Forest Stewardship Program Director

Title: Forest Stewardship Program Director

Team: Forest Programs

Reports To: Director of Forest Programs

Supervises: No direct reports

Employment Type: Full-time; exempt. 40 hours/week.

About the Northern Forest Center

Founded in 1997, the Northern Forest Center works across the 30-million-acre Northern Forest region of New York, Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine. We advance community economic development and forest stewardship by providing collaborative leadership, innovative ideas, and expertise in program delivery, investment, project management, and public policy. Our work is grounded in strong partnerships with rural communities and a deep commitment to the region’s people, land, and future. Learn more at www.northernforest.org.

position Summary: The Forest Stewardship Program Director leads the Center’s regional Forest Stewardship programming, advancing the Center’s vision of healthy forests, thriving rural communities, and a resilient forest economy by strengthening forest stewardship across the Northern Forest Region. Drawing on professional experience in forestry, forest management and partnership development, this role:

• Supports programs, education and demonstration projects, communications, and advocacy that engage diverse perspectives and deepen forest stewardship across multiple scales and audiences;
• Leads the Center’s community forest programming through community-level partnership, multi-town collaboratives, and regional leadership;
• Grounds the Center’s forest products market and business development work in the current and evolving realities of regional forest health and supply chains; and
• Represents the Center’s work and perspective in state and regional forestry and forest industry circles.

Reporting to the Director of Forest Programs, they work closely with the Center’s Forest Programs team as well as with state-based Program Directors and external partners. This role is well-suited for an adaptable individual with professional experience in forestry or closely related fields, the ability to engage stakeholders at multiple levels, and a motivation to contribute regionally to a holistic vision for a vibrant forest economy grounded in sustainable forest stewardship.

Responsibilities

Promote & Deepen Applications of Ecological Forestry at Local & Regional Levels (90%)

In collaboration with Center colleagues and external partners, develop and deliver programs that advance a shared, holistic vision for the stewardship of the Northern Forest at both the community and regional levels:

Community Level (30%):

• Support local partners in the establishment, stewardship, and/or activation of community forests to advance community conservation, forestry and recreation priorities;
• Convene and facilitate several Center-led community forest collaboratives;
• Develop and implement community-level programming to activate and steward local forests in collaboration with Center and community-based staff

Regional Level (60%):

• Serve as an in-house advisor on forest management and forest health to inform and contribute to Center programs across the Northern Forest region, including:
• Maintain a working quantitative and qualitative knowledge of the status of regional forest health and supply chain, elevating and addressing issues or opportunities for program development, implementation, and/or advocacy;
• Cultivate, build, and maintain relationships with external partners including those in forestry, forest stewardship and management, and conservation
• Represent the Center’s forest stewardship ethic in relevant meetings, presentations, professional organizations, and public forums
• Expand the Center’s regional community forest programming and leadership, identifying challenges, gaps, and opportunities;
• Develop and deliver programming that engages, connects, and educates diverse constituencies on regional forest stewardship, e.g. through landowner and recreation collaboratives, communications initiatives, and new programs;
• Contribute forestry and supply chain expertise to strategically align the Center’s business support, market development initiatives, and investment activities with regional supply chain needs and opportunities.

General Program Duties (10%)

• Contribute regular program updates, stories, opinion pieces, and other written work as part of the Center’s overall communications strategy
• Write, manage, and report on public and private grants
• Participate in regular organizational development activities, e.g. staff meetings, annual retreat, occasional board meetings

Note: These responsibilities describe the general nature of the role and are not an exhaustive list. Other duties may be required as organizational needs evolve.

Required Qualifications

• Commitment to the mission and values of the Northern Forest Center.
• Grounded knowledge, relationships, and experience in the Northern Forest region (ME, NH, VT, &/or NY)
• 5-10 years of experience in forestry, forest industry, natural resource management, or a related field. Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience required, licensed forester strongly preferred. Participation in related professional associations a plus.
• Demonstrated ability to develop and implement programs from ideation through to delivery
• Demonstrated ability to build and sustain partnerships across organizations, sectors and communities
• Experience facilitating peer networks, groups and professional gatherings
• Strong written and verbal communication skills
• Ability to manage multiple priorities with attention to detail, and to adapt with evolving programs
• Willingness and ability to travel frequently throughout the Northern Forest region
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office 365 (Word, SharePoint, Excel, Outlook, Teams)

Preferred Qualifications

• Forestry License in one of the Northern Forest states
• Experience working in forestry and/or forestry supply chain; existing sector relationships
• Familiarity with tools such as Asana, or similar project management platforms
• Experience with on-line mapping tools like ArcGIS
• Experience collaborating with boards, funders, or cross-sector partners

Competencies & Workstyle

• Collaborative and relationship-oriented
• Highly organized and reliable
• Adaptable and comfortable with evolving priorities
• Results-oriented with a learning mindset
• Committed to equity, inclusion, and respectful teamwork

Compensation & Benefits

• Salary Range: $70,000–$80,000, commensurate with experience
• Comprehensive benefits package, including:
• Employer-sponsored health insurance options with premiums covered 85%-90%
• 20 PTO days, 12 sick days and 12 holidays annually
• Short- and long-term disability coverage with premiums covered 100%
• Flexible spending and dependent care accounts
• SIMPLE IRA with 3% employer match
• Voluntary life and dental insurance
• Flexible and supportive work environment

Work Environment & Travel

• Regular travel and overnight travel within the Northern Forest region
• Occasional evening or weekend programs
• Combination of office-based, remote, and field-based work