About Land Trust Of Santa Cruz County

Founded in 1978, the Land Trust of Santa Cruz County brings diverse communities and organizations together to protect and connect people to the lands that define this special place. We protect and steward farmland, watersheds, wildlife habitat, and land for public access in and around Santa Cruz County to support the environment, economy, and quality of life for future generations of people and wildlife.

We understand the critical role land plays in addressing climate change and calibrate our preservation efforts through this lens. At the same time, we know that land is cherished when people connect to it directly. From that perspective, we partner with groups and individuals to preserve and steward land that people can access, enjoy, and fall in love with.

We engage the entire county in our efforts to get bikers, hikers, birders, farmers, ranchers, and everyone who cares about the local environment and our uniquely beautiful vistas to become active stewards of the land.

The Land Trust aspires to be an organization that is representative of the communities we serve. We are looking for people with a passion for nature, land protection, and teamwork. We encourage everyone to apply for our available positions even if they don’t meet all the hiring criteria listed in the job description.

Overview

The Land Trust of Santa Cruz County is seeking a highly organized and proactive Engagement Assistant to support the Engagement Director and help manage cross-departmental timelines and initiatives. This position blends executive assistant duties with project coordination to ensure the smooth functioning of the Engagement Department, which encompasses fundraising, communications, events, and volunteer engagement.  

The Engagement Assistant works with a high degree of accuracy and confidentiality, communicating clearly and professionally with both internal and external stakeholders. The Engagement Assistant reports to the Executive Assistant, with matrixed reporting and collaboration within the Engagement Department. The ideal candidate is detail-oriented, an excellent communicator, and passionate about conservation. This role offers a unique opportunity to gain hands-on experience in nonprofit fundraising and communications while contributing to the protection of Santa Cruz County’s natural lands. 

The Engagement Assistant role is a full-time position with excellent benefits and a great work environment. The Land Trust offers excellent health, dental, and vision coverage, paid time off and holidays to support work-life balance, a green commute stipend to encourage sustainable transportation, ongoing professional development opportunities, fun and inclusive staff events (with fantastic food!), and a dog-friendly office environment. Work hours total 40 hours per week, between 8 am and 6 pm, Monday through Friday, with occasional early, late, or weekend work. This position is an office-based role with off-site property tours and meetings. 

Responsibilities

Administrative Support 

• Provide administrative support to the Engagement Director, including calendar management, scheduling, and meeting preparation. 
• Draft team meeting agendas and presentation materials. 
• Take meeting notes, track follow-ups, and assist in coordinating departmental priorities. 
• Perform other administrative tasks such as expense coding, merchandise inventory, and processing. 

Project and Timeline Support 

• Support active projects across the Engagement team by tracking timelines, deliverables, and dependencies. 
• Maintain and update department-wide project calendars and task management systems. 
• Assist in coordinating cross-functional team meetings, status updates, and workflow alignment. 

Fundraising Support 

• Serve as the primary point of contact for external parties by monitoring, responding to, or forwarding incoming emails, office visitors, and calls.  
• Receive and record donations using multiple databases, create reports, and generate acknowledgement letters.  
• Update member entries in the database, provide technical database support, and ensure the accuracy of the donor database.  
• Support event preparation and execution with printing, posting flyers, and staffing events.  
• Assist with the preparation for donor meetings and events, including logistics and materials. 
• Help organize digital and print materials for campaigns, appeals, and events. 

Communications Support 

• Liaise with internal staff to support coordinated communications and outreach efforts. 
• Maintain organized digital files, shared drives, and databases for easy access and collaboration. 
• Support the planning and execution of department-wide retreats and trainings. 

Required Knowledge, Skills, Ability & Experience

• 2+ years of experience in an administrative, development, or project coordination role - nonprofit experience is a plus. 
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills.  
• Strong organizational and project coordination skills with the ability to juggle multiple priorities. 
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills. 
• High level of discretion and professionalism in handling confidential information. 
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office and general technology. 
• Ability to lift objects up to 20 pounds, walk short distances, and drive a vehicle. 

Preferred Knowledge, Skills, Ability & Experience

• Bachelor’s degree. 
• 2+ years of customer service, executive support, and or project management experience. 
• Experience with donor databases (e.g., Virtuous) and project management tools (e.g., Asana).
• Affinity for conservation of natural, agricultural, cultural, and open space resources and the role of land trusts in that effort.

The position is open and applications will be reviewed as received. Interested candidates are encouraged to apply as soon as possible. The target starting date for the position is October 1.  

The pay range for this role is:
25 - 30 USD per hour(Santa Cruz Office)

Apply Here

PI277251662