New Mexico State Director

nature; United States; Hybrid; USD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

The Nature Conservancy in Santa Fe, New Mexico, seeks its next New Mexico State Director to lead the New Mexico Business Unit and partner with colleagues in the Western US and Canada Division as we advance conservation goals.

Based in Santa Fe or within commuting distance, this hybrid role emphasizes in-office days; the State Director serves as senior manager, ambassador, and lead for key initiatives, partnerships with Tribal Nations and donors, and strategic fundraising to sustain TNC's mission.

Qualifications

• Strong relationship-building, integrity, and transparent leadership.
• Strategic thinking with ability to align operations with conservation goals.

Responsibilities

• Engage with trustees, staff, donors, and Tribal Nations to build trust and partnerships.
• Lead fundraising efforts and coordinate resources to meet philanthropic goals.
• Serve as the primary local spokesperson and represent TNC publicly.

Skills

Relationship-building

Strategic leadership

Job description

What We Can Achieve Together:

The Nature Conservancy (TNC) seeks its next New Mexico State Director to lead the New Mexico Business Unit (BU) and serve as a partner with colleagues in TNC's Western US and Canada Division as we execute on our ambitious conservation goals. This role is based in Santa Fe, New Mexico or within commuting distance. This role is hybrid with an emphasis on more in-office days than remote days.

With 18 staff across the state, a 14-member volunteer board, and a strong conservation agenda in place, this role offers a unique opportunity to help shape a resilient future for New Mexico, the Western US, and the globe.

The New Mexico State Director functions as the visionary leader, senior manager, and principal ambassador for the New Mexico Business Unit (BU). Some of the current strategic conservation initiatives that the New Mexico State Director will lead include 1) protecting rivers through innovative water management tools such as the Rio Grande Water Fund and Strategic Water Reserve, 2) restoring forest and watershed health through prescribed fire and forest thinning, 3) conserving critical lands and habitat for wildlife, and 4) strengthening Tribal partnerships through TNC's Voice, Choice, and Action (VCA) Framework. They are accountable for the BU's success in implementing TNC's conservation approach, producing measurable conservation results and maintaining organizational values. They ensure outcomes are achieved in priority areas that fall within the BU's responsibilities, and contribute intellectual, financial, and/or human resources to the formulation and execution of priority cross-boundary efforts. They support the alignment of activities by securing, coordinating, and configuring resources, capacity, and programs to address the most critical organization-wide projects, threats and strategies. They are responsible for collaborating with others on the procurement and application of resources to address the conservation priorities established by TNC, both in their ecoregions or BU and in areas beyond their span of authority. They serve as the primary local spokesperson for TNC to internal and external audiences (including staff, volunteers, the Board of Trustees, public and private donors, government agencies and officials, Tribal leaders, community leaders and other partners) and cultivate those audiences to support and promote TNC's mission and vision.

The New Mexico State Director oversees the leaders of policy/government relations, fundraising, and finance for the BU and partners with Division-wide leaders of marketing/communications, finance, conservation, and HR. Leadership may include approving budgets, setting priorities which dictate private and public fundraising goals, and supporting philanthropy, resources and external affairs staff in the cultivation and direct solicitation of donors (private, bilateral and multilateral government) to meet fundraising goals. They are responsible for a significant portion of the BU's direct fundraising.

In addition to their responsibilities leading and managing the New Mexico BU, the New Mexico State Director serves on the Leadership Team for the Western US and Canada Division. The Division's current priorities include cross-boundary, system-scale initiatives in Indigenous-led Conservation, major river restoration, forest, grassland and sagebrush steppe health, climate and renewable energy, and federal policy and public lands. The New Mexico State Director will lead fundraising efforts and deploy staff to support these Division-level initiatives. The New Mexico State Director plays a leadership role in local-to-global fundraising for The Nature Conservancy.

The New Mexico State Director reports to the Western US and Canada Division Director and works closely with the local Board of Trustees.

We're Looking for You:

The successful candidate will demonstrate relationship-building excellence by immediately engaging with trustees, staff, donors, and key leaders across sectors, including Tribal Nations and Pueblo governments, NGOs, elected officials, business leaders, and more, to build trust, gather insights, and strengthen partnerships. They will uphold uncompromising integrity and transparency, modeling the highest ethical standards in all interactions and fostering trust across the organization. With strategic vision and systems thinking, they will lead efforts to shape conservation initiatives for New Mexico and the Western US and Canada and align financial management with long-term sustainability and mission-driven impact. Their communication skills will enable them to convey ideas clearly and persuasively across wide-ranging audiences.

The candidate will bring operational and organizational acumen, quickly understanding how different parts of the business interconnect, especially in development and strategic dynamics, to guide effective decision-making. They will embody a One Conservancy spirit, promoting unity and colla