General Manager

Some landscapes are too important to lose. Southern Santa Clara County is home to some of California’s most significant conservation landscapes - places where wildlife corridors, agricultural lands, watersheds, climate resilience, recreation and community identity intersect. The protection and stewardship of these lands shapes the region for generations.

The Santa Clara Valley Open Space Authority seeks an exceptional leader to serve as its next General Manager.

This is not simply an executive leadership role. It is an opportunity to steward a mission that matters, lead an organization with an extraordinary public purpose, and help shape the future of Coyote Valley, one of California’s most important conservation landscapes.

The Authority is a trusted government conservation leader, protecting open space, supporting agriculture, advancing habitat connectivity, improving public access, and building strong community partnerships. Today, the organization stands at an important point in its evolution. With a strong foundation in place, the next General Manager has the opportunity to strengthen organizational capacity, deepen partnerships, advance strategic conservation priorities, and position the Authority for long-term impact.

We seek a leader who is passionate about land, water and wildlife conservation and equally passionate about building a strong organization. Someone who understands that lasting conservation outcomes are achieved through empowered teams, trusted partnerships, disciplined execution, and a commitment to stewardship that keeps the mission at the center of every decision.

The Ideal Candidate

The ideal candidate is a proven executive who has successfully led complex organizations, developed high-performing teams, and navigated the realities of public accountability. They are politically savvy without being political. They are collaborative without sacrificing accountability. They are visionary without losing sight of practical execution.

This leader serves as one of several important ambassadors for the Authority, working alongside the Board of Directors, staff, community leaders, conservation partners, and stakeholders to advance the agency’s mission. They build trusted relationships with elected officials, funders, agricultural interests, partner organizations, and community members while ensuring that the Authority’s accomplishments, expertise, and impact are recognized as the work of the organization rather than any individual. They are a skilled diplomat, collaborative leader, and respected advocate who elevates others, builds shared ownership, and strengthens the collective voice of the Authority.

Internally, they cultivate a culture characterized by trust, ownership, accountability, and shared leadership. They intentionally develop leadership throughout the organization, creating an environment where expertise is valued, decisions are informed by those closest to the work, and success is shared broadly. They understand that enduring organizations are built when leadership capacity exists at every level, not solely in the executive office.

Most importantly, they bring a deep commitment to land protection and a genuine belief that protecting natural and working lands is among the most important responsibilities we hold for future generations.

The next General Manager joins an organization with a strong reputation, meaningful accomplishments, dedicated employees, committed partners, and a mission that matters. The opportunity is to build upon that foundation and ensure the Open Space Authority continues to lead conservation efforts throughout the Santa Clara County for decades to come.

Qualifications

The ideal candidate will possess any combination of training and experience that would provide the required knowledge, skills, and abilities. A typical way to obtain the required qualifications would be:

• Eight (8) years of experience serving as a General Manager, Executive Director, Deputy General Manager, Chief Operating Officer, or comparable senior executive role in a public land, parks or open space agency.
• Five (5) years of experience in a broad combination of land acquisition, land management, and public access.
• Experience working with governing bodies, public funding structures, grants, restricted funds, and elected officials.
• Familiarity with California’s local government regulatory and land use policy environment, including CEQA, conservation funding programs, and regional conservation partnerships, is highly desirable.
• The strongest candidate has successfully strengthened organizational systems, improved financial infrastructure, enhanced operational effectiveness, developed leadership capacity, and built trusted relationships across diverse stakeholder groups while delivering measurable mission outcomes.
• Equivalent to a Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university with public policy, planning, resource management, natural sciences, or a related field. Master’s degree is desirable.

Compensation & Benefits

The salary range for this full-time, exempt position is $250,000 to $268,408 annually. To complement this salary, we offer a robust benefits package that includes medical, dental, and vision insurance for employees and their dependents – we cover 100% of the cost for these premiums (actual value is based on individual plan elections, average value is $32,422 per year). We participate in CalPERS retirement programs, contribute to 6.25% to a 401a plan for the General Manager, as well as offering a separate 457 Plan for tax deferred retirement savings. A basic life insurance policy is provided to all eligible employees with the option to purchase additional personal insurance benefits. This position is employed under an employment agreement to be approved by the Authority’s Board of Directors.

All application materials must be received prior to September 8, 2026, at 5:00 PM PST.

Note: This position is required to complete a Live Scan and provide employment references.

Workplace Culture Santa Clara Valley Open Space Authority

Our mission is to conserve the natural environment, support agriculture, and connect people to nature by protecting open spaces, natural areas, and working farms and ranches for future generations. Since 1993 the Open Space Authority has protected thousands of acres of natural and working lands across the Santa Clara Valley. Our agency manages and conserves a network of open space lands and natural resources, while providing compatible opportunities for hiking, biking, and equestrian uses, with a focus on increasing equity of access to the outdoors for all our constituents.

We know our continued success depends on our employees and the work they do. We are committed to providing a collaborative and inclusive work environment that encourages growth and development; and acknowledges individual and team achievements.

The staff of the Open Space Authority are passionate about conservation and driven to make an impact in the community through their work. Everyone brings a unique skillset to their role and the creative collaboration of all staff maximizes talent to realize the Authority's mission. We have established values and defined supporting behaviors that are shared and demonstrated by every employee at the Authority. Together all of these reflect the culture that makes the Authority the high performing agency that it is. We are Intentional, Respectful, Accountable, Empowering, Innovative, Collaborative, and Inclusive. You can learn more about the staff of the Authority and how everyone works together on our website here.

The Open Space Authority envisions the Santa Clara Valley as a region dense with beautiful natural areas, where a vibrant network of interconnected open spaces, trails, wildlife habitats, and thriving agricultural lands enrich our communities. Learn more about how the Authority tackles these goals.

The Authority values Justice, Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, and Access in our work to preserve the natural environment, support agriculture, and connect people to nature:

• We have Accessible, Collaborative, and Accountable processes to engage the diverse communities we serve in our programs, projects, careers, and governance opportunities.
• We have Respect for the land and all people in our community.
• We are Inclusive and acknowledge current and historic land stewards.
• We Empower future generations of conservation leaders.
• We invite everyone to join and connect to nature with us.

The Authority is committed to the principles of equal employment. We are earnest in our efforts to comply with all state and federal laws providing Equal Employment Opportunities, and all other employment laws and regulations. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, age, gender, national or ethnic origin, religion, sexual orientation or physical disability. We are committed to creating a safe environment where people are treated with respect and appreciated for their unique differences, where issues are promptly raised and resolved and where communication flows across all levels of the agency.