The Accokeek Foundation is a 501(c)(3) organization seeking an experienced President who shares our passion for the land, water, and its people. A competitive candidate will have a record of exemplary management of people and resources, including strengths in development, outreach, non-profit finance, site operations, human resources, and organizational policy and culture with a place-based organization. The President will work with the Board and our partners to build on the Foundation’s 65-year legacy of practicing regenerative agriculture, which includes preserving biodiversity through raising endangered heritage breeds and saving heirloom seeds and sharing the intermingled story of this place and the generations that cherish it.
The Foundation delivers programs and events that honestly confront the impacts of settler colonialism and slavery and foster dialog about the legacy of our complex history here on the doorstep of the nation's capital. Together we will continue to nourish relationships with descendant communities by working with many partners including the Piscataway Tribes and surrounding African American residents. The President will be hired by and accountable to the Board of Trustees, a diverse group of committed individuals who share a passion for what the river, land, and soil hold, and who value the spirit and relations inherent within them. The President, Board, and staff will work collaboratively, with support from our partners, as catalysts for transformative change, restorative culture, and healing of people and the land.
The President is the Foundation’s corporate leader responsible for inspiring others to fulfill its vision, conceptualizing its overall strategy, and managing its daily operations. This work includes overseeing an annual operating budget of approximately $2 million and a professional team of about 25 staff and four direct reports; leading fund development planning and implementation; developing and sustaining stakeholder relationships and partnerships, including with the Piscataway Tribes and local communities; restoring the land through stewardship and conservation; planning and executing inclusive interpretation by sharing authority across various populations, and maintaining a strong collaborative relationship with the Board of Trustees.
Responsibilities
Leadership and Management
- Develop a deep understanding of the organization’s needs and create structures, systems, and processes that meet those needs while aligning with the Foundation’s values and championing change when warranted
- Work with the Board and staff to actualize the organization’s new vision (Reimagining Accokeek) and oversee implementation of the new strategic direction
- Work collaboratively with the Board and staff, modeling an inclusive approach to organizational input and decision-making, and a constructive, consistent model for measuring performance and assuring accountability
- Work with the Board and staff to set the organization’s annual budget, secure Board approval of the budget, and oversee budget reporting
- Review the Foundation’s financial and investment policy to ensure alignment with organizational values
External Relations and Fundraising
- Engage deeply in the Foundation’s high level institutional fundraising as a primary role
- Create and lead a comprehensive fundraising strategy that includes asking local, regional, and national funders to invest in meeting the financial needs of the organization for sustainability and to build capacity
- Shape the Foundation’s programming and business practices to be responsive to the needs and expectations of surrounding historically Black and Indigenous communities
- Support and provide for Indigenous peoples’ telling their stories rooted in the land that the Foundation stewards to deepen everyone’s knowledge and appreciation for the Foundation’s ongoing commitment to and accomplishments with the Piscataway People
- Maintain relationships with key constituents, ranging from the National Park Service, to private and public funders, to Tribal and African American communities, to academic and nonprofit partners, and political leaders, sharing organizational successes and the Foundation’s strategic direction
- Lead work to promote the organization and its values, leveraging staff expertise and available forms of media to continue building on the strong foundation of our partnerships
Program Development and Oversight
- Advance the mission and impact of the Accokeek Foundation by increasing the Foundation’s visibility and deepening its engagement locally
- Lead the organization’s work in having inclusive and difficult conversations about timely issues and topics connected to the Foundation’s vision and mission
- Lead staff team in the development of creative and engaging programming that advances the Foundation’s vision, mission, and audience impact
- Leverage the Foundation’s history, strengthening relationships with people and organizations to support the Foundation’s current and future programmatic offerings
- Support the work of protecting the lands of Piscataway Park, Piscataway ancestral/homelands and the lands encompassed by the Mount Vernon viewshed
- Embrace and lead efforts for land stewardship and conservation among a large-scale group of regional partners including Mount Vernon, federal, state, and NGO land-conservation entities, all while integrating and supporting Indigenous land conservation goals
- Support programs for Indigenous and descendant communities to co-manage land and water stewardship efforts
- Manage the Foundation’s interests with the local community and resident neighborhood (Moyaone Reserve), while strengthening relationships with other key partners and stakeholders
- Work with NPS to ensure appropriate management of all aspects of construction and maintenance for in-park projects
Qualifications
- Master’s degree in a related field, or demonstrated work experience in lieu of a Master’s degree; We also welcome applicants with a PhD.
- Will be committed to the Foundation’s work—telling the Indigenous story with a focus on restoration of interconnected ecosystems, people, and cultural traditions
- Has five to 10 years of senior nonprofit management experience, experience with the National Park Service and/or Indigenous groups preferred
- Experience in land and community conservation and historic preservation and building integrated coalitions at the local, state, and federal, and government-to-government Tribal levels
- Excellent verbal and written communication skills, with a demonstrated ability to connect with a range of audiences, including historically marginalized groups
- Demonstrated experience cultivating relationships with donors and prospects
- Track record in managing budgets, including oversight of budget preparation, analysis, decision-making, and reporting
- Strong organizational abilities including project planning, management, and delegation
- Familiarity with web and social-media platforms related to team management, fundraising, and internal and external communications
- Strong understanding of and experience with laws and regulations that govern historic preservation and environmental protection, including environmental justice
Compensation and Benefits
This is a full-time, exempt position. Compensation will commensurate with experience ranging from $100,000 – 115,000. The Accokeek Foundation provides eligible employees a comprehensive benefits package including flexible paid time off, cost share benefit, paying 50% of health insurance premiums, retirement matching, and paid disability and life insurance.
To apply: Send a resume and cover letter describing how your experience, skills, and interests intersect with the Foundation’s mission work. Please send an email with the subject line “Accokeek Foundation President” to [email protected]. We will accept applications until 12/31/2022 and encourage you to promptly apply.
We believe that the Foundation’s vision and the interests of the communities we serve are best advanced by the leadership, experiences, and values of people from diverse backgrounds, beliefs, and cultures. The Accokeek Foundation is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We do not discriminate based on race, ethnicity, color, religion, creed, ancestry, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, disability, marital or veteran status, or any other characteristics protected by federal, state, and local laws. We invite all individuals with relevant skills and aptitudes and of any background to apply