Executive Director

Position Summary

The Executive Director (ED) of the Vermont Wilderness School is accountable for the administration, programs, finances, fundraising, and strategic direction of the organization, in close collaboration with core staff. The position reports to the Board of Directors and works in our Brattleboro, Vermont office.

As VWS grows into its next life stage, the ED will drive strategic initiatives, including:

• Fundraising: Lead the continuing growth of our individual and foundation fundraising, which comprise 30% of organizational revenue.
• Program Access:  Ensure organization is bringing accessible, affordable, relevant programming to our entire community.
• Capacity Building: Increase organizational capacity to support continued program growth and expand our ability to attract, develop, and appropriately compensate qualified field staff.

Leadership Competencies

VWS strives to create a collaborative ecosystem that is supportive, effective, and life-affirming. Ideal candidates for this role will be energized by an environment that prioritizes:

• Collaboration
• Relationships
• Service
• Accountability
• Curiosity
• Resourcefulness

Essential Functions and Responsibilities

Executive

• Hold final responsibility for organizational operations and decisions.
• Maintain a strong connection to the mission and essence of VWS through personal practice and an openness to the diversity of nature connection traditions, communities, and practices.

Management

• Guide, coordinate and collaborate with the four-person core staff team.
• Support and appreciate field staff (approx 25 part time Instructors per year).
• Engage and supervise consultants as needed, including grant writer and organizational development specialists.

Programs

• Ensure all programs are in alignment with VWS organizational strategic direction and in compliance with regulatory requirements.
• Support and trust the Senior Program Directors to lead their programs, whose experience and longevity with VWS is a major strength of the organization.
• Visit programs and appreciate staff regularly.

Fundraising

• Serve as lead fundraiser, working with the board and staff and energizing community and foundations to support our critical work
• Build, maintain, and cultivate donor and foundation relationships.

Finance

• Responsible for the fiscal health of the organization, in collaboration with the Business Director and the Board Treasurer. Create and monitor annual budget and individual program budgets

Operations

• Collaborate with the Business Director and Operations/Outreach Director to ensure smooth running of administrative operations, including both physical (office) and digital (cloud-based) work spaces.

Communications

• Responsible for ensuring clear mission-aligned communications in collaboration with the Operations/Outreach Director. Guide content, tone, and style of our mass communications (website, enews, etc.).

Board

• Work with the Board of Directors to fulfill the organizational mission via program and initiative implementation.
• Provide financial, programmatic, and operational information to the Board and recommend appropriate action and/or policy.
• Attend monthly meetings of the Board, relevant committee meetings and an annual daylong retreat.
• Support the board of directors in developing and revising organizational statements (such as those for mission, vision, essence, and strategic direction), in collaboration with core staff.

Context

• Build and maintain strategic relationships and partnerships with other organizations.
• Pay attention to trends, events, and dialogues in the broader community, from local to national.

Leadership Requirements

• Passion for the mission and work of Vermont Wilderness School and the ability to hold and co-create big-picture vision with Senior Program Directors while implementing relevant, local programming.
• Consciousness and awareness of the interrelation of nature connection, social justice, and equity.
• Experience leading, managing and developing staff in a part-time work environment.
• Proven track record in successful fundraising.
• Experience in financial management.
• Experience in executive-level administration, including running non-profit or business operations, using business software, strategic planning, public speaking, facilitating meetings, managing projects, writing reports, and developing policies, and procedures.
• Technical experience and competency with Google platforms, computer software and business administration platforms.
• Competency in risk management, crisis response, and conflict resolution.
• Experience building relationships and creating shared purpose among groups with diverse needs and perspectives, including staff, volunteers, partners, families, students, and community members.

We believe that every person brings their own unique combination of skills and gifts to any organization, job or project, and that every team creates their own dynamics of working together. Because of this, we encourage you to apply even if you do not meet all of the requirements that are listed within this job description.  We’re eager to meet people who believe in our mission.

Transition Timeline

VWS is in the fortunate position of having an interim Executive Director who is available to stay on until the right candidate is available to start. 

To Apply

Please reply to jobs@vermontwildernessschool.org with a resume, two references, and a concise letter describing your experience, qualifications, and reasons for applying for this position.

Questions about the position or hiring process can also be directed to jobs@vermontwildernessschool.org.

Considerations

• VWS envisions a world where every person and every community is able to cultivate a deep connection with the natural world, and their place within it. We believe this will only be possible alongside the replacement of systems of colonization, oppression, and extraction, with relational networks of equity, justice, and regeneration. We support the return, regeneration, and the revitalization of many ancestral life-ways as a crucial part of this shift. Through offering direct embodied experience in nature, we aspire to support individuals expanding into their full selves, in thriving relationship with our multi-species environment. We see this work as our particular role in this greater movement of change. 
   
• Our vision and values are reflected in our employment-related decisions, including hiring practices. VWS actively seeks to employ a diverse staff.  We invite you to bring your own unique perspective, culture, and identities if you join us in this work. We encourage applications from people of color, indigenous people, people who are disabled, veterans, women, and lesbian, gay, pansexual,  transgender, and gender non-conforming persons.

• As an EOE/AA employer, VWS will not discriminate in its employment practices due to an applicant’s race, color, ethnicity, religion, sex, national origin or ancestry, age, sexual orientation, gender identification, genetic information, veteran or disability status, or any other factor prohibited by law.