Executive Director

Executive Director

Wild Bear Nature Center

Nederland, Colorado

This is a rare opportunity to lead an organization's rebirth: to complete a major capital campaign, open a world-class facility, and guide Wild Bear's evolution from a beloved grassroots organization to a professionally-managed regional destination for environmental education.

The Immediate Challenge:

• Complete the remaining $4.5+ million of our capital campaign • Lead and guide the construction of the permanent facility • Prepare for grand opening in 2026 • Launch operations that serve 50,000+ annual visitors The Transformation Opportunity: Scale Wild Bear from a ~$800,000 operation serving primarily local families to a $2+ million regional nature center with nature-based preschool, expanded school-age youth programs, school group programs, all-ages nature education, year-round visitors and exhibits, events/rentals, and other generated revenue streams.

Why This Moment is Exceptional:

Most nonprofit EDs inherit ongoing operations and evolve them incrementally. You will have the opportunity to build on Wild Bear’s strong legacy while architecting the organization's next era from the foundation up. You will grow the team, design the systems, launch the programs, and establish the culture of a brand-new operation in a completed facility.

With the chance to get it right from day one, this is a builder's dream: Wild Bear has an amazing 30-year history of serving the community, but you will have a newly clean slate and a clear mandate to shape the future. If you are energized by transformation, inspired by resilience, and ready to build on something extraordinary, this role is for you.

What We're Looking For:

A Growth Leader We need a leader who sees opportunity where others might see obstacles. Someone who is energized by the blank canvas ahead and capable of painting something beautiful and lasting

. Capital Campaign Completion & Project Management

• Proven track record of personally closing major gifts (six- and seven-figures) and completing capital campaigns • Ability to leverage urgency without desperation, framing our fire recovery as a compelling donor narrative • Experience managing complex construction projects with multiple stakeholders • Skills in donor stewardship, particularly converting capital supporters to operational supporters • Comfort working collaboratively with founders and capital fundraising teams, while providing clear executive leadership

Organizational Development & Team Building

• Demonstrated experience building organizations from the ground up or through major transformations • Success recruiting, developing, and retaining high-performing teams in competitive markets • Experience implementing professional systems: financial management, HR practices, program operations, compliance protocols • Track record of establishing organizational culture that attracts quality staff to mission-driven work • Ability to scale operations sustainably, including hiring strategically based on revenue and program readiness

Startup Mentality with Nonprofit Heart

• Entrepreneurial spirit and comfort with ambiguity, fast decision-making, and building infrastructure in real-time  • Pragmatic optimism; i.e. seeing what's possible while managing constraints realistically • Willingness to be hands-on in early stages (the ED might staff the front desk on opening weekend or mop up a spill in the exhibition space!) • Experience turning challenges into opportunities and setbacks into compelling narratives • Resilience and high energy for the intensity of launching a new operation

Community Integration & Partnership Development

• Exceptional relationship-building skills with diverse stakeholders: government officials, donors, community leaders, families, educators • Experience with public-private partnerships and complex multi-party agreements • Deep appreciation for small mountain community dynamics, values, and the importance of authentic local presence • Ability to serve as the visible, charismatic, and trusted public face of Wild Bear • Track record of turning skeptics into supporters through transparency and results

Program Excellence

• Background in leading state-of-the-art and creative environmental education, nature centers, outdoor education, or related fields strongly preferred • Commitment to accessibility, inclusion, and serving economically and culturally diverse communities • Understanding of nature-based programming for diverse age groups (preschool through adult) • Experience with educational licensing requirements and regulatory compliance • Genuine passion for connecting people with nature (not just managing nonprofits generically) 

Requirements

Physical Presence & Community Commitment

• Minimum 4 days per week physically present in Nederland with some schedule flexibility (but core hours typically ~9am-4pm) • Commitment to becoming an active, visible member of the Nederland community • Regular attendance at community events, donor gatherings, partnership meetings, and program activities • Understanding that success requires establishing deep local roots and authentic community relationships • Comfort living in or very near Nederland, a small mountain town at 8,300 feet elevation

Operational Excellence & Compliance

• Absolute commitment to regulatory compliance including background checks, childcare licensing, nonprofit filings, and professional standards • Experience and proven success with nonprofit financial management, budgeting, audit processes, and IRS compliance • Implementation of HR best practices, staff development systems, and healthy workplace culture • Comfort establishing systems and policies from scratch

Financial Leadership & Resource Development

• Personally demonstrated success in major gift fundraising with verifiable results • Experience managing complex budgets, cashflow challenges, and multi-year financial planning • Ability to diversify revenue streams: earned income, individual giving, grants, sponsorships, events • Skills in financial storytelling; e.g. making budgets and projections compelling for board and donors • Comfort making tough financial decisions while maintaining program quality and staff morale Staffing Leadership: Building the Team One of your most important responsibilities will be recruiting, developing, leading, and supporting Wild Bear's current and incoming team as it grows from 4 FTE to a projected 12+ FTE by 2030.

Operations & Administrative Staff:

• Build support team for visitor services, facilities management, program coordination, and financial administration • Implement registration systems, volunteer coordination, and facility operations protocols Seasonal & Part-time Staff: • Establish recruitment and training systems for seasonal camp counselors and part-time educators • Create onboarding processes that ensure quality and safety across all staffing

Culture & Retention:

• Foster collaborative, mission-driven workplace that attracts quality candidates to mountain setting • Provide competitive compensation within constraints, clear expectations, professional development, and supportive supervision • Model the resilience, optimism, and work ethic you want to see in the team 

Professional Qualifications

Required Experience

• Minimum 7 years of progressively responsible nonprofit leadership experience • Demonstrated success completing capital campaigns ($5M+ preferred) or comparable fundraising achievements • Experience managing organizational growth, transformation, or startup operations • Proven fundraising track record with major donors, foundations, and/or government sources • Bachelor's degree required; advanced degree in relevant field preferred

Preferred Background

• Nature center, environmental education, or outdoor education leadership • Experience with public-private partnerships and government relations • Rural or small community nonprofit leadership • Facility development and construction project management • Colorado nonprofit sector familiarity • Experience navigating organizational crisis or transformation moments successfully

Personal Characteristics

• Unquestionable integrity and commitment to transparency • High energy, resilience, and genuine enthusiasm for building something new • Excellent communication and relationship-building across diverse audiences • Cultural competence and commitment to inclusive, accessible practices • Deep passion for environmental education and connecting people with nature • Entrepreneurial spirit balanced with operational discipline • Comfort with ambiguity and ability to make decisions with incomplete information • Sense of humor and perspective—don't take yourself too seriously while taking the mission very seriously

What We Offer Compensation & Benefits

• Salary Range: $120,000 - $145,000 + an incentive-based bonus structure (commensurate with experience and demonstrated fundraising success), with significant growth potential tied to organizational success • Significant compensation growth potential tied to organizational budget growth and successful capital campaign completion • Benefits package including health insurance stipend, retirement plan, and generous PTO

• Flexible work arrangements balancing required community presence with work-life balance • Professional development support including conference attendance and continuing education • Relocation assistance may be available for qualified candidates Professional Opportunity • Ground-floor leadership of a brand-new, state-of-the-art facility with regional significance • Autonomy to build systems, hire team, and shape culture from the beginning • Opportunity to make your mark on an organization and community for decades to come • Work in one of Colorado's most beautiful mountain settings with unparalleled access to outdoor recreation • Partnership with committed board, passionate founder, and dedicated staff • Platform to become a recognized leader in Colorado's environmental education community 

To apply, submit:

• Cover letter addressing why this moment and opportunity excite you • Resume highlighting relevant experience and accomplishments Submit materials to: ed-search@wildbear.org