Executive Director

Pocono Environmental Education Center is seeking an Executive Director to lead its operations, overseeing a staff of 46 and managing a $2 million budget. The role requires strong leadership, educational vision, and fundraising skills to advance PEEC's mission within the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area. Responsibilities include strategic planning, staff development, community engagement, and financial management. This is a non-profit leadership position based in Dingmans Ferry, PA.
PEEC is seeking an Executive Director to oversee all aspects of running one of the largest overnight environmental and sustainability education centers in the US. PEEC is an independent non-profit located within the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area in northeastern Pennsylvania. The next Executive Director must be a proven leader with educational vision, an entrepreneurial spirit and have significant fundraising abilities
Pocono Environmental Education Center (PEEC)Executive Director
Position Description
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR ROLE
The Executive Director will oversee an amazing, smart, caring, creative, adaptable staff of 46, reports to a 9-member Board of Trustees and has an annual operating budget of $2 million. Operating revenues are derived 75% from user paid program fees and 25% from grants and donations. PEEC has a loyal donor base of individuals and foundations and a longstanding connection with schools in the tristate area who have been sending their students to PEEC for 40+ years. Our work with the local community and local schools has grown significantly over the past 10 years. The Executive Director is also responsible for advancing PEEC’s mission and goals and for upholding PEEC’s beliefs, value and organizational culture.
As the next Executive Director of PEEC we seek a creative, innovative leader who brings an entrepreneurial spirit and is keen to expand and extend PEEC’s work as we enter our next 50 years.

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR RESPONSIBILITIES
The Executive Director must be a proven leader with educational vision, an entrepreneurial spirit and have significant fundraising abilities. They must be capable of overseeing educational offerings, staff management, campus infrastructure and relationships with schools, partners, the National Park Service and funders.

Build on PEEC’s established strengths to prioritize and drive forward its strategic goals and oversee annual planning, budgeting, and review process that engages new ideas and an entrepreneurial mindset.
Report to and work with the Board of Trustees to ensure organizational strength and growth.
Lead, motivate, hire, develop, and retain staff with a focus on building the organizational capacity.
Grow and build the team and provide a positive and equitable workplace and culture.
Support the development and delivery of projects and initiatives that enable transformative learning experiences in nature.
Cultivate existing partnerships and build new ones.
Maintain, improve, and broaden strong relationships with Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area, NPS, public entities, funders, community partners, and other nonprofits.
Cultivate a community of belonging that is welcoming and accessible for people of all ages, abilities, and backgrounds to enable everyone to enjoy powerful and rewarding experiences in nature.
Financial management and fundraising
Coordinate, develop, and monitor the organization’s budget and revenue streams, balancing PEEC’s short-term program goals and long-term resources to broaden and deepen its impact.
Work with the Board of Trustees to build the organization’s financial reserves and secure its financial health through program growth and development revenue
Secure, maintain, and expand funding from high-net-worth individuals, corporations, foundations, and public partners.
Oversee all public and media relations and raise PEEC’s visibility
Participate and present at conferences, symposia, and training and serve as a thought leader among peers in the nonprofit, conservation, and environmental education communities.

DESIRED EXPERIENCE
The ideal candidate may come from a variety of career pathways. Critical to success will be passion for PEEC’s mission and a capacity to lead an established, successful organization through changing times while continuing to deliver on that mission. Executive leadership skills and a creative, collaborative, and entrepreneurial approach are vital, and ten years of leadership, development and/or environmental education experience is preferred.

The successful candidate will possess the following qualities:

Passion for PEEC’s mission and deep experience working in nature with people of all ages, abilities, and backgrounds.
Extensive management experience in positions of increasing responsibility that showcase an ability to develop the strengths of staff, board, and partners.
Demonstrated fundraising experience and success, including private philanthropy, corporate donations, and grants.
Proven leadership skills in motivating others and practical calm in dealing with adversity and uncertainty.
A creative problem solver with a demonstrated ability to think strategically and make decisions efficiently while inspiring with an imaginative vision for the future.
Humble, empathetic, and inclusive of various perspectives; able to resolve conflicts and find common ground.
Strong financial experience managing a complex budget with numerous funding sources
Skilled in organizational development, administration, and personnel management, with attention to detail, flexibility, integrity and confidence.
Excellent interpersonal, oral, and written communication skills and comfort with public speaking.

JOB LOCATION
The Executive Director position will be based out of the PEEC’s offices in Dingmans Ferry, Pennsylvania. This is not a remote position.

COMPENSATION
This is a regular, full-time, exempt position. Salary of $80,000+ p.a., depending on experience. We offer a competitive compensation package with benefits that include paid time off, 75% employer paid medical/dental/ vision insurance, 403(B) program (with employer match of 7.5%), short term disability, and life insurance. Relocation assistance will be considered.

POSITION START DATE
The start date of this position is flexible, but the applicant should be available to start no later than December 15, 2022 to allow overlap with current Executive Director, Jeff Rosalsky, who will be retiring at the end of 2022.

TO APPLY
Interested candidates should apply via email by sending a resume and cover letter identifying qualifications that match the position criteria and describing what they will bring to the role. The email should be sent to edjob@peec.org with the subject line “PEEC, Executive Director Search.” Application review will begin on August 15th and will continue until the position is filled.

Final offers of employment are contingent upon the successful completion of a background check that include employment history, national criminal background check, national sex offender registry search, and a driving history check.

ORGANIZATION BACKGROUND
The Pocono Environmental Education Center (PEEC) is one of the largest overnight and day environmental education centers in the US. For 50 years, PEEC has provided outstanding environmental and sustainability experiences to over 30,000 people each year. Our focus is overnight and day-long, immersive, hands-on outdoor experiences for students from Pennsylvania, New York, and New Jersey. We offer nature, STEM, and recreational programs for school groups, families, adult learners, and professionals. The entire educational experience at PEEC is place-based, so our forests, the Delaware River watershed, our trails and our sustainable campus are an integral part of the teaching experience. PEEC is an independent 501(c) 3 non-profit located in Northeast PA, within the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area, and is the education partner of the National Park Service within the Park.

PEEC MISSION
PEEC advances environmental education, sustainable living, and appreciation for nature through hands-on experience in a national park.

PEEC VISION
“An environmentally enlightened world.”

PEEC VALUES

Environmental and sustainability education accessible to all
Create a sense of wonder and desire for physical engagement in nature
Recognize the competing challenges of conservation vs growth in standards of living
Being a partner with schools, universities, the local community and other user groups
Providing a high quality experiences that strive to be transformative
Stewardship of nature and communities

PEEC STRATEGIC GOALS

Facilitate ongoing environmental and sustainability programs
Focus on place based, hands-on field classes
Promote online and in person outreach programs
Foster stewardship of land, water and other natural resources
Prompt all program participants to action in their home communities
Continue to build the campus as a model of sustainability and sustainable design
Cultivate a workforce that is encouraged to innovate, is self-reliant and continues to grow professionally
Grow long-term fiscal sustainability including donor base, foundation relationships, operations and endowment all in support of PEEC’s mission.

PEEC FACILITIES
PEEC is situated on a 38-acre campus surrounded by the 77,000 acres of the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area. The campus, its 40+ buildings, 6 hiking trails, and two ponds are situated on a ridgeline one mile above the Delaware River. There is overnight accommodation for 300 students, in a combination of 4 season cabins, lodges and yurts and an award winning passive solar dining hall as well as a 12,000 square foot main building and numerous other buildings. There are also teambuilding and confidence courses, pavilions and outdoor amphitheaters on campus. PEEC is open year round and has a full-time staff of 11 and long-term seasonal staff of an additional 35. PEEC is situated on Federal land and most of the buildings are owned by the National Park Service. PEEC currently operates under a 30 year General Agreement with NPS which runs until 2033.

PEEC PROGRAMS

Overnight, multi-day environmental and sustainability education trips
Environmental education day trips and outreach
4000 sq. ft. EcoZone Discovery Room
Multi-day river trips
Sci-Q STEM camp
“Growing Green” special needs residential camp
Summer day camp
Adult birding and other nature programs
Community day programs
Festivals and dinners
Our goal is to have programs that engage all people, regardless of age, experience, ability, background and cultivate a love for the natural world and a desire to conserve, protect and enjoy our natural resources.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
More information on PEEC can be found at peec.org.

PEEC is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Our effectiveness is enhanced when equity and inclusiveness are practiced and protected throughout our organizational governance, culture, and staffing. Recruiting and retaining a diverse workforce is a high priority at PEEC. PEEC does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, religion, sex, gender, gender expression, gender identity, sexual orientation, physical or mental, disability, military, genetic information, ancestry, marital status, age, citizenship, or any other basis prohibited by law in any of its policies, programs or operations.
How to apply:
Interested candidates should apply via email by sending a resume and cover letter identifying qualifications that match the position criteria and describing what they will bring to the role. The email should be sent to edjob@peec.org with the subject line “PEEC, Executive Director Search.” Application review will begin on August 15th and will continue until the position is filled.
Final offers of employment are contingent upon the successful completion of a background check that include employment history, national criminal background check, national sex offender registry search, and a driving history check.