Position Summary

Heritage Conservancy seeks a dynamic and effective leader to lead and oversee the Conservancy’s Conservation Programs.

Since its founding in 1958, Heritage Conservancy has worked with many partners to protect from development 17,000 acres of open space, farmland, wildlife habitat, and important watershed areas throughout Bucks County, Pennsylvania, and in the surrounding area. As key elements of the organization’s emerging Strategic Plan, the Conservancy will focus on both accelerating the pace and scale of its own land protection efforts and expanding its role in catalyzing and supporting others’ efforts. This position will be a key leader in both of these initiatives, leading teams of acquisition specialists and land stewards to maximize our impact.

RESPONSIBILITIES & DUTIES:

The core responsibility of this position is to lead the Conservancy’s overall Conservation function, establishing strategic direction, priorities, performance expectations, and organizational alignment across land protection, easement stewardship, and fee-owned property stewardship in service of the organization’s Strategic Plan, including:

• Update the Conservancy’s framework for identifying land protection priorities.
• Shift the Conservancy’s operational approach to land protection in a more strategic, targeted direction.
• Increase the volume of active projects in the Conservancy’s land protection portfolio and the rate of completing protection projects.
• Expand and deepen the Conservancy’s relationships with municipalities, counties, and state agencies, to keep land conservation at the forefront of public agendas and help catalyze new rounds of public funding for land protection.
• Ensure the alignment and effectiveness of the Conservancy’s conservation easement stewardship activities, including monitoring and legal defense of easements.
• Ensure the alignment and effectiveness of the Conservancy’s stewardship of its fee-owned properties, including a growing portfolio of habitat improvement projects and projects to encourage and facilitate public visitation.

Duties of this position include:

• Lead the organization’s identification of priorities for easement or fee acquisition.
• Lead senior level relationships with municipalities, counties, state and federal agencies, and other land protection and funding partners.
• Provide executive oversight of the Conservancy’s land protection portfolio, including major, complex, or strategically significant fee and conservation easement transactions. Ensure projects are aligned with organizational priorities, funding capacity, risk considerations, and Board policy.
• Ensure effective engagement of the Conservancy’s Board of Directors and its Property Committee with the Conservancy’s Conservation Programs.
• Develop and advance strategies to expand public and institutional funding available for conservation across the Conservancy’s service area.
• Provide executive oversight of the Conservancy’s conservation easement stewardship program, including risk management, policy, legal defense, and significant enforcement matters. Guide the team in planning and implementing remedial actions. With the Chief Operating Officer and Legal Counsel, ensure compliance with and effective use of the organization’s Terrafirma legal defense insurance.
• With Legal Counsel, identify and respond to threats to the Conservancy’s portfolio of protected lands posed by utility/transmission expansions, condemnation proceedings, road development, etc.
• Provide executive oversight of efforts to amend older easements to bring them up to modern standards and improve long-term conservation outcomes, including increases in protected acreage, strengthened protections on sensitive resources, and reductions in enforcement & administration liabilities.
• Ensure the Conservancy’s land protection and stewardship efforts comply with federal and state statutes, all internal guidelines and policies, and the standards of the Land Trust Accreditation Commission.
• Work with the Chief Operating Officer to budget, track, and report expenditures for all land conservation projects and programs.
• Assist the Development, Communications, and Grants Teams in crafting engaging communications and proposals for various audiences including individual & institutional donors as well as granting agencies to fund priority projects and initiatives.
• Serve as a principal organizational representative on conservation policy, regional partnerships, government relations, and sector-wide initiatives, particularly with key state-wide partners such as WeConservePA as well as regional partners such as Schuylkill Highlands, Delaware Greenway, and other conservation organizations.
• Lead the Conservation department staff (10+) and supervise senior program leaders, establishing priorities, performance expectations, resource allocation, and cross-team coordination.

Qualifications & Essential Skills

• Bachelor’s degree required - advanced degree in related field a plus.
• 12+ years of experience in conservation, land use planning, real estate, and/or fee title and conservation easement transactions.
• 8+ years of management experience.
• Negotiation / dealmaking skills.
• Experience with and management of various types of easements including, but not limited to, conservation and agricultural preservation easements a plus.
• Familiarity with Pennsylvania local and county government a plus.
• Ability to handle, independently and simultaneously, multiple and diverse responsibilities.
• Excellent oral and written communications skills; strong interpersonal skills.
• Ability to identify and articulate the “big picture” while also attending to detail.
• Strong problem solving, time management, and organizational skills.
• Ability to cultivate and manage constructive relationships with landowners, project and funding partners, public officials, Board members, staff, and others.
• Commitment to Heritage Conservancy's mission and high standards of conduct.
• Some weekend and evening hours are required.
• Access to an insured vehicle and ability to travel for work in the surrounding area.
• Successful candidate will be required to pass Pennsylvania child abuse clearances.

Culture and Benefits:

Heritage Conservancy is committed to the overall well-being of its employees and offers a variety of benefits including:

• Flexible scheduling options in accordance with job requirements.
• Comprehensive retirement package including company match.
• Competitive health benefits including medical, dental, and vision.
• Generous Paid Time Off including vacation, paid holidays, and personal time.
• A fun and collaborative work environment and so much more!