Policy Officer, Land

Thornburg Foundation; Santa Fe (NM); Hybrid; USD 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health care benefits

Paid Time Off

Sick Leave

401(k) plan with generous employer

Job summary

The Thornburg Foundation seeks a Land Initiative leader to direct strategy for regenerative ranching, farming, and rangeland resilience in New Mexico. You will manage a multi-year grant portfolio and coordinate with grantees to develop new applications, implement grants, and report outcomes.

Ideal candidates bring 5+ years in executive, legislative, campaign, or advocacy work within government or non-profits, plus strong written and verbal communication and coalition-building skills.

Qualifications

• Experience leading land policy or grantmaking initiatives, preferably in New Mexico.
• Ability to develop and manage multi-year grant portfolios and evaluate impact.
• Strong written and oral communication, reporting, and coalition-building skills.
• Demonstrated ability to work non-partisan, with diverse stakeholders including Tribal and rural communities.

Responsibilities

• Lead and refine the Land Initiative strategy across regenerative ranching, farming and rangeland resilience; capital and land continuity; and data infrastructure.
• Develop grant applications with prospective grantees and support grant implementation and reporting.
• Manage an annual grantmaking portfolio of approximately $1 million in grants per year.
• Prepare and deliver quarterly Board presentations on progress and recommendations.
• Coordinate with partners to advance a robust research and policy agenda.
• Build coalitions and engage diverse stakeholders across sectors, including Tribal and rural communities.
• Engage national, regional, and state funders and funding collaboratives to advance the Land work.
• Provide reporting to the President for communications with the executive committee.
• Operate with integrity and full compliance with applicable rules and standards.
• Occasional in-state and national travel; pass a background check.
• Strong commitment and experience in advancing policy to strengthen land systems in New Mexico.
• Experience with issue-advocacy strategies is preferred.

Skills

Strategic leadership

Grantmaking

Stakeholder engagement

Policy advocacy

Communication skills

Entrepreneurial mindset

Self-directed

Analytical skills

NM policy landscape

Education

Undergraduate degree in agriculture / related field

Master's or JD preferred

Job description

The Thornburg Foundation is seeking applications from qualified candidates to lead its Land Initiative, which supports the advancement of more resilient, sustainable, and localized agricultural systems in New Mexico. The Land Policy Officer position will be responsible for the overall direction of the Land strategy as well as managing a multi-year grantmaking portfolio consistent with the Land strategic plan.

The Land strategy is centered on three strategic goals:

Goal 1: Regenerative Ranching & Farming and Rangeland Resilience – Increase the adoption of regenerative grazing and land management practices, support rangeland and soil health improvement, and advance technical assistance opportunities to help farmers and ranchers succeed.

Goal 2: Ranch and Farm Viability, Capital, and Land Continuity – Increase access to capital and market tools that keep working farms and ranches solvent — drawing down available federal and state conservation dollars, bridge funding for cash-poor producers, and income diversification through ecosystem-service markets and related opportunities — paired with land-access, succession, and transition planning that keeps working lands in production, with particular attention to barriers facing small-scale, tribal, and historically underserved producers. Advance apprenticeship models with clear accountability for outcomes.

Goal 3: Measurable Impact & Data Infrastructure – Support the development of shared metrics, monitoring, and a regenerative agriculture inventory so the Foundation and its partners can demonstrate, in concrete terms, how many producers and acres are being reached and what outcomes are resulting.

• Lead and refine as needed a comprehensive strategy across the Initiative's three strategic goals — regenerative ranching, farming, and rangeland resilience; ranch and farm viability, capital, and land continuity; and measurable impact and data infrastructure — to strengthen New Mexico's agricultural systems.
• Work closely with prospective and current grantees to develop new grant applications, support grant implementation, and ensure grant reporting.
• Manage an annual grantmaking portfolio of approximately $1 million in grants per year.
• Prepare and deliver quarterly presentations to the Foundation's Board of Directors on the progress of the Land Initiative and grant recommendations.
• Coordinate and collaborate with partners and stakeholders to advance a strong research and policy agenda.
• Work in a non-partisan way to build coalitions and engage diverse stakeholders in any strategy, such as national and local business organizations, community and elected officials, Tribal entities, legal experts, non-profit organizations, foundations, and community-based organizations.
• Ongoing engagement and consultations with national, regional, and state funders and funding collaboratives around the Land work.
• Provide necessary reporting and updates to the President for his communications with the Thornburg Foundation executive committee.
• Works with the highest integrity and in full compliance with applicable rules, regulations, and standards.
• Occasional travel in-state as well as national travel required.
• Applicant must pass a background check.
• Commitment to, experience in, and enthusiasm for advancing policy to strengthen land systems in New Mexico; required
• Experience working in a non-partisan way, building coalitions, and engaging diverse stakeholders, including Tribal, Hispanic, and rural communities; required
• Strong written and oral communication skills, as well as organizational and interpersonal skills; required
• Must operate with an entrepreneurial mindset, be self-directed, and highly collegial; required
• 5+ years of executive, legislative, campaign, or advocacy experience from within government, the non-profit sector, philanthropy, or other related industry; required
• Undergraduate degree in agriculture, business, conservation, environmental science, public policy, social sciences, or related field; required. Master's or Juris Doctor degree; preferred
• Strong project management skills to ensure grants are developed, submitted, monitored, and reviewed on a timely basis; required
• Understanding of the New Mexico political landscape; strongly preferred
• Experience building issue-advocacy strategies to advance long-term policy objectives; preferred

Compensation & Benefits: Competitive salary; health care benefits; Paid Time Off; Sick Leave; and 401(k) plan with generous employer contribution.

Location: This position is based out of the Thornburg Foundation office in Santa Fe, NM. The position allows for hybrid work, and staff schedule 3 days per week in the office. The Foundation does not offer remote work options.