Executive Director

POSITION OVERVIEW AND RESPONSIBILITIES

The Bay Area Ridge Trail Council seeks an inspiring, strategic, and deeply collaborative Executive Director to lead the organization through its next chapter of growth, trail completion, and popularity and public use. The Executive Director will serve as the primary advocate for the Ridge Trail Council’s regional vision, building partnerships across public agencies, private landowners, elected officials, community organizations, land trusts, and tribes to close critical gaps and sustain the trail for future generations.

The Executive Director must be a skilled relationship builder who can cultivate trust and forge meaningful connections with diverse constituents—from agency partners managing trail segments to landowners holding key parcels, from elected officials who can champion funding to community organizations working to expand access. The Executive Director translates the Ridge Trail’s regional importance into compelling narratives that resonate with local communities and demonstrate how individual trail segments connect to the larger vision of a world-class regional recreation, economic, and community resource.

The Executive Director will lead with collaborative energy and authentic partnership, recognizing that the Ridge Trail’s success depends on engaging agency partners and connecting organizations and communities. The Executive Director will serve as a convener of regional trail discussions, a catalyst for funding opportunities, a coordinator of technical work, and a promoter for community connections. They will navigate complex partnerships, direct a skilled and motivated staff, enhance Ridge Trail growth and funding, balance natural resource protection with public engagement, and champion the Ridge Trail throughout the communities it serves.

Strategic Leadership and Partnership Development

• Serve as the primary spokesperson and champion for the Ridge Trail’s regional vision, articulating how local trail segments connect to create transformative regional impact
• Build and maintain deep, authentic relationships with public agency partners, private landowners, elected officials, tribal leaders, funders, and community organizations
• Develop and implement comprehensive strategies for closing trail gaps, prioritizing both major gap closures and smaller segments that create long connected sections
• Serve as a researcher, connector, and relationship builder with private landowners to understand their values and identify pathways to secure rights-of-way
• Lead efforts to secure National Scenic Trail designation and leverage this status for enhanced funding and federal support
• Convene partners by geography and function to facilitate collaborative problem-solving and shared resources

Fundraising and Resource Development

• Enhance a comprehensive, diversified development program including major gifts, foundation grants, government funding, planned giving, and community fundraising
• Bring private funding to leverage public money, demonstrating the value of philanthropic investment in public infrastructure
• Work collaboratively with agency partners to identify and pursue funding opportunities, including state and federal grants, bond measures, and local funding mechanisms
• Lead legislative advocacy efforts for transportation funding to close infrastructure gaps and secure resources for safety improvements
• Cultivate relationships with individual donors, foundations, corporate sponsors, and public funding sources
• Oversee grant writing and management, ensuring strong stewardship and reporting to all funding partners

Advocacy and Policy Leadership

• Build and activate a constituency of trail advocates who can support Ridge Trail priorities with agency partners and elected officials
• Engage elected officials, board members, and decision-makers to elevate the Ridge Trail as a regional priority
• Lead legislative advocacy for transportation funding, trail infrastructure, and policies that support trail completion and access
• Navigate regulatory environments related to land acquisition, conservation easements, public lands management, and environmental protection
• Promote the Ridge Trail at groundbreaking events, openings, and community gatherings to reach new residents and visitors in the rapidly changing Bay Area

Organizational Management and Operations

• Provide strategic leadership and day-to-day management of organizational operations, staff, budget, and programs
• Work effectively with the Board of Directors, providing leadership on conservation strategy, business operations, and policy development
• Build organizational capacity and systems to support efficient operations and program delivery
• Recruit, develop, and retain talented staff who are passionate about the Ridge Trail mission
• Oversee financial management, ensuring strong fiscal health and accountability to constituents
• Support staff in coordinating stewardship activities that complement rather than duplicate the work of agency partners and other trail organizations
• Foster a collaborative, respectful workplace culture that encourages innovation, celebrates success, and supports professional growth

Community Engagement and Access

• Serve as a communicator and organizer who works to activate trail use, connect people to nature, and build public support for trail investment
• Champion equitable access to the Ridge Trail, working to connect underserved communities and reduce barriers to trail use
• Build partnerships with service providers, lodging and accommodation operators, and nonprofits that convene outdoor experiences to expand multi-day trail experiences and increase access for all users
• Develop strategies to improve trail access beyond vehicle-dependent options, considering accessibility for people with limited mobility
• Foster engagement with tribal communities, building on partnerships such as those at Mount Umunhum
• Oversee volunteer programs that engage community members in meaningful trail stewardship service

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