ZRG Aspen Leadership Group is proud to partner with the Finger Lakes Land Trust in the search for a Senior Director of Advancement.

Reporting to the President, the Senior Director of Advancement (Senior Director) will be a strategic and creative leader who is responsible for the management, oversight, and integration of all fundraising and communications programs, including a department of three full-time development employees, the Director of Communications and a communications contractor, to ensure strategy and mission alignment across the department.

Their fundraising responsibilities will include securing public and private sources of funding to support an annual operating budget of over $2.8 million and additional project campaigns. The Senior Director of Advancement will oversee a communications team that both promotes and raises support for conservation.  The Senior Director will be part of a leadership team overseen by the President that also includes the Chief Operating Officer and the Directors of Conservation and Stewardship. This position will work closely with the President, Board of Directors, volunteers, and community partners to strengthen FLLT's philanthropic efforts and enhance its mission.

The Finger Lakes Land Trust (FLLT) was founded in 1989 to protect forests, farmlands, gorges, and shorelines in the Finger Lakes region of New York.  They have saved over 35,000 acres by creating public nature preserves and helping landowners to conserve their beloved properties. The organization focuses on protecting critical habitat for fish and wildlife, conserving lands that are important for water quality, connecting existing conservation lands, and keeping prime farmland in agriculture. The FLLT has 23 dedicated staff members and more than 200 active volunteers.

They work across a diverse 12-county region in New York State that extends from the rolling forested hills of the Southern Tier to the broad agricultural plains found at the northern ends of the Finger Lakes. The Land Trust is committed to ensuring that they retain these lands – not just for the near term, but in perpetuity — so that their descendants will share the same connection to their region's lands and waters that they enjoy today.

For more than 35 years, the Finger Lakes Land Trust (FLLT) has worked to save “wild places for everyone” – nature preserves that are free and open to all. In the same spirit, they are committed to building community in the Finger Lakes region by promoting access and engagement among their many constituents, including preserve visitors, volunteers, members, employees, directors, landowners, and neighbors.

A bachelor's degree and a minimum of five years of experience in development, individual fundraising, or closely related experience is required for this position. The Finger Lakes Land Trust will consider candidates with a broad range of backgrounds. If you are excited about this role and feel that you can contribute to FLLT, but your experience does not exactly align with every qualification listed above, we encourage you to apply. All applications must be accompanied by a cover letter and résumé. Cover letters should be responsive to the mission of the Finger Lakes Land Trust and the responsibilities and qualifications specified in the position prospectus.

The salary range for this position is $105,000 to $125,000. The Finger Lakes Land Trust offers a comprehensive package of benefits, including health, dental, and vision insurance, a Simplified Employee Pension plan with employer contributions, access to an Employee Assistance Program, and generous paid time off.

The Finger Lakes Land Trust is committed to the inclusion of all qualified candidates. If you require reasonable accommodation in completing this application, interviewing, or participating in the selection process, please contact Eric Rosario at ericrosario@aspenleadershipgroup.com.