Director Of Government Programs Jobs (NOW HIRING)

National Forest Foundation (NFF) is pleased to offer a regular, full-time, and exempt position that will develop and execute the Foundation's federal government relations strategy, helping position NFF as the trusted nonprofit partner of the U.S. Forest Service while advancing policies and investments that improve the long-term health, resilience, and accessibility of America's National Forests.

About the NFF: As the official national partner to the US Forest Service (USFS), the National Forest Foundation was chartered by Congress in 1993. Today, the NFF advances forest resiliency, healthy watersheds and wildlife habitat, and recreation for all by working with communities and organizations across the country. The Foundation has grown significantly in the last few years in programmatic impact, revenue and support, and organizational capacity. NFF leads with impact, deploying roughly 90% of its expenses towards projects and programs across the country’s 193-million-acre National Forest System. NFF is forward-thinking and innovative, with ambitious strategies and goals to advance and prepare forests for a new economy. The NFF is entering a period of unprecedented opportunity. As visitation to National Forests grows, wildfire challenges intensify, and public-private partnerships become increasingly important, effective engagement with federal policymakers will be essential to advancing the Foundation's mission. 

Position Function: The Sr. Director of Government Relations will develop and execute the Foundation's federal government relations strategy, serving as NFF's principal liaison with Congress, the Administration, and other federal policymakers. The position reports directly to the Chief Conservation Officer and works closely with the President & CEO. This individual will help position NFF as the trusted nonprofit partner of the U.S. Forest Service while advancing policies and investments that improve the long-term health, resilience, and accessibility of America's National Forests. The Senior Director will work closely with executive leadership, communications, conservation programs, and philanthropy teams to align policy engagement with organizational priorities and will build strong relationships across the political spectrum. The inaugural Sr. Director of Government Relations will help shape the future of conservation policy while ensuring that America's National Forests continue to receive the attention, investment, and bipartisan support they deserve.

Position Duties and Responsibilities: The Sr. Director of Government Relations will:

Federal Government Relations

• Develop and implement NFF's comprehensive federal government relations strategy.
• Build and maintain trusted relationships with Members of Congress, congressional committees, federal agencies (U.S. Forest Service and the U.S. Department of Agriculture), and Administration officials.
• Monitor and analyze legislative and regulatory developments affecting National Forests, conservation funding, recreation, wildfire resilience, public-private partnerships, and nonprofit stewardship organizations.
• Identify opportunities to advance NFF's strategic priorities through legislation, appropriations, and executive actions.
• Coordinate congressional outreach, briefings, site visits, and events that demonstrate NFF's impact.
• Help lead NFF’s annual congressional fly-in with the Board of Directors, Ambassador Council and partners.

Policy Strategy

• Serve as the Foundation's internal advisor on federal policy and political developments.
• Engage and collaborate closely with external government affairs consultants, ensuring alignment with the Foundation's legislative priorities and organizational objectives.
• Develop policy positions, talking points, testimony, issue briefs, and other advocacy materials.
• Support leadership engagement with congressional offices, federal agencies, and national coalitions.
• Ensure all advocacy activities comply with applicable laws governing nonprofit organizations.

Strategic Partnerships

• Strengthen relationships with the U.S. Forest Service, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the Office of Management and Budget, the Council on Environmental Quality, and other relevant federal agencies.
• Represent NFF within national conservation coalitions and partnership networks.
• Identify opportunities to leverage bipartisan support for public-private partnerships and philanthropic investment in National Forests.

Executive Support

• Prepare the President & CEO, Chief Conservation Officer, Board of Directors and Ambassador Council members for congressional meetings, hearings, and policy engagements.
• Develop strategic messaging and briefing materials for senior leadership.
• Coordinate government affairs priorities across the Foundation's Executive Leadership Team.

Education and Qualifications: NFF expects the Sr. Director to possess the following educational and experiential qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree required; advanced degree in public policy, law, political science, public administration, or related field preferred.
• Minimum of 10 years of progressively responsible experience in federal government relations, congressional affairs, public policy, or legislative strategy.
• Demonstrated experience working with Congress, federal agencies, and senior executive leadership.
• A broad understanding of natural resource issues facing U.S. National Forests and Grasslands.
• Strong understanding of the federal appropriations process, authorization legislation, and executive branch policymaking.
• Experience in conservation, natural resources, public lands, agriculture, infrastructure, or nonprofit advocacy is highly desirable.
• Proven ability to build bipartisan relationships and navigate complex political environments.

Abilities and Skills: NFF expects the Sr. Director to possess the following skills and abilities:

• Entrepreneurial mindset with the ability to build a new function from the ground up.
• Strategic thinker with exceptional political judgment.
• Outstanding relationship builder with credibility across political parties and stakeholder groups.
• Exceptional written and verbal communication skills.
• Strong executive presence and ability to represent the Foundation with senior government officials.
• Collaborative leadership style that works effectively across departments.
• Highly organized with the ability to manage multiple high-priority initiatives simultaneously.
• Sound judgment, integrity, discretion, and commitment to nonpartisan engagement.

Location: The location for this position is in Washington, DC. Applications must be able to travel approximately 25% of their time. This position may work occasionally from-home and requires reliable internet access and a dedicated workspace.

Compensation: NFF offers a competitive compensation and benefits package that reflects our total rewards strategy. The starting salary range for this position is $140,000 to $157,500, with the ability to grow to $175,000 based on performance outcomes over time and assessed annually.

Benefits: NFF is proud to offer our staff: 

Health and Wellness:

• Medical and dental insurance paid at 75% by the organization for you and any dependents. 
• Vision insurance paid 50% by the organization for you and any dependents. 
• Health savings account (HSA) with employer contributions between $1,878-$3,750 per year, predicated on coverage type. 
• Healthcare and dependent care flexible spending accounts (FSA). 
• Employee assistance program (EAP) at no cost. 

Financial Wellbeing:

• 403(b) retirement plan with a 5% employer match after one (1) year of service. 
• Short-term and long-term disability insurance at no cost. 
• Basic life and AD&D insurance at no cost, with voluntary life insurance options. 
• Whole life insurance at a discounted rate

Flexibility and time off:

• Employees start with 35 days of annual leave, sick leave, personal leave and holidays (annual leave accrual rates increase with years of service) 
• Family & medical leave for up to sixteen (16) weeks with up to four (4) weeks paid. 

Personal Development:

• Training & Development Programs  
• Professional development reimbursement for up to $1,000 per year. 

Journey of a Lifetime:

• The opportunity to support an incredible mission and travel to / work in spectacular locations.

To Apply: Applications must include both a cover letter and resume. Incomplete packages will not be considered. Position is open until filled. Please visit our careers site to apply online.

The National Forest Foundation is an equal opportunity employer – meaning we provide equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to any characteristic protected by applicable law. Further, we prohibit discrimination, harassment, and retaliation in all aspects of employment, including recruitment, hiring, promotion, compensation, benefits, training, and termination. We strive to foster a work environment where every individual is respected, valued, and treated fairly. This statement reflects our unwavering dedication to fairness, respect, and equality in employment practices and sets the foundation for a positive work environment.