Executive Director

About Preserve Our Parks

Preserve Our Parks, Inc. is a nonprofit organization dedicated to the preservation of parks and green spaces in Milwaukee County. For more than 25 years we have been a leader in advocating for and promoting Milwaukee area parks and open spaces, and in protecting the tenets of Wisconsin’s Public Trust Doctrine. The organization has stopped many proposals to develop, privatize, or sell local parkland and lakefront spaces.

Position Overview

Preserve Our Parks seeks a dynamic and visionary Executive Director (ED) to work closely with our dedicated Board of Directors to continue to grow the organization and ensure that its advocacy work continues effectively into future decades. The Executive Director position is relatively new and will build on the achievement of POP’s goals that were further developed with the assistance of our first ED. The ED will partner with the Board of Directors in governance and strategic planning. The selected candidate will also sustain the continuity of existing POP programs such as A Wealth of Nature.

The ideal candidate will have a passion for the preservation of public green spaces and have excellent community engagement skills. An interest in and experience with organizational growth and non-profit best practices will be a plus. While the position will initially be a half-time appointment, it is expected and hoped that the position will morph into a permanent, full-time status.

Key Responsibilities

Board – Executive Director Partnership

• Focus on the development and implementation of a long-range strategy with the Board, to further POP’s mission.
• Develop annual goals for POP, subject to Board review and approval.
• Report on the condition of the organization to the Board at meetings and at other appropriate times.
• Prepare Board meeting agendas and materials.
• Track and recommend Board actions, and maintain a reporting process to the Board.

POP Program Management

• Support and grow existing efforts such as A Wealth of Nature.
• Work with the Board of Directors to establish and implement innovative programs and procedures to ensure that Preserve Our Parks continues to be effective in future years. Working with designated Board partners, develop an annual plan of work for POP to be approved by the Board.

• • The plan will describe how POP will achieve its mission during the set time period.

• • The plan will include goals, implementation activities, and performance measures.

• • At each regularly scheduled board meeting, the Executive Director will offer concise reports to the board on any accomplishments toward the plan.

• Work with the Board Treasurer to ensure careful tracking of POP program finances.

External Relations and Advocacy

• In coordination with the Board, serve as the public face of Preserve Our Parks, monitoring proposed projects, attending public meetings, and representing the organization before public entities, park management agencies, community groups, donors, and the public.
• Create and sustain a system of periodic meetings with key County Parks management staff and County elected officials with oversight and influence over the Milwaukee County Park system.
• With the support and participation of Board members, as needed, serve as a spokesperson for the protection of parks and green spaces at public meetings and hearings at the Milwaukee County, regional, and state levels.
• Develop and grow on-line and print communication efforts with supporters and impacted communities.

Fund Development

• Due to generous community partners and careful stewardship, POP has a solid financial footing at this juncture. The Board is seeking a staff partner to expand on existing POP fundraising efforts. The work would include:

• Create and oversee an annual fundraising plan, working with the POP Board leadership to implement the work.
• Establish and achieve annual fundraising goals.
• Sustain and grow the annual appeal solicitation.
• Maintain donor, corporate, and foundation relationships including grant research, grant application, and reporting and cultivating relationships with major donors.
• Ensure that funds are disbursed in accordance with contract and donor requirements.

Candidate Qualifications

• Proven record of achievement in the fields related to this opportunity.
• Exceptional communication, public speaking, and relationship-building skills.
• Passion for preserving parks and public green spaces.
• Deep understanding of the community and environmental benefits of parks and open space.

Compensation Package

The Board of Directors will offer an attractive compensation contract to the selected candidate. In addition to hourly or part-time salaried payments, the organization will also offer monthly stipends to compensate for the Executive Director’s telecom/IT expenses, as well as offering a stipend toward health care coverage.