The Merrimack River Watershed Council seeks an Executive Director for its headquarters office in Lawrence, Massachusetts.
This is an exciting opportunity for somebody looking to take charge and build on our considerable recent momentum and national visibility. We are looking for someone to build bridges and open doors of collaboration, is involved in local watershed management and conservation efforts, and can foster membership and donor relationships to help grow the organization.
The Executive Director oversees the day-to-day operations and cultivates key partnerships and donor relationships, acts as the champion and voice of the Merrimack River, ensures that all products and projects are produced and carried out in an effective, professional and timely manner, oversees staff and volunteers and develops and manages the budget. The Executive Director develops and implements short and long-term strategic plans to grow and strengthen the organization’s ability to have a positive impact.
The Merrimack River Watershed Council was formed in 1976 by local activists and regional planning commissions to involve citizens in cleaning up the Merrimack River, when the Merrimack was one of the ten most polluted rivers in the country. We became the MRWC, Inc., a non-profit under 501(c)(3) in 1978.
Our mission is “To protect, improve and conserve the Merrimack River watershed for people and wildlife through education, recreation, advocacy and science.”
River restoration and protection continues today…
The Industrial Revolution found its (U.S.) birthplace in the Merrimack River Valley, along with the Blackstone River, and now a new revolution in sustainability is running through the Valley. Once one of the 10 most polluted rivers in the country, the Merrimack is in much better shape then in the industrial past. The largest threat to the Merrimack today is the loss of forested land along the river’s edge.
The US Forest Service has ranked the Merrimack River the most threatened river in the country in terms of loss of privately owned forested land due to housing pressures, 4th for associated impacts to water quality, and 7th for loss of species-at-risk. Why does it matter? It matters to people and wildlife. 600,000 people depend on the river as a source of drinking water.
Start date: August 1, 2016
Salary: Market Rate (for small non-profit), depending on qualifications