Chief Operating Officer

Organizational-Overview

The Land Trust Alliance has been a cornerstone of the private land conservation movement in the U.S. for more than 40 years, serving as the voice of the land trust community. As the national leader in policy, standards and education, we have been instrumental in growing the land trust community in impact, influence and excellence. We work passionately to support a member network of more than 1,000 land trusts and partners across America so they can save more land and better serve their communities.

Our natural places and working lands are a lifeline to clean air, water, food and good health. These lands also bring us together, inspire us and provide opportunities to recreate and recharge. The land trust community is a crucial component in this equation. With important places under continual threat, land trusts need access to the best tools, information and policy advocates. Armed with a diverse network and valuable resources, the Alliance is the land trust community’s source for the knowledge and capabilities they need to reach their goals. From tax and funding policies on Capitol Hill to innovative ideas, partnerships and initiatives, we ensure our land trust members can always be heard and achieve more. 

The Alliance is committed to building the constituency for conservation. Our team focuses on growing the capacity of land trusts to build public support and nonpartisan political influence in favor of private land conservation. At the same time, we work to elevate and promote the work of the Alliance and its programs to our members, funders and other key stakeholders. We envision a reenergized, more relevant conservation movement in which land trusts join with partners that have not traditionally identified as conservation organizations, including from the for-profit sector, around our shared interest of protecting special places.

Organizationally, the Alliance has grown rapidly in the last eight years, and we are now on the cusp of launching a year-long planning process to develop the organization's next strategic plan, which will guide our programmatic priorities and organizational development over the next decade. To better support our mission delivery and organizational growth, we also recently undertook a complete digital transformation to upgrade and update key systems underpinning our work, including finance, member relationships, education and events, fundraising, website and strategic communications. This process engaged every department in the organization and continues to transform the way we work.

Position-Summary

The Chief Operating Officer (COO) is a pivotal executive leader responsible for translating strategic vision into operational reality. Reporting directly to the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and serving as a core member of the executive leadership team, the COO drives enterprise-wide operational strategy, performance management, and organizational effectiveness. This role ensures that internal systems, infrastructure, risk management, and talent capabilities are fully aligned with the organization’s mission and future direction.

As the organization launches a transformational new strategic plan, the COO will play a leadership role in the internal execution of that plan, serving as the architect of cross-functional implementation and the steward of change management. This includes building organizational readiness, managing the integration of key strategic priorities across departments, and embedding systems for accountability, performance, and continuous improvement.

A core focus of this role is direct oversight and leadership of Human Resources, Information Technology, and Administration. The COO supervises the Director of Human Resources, Director of Information Technology, and Operations Manager, ensuring these functions operate at the highest levels of excellence, compliance, and strategic alignment. The COO is responsible for optimizing the systems, tools, and talent that power the organization’s daily operations and long-term resilience.

A strategist and implementor in equal measure, the ideal candidate brings deep experience leading complex organizational change, driving culture transformation, and building high-performing teams. The COO will serve as a unifying force across the organization, strengthening internal alignment, cultivating a high-performance culture, and ensuring that operational infrastructure supports innovation, growth, and impact.

Key Responsibilities

Departmental Oversight and Staff Management

Provide direct leadership and supervision for key operational departments and staff, including Human Resources, Information Technology, and Administration.

• Oversee the organization’s human resources function and staff, ensuring that HR strategies, including talent development and organizational culture, are aligned with enterprise needs and values.
• Oversee the organization's information technology function and staff, ensuring secure, scalable, and future-ready infrastructure, including data and digital systems aligned with strategic objectives.
• Ensure regulatory compliance, risk mitigation, and operational excellence across areas of oversight.
• Collaborate with executive leadership to develop/update and implement organizational policies; ensure compliance with applicable regulations and appropriately manage operational risk in the areas of COO purview. 
• Secure and manage consultant capacity as needed in areas with direct supervisory responsibility. 

Organizational Strategy & Execution

• Partner with the CEO and executive leadership team to shape and execute the organization’s strategic plan.
• Translate strategic goals into actionable implementation plans, performance metrics (KPIs), and integrated accountability systems.
• Lead the development and execution of annual enterprise operating plans that align with long-term strategic objectives.
• Serve as a key advisor to the CEO on enterprise operations, cross-functional coordination, and executive team effectiveness.
• Lead the design and implementation of decision-making frameworks, delegation models, and internal operating structures that foster clarity, agility, and collaboration.

Change Management & Performance Leadership

• Drive organization-wide change management initiatives to support growth, impact, and strategic alignment.
• Support the integration of operational, programmatic, financial, and development functions to ensure organizational coherence and scale-readiness.
• Foster a culture of continuous learning, inclusive leadership, and performance excellence.
• Develop and implement systems to promote cross-department collaboration and shared accountability for strategic priorities.
• Build organizational capacity through scalable systems, talent strategies, and infrastructure that support long-term impact.
• Support Board governance efforts through committee engagement and cross-functional planning, as designated by CEO.
• Anticipate and advise on emerging enterprise-level issues/opportunities (e.g. the impact and acceleration of AI and evolving workforce trends) that affect organizational readiness and innovation.

• Strengthen internal coordination and strategic alignment during periods of rapid growth, planning transitions, or complex initiatives.

Budget Management

• Lead development of annual budget for the departments within the COO purview; track and manage expenditures in line with approved budget for departments under purview.
• Work collaboratively with the Chief Financial Officer and executive leadership team to develop the Alliance’s organization-wide annual budgets and long-range financial forecasts.

Other

• Additional responsibilities and special projects as assigned by the CEO.

Professional Experience/Qualifications

• Minimum of 10 years of progressive leadership experience, including executive-level responsibility overseeing multi-disciplinary, cross-functional teams in complex or mission-driven organizations.
• Proven success in senior enterprise operations, organizational strategy, or administration roles, with experience translating strategic plans into operational execution and measurable results.
• Demonstrated leadership in Human Resources and/or Information Technology, with expertise in systems implementation, workforce planning, and culture transformation.
• Demonstrated track record of building, coaching, and supporting high-performing leadership teams and fostering enterprise-wide alignment.
• Experience leading or contributing to organization-wide change management initiatives, including structural, cultural, and systems transitions.
• Sophisticated understanding of performance management, KPIs, and accountability systems to drive execution and impact.
• Demonstrated ability to navigate and lead through complexity, ambiguity, and growth.
• Strong strategic planning, facilitation, and decision-making capabilities grounded in systems thinking and cross-functional integration.
• Experience partnering with executive teams on strategic and governance matters.
• Exceptional communication and interpersonal skills, with high emotional intelligence and a collaborative leadership style.
• Strong working knowledge of compliance, risk management, and organizational resilience in nonprofit or hybrid contexts.
• MBA, MPA, or a related advanced degree strongly preferred.
• High proficiency in Microsoft Office and familiarity with enterprise systems and collaboration tools.
• Willingness to travel as needed.

Compensation

The nationwide salary range for this position is $190,000 – $210,000. Actual salary is negotiable and will be commensurate with the skills, years of experience, physical location, and unique background and qualifications of the candidate.

The Land Trust Alliance offers a comprehensive benefits package that includes, but is not limited to, medical, dental, vision and other health coverage; life and disability insurance; paid time off including vacation, sick and multiple holidays and 403(b) retirement benefits.

Application

Interested candidates may submit a resume and cover letter on the application link or via email to careers@lta.org. If the electronic or email application is not an option, applications will be accepted by mail to Human Resources, Land Trust Alliance, 1250 H St, NW, Suite 600, Washington, DC 20005.

The Land Trust Alliance’s mission is to save the places people need and love by strengthening land conservation across America.  The Land Trust Alliance is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, creed, color, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, age, disability or marital status.