Deputy Executive Director

Catskill Mountainkeeper Seeks Deputy Executive Director

April 2025

About the Job

Catskill Mountainkeeper is a regional, non-profit environmental advocacy organization. Its mission is to protect the Catskill Park and Region by supporting policies and strategies that safeguard its natural resources and promote sustainable, resilient, and just communities.

Since its inception in 2006, Catskill Mountainkeeper has served its mission as a fierce advocate of protecting the lands, water, and character of the Catskill Park and Region. The organization's impressive track record includes helping to block the construction of multiple Las Vegas-style casinos in the heart of the Catskills, banning fracking across New York State and along the Delaware River basin, and securing critical state funds to support the integrity of the Park and its Catskill Forest Preserve. The current Mountainkeeper organization has an annual operating budget of just over $1 million per year.

With Catskill Mountainkeeper approaching its 20th anniversary in 2026, as our region faces new threats and opportunities, the organization has embarked upon a comprehensive strategic plan that identifies new priorities, including: (1) advancing a positive development vision for the Catskills that protects our natural resources while also ensuring economic vibrancy across the region; (2) accelerating renewable energy and energy efficiency projects and policies, as well as stopping new fossil fuel projects; and (3) promoting sustainable and climate-friendly farming.

Catskill Mountainkeeper is seeking a Deputy Executive Director who will work closely with our Executive Director and the Board to help execute the day-to-day operations and strategic priorities of the organization. The Deputy Director will be a core member of the organization's leadership team and we expect they will emerge as a pacesetter in the state's environmental community.

The organization is based in Livingston Manor, New York. Catskill Mountainkeeper operates under a hybrid work model. This is an exempt salaried position.

Deputy Executive Director Role Description:

The Deputy Executive Director will help oversee program and operational work, develop and implement

our advocacy campaigns, nurture and develop our employees, and work closely with our partners and

coalition members. We are seeking a strong leader and manager, with expertise in running policy and

advocacy campaigns, with a keen interest in building internal systems and practices that will help

scaffold a growing and dynamic team. The Deputy Executive Director will report to the Executive

Director.

Responsibilities

Program and Campaign Management:

In collaboration with the Executive Director:

• Oversee Mountainkeeper’s program and advocacy work, including implementing the organization’s priority campaign issues.
• Decide how to allocate financial and staff resources to support program priorities; and determine key program objectives and measures of success.
• Engage and organize partners to build alignment and coordinate actions across our campaigns.
• Track and share information about the status and direction of multiple intersecting advocacy campaigns.
• Build strong relationships with allies both within our coalitions and across the environmental movement.
• Serve as an external representative and ambassador for Mountainkeeper.
• Lobby and participate in direct advocacy efforts to further our campaigns.

Staff Management

Working closely with the Executive Director:

• Provide day-to-day management of the organization, including guiding work plans, leading staff and team check-ins, preparing budgets and financial reports, overseeing communications and fund-raising.
• Develop inter-team communication and cohesiveness.
• Ensure that communication flows easily among and between staff to advance our work.
• Attract, develop, coach, and retain team members.
• Champion equity, diversity, and inclusion inside the organization and more broadly in the community.

Fundraising & Representation:

• Work closely with the Development Director to expand fundraising activities to support existing programs and to grow Mountainkeeper by cultivating existing relationships and developing new funder relationships.
• Communicate to funders about our ongoing work.
• Build relationships with stakeholders, including government officials, NGOs and donors.

Qualifications

Relevant experience for this position can take many forms, and we strongly encourage applicants from a diversity of backgrounds and movement spaces.

Core qualifications:

• A least 5-8 years of relevant experience planning and managing successful campaigns and policy advocacy.
• 3+ years of experience managing a team and across teams, including managing full-time staff.
• Excellent communication skills, both written and oral, and the ability to clearly communicate long-term vision and campaigns to partners.
• Strong facilitation and/or advocacy training skills.
• Ability to develop and maintain genuine working relationships of trust and solidarity with a wide variety of partners from diverse racial, economic, and political backgrounds.
• Strong alignment with Mountainkeeper’s values and mission: commitment to social, economic, racial, environmental, and climate justice.
• Ability to work collaboratively, including in moments of urgency.
• Ability to independently manage projects from conception to completion.

Preferred qualifications:

• Strong preference for New York State residency
• Experience with fundraising
• Experience running campaigns around the New York State legislative cycle in Albany.
• Proven record of organizing effective mobilizations, actions, and meetings with legislative, labor, issue, electoral, or other social justice campaigns.
• Exceptional ability to juggle multiple, simultaneous projects with cross-cutting stakeholders and deadlines, without sacrificing attention to detail.
• Experience as a member of, or working with, communities impacted by climate change, racial injustice, and economic inequality.

Compensation and Benefits:

We offer competitive salaries, excellent benefits, and a supportive working environment. Salary and benefits are based on a regional, nonprofit scale. For this position, the salary range is $95,000 - $105,000, based on skills and experience.

To apply, please send your resume and cover letter to info@catskillmountainkeeper.org, and feel free to send any additional materials that showcase your abilities. We will contact only those candidates we would like to interview. No phone calls, please.

Application Deadline: June 2, 2025