Executive Director, LandWatch

For nearly 30 years, LandWatch has been a leading voice for thoughtful growth and environmental stewardship in Monterey County. Guided by core values of sustainability, social equity, and conservation, we focus on lasting policy reform across affordable housing, climate, land use, and water. Our work includes encouraging infill housing and addressing inequities in housing and infrastructure that affect community health throughout Monterey County. Our advocacy has helped secure urban growth boundaries, protect farmland and open space, create more affordable, climate-friendly infill housing, influence major land use and water decisions, and win precedent-setting legal cases.

Monterey County presents many of the same challenges facing communities across California, including housing affordability, long commutes, climate impacts, pressure on agricultural land, and competing demands for growth. We work at the local level to develop and advance approaches that can serve as models for other communities across the state.

LandWatch is now entering a leadership transition after a decade under Executive Director and co‑founder Michael DeLapa. Michael plans to remain engaged as a resource to the incoming Executive Director, helping provide continuity and support key donor and community relationships during the transition. Our Board of Directors has retained CEA Recruiting to assist with the search for LandWatch’s next Executive Director.

Position Summary

The Executive Director serves as LandWatch's chief executive and is responsible for the organization’s overall leadership, strategy, and management. Reporting to the Board of Directors, the Executive Director leads LandWatch's policy and advocacy work, oversees operations and finances, leads fundraising, and represents the organization with elected officials, agency staff, the media, funding partners, and the public.

The Executive Director leads a small team and works closely with the Board, outside counsel, consultants, and coalition partners. This is a hands‑on role suited to a leader who enjoys the breadth and creativity of running a small organization and moves fluidly between long‑range strategy and day‑to‑day execution. The role offers the opportunity to have significant influence in a region where local policy decisions can shape broader approaches to housing, climate, land use, and community development. Success in the role requires strong judgment, intellectual curiosity, and the ability to work across disciplines, drawing on staff, consultants, and subject‑matter experts as needed.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead LandWatch’s fundraising strategy and execution across major gifts, foundation grants, direct mail, membership, and events.
• Cultivate, solicit, and steward major donor and institutional relationships, working closely with the Board and staff.
• Work with the Board to strengthen and sustain the funding base needed to support LandWatch’s programs and long‑term financial health.
• Set LandWatch's policy strategy and priorities across land use, housing, climate, water, and conservation issues, in consultation with the Board and staff.
• Identify and prioritize emerging policy opportunities, balancing ongoing commitments with changing political, regulatory, and community needs.
• Direct the organization's use of the full range of advocacy tools, including public comment and testimony, coalition‑building, grassroots organizing, ballot measures, and litigation, to advance LandWatch's mission.
• Serve as LandWatch's principal spokesperson and the public face of its policy positions before decisionmakers, the media, and the community.
• Develop and maintain a strong understanding of the technical, legal, and regulatory issues central to LandWatch's work, including California land use, housing, climate, and environmental law, as well as relevant local and regional government institutions.
• Prepare LandWatch's annual budget for Board review and approval, and oversee financial management and operations within the approved budget.
• Oversee bookkeeping, financial reporting, and compliance with applicable corporate, tax, and nonprofit requirements.
• Ensure appropriate financial, operational, and organizational systems and records are maintained.

Board Governance & Organizational Leadership

• Work in close partnership with the Board of Directors to set strategy, support effective governance, staff board committees, and provide regular updates on organizational performance.
• Support Board recruitment and development.
• Hire, supervise, mentor, and evaluate LandWatch staff and consultants and strengthen organizational capacity over time to support evolving priorities.
• Foster an organizational culture that supports staff effectiveness, collaboration and continuity.

External & Community Relationships

• Build and sustain relationships with local and regional elected officials, agency staff, developers, coalition partners, and community organizations across Monterey County.
• Represent LandWatch in the media and through public presentations, publications, and digital communications.
• Deepen LandWatch's relationships with communities historically underrepresented in land use, housing, and environmental decision‑making.

Qualifications

Required

• Significant experience leading or managing a nonprofit or mission‑driven organization, including responsibility for budgets, staff, and board relationships.
• A track record of policy advocacy leadership, ideally in land use, housing, climate, environmental, or related public‑interest policy work.
• Demonstrated success leading fundraising efforts, including cultivation and stewardship of major donors, institutional funders, and other supporters.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills, including the ability to represent an organization effectively with elected officials, agency staff, the media, and the public.
• Strong relationship‑building skills and comfort engaging with donors, elected officials, community leaders, partners, and people with differing perspectives.
• Strong judgment, curiosity, and initiative, with the ability to set priorities, learn quickly, and move comfortably between high‑level strategy and hands‑on execution.
• Working knowledge of nonprofit management technologies, including Little Green Light, Mailchimp, Google Drive, and Claude, or similar technologies.

Preferred

• Experience with California land use, housing, climate, water, environmental law, or related policy issues, including familiarity with institutions and frameworks such as CEQA, LAFCO, and housing element law.
• Familiarity with Monterey County or comparable California coastal and agricultural regions.
• An advanced degree in law, planning, public policy, management, or a related field
• Spanish fluency and /or experience building relationships with communities historically underrepresented in land use, housing, and environmental decision‑making.

The salary range for this position is $140, 000–$160, 000, depending on experience and qualifications. LandWatch offers health insurance, a retirement plan, and paid time off for holidays, vacation, and sick leave.

Location & Travel

LandWatch is headquartered in Salinas, California, and works throughout Monterey County. The Executive Director must be based in or willing to relocate to the Monterey County area and may work remotely from home. Regular travel throughout the county for public meetings, donor visits, and community events is required, including occasional evenings and weekend commitments. Travel expenses are reimbursed.

LandWatch Monterey County is an equal opportunity employer, committed to building a diverse and inclusive team that reflects the communities we serve. We welcome applicants of all backgrounds and encourage candidates who bring varied lived experience to our work.