Associate Director

ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR POSITION DESCRIPTION

Location: Bremerton, WA

Salary: $100,000 Dependent on Experience

Benefits: Health insurance and dependent health insurance, life insurance, retirement, 15 days/year vacation, 12 days/year personal leave, and 12 holidays/year, bereavement leave, sabbatical

Work Environment: Hybrid and flexible work schedule available

Job Status: Exempt, Full-Time (40 hours/week)

Reports To: Executive Director

Direct Reports: Development Manager, Donor Relations Manager, Communications Manager, and Community Engagement Manager

Closing Date: Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis until the position is filled. First-round interviews are scheduled for the week of September 7th - 11th. Applicants who wish to be considered for the initial interview round should submit their application materials by August 24th.

Great Peninsula Conservancy

Great Peninsula Conservancy (GPC) is an accredited 501(c)(3) nonprofit land trust dedicated to protecting and stewarding forests, streams, shorelines, and farms while connecting people with nature. To date, GPC has protected over 12,500 acres of ecologically valuable lands. GPC is committed to ensuring everyone has access to nature and opportunities to participate in conservation and stewardship.

Come join a dynamic team dedicated to protecting wildlife habitat and connecting people with nature!

Position Description

GPC is seeking an experienced, collaborative, and mission-driven leader to serve as Associate Director. This newly created position represents an exciting opportunity to help guide GPC through its next phase of growth by strengthening organizational capacity, supporting staff leadership, improving collaboration, and increasing the effectiveness of programs that advance GPC’s conservation mission.

As a member of GPC’s Senior Leadership Team, the Associate Director will serve as a strategic partner to the Executive Director and play a critical role in ensuring that GPC has the leadership structure, systems, and culture needed to successfully achieve its goals. The Associate Director will help teams work together more effectively by improving communication, collaboration, and ensuring a shared understanding of organizational priorities.

The Associate Director will provide leadership and oversight for GPC’s Development, Communications, and Community Engagement programs while also contributing directly to organization-wide strategy. Through strong team management and relationship-building, the Associate Director will increase fundraising, elevate GPC’s visibility, improve community programming, and ensure that GPC’s public-facing work effectively communicates the impact of its conservation mission.

The ideal candidate is a strategic, empowering, and enthusiastic leader who enjoys helping organizations and people grow. They bring strong management experience and excellent communication skills. Experience in conservation is valued, but the most important qualities are leadership ability, emotional intelligence, collaboration, and a commitment to supporting people and mission.

While a hybrid work model is possible, candidates must live within GPC’s working area of west Puget Sound, Washington. Some travel, evening, and weekend work will be required.

Responsibilities

Organizational Leadership (30%)

• Serve as a strategic partner to the Executive Director as a member of GPC’s Senior Leadership Team.
• Contribute to organizational strategy, decision-making, and implementation of key priorities.
• Strengthen organizational effectiveness by improving communication, collaboration, systems, and workflows across departments.
• Foster a positive, inclusive workplace culture by supporting staff development.
• Serve as the spokesperson for GPC and hold decision making authority of the Executive Director when assigned.

Department Leadership (60%)

• Direct and oversee GPC's Development, Communications, and Community Engagement departments, ensuring their work advances the organization's mission and strategic priorities.
• Supervise, coach, and review the performance of the Development Manager, Donor Relations Manager, Communications Manager, and Community Engagement Manager.
• In collaboration with team leads, set departmental goals, priorities, budgets, and performance expectations.
• Oversee GPC's Development Team, increasing revenue through major gifts, annual giving, planned giving, grants, corporate partnerships, campaigns, and fundraising events.
• Oversee GPC's Communications Team, inspiring appreciation of GPC’s mission and raising GPC’s community profile.
• Oversee GPC’s Community Engagement Team, building community support and connecting people with nature.
• Ensure the Development, Communications, and Community Engagement teams communicate regularly and work together effectively.
• Build strong relationships with community partners including local tribes and other key stakeholders.
• Monitor departmental performance and identify opportunities for improvement.

Organizational Support & Administration (10%)

• Assist the Executive Director in annual budgeting, organizational planning, and Board support.
• Support organizational events and programs.
• Perform other duties as assigned in support of GPC's mission.

Required Qualifications:

• Minimum of seven years of progressively increasing leadership experience in nonprofit management, with demonstrated success in areas such as development, communications, community engagement, or related functions.
• Proven success supervising and cultivating high-performing teams.
• Demonstrated ability to manage competing priorities.
• Experience improving systems and workflows to support organizational growth.
• Excellent communication and relationship-building skills.
• Strong judgment, initiative, and problem-solving abilities.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite and nonprofit database systems.
• Commitment to conservation, stewardship, and connecting people with nature.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience working in nonprofit or governmental organizations focused on conservation, environmental protection, natural resources, or related fields.
• Experience overseeing multiple departments.
• Experience developing fundraising strategies and donor stewardship programs.
• Demonstrated experience with event planning and management.
• Experience with communications strategy, storytelling, and public engagement.
• Experience leading environmental education programs.
• Familiarity with Pacific Northwest ecology.
• Familiarity with accredited land trust standards and practices.
• Experience with strategic planning and workplace culture-building initiatives.

Work Environment & Expectations

• This position is primarily office-based with opportunities to work remotely and in the field.
• The position includes occasional outdoor work in varying weather conditions and on uneven terrain.
• Valid driver’s license and insurable driving record required.
• Some evening and weekend work is required for donor events, community programs, and organizational activities.
• Work is often fast-paced and requires the ability to manage multiple priorities while maintaining attention to detail.

To Apply

Please email your resume and cover letter to GPC's Operations Manager, Paige Morris, at View email address on click.appcast.io . If you have questions about the position or application process, please contact Paige by email or phone at View phone number on click.appcast.io .

Don't meet every single requirement? We recognize that strong candidates may bring different combinations of skills, experiences, and perspectives. If you are interested in this role but your experience does not check every box, we encourage you to apply.

If you require a reasonable accommodation during the application or interview process, please contact Paige. GPC is committed to providing an application process that works with applicants’ needs.