About Sustainable Conservation

Mission: Sustainable Conservation advances the collaborative stewardship of California’s land, air, and water for the benefit of nature and people. 

Vision: Sustainable Conservation envisions a future where California is successfully adapting to and mitigating climate change; water ecosystems are healthy and supporting California’s diversity of wildlife and people; all Californians have access to clean, reliable, and affordable water and have reduced flood risk; and California agriculture is thriving and stewarding natural resources to feed the state and the nation. 

Sustainable Conservation unites people to solve the toughest challenges facing California’s land, air, and water – and to collaboratively steward the resources all Californians depend on in ways that are equitable, practical, and enduring. For over three decades, Sustainable Conservation has driven shared solutions to meet the water needs of California’s environment, people, and economy – with particular focus on advancing sustainable groundwater management and accelerating the stewardship of ecosystems, working lands, and waterways.

Over the past few years, Sustainable Conservation has connected its programs around conserving California’s water resources through groundwater recharge, aquatic habitat restoration, water quality management, and soil health. This holistic approach to conserve the state’s most consequential resource has allowed Sustainable Conservation to listen, collaborate, and test solutions on the ground so they can scale effectively, equitably, and sustainably.

Since 1993, Sustainable Conservation has found success in building uncommon coalitions across sectors, interests, and geographies to develop scalable, science-based strategies that establish truly lasting solutions. The programmatic focus on removing barriers to adoption and driving systemic change ensures long-term positive impacts. By working at the watershed scale, this approach enables solutions to take root and grow across California’s most vital and vulnerable landscapes.

Sustainable Conservation’s current programmatic work addresses these outcomes:

Improving Groundwater Quantity and Quality for Communities and Farming

• Promoting multi-benefit groundwater recharge practices to replenish aquifers and increase drinking water supplies and ecosystem benefits.
• Innovating and scaling practices that address the lack of clean drinking water affecting over 700,000 Californians, especially in historically underserved and groundwater-dependent communities.
• Piloting and promoting on-farm technologies that reduce nitrate pollution in Central Valley aquifers to protect public health and water quality.
• Promoting circular solutions to agriculture – reimagining manure as a resource to reduce pollution, build soil health, and improve nutrient management.
• Conducting landscape-scale watershed analyses to identify optimal management practices that deliver benefits for people, ecosystems, and the economy.
• Advancing integrated soil and water management practices to strengthen California’s long-term water sustainability and agricultural viability.

Accelerating the Pace and Scale of Restoration across California

• Partnering with government agencies and restorationists on developing and rolling out policy and regulatory incentives to increase the pace and scale of ecological restoration.
• Support systems that promote the collaborative shift from reactive ecological remediation to more proactive, landscape-scale restoration.
• Co-sponsoring the Leopold Conservation Award in California, championing and supporting land stewardship leaders.
• Driving constructive policy engagement and advocacy in Sacramento.

Values: Sustainable Conservation is a value-driven organization that practices these beliefs internally and externally: 

• COLLABORATION: Sustainable Conservation welcomes diverse perspectives, listens carefully, and works with as many impacted people as possible to craft solutions together – including businesses, community advocates, conservationists, government, Tribes, and other organizations. 
• RESPECT: Sustainable Conservation approaches collaboration with care and respect for their colleagues’ and partners’ perspective, expertise, and time.
• HONESTY: Honesty and transparency are fundamental to their relationships and their work – both internally and externally.
• LEARNING: Approach its complex work with curiosity and humility. They are always learning how to better advance their mission together, and with partners.
• WELL-BEING: Sustainable Conservation’s work is not easy. They value each other as full people and strive to support one another in a healthy workplace.
• RESULTS: They exercise patient persistence to achieve systemic, lasting results with multiple benefits for California’s environment and people.

What’s Next

Sustainable Conservation stands at a pivotal moment – one defined by both deep roots and fresh momentum. As the organization looks ahead, it does so with a passionate, high-performing team; a solid financial foundation; and a strong reputation for tackling the complex, often-overlooked environmental challenges that others shy away from. As an organization, Sustainable Conservation envisions a more resilient California – where people and nature thrive together through long-term, collaborative stewardship of the state’s land, air, and water. 

The next CEO will step into this role as the organization’s long-time leader transitions at the end of 2025, following nearly three decades of visionary service. They will guide the organization into its next chapter as its current strategic plan concludes and it begins planning for what comes next. 

This is a rare opportunity to inspire and mobilize Sustainable Conservation’s next era – bringing fresh vision while building on values that will always be synonymous with the organization: systems-level thinking, partnership-driven solutions, and an unwavering commitment to solving California’s most pressing and persistent environmental challenges.

Sustainable Conservation’s next leader will build on the organization’s many strengths, including:

• A diverse funding model, which relies on a variety of sources. The 2023 breakdown of funding sources can be reviewed on the Sustainable Conservation website.
• A reputation as a trusted broker that can convene across agencies, communities, landowners, nonprofits, scientists, and industry leaders.
• A collaborative staff and leadership team that combines deep domain expertise with a shared commitment to transparency, mutual respect, and continuous learning, both internally and externally.
• A workplace culture that values bringing often-marginalized voices – both externally and internally – into decision-making, design, and leadership.
• Trusted partnerships across the conservation and industry sectors.
• A commitment to working alongside communities most impacted by water and climate challenges to continually learn and co-create equitable, durable solutions.  

As Sustainable Conservation begins planning for its next strategic plan in 2027, the incoming CEO will lead the charge – reaffirming long-term commitments and also boldly identifying new areas of focus. They will bring the inspiration and clarity to rally others around big ideas, while cultivating the relationships and resources needed to turn those ideas into action.

This moment calls for a leader who is both a passionate fundraiser and a fearless collaborator and is ready and willing to lead at the intersections of community, environment, business, science, and policy.

Learn more about Sustainable Conservation at https://suscon.org/about-us/.

 The Opportunity 

At this moment of tremendous opportunity, Sustainable Conservation is seeking a dynamic and mission-driven CEO to lead a healthy and highly respected organization into its next chapter of impact.

Reporting to the Board of Directors, the CEO will be responsible for all executive functions at Sustainable Conservation to include full management of the operating budget of ~$7M, responsibility for ongoing implementation of the strategic plan that goes through 2027, and leadership of a team of 34 including 7 direct reports.

The CEO will oversee Sustainable Conservation’s ongoing programs as well as take responsibility for many of the key partner relationships that have been the hallmark of the organization. Importantly, the CEO will be expected to build Sustainable Conservation’s financial resources and its influence and impact in relevant conservation projects that it undertakes in California.

The CEO’s major responsibilities include:

• Providing overall vision, strategy, management, and leadership to the Sustainable Conservation staff.
• Partnering with the Board and the development team to expand financial support for Sustainable Conservation, taking an active, lead role in fundraising initiatives and activities.
• Leading, mentoring, and empowering a high-performing team, fostering a collaborative culture by encouraging teamwork, cross-discipline and cross-functional approaches, and transparency throughout the organization.
• Establishing and enhancing strategic and operational partnerships and collaboration, with key individuals, organizations and agencies in government, the policy realm, the private sector, and philanthropy.

Candidate Profile

While it is understood that no candidate will offer every desired skill, quality, and characteristic, the following offers a detailed, aspirational view of the ideal candidate profile:  

A Strategic & Resilient Visionary

This leader will:

• Be innovative, able to think creatively and strategically about how to expand the organization’s reach and impact.
• Build a long-term vision for the organization, particularly in relation to water, agriculture, and climate resilience.
• Seek opportunities for expansion while staying grounded in what’s achievable, with a focus on strategic, thoughtful scaling and sticking with issues that require prolonged commitment.
• Be able to think long-term, develop a visionary yet pragmatic strategy, and guide the organization through transition.
• Be known for innovative thinking and problem-solving, with a focus on practical, achievable solutions.

A Strong Communicator & Bridge-Builder

This leader will:

• Be able to work successfully with individuals, organizations, and teams from different contexts and viewpoints – effectively communicating to and building relationships with diverse audiences including interests that have not previously worked together or have been at odds with one another as well as bringing voices to the table that have not been previously included.
• Possess a naturally collaborative style, respecting input from all levels, and fostering an inclusive and transparent environment.
• Be diplomatic, tactful in navigating sensitive situations, and maintaining strong relationships with diverse stakeholders.

An Ambassador & Advocate

This leader will:

• Be able to successfully convey the mission and impact of the organization in order to inspire action.
• Be resilient in identifying and securing diverse funding sources in a competitive landscape.    
• Have a strong sense of responsibility to ensure the organization’s growth and long-term sustainability.
• Exhibit strong fundraising skills with experience cultivating donor relationships and leveraging existing connections.

A Collaborative, Values-Driven Team Leader

This leader will:

• Be an approachable leader who values staff well-being – cultivating a safe and supportive workplace.
• Be experienced in coaching, developing, and empowering staff, fostering a highly collaborative culture.
• Possess an eagerness to learn from and alongside staff, seeking external expertise when needed, open to new ideas and feedback.
• Be committed to advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion within the organization and in external collaborations.
• Have a deep appreciation for the organization’s core values of collaboration, respect, and inclusiveness, and the ability to uphold them.

A Passion for the Mission & Credibility in the Field

This leader will:

• Have familiarity with the issues Sustainable Conservation works on, with an inherently curious style and a deep commitment to continuous learning.
• Demonstrate a passion for Sustainable Conservation’s mission in a way that inspires engagement and action.
• Understand and appreciate the work of the various constituencies that Sustainable Conservation engages with, including NGOs, the private sector, communities and government agencies, particularly in California.
• Bring an understanding of, or willingness to learn about, California’s political dynamics/political advocacy, and the technical spaces in which Sustainable Conservation works.
• Lead with unquestioned integrity, transparency, ethics, and values; be someone who can be trusted without reservation.

Strong candidates will have rich and diverse professional backgrounds, including working for or with NGOs, the private sector, as well as agencies within state and federal governments. They will have experience with a range of constituents including California environmentalists and funders to Sacramento-based policy organizations to Central Valley growers.

Compensation and Benefits

Salary is competitive and commensurate with experience. The salary range for this role is $220,000 – $255,000 with a generous benefits package. 

Location

Sustainable Conservation operates in a hybrid work environment with its primary office in downtown San Francisco and satellite offices in Sacramento and Modesto. The CEO is expected to be based in the Greater San Francisco Bay Area/ Sacramento Corridor and spend substantial time in the Bay Area.

Contact 

DSG | Koya has been exclusively retained for this engagement, which is being led by Alex Corvin, Cheryl Stevens, and Claire Hunt. Express interest in this role by filling out our Talent Profile or emailing the search team directly at sustainableconservationceo@koyapartners.com. All inquiries and discussions are strictly confidential.

Sustainable Conservation is an equal opportunity employer and strongly encourages applications from people of color, persons with disabilities, women, and LGBTQ+ applicants. 

About DSG | Koya

DSG | Koya, a DSG Global company, is the nation’s premier search firm dedicated to mission-driven leadership. Since its founding in 2004, DSG | Koya has had an exclusive focus on mission-driven clients and was founded on the belief that the right leader can transform an organization and have a deep and measurable impact on our world. DSG | Koya works with nonprofits & NGOs, responsible businesses, and social enterprises in local communities and around the world. 

DSG Global is consistently recognized by Forbes on its top 10 list of “America’s Best Executive Recruiting Firms” and is an industry leader in recruiting transformational leaders for a changing world. The firm is deliberately different in its approach, with best-in-class teams who have decades of experience in cultivating inclusive leaders, understanding the dimensions of diversity, and building equitable teams. 

Learn more about DSG | Koya via the firm’s website.