Conservation Director

Job Title: Conservation Director 
Reports to: Deputy Director
Time of Work: Full-time, Salaried
Classification: Exempt
Start Date: August 2026
Location: Fremont County preferred, other locations considered with regular travel to our Lander office
Deadline to Apply: July 3, 2026
Compensation: Competitive and comprehensive benefits, time off, and compensation package, and a salary range of $70,000 - $80,000 annually

About the Organization
The Wyoming Outdoor Council is the state’s oldest independent conservation organization. We advocate for Wyoming's environment and communities using multiple knowledge systems and evidence-based practices to ensure comprehensive and long-term solutions.

We seek to enact lasting change that protects the land, wildlife, clean air and water we depend on, meet people where they are, ensure diverse perspectives are part of the conversation, build coalitions, and practice reciprocity.

The Wyoming Outdoor Council offers a flexible workplace with competitive compensation and benefits. Benefits include:

• Health insurance premium covered at 100% for employees and 50% for dependents, spouses, and domestic partners
• 100% of employee vision, dental, disability, and workers comp premiums paid by WOC
• 403(b) retirement plan with up to a 5% match
• 12 days of paid wellness/sick leave per year
• Vacation accrual starts at 15 days per year
• 2 paid discretionary days per year
• 11 paid holidays
• Paid religious observance leave upon approval by the executive director
• A cell phone stipend
• 12 weeks of paid family leave (available twice, after 18 months of employment)
• 8 weeks of paid sabbatical leave (available every five years with approval by the executive director)

The Outdoor Council is an equal opportunity employer. We prioritize fairness in salaries across the organization. We are committed to building a diverse staff, board of directors, and an organizational culture of equity & belonging where we live our values. The scope of this position's responsibilities may change depending upon experience. 

Our Values

• Mission. We are mission driven, dedicated to protecting Wyoming’s environment and quality of life now and for future generations.
• Responsibility. In our conservation work, we lead with humility. We value diverse perspectives. We are solutions oriented.
• Respect. In our words and actions, we contribute to a respectful and equitable workplace where everyone feels a genuine sense of belonging.
• Relevance. We seek creative solutions to tough problems. We are flexible and willing to change course if something isn’t working.
• Reciprocity. With kindness and honesty, we communicate directly. We respond to feedback with openness and a growth mindset. 

About Your Role
As the Wyoming Outdoor Council’s conservation director, you oversee the organization’s policy and advocacy efforts on public lands, wildlife, and water issues across the state of Wyoming. You will supervise and support the work of the Outdoor Council’s Conservation Team of three staff. Working closely with the deputy director and other program directors, you will help craft short and long-term programmatic goals and associated campaign plans to ensure the implementation of our strategic plan. The conservation director will also take on specific advocacy roles depending on interest, experience, capacity, and organizational need.

You will: 

• Supervise the Conservation Team, whose diverse areas of expertise include: wildlife, public lands, and water.
• Working with the deputy director, develop annual work plans and programmatic goals on priority conservation issues, providing mentorship and professional development opportunities to your team.
• Communicate openly, quickly, and directly with peers and supervisors with a growth mindset.
• Provide one-on-one check-ins with direct reports, helping them navigate challenges, and meet annual goals given day-to-day demands.
• Provide guidance for conservation team staff on effective advocacy tactics and action steps.
• Draft scientifically grounded, factually accurate comments on projects, policies, and proposals confronting Wyoming’s communities, intersecting with WOC’s mission.
• Develop and implement campaign plans with relevant goals, strategies and tactics, ensuring alignment with WOC’s strategic plan.
• Provide timely reports to funders, members, partners, and organizational leaders on outcomes of conservation strategy and tactics.
• Build a cohesive team by prioritizing internal team coordination and clear communication.
• Evaluate new areas of potential conservation work and staff capacity, directing research and engagement on emerging issues as appropriate and in alignment with our strategic plan, in coordination with the deputy director.
• Coordinate with partner organizations to identify and advance shared policy goals on local, state, and federal conservation issues across Wyoming.
• Engage with Outdoor Council members, partner group colleagues, Tribal, federal, state, and local leaders, interested members of the public, and agency decision makers to find creative, grounded conservation solutions.
• Collaborate with other program directors (energy & climate, legal and government relations, and organizing), the Tribal Conservation Team, and the Development Team on projects and deliverables.
• Work closely with the communications and organizing teams to develop accurate and creative ways to engage Outdoor Council members and the public in support of our issues.
• Design and execute innovative and engaging events to build community in collaboration with your team and the organizing director.
• Serve as a spokesperson for the Wyoming Outdoor Council on relevant conservation issues as needed, in the media and in meetings with the public, elected officials, volunteers, and various state, local, and federal agencies.
• Serve as Conservation Team liaison to our Coordinating Council.
• Travel in-state as needed to events and meetings.
• Lean into the challenges and opportunities of working on issues statewide, seeking to be a builder, a uniter, and a leader for conservation in Wyoming.
• Take an active role in supporting our equity & belonging work.
• Attend and participate in quarterly board meetings and in-person staff days as well as an annual staff retreat. Candidates living outside of Lander, will be expected to travel to Outdoor Council Campus in Lander at least twice per month, in addition to other programmatic travel demands.
• Other duties as assigned.

About You

While we do not expect any one candidate to possess all of these qualifications, the ideal candidate will possess many of the following professional and personal skills and qualities. 

The ideal candidate is an experienced conservation advocate with at least five years experience in conservation policy and three years of management/supervisory experience. However, candidates without an advocacy background, who are experienced team-builders and thoughtful leaders will also be considered. 

You are a strategic thinker and are inspired by our mission to protect Wyoming’s environment and quality of life. You have an extensive background and understanding of conservation policies. Your experience includes federal land management issues and local or state policies affecting lands, water, and wildlife. You have experience developing and executing conservation campaign plans and are familiar with various advocacy strategies and tactics that influence key decision makers. You’re comfortable working with a variety of stakeholders, including conservation organizations and cross-sector community partners, in addition to state and federal agency personnel. 

You like working collaboratively, and approach challenges in the spirit of problem-solving and a growth mindset. You can successfully navigate interpersonal, team and partner dynamics. You are an active and empathetic listener who seeks to understand, rather than simply to provide answers. You are a clear and effective communicator: in one-on-one conversations, in writing, and in public speaking. You care deeply about reaching out to people in communities around Wyoming, sharing resources, and helping interested Wyomingites make their voices heard. 

You value both Western science and Indigenous ways of knowing, and lived experience, and what it brings to conservation in Wyoming. You are familiar with the history and governance structures of the two tribal nations that share the Wind River Indian Reservation. You’re able to inspire and leverage the unique strengths of a diverse team in service of ambitious goals. 

In your leadership you bring a clear vision and recognize the value of divergent perspectives. You approach leadership with a mindset of “power with” rather than “power over” and regularly include others in decision-making. You are able to make and communicate difficult decisions in the Outdoor Council’s best interest. You are an experienced mentor and recognize learning is life-long. 

You are committed to contributing to the Outdoor Council’s equity and belonging work to ensure the organization is a welcoming place for all staff, board, volunteers, community members, and organizational partners. 

You love Wyoming and enjoy traveling the state in support of conservation and are comfortable with frequent travel to Lander if you live elsewhere. You like working flexible hours. You are experienced working on Apple devices and the standard suite of office tools and technologies. You are comfortable using Zoom, and are also aware of its limitations. 

You have a valid driver's license and a clean driving record.

And, you are committed to the mission of the Wyoming Outdoor Council.

We strongly encourage applicants from underrepresented groups to apply.

Email misti@wyomingoutdoorcouncil.org with questions or if you need any accommodations in the application or interview processes (please put “Conservation Director” in the subject.). 

Physical Demands
These physical demands are representative of those met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to sit; use hands to hold objects, writing instruments, the telephone, or other materials. The employee is frequently required to reach with hands and arms and use a keyboard. The employee is occasionally required to stand and walk. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 20 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, color vision, depth perception, and the ability to adjust focus.

This position requires working long or flexible hours as needed. There is frequent travel associated with this role. The work environment involves only infrequent exposure to disagreeable elements and minor physical exertion and/or strain.

The Wyoming Outdoor Council participates in E-Verify and will provide the federal government with your Form I-9 information to confirm that you are authorized to work in the U.S. E-Verify_Participation_Poster_Eng_Es.pdf
Know Your Rights IER_RightToWorkPoster_Eng_Es.pdf