Associate Director

Full Time, Exempt

The Associate Director will work closely with the Executive Director, other staff, and the board to define, develop, and implement programs; convey Equity Trust’s ideas and issues to clients and the public; build relationships with funders and aligned organizations; and help manage the daily operations. Specific duties of the job will be refined in dialogue with the selected applicant based on skills, interests, and the needs of the organization. The Associate Director will also participate in the process of defining and implementing Equity Trust's future leadership structure, in light of plans for its longtime Executive Director to transition out of that position within the next 1-2 years.

What we are looking for

• Deep commitment to Equity Trust’s mission to decommodify land and promote economic, social, and racial justice
• Desire to collaborate with a small team of experienced, dedicated staff and board members, and to share in the role of strategically expanding programming and building organizational capacity and alliances
• Ability to think strategically, solve problems, learn new things, and explore and develop innovative solutions to property ownership, access, and stewardship
• We value all forms of experience including formal education, paid work experience, unpaid/volunteer experience, and life experience.

Experience: Candidates should have experience with several of the following

• Leadership role in the nonprofit arena and with a nonprofit board, including strategic planning, plan implementation, organizational management, and staff supervision
• Fundraising & development: grant writing; grant management; major donor cultivation and stewardship; annual appeals; capital campaigns
• Mission-guided communications and marketing, including creating communications strategy, content development and production 
• Affordable housing, particularly the work of community land trusts, housing cooperatives, or other shared-equity/ limited equity housing
• Current land-related issues in agriculture generally, and for BIPOC communities in particular, and tools for preserving and keeping farms affordable for family farmers (e.g., conservation easements with purchase options, and long-term ground leases)
• Nonprofit and other lending programs; community finance; engagement with socially responsible investors
• Property management, land stewardship, and/or property transactions

Essential Skills and Qualifications

• Strong organizational leadership skills and an ability to make good business decisions
• A collaborative approach to team management and supervision
• Proven ability to speak and write effectively for a broad public
• Proficiency with computers and office software (e.g. Microsoft Office, Google, Adobe)
• Commitment to a culture of mutual accountability and respect; willing to receive feedback, give feedback to others, and learn from mistakes
• Ability to work with people from different backgrounds and interests

Desirable Skills and Qualifications

• Knowledge and experience with social change theory and work
• Solid understanding of accounting and financial management principles
• Experience reviewing, interpreting, and commenting on legal documents
• Knowledge of communication practices and techniques across a variety of media; ability to communicate complex stories in compelling ways to diverse audiences
• Experienced in group facilitation; knowledge of methods of community education
• Past success in raising funds through grants and/or requests to private donors
• Demonstrated effectiveness in recruiting/managing/mentoring/guiding staff/colleagues
• Experience in co-managing non-hierarchical organizations
• Experience in managing or co-managing organizations with staff working remotely