The Glen Lake Association (GLA) is expanding its leadership team with a new executive director position, offering up to $105,000 annually to oversee watershed protection efforts.
The job, which was posted earlier this month and pays roughly $85,000 to $105,000 for someone who lives in Leelanau, Grand Traverse, or Benzie counties.
GLA is a non-profit organization dedicated to preserving and protecting water quality and natural resources in the Glen Lake and Crystal River Watershed.
The board approved the position and has been working on it for the past year. After an employee resigned last spring, GLA went on a soul-searching mission to manifest future needs.
“What we ended up with was the need for a full-time, not a part-time person, and that ultimately led us to this executive director position,” GLA President Stan Kryder said. “It’s really a year-round need to be in the community to understand all the small towns that are around us that help influence our watershed. Then during the summer seasons to work vigilantly with a wide group of volunteers to help protect the watershed.”
Key responsibilities include overseeing member relations, communications, and community outreach programs; lead new member recruitment and donor cultivation efforts; develop and implement comprehensive fundraising strategies; manage the organization’s administrative functions and staff; foster strong relationships with community stakeholders, government agencies, and other partner organizations.
Kryder says no two days will ever be the same.
“We’re looking for somebody who could be the spokesperson for the Glen Lake Association year-round to lead volunteers to help lead our board to provide management, fundraising, and really help us to look out strategically for our watershed and be a full-time advocate for Glen Lake,” Kryder said.
Qualifications include Bachelor’s degree, management experience, fundraising or development experience.
The new executive director position is similar to the Friends of Sleeping Bear Dunes who recently did the same thing. Although they are unrelated, the two non-profits, along with sister lake associations, did provide insight into the process.
The pay will be nearly six figures and applications are available on GLA’s website.
“We are volunteer-driven and literally every year we start over to raise that money from people that live in and around the watershed,” Kryder said. “At the end of the day, we have to do a good job of telling our story. We have to do what it takes to protect and preserve Glen Lake. It’s a very fragile ecosystem, and I think the people that own property on the lake or surrounding areas understand that, but a big part of our mission is education ... We have the oldest boat wash in the state of Michigan. We’ve been doing it for over 30 years.”
Since 1945, GLA has aimed to be the recognized leader in evidence- based strategies for protecting the watershed while advancing environmental education, sustainable policies, and quality of life, according to a press release.
This brand-new position reflects the organization’s commitment to building upon its strong foundation to ensure future growth and success.
The ideal candidate will be a passionate advocate for environmental stewardship with a proven track record in management, fundraising, and community engagement, according to the press release.
He or she will possess excellent leadership and communication skills, have the ability to develop relationships with various stakeholders, and be a strategic thinker.
