PROGRAM MANAGER III (Director)

This is a position specific recruitment for the Department of Natural Resources, Maryland Environmental Trust- Crownsville, MD location.  This recruitment will be used to fill current and future vacancies for this position/function only.  The resulting eligible list will be maintained for one year.  Persons interested in future vacancies within this classification must re-apply.

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Crownsville, MD (Anne Arundel County)

The Department of Natural Resources, Maryland Environmental Trust (MET), in Crownsville, Maryland is currently accepting applications for a Program Manager III (Director) position. The selected candidate will have the overall responsibility for the administration and management of one of the top twenty land trusts in the United States, holding over 1,000 easements covering over 130,000 acres, and supervises a staff consisting of full-time employees, part-time employees, seasonal employees, and a substantial number of volunteers. MET was established by state statute “to conserve, improve, stimulate, and perpetuate the aesthetic, natural, health and welfare, scenic, and cultural qualities of the environment, including but not limited to land, water, air, wildlife, scenic qualities, open spaces, [and] buildings.” As Maryland’s only state-wide land trust, MET solicits and accepts conservation easements, monitors and stewards the easements, and works with more than 40 local land trusts and other conservation groups within the State. In addition to the acquisition and monitoring of conservation easements, MET engages in a number of outreach programs, including conferences and workshops, special support to the State’s local land trusts, and other public education efforts.

The incumbent represents and serves as liaison between MET and state, local, and federal agencies. These include the Maryland Department of Natural Resources, the Maryland Board of Public Works, and the Office of the Attorney General; other elected officials; the Maryland Department of Agriculture and the Department of Transportation; county zoning and planning personnel; federal land preservation program administrators; local land trust representatives; landowners of easement properties; and the general public.

 
The Director serves at the pleasure and under the direction of an independent, self-perpetuating citizen Board of Trustees. The incumbent works closely with the Board and its committees, and functions as the liaison between the Board and staff. The selected candidate meets with and communicates regularly with the Board chair, other officers, and the Executive Committee, and attends the Board’s monthly meetings as well as the meetings of various committees. Duties will include:

 
1. oversight of financial management
2. management of human resources
3. identifying and pursuing land conservation opportunities
4. organizing and directing educational programs
5. fund raising
6. governmental and community relations and outreach
7. ensuring legal and regulatory compliance
8. property stewardship
9. overseeing purchase, management and disposal of property
10. maintenance and development of MET’s information technology tools.

Financial management aspects include assisting the Board in preparing proposed annual budgets, supporting activities of the Finance Committee, and assuring compliance with fund restrictions and financial policies including general oversight of bookkeeping and audits. The selected candidate supervises fundraising activities as directed by the Board, and helps identify new sources of funding. Fundraising projects include seeking grants, developing and implementing major gift and planned-giving programs, annual appeal letters, and generally increasing private donations to MET’s endowment and stewardship funds.

The incumbent helps the Board set goals and implements strategies and policies of the Board of Trustees, including the long range plan, accreditation, Board development and orientation, tax and incentive policies, the Easement, Stewardship, Volunteer, Land Trust Assistance, and Keep Maryland Beautiful programs, and continually assesses organizational progress. The Director organizes and supervises outreach and communication through MET’s educational programs, public relations, and marketing.

Education: Possession of a Bachelor’s Degree.

Experience:

Five (5) years of experience in a senior leadership position. (Senior leadership can refer to the senior officer of a corporation, business, non-profit or government organization including a president, CEO, senior management, etc.).

Five (5) years of experience with real estate matters including buying, selling, leasing, and understanding real estate agreements, etc.

Experience supervising five or more employees. Supervisory experience must include all of the following:

• Assign and review work
• Approve leave
• Sign timecards
• Sign annual performance rating
• Train employees
• Discipline employees (counsel, recommend suspension, and termination)

• Experience working with governmental officials and private landowners
• Experience in land use policies and planning
• Experience in oversight/ management of conservation easements
• Five (5) of experience in the oversight of program budgets

Willingness to travel from time to time throughout Maryland and attend out of state conferences as appropriate.

STATE OF MARYLAND BENEFITS