Conservation Director

The Deschutes Land Trust is seeking a Conservation Director to join its dedicated team!

The Deschutes Land Trust conserves and cares for the lands and waters that sustain Central Oregon, so local communities and the natural world can flourish together for generations to come. Since 1995, the Land Trust has protected more than 18,700 acres throughout Central Oregon for future generations. We embrace diversity, equity, and inclusion, and are committed to building a conservation community with diverse backgrounds, cultures, and life experiences.

Learn more about our Equity Commitment.

The Conservation Director provides leadership for all land protection activities of the Land Trust. This senior position is the cornerstone of the organization’s conservation mission—overseeing land acquisitions, and conservation easements across the trust’s protected lands portfolio. Working closely with the Executive Director, board, landowners, agency partners, and community stakeholders, the Conservation Director builds lasting relationships that translate the trust’s values into durable landscape-level conservation outcomes.

This is an opportunity for a passionate, experienced professional to shape the future of land protection in a region of extraordinary ecological and agricultural significance.

• Participate in the strategic planning and overall management of the Land Trust with the Executive Director and leadership team.
• Participate in strategic planning, long-range goal setting, and organizational development for the organization.
• Annually create, implement and manage the Conservation Department’s detailed goals, strategies, timelines, budgets, and evaluation practices that will engage constituents in support of the Land Trust’s mission.
• Understand conservation best practices and monitor trends, issues, and regulations that may affect the Land Trust.
• Lead the Conservation Department and coach and guide all Conservation staff. Manage external contractors, and volunteers. Responsible for management and annual objectives of staff that create and implement core conservation strategies.
• Act as a lead in organizational efforts to build Tribal partnerships and strengthen Tribal community relations.
• Assist with integration of climate change-related practices, mitigation, and responsiveness throughout Land Trust projects.
• Lead the conservation portion of Land Trust Accreditation.
• Support DEI expansion throughout the Land Trust organizational culture and integration into conservation practices.
• Act as the lead staff for any communications regarding conservation activities with the Land Trust Board and its committees.
• As a department head, may be designated as Acting Executive Director while Executive Director is away.

• Lead, Implement, and manage the organization’s strategic conservation plan to reach the conservation goal of conserving lands throughout Central Oregon that provide climate resilience, protect vulnerable habitats and species, and foster overall community connection.
• Develop and direct acquisition strategies ensuring accountability and budget alignment.
• Lead all aspects of conservation project development, including negotiations, due diligence, document drafting, legal review, and closing.
• Co‑lead with Development Staff and Executive Director, the development and management of fundraising related to land acquisitions.
• Build and maintain relationships with current and prospective landowner partners.
• Direct hiring and training for new conservation staff, and annual review and evaluation of existing staff. Manage independent contractors.
• Develop and maintain strategic conservation partnerships

• Work with Stewardship staff to further our overarching conservation goal of conserving lands throughout Central Oregon that provide climate resilience, protect vulnerable habitats and species, and foster overall community connection.
• Work with Stewardship staff in the development and assessment of acquisition strategies, land transactions and management plan documentation.
• Work with Stewardship Director (and other…