Executive Director

Executive Director

Frenchman Bay Conservancy (FBC) seeks a dynamic and strategic Executive Director to lead one of Maine’s premier land trusts. Following a successful capital campaign and strategic planning process that have strengthened FBC’s financial position and expanded its impact, the organization is poised for thoughtful growth and even deeper community engagement. The next Executive Director will build on this momentum—guiding FBC to advance its mission while sustaining the trust, partnerships, and stewardship that define its work.

About Frenchman Bay Conservancy

Frenchman Bay Conservancy is a nationally accredited nonprofit land trust dedicated to conserving and stewarding the distinctive landscapes, ecosystems, and working lands of Downeast Maine. Since its founding in 1987, FBC has protected more than 25,000 acres across eastern Hancock County, including forests, wetlands, shorelines, and working waterfronts. Through conservation, stewardship, and community engagement, FBC works to ensure these lands and waters support both ecological health and local livelihoods, fostering lasting connections between people and place.

Position Summary

The Executive Director (ED) serves as the strategic, operational, and public facing leader of Frenchman Bay Conservancy. Responsible for guiding the organization through its next phase of growth while maintaining its strong community foundation, the ED will work in close partnership with the Board of Directors to translate strategic priorities into action, ensure financial strength, and lead a high-performing, collaborative team. The ED is also the primary ambassador for FBC—cultivating relationships with donors, partners, and community stakeholders—while balancing organizational growth with mission integrity, long-term stewardship, and deep community trust. This role requires a balance of big-picture vision and day-to-day leadership: steering fundraising and donor relationships, strengthening financial and operational rigor, and fostering a collaborative, inclusive culture that empowers staff while connecting their work to board governance and community impact. The role is a wonderful opportunity for a passionate leader, committed to conservation in rural Maine to create lasting impact on the region, its people and environment.

Location: Hancock, Maine US

Salary: $100,000-$115,000

Benefits: FBC offers competitive benefits including health, dental, vision and retirement with generous employer contributions; paid time off including three weeks of vacation, a one week office closure, and 15 paid holidays; a flexible and creative work environment combining in-office and remote work days; and ongoing professional development support.

Key Responsibilities

Strategic Leadership & Organizational Advancement

• Partner with the Board and senior staff to implement FBC’s strategic plan, set organizational priorities, and evaluate progress
• Balance organizational growth with mission alignment, community needs, and long-term sustainability
• Provide clear, forward-looking leadership that integrates diverse perspectives into actionable plans

Fundraising & External Relations

• Oversee major fundraising efforts, including principal and major six-figure and higher gifts, foundations, and public funding
• Serve as an ambassador for FBC, strengthening relationships with donors, partners, and community stakeholders
• Build and sustain FBC’s reputation as a trusted, collaborative conservation leader

Operations & Financial Management

• Ensure strong financial stewardship, including budgeting, reporting, cash flow and long-term financial planning
• Oversee organizational operations, compliance, and risk management
• Maintain the systems and discipline needed to support a growing and complex organization

Team Leadership & Organizational Culture

• Lead, support, and develop a high-performing staff, including a strong senior leadership team
• Foster a collaborative, inclusive, and mission-driven culture
• Connect and align staff and board to ensure clarity, accountability, and shared purpose

Board Partnership & Governance

• Maintain a strong, transparent partnership with the Board and Board leadership
• Support board development, engagement, and effective governance practices
• Provides information, reports and support for Board decision making
• Collaborate with board members on strategic initiatives and fundraising

Community Engagement & Conservation Leadership

• Build authentic relationships across diverse communities, including local residents and working waterfront stakeholders
• Strengthen partnerships with conservation organizations, government agencies, and regional leaders
• Guide high-level decision-making on land conservation priorities in alignment with organizational capacity and mission
• Embrace the complexity and uniqueness of place-based work, including a willingness to deeply engage with trails, rivers, bogs, beaches and the people who care about them

Required Qualifications

• Proven senior management experience leading a nonprofit entity
• 8–10+ years managing team and organizational operations, experience providing direct staff supervision
• Demonstrated success in private and institutional fundraising, including six and seven-figure gifts, and donor relationship management
• Experience overseeing nonprofit budgets, financial planning, and organizational performance
• Strong verbal and written communication skills, including public speaking, and stakeholder engagement
• Experience working effectively with a board of directors

Preferred Qualifications

• Significant experience in land conservation, environmental nonprofit work, or a related field
• Familiarity with rural communities, Indigenous populations or other underrepresented groups, and place-based work
• Understanding of land trust operations, stewardship, and/or conservation finance
• Experience leading organizations through growth or strategic transition
• Experience overseeing grant applications and procuring funding from foundations, corporations and government agencies.
• Experience with social media to drive engagement and fundraising a plus

Application Instructions

Please submit a resume and cover letter to View email address on click.appcast.io by July 10, 2026 . References and a writing sample will be sought from candidates who advance to a final interview.

Frenchman Bay Conservancy is an equal opportunity employer that is committed to diversity and inclusion in the workplace. We prohibit discrimination and harassment of any kind based on race, color, sex, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, pregnancy, or any other protected characteristic as outlined by federal, state, or local laws .

Salary/Compensation: $100,000 - $115,000 per year

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