as quality housing, sustainable agriculture and forestry, cottage industries and co-operatives by forever removing the land from the speculative market.
3. Develop and exercise responsible and ecological practices which preserve, protect and enhance the land's natural attributes.
4. Serve as a model in land stewardship and community development by providing information, resources and expertise.

Key Priorities

The new leader will initially spend time listening and listening, understanding the organization’s internal dynamics and community needs, andbuilding relationships and trust with the staff,boardand partners, as they betterunderstand the organization’s strengths, challenges, and opportunities.Building upon these foundational relationships, the new ED will need to address the following key priorities in their first 12 months:

• Build relationships with staff, board, elected officials, public agencies, major donors, leaseholders, and community partners, serving as a trusted bridge-builder in a complex environment.
• Strengthen and diversify fundraising and resource development, including donor retention and cultivation, grant strategies, and planning for both immediate and long-term support.
• Advance current real estate development initiatives, ensuring momentum continues and key milestones are achieved.
• Partner with the Board on reviewing the existing strategic and business plan clarifying long-term goals, priorities, and the organization’s business model for resilience and sustainability.
• Continue to strengthen operational structure and internal systems to support a small team, strengthen decision-making, and build sustainable organizational practices.

Essential Qualifications,Skillsand Attributes

Education and Experience

• A minimum five years of senior level experience and success, preferably in a nonprofit or similarly complex, hyper-local, community-based organization
• Proven affordable housing and community land trust experience: Strong understanding of affordable housing, the significance of land stewardship strategies and land development and/or land trust models, with a demonstrated ability to navigate complex projects and community needs.
• Abachelor’sdegree or equivalent experience required, preferably in public, nonprofit management or business administration or management, ora relatedfield.

Skills and Attributes

• Relationship-builder: A visible leader, an active community participant who can build and cultivate trust and represent LCLT with credibility across donors, partners, homeowners, the land and local government.
• Fundraising and donor cultivation: Demonstrated success developing fundraising strategies, cultivating major donors, and confidently asking for support to advance mission-critical work.