VP of Conservation, Pacific Region

The Vice President for the Pacific Region at Trout Unlimited is responsible for overseeing conservation efforts across Oregon, Washington, Alaska, Idaho, and California. This role includes managing State Directors, developing strategies, and fostering partnerships to support the organization's mission. The VP will collaborate with various teams and engage with stakeholders to advance priority water initiatives and fundraising efforts, requiring strong leadership and collaboration skills.
Position Summary

The Vice President for the Pacific Region (“VP”) is responsible for overseeing a portfolio of work that advances TU’s mission through protecting, restoring, reconnecting, and sustaining priority waters and meets the goals set forth in Trout Unlimited’s organization-wide strategic plan. The VP will work with external and internal partners and oversee a team of State Directors responsible for delivering successful outcomes in the organization’s priority water work. The geographic scope of the role is Oregon, Washington, Alaska, Idaho and California. Programs across these states include over 100 fulltime staff and programmatic budgets of >$40M annually.

The VP is responsible for management and oversight of a team that deploys advocacy, on the ground restoration, and community engagement in service to the organization’s mission and vision. Specifically, the VP will develop strategies for their respective geographic regions, develop and maintain partnerships with other conservation organizations, state and federal agencies, elected officials and other partners. The VP will guide efforts to engage more people in TU’s mission work and in partnership with the development team, work with donors and others to raise funds to support TU. This position requires a high degree of collaboration and capability to operate in a geographically dispersed organization with multiple constituencies, partners, and volunteers.

Duties and Responsibilities
• Member of the Executive Leadership team that plans and oversees the TU strategy, works collaboratively within and among senior leadership across the organization to drive operational success, define organizational policy (operational and programmatic), and communicate TU strategies and successes in a way that builds inclusion and support for all parts of the organization.
• In coordination with Science Team, ensure that science activities are focused on and aligned with advancing priority water and policy goals.
• Participation in TU board of trustee meetings, as requested.
• Management of StateDirectors, which includes aligning work plans and performance expectations within and between teams, performance accountability, and creating a positive work environment.
• Ensure alignment across functions, such as science, finance, human resources, communication and development, operating within the region. May include direct management of staff performing those functions and requires coordination with leadership in other functions and departments.
• Oversight of accomplishing priority waters objectives, ensuring alignment between national and state chapters/councils, inclusion of relevant communities, and ensuring an ongoing and iterative process for the identification and execution of TU’s priority water initiatives.
• In collaboration with State Directors, help to develop policy agendas and related strategies, oversee their implementation, and coordinate with Government Affairs on national policy agenda, especially those that affect the Pacific region such as public lands. Provide input into the federal policy priorities, establish and manage teams for multi-state campaigns, and coordinate with, and support national policy campaigns.
• Establish and maintain productive relationships with key decision makers and partners.
• Establish and maintain productive relationships with TU’s grassroots leaders in the Pacific region, specifically Council chairs and National Leadership Team representatives.
• Pursue effective strategies to engage local communities, members, and supporters in priority waters work, and assist in growing and engaging larger numbers of volunteers and members to add to TU’s base of support.
• Consider and make recommendations on litigation requests.
• Work with Development and Marketing teams to ensure that development and marketing objectives are met.
• Work with the Policy and Communications team to ensure effective storytelling in their state/region.

This is not an all-inclusive list of duties and responsibilities.

Requirements

As a prerequisite, the successful candidate shall support the mission, vision, and values of TU. The ideal candidate will also have experience with and a passion for addressing multistate and national environmental issues affecting coldwater fisheries and watersheds across the Pacific region. The final candidate will have the following experiences, skills, and personal attributes.

Experience
• Seven (7) to ten (10) years’ experience in natural resource conservation policy or management, with a minimum of five (5) years of senior leadership experience at a public or private organization.
• Demonstrated success in building, leading, and managing highly functional teams.
• Demonstrated success in managing complex budgets.
• Strong background in advocating for public lands and public land protection.
• Broad experience in working with state, federal, and local agencies and other partners to reconnect and restore watershed health.
• Experience in policy advocacy at the state or federal level, and a working knowledge of public lands protection and policymaking across government.
• Passion for trout/salmon conservation and angling; fly-fishing experience is a major plus.

Skills
• Proven ability to fundraise, working with government agencies, foundations, major donors, and corporations.
• Proven ability to identify opportunities to combine mission priorities with policy advocacy and develop and execute strategies to achieve conservation success at scale and tell powerful stories.
• Proven ability to build consensus across diverse interest groups.
• Proven ability to exercise sound judgment and simultaneously manage people, projects, and tasks in a demanding, fast paced, and dynamic work environment.
• Proven ability to lead collaboratively and manage conflict effectively.
• Exceptional written and oral communication skills. Excellent presentation skills and executive presence.
• Strong strategic thinking skills with extensive strategic planning experience.
• Demonstrated ability to develop and manage budgets at the project, program, and organizational levels
• Willingness and ability to travel up to 25% of the time.

Knowledge
• Extensive knowledge of coldwater conservation needs and opportunities within the region, particularly around trout and salmon fisheries.
• Solid understanding of politics and socio-economic conditions relevant to TU’s mission within the region.
• A strong professional network and a demonstrated ability to build and maintain strategically important relationships.
• Extensive knowledge of public land management issues relevant to watershed health.
• Knowledge of watershed ecology and fish biology a plus.
• Bachelor’s Degree required, advanced degree in relevant discipline is a plus.

Staff and leadership at TU understand that life outside of work is important to personal health, and we strive to create a healthy and family-friendly atmosphere. This is a full-time position with a full benefits package.

At TU, we are committed to building space for all people to participate in our work to care for trout and salmon and clean our shared waters.