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Associate Vice President, State Director - Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA, United StatesWho We Are:
At TPL, we're a team of outdoor advocates who believe in connecting everyone to the outdoors. As an ethos, we believe access to the outdoors is a fundamental human need and essential to our health and well-being. We're committed to creating more places that bring us outside—parks, trails, playgrounds, and public lands—and making them available and welcoming to everyone, everywhere, regardless of ZIP code. We also understand that land has meaning; it tells the story of our history. That's why, through our Black History and Culture initiative, we're working to preserve sites that more fully represent the Black American experience; and we're an ally and partner to Tribal and Indigenous communities, working in partnership to reconnect them with their ancestral lands.
One hundred million people, including 28 million children, don't have nearby access to a park within ten minutes of their home. We're determined to change this outdoor equity gap–and as a result, nine million people and counting now have access because of our work. We have miles to go and a plan to get there. We're inclusive change-makers who believe in connecting everyone to the outdoors. We inspire by paving the way forward and strengthening our connection to nature. Join us!
Position Summary:
The Pennsylvania State Director develops and leads Trust for Public Land’s mission delivery in Pennsylvania. The Trust for Public Land's work in Pennsylvania encompasses land protection, park design and development, community schoolyard creation, trail creation, community engagement, parks planning, and public financing for parks and conservation.
The State Director manages and mentors the Pennsylvania field staff, collaborates with TPL’s national experts and thought leaders, and works in close partnership with the Pennsylvania State Director of Philanthropy and other philanthropy colleagues to raise funding need to both support and grow the office’s programs and operating revenue. The State Director is also responsible for working with public agencies, non-profit partners, major donors, elected officials, citizen leaders, and community members to enhance opportunities for success of the organization as a whole and the Pennsylvania program specifically. While the Pennsylvania program does not currently engage an Advisory Board, such a board may be created in the future and the State Director will have a key role in its creation and engagement. The individual must demonstrate a proven track record working with key individuals in the philanthropic community.
The Pennsylvania State Director leads the Pennsylvania team in continually developing, implementing, and evolving local programmatic initiatives that deliver on TPL’s mission of creating parks and protecting land for people, ensuring healthy, livable communities for generations to come.
Essential Functions:
35% Philanthropy: Funding support for the Pennsylvania office and programs it carries out is derived primarily from private philanthropic dollars. The State Director will work in close coordination with local, regional, and national TPL philanthropy staff to cultivate and solicit major gifts from individuals, foundations and corporations. The State Director will work in partnership with philanthropy staff to create and implement a fundraising plan. The State Director will manage the local Advisory Board together with local philanthropy leadership and will serve as the primary face of TPL in the donor community.
25% Program Development and Management: The State Director will be responsible for directing staff and working with program partners, both public and private, to carry out the work throughout Pennsylvania. This includes evaluating and delivering new project and program opportunities that create parks, land, trails, and schoolyards in line with our strategic commitments to health, climate, equity, and community. In all this work, the development and maintenance of positive relationships with key public and non-profit partners, as well as major donors will be paramount. This position collaborates with senior leadership, finance and volunteer leaders in developing and implementing strategies that achieve mission delivery goals, and are compelling and financially viable.
15% Management/Administration: The State Director is responsible for supervising staff who report to her/him/them, and for creating a positive working environment for the entire office, strong staff morale and a culture of teamwork and mutual support among all staff, including philanthropy staff who do not report to the Director. The State Director is the budget manager for the state program’s budget, responsible for working with the finance team to develop the office budget and taking necessary actions to meet or exceed the targets and maintain a work climate which attracts, retains and motivates a diverse staff of top quality people.
25% External Relations: The State Director will be expected to represent TPL and build the organization’s visibility throughout the region. This position will develop and maintain relationships for the benefit of TPL in the parks/conservation/environmental/policy sectors and in other sectors related to improving community wellbeing. Demonstrated existing relationships and ability to cultivate and maintain new ones with state and local elected officials, staff civic leaders, partner nonprofits, the media, and the philanthropic community.
Critical Success Factors:
Within the first year, the successful candidate will have:
Qualifications:
Trust for Public Land is a hybrid work environment. As a full-time employee, you will be eligible for the Trust for Public Land’s comprehensive benefits program which includes medical, dental, and vision insurance, vacation and sick pay plus holidays, a year end office closure, and a 403(b)-retirement plan, currently with up to a 7% company match. We offer competitive salaries commensurate with experience; the anticipated hiring range for this position is $140,000-165,000. In addition, Trust for Public Land offers locality pay to eligible regular employees in select geographic areas.
Trust for Public Land’s active goal is to be an inclusive and equitable place to work and build community. As the organization actively works to eliminate racial and other disparities it welcomes candidates with diverse backgrounds and/or multicultural skillsets. We are open to the possibility that a great candidate for this job may not precisely meet all the above criteria; if you believe you are the right person for this job and can persuasively make that case, we encourage you to apply.
At TPL, we're a team of outdoor advocates who believe in connecting everyone to the outdoors. As an ethos, we believe access to the outdoors is a fundamental human need and essential to our health and well-being. We're committed to creating more places that bring us outside—parks, trails, playgrounds, and public lands—and making them available and welcoming to everyone, everywhere, regardless of ZIP code. We also understand that land has meaning; it tells the story of our history. That's why, through our Black History and Culture initiative, we're working to preserve sites that more fully represent the Black American experience; and we're an ally and partner to Tribal and Indigenous communities, working in partnership to reconnect them with their ancestral lands.
One hundred million people, including 28 million children, don't have nearby access to a park within ten minutes of their home. We're determined to change this outdoor equity gap–and as a result, nine million people and counting now have access because of our work. We have miles to go and a plan to get there. We're inclusive change-makers who believe in connecting everyone to the outdoors. We inspire by paving the way forward and strengthening our connection to nature. Join us!
Position Summary:
The Pennsylvania State Director develops and leads Trust for Public Land’s mission delivery in Pennsylvania. The Trust for Public Land's work in Pennsylvania encompasses land protection, park design and development, community schoolyard creation, trail creation, community engagement, parks planning, and public financing for parks and conservation.
The State Director manages and mentors the Pennsylvania field staff, collaborates with TPL’s national experts and thought leaders, and works in close partnership with the Pennsylvania State Director of Philanthropy and other philanthropy colleagues to raise funding need to both support and grow the office’s programs and operating revenue. The State Director is also responsible for working with public agencies, non-profit partners, major donors, elected officials, citizen leaders, and community members to enhance opportunities for success of the organization as a whole and the Pennsylvania program specifically. While the Pennsylvania program does not currently engage an Advisory Board, such a board may be created in the future and the State Director will have a key role in its creation and engagement. The individual must demonstrate a proven track record working with key individuals in the philanthropic community.
The Pennsylvania State Director leads the Pennsylvania team in continually developing, implementing, and evolving local programmatic initiatives that deliver on TPL’s mission of creating parks and protecting land for people, ensuring healthy, livable communities for generations to come.
Essential Functions:
35% Philanthropy: Funding support for the Pennsylvania office and programs it carries out is derived primarily from private philanthropic dollars. The State Director will work in close coordination with local, regional, and national TPL philanthropy staff to cultivate and solicit major gifts from individuals, foundations and corporations. The State Director will work in partnership with philanthropy staff to create and implement a fundraising plan. The State Director will manage the local Advisory Board together with local philanthropy leadership and will serve as the primary face of TPL in the donor community.
25% Program Development and Management: The State Director will be responsible for directing staff and working with program partners, both public and private, to carry out the work throughout Pennsylvania. This includes evaluating and delivering new project and program opportunities that create parks, land, trails, and schoolyards in line with our strategic commitments to health, climate, equity, and community. In all this work, the development and maintenance of positive relationships with key public and non-profit partners, as well as major donors will be paramount. This position collaborates with senior leadership, finance and volunteer leaders in developing and implementing strategies that achieve mission delivery goals, and are compelling and financially viable.
15% Management/Administration: The State Director is responsible for supervising staff who report to her/him/them, and for creating a positive working environment for the entire office, strong staff morale and a culture of teamwork and mutual support among all staff, including philanthropy staff who do not report to the Director. The State Director is the budget manager for the state program’s budget, responsible for working with the finance team to develop the office budget and taking necessary actions to meet or exceed the targets and maintain a work climate which attracts, retains and motivates a diverse staff of top quality people.
25% External Relations: The State Director will be expected to represent TPL and build the organization’s visibility throughout the region. This position will develop and maintain relationships for the benefit of TPL in the parks/conservation/environmental/policy sectors and in other sectors related to improving community wellbeing. Demonstrated existing relationships and ability to cultivate and maintain new ones with state and local elected officials, staff civic leaders, partner nonprofits, the media, and the philanthropic community.
Critical Success Factors:
Within the first year, the successful candidate will have:
- Mastered a learning curve of TPL to effectively assume management of the future of the Pennsylvania Program. This includes an understanding of our Strategic Plan and the national strategies of TPL, and embracing a role in fundraising.
- Built external relationships with our partners, governmental entities at the local, state, and federal levels, and resident leaders and civic groups.
- Worked in partnership with the Director of Philanthropy to develop a top 25 list of major donors with a strong emphasis on individuals. The State Director will be the natural partner for these donors.
- Worked within TPL and with partners to develop specific programs that represent Pennsylvania’s unique contribution to TPL’s Strategic Plan.
- Enhanced TPL’s visibility by being active and present in the local community and relevant professional networks
Qualifications:
- 5 years’ experience in an organization focused on public urban work and/or land conservation.
- At least 8 years of relevant non-profit work experience or the equivalent, including at least 3 years of staff management experience.
- Proven ability to develop programs and lead staff responsible for different aspects of mission delivery (e.g. programs and staff of different technical expertise, or focused on different geographies)
- Demonstrated experience working with underserved communities and communities of color.
- Experience interfacing with and effectively engaging diverse groups (staff, volunteers, stakeholders, politicians, agency partners, etc.)
- Extensive experience working with fundraisers and securing funding for mission support from public and private sources
- Experience with public finance techniques, government funding practices and procedures, the foundation community, fundraising, marketing practices, best management practices and budgeting practices.
- An entrepreneurial spirit, initiative, energy, the capacity to lead, mentor and inspire others, the capacity to be both a high performer and a team player, common sense, and a sense of humor.
- Excellent communication skills including writing and public speaking.
- An ability and willingness to travel as required and to work flexible hours outside a 9-5 schedule.
- A passionate commitment to TPL’s mission of connecting everyone to the outdoors.
- Strong commitment to TPL’s shared values (Belonging, Creativity, Collaboration, Impact, and Hope) to effectively work across the organization.
Trust for Public Land is a hybrid work environment. As a full-time employee, you will be eligible for the Trust for Public Land’s comprehensive benefits program which includes medical, dental, and vision insurance, vacation and sick pay plus holidays, a year end office closure, and a 403(b)-retirement plan, currently with up to a 7% company match. We offer competitive salaries commensurate with experience; the anticipated hiring range for this position is $140,000-165,000. In addition, Trust for Public Land offers locality pay to eligible regular employees in select geographic areas.
Trust for Public Land’s active goal is to be an inclusive and equitable place to work and build community. As the organization actively works to eliminate racial and other disparities it welcomes candidates with diverse backgrounds and/or multicultural skillsets. We are open to the possibility that a great candidate for this job may not precisely meet all the above criteria; if you believe you are the right person for this job and can persuasively make that case, we encourage you to apply.
www.tpl.org/careers