Deputy Director, Preservation – Colorado Historical Foundation

Employment Status: Full Time, Exempt

Location: Colorado Front Range (Remote office with statewide travel responsibilities)

What is the Colorado Historical Foundation?

The Colorado Historical Foundation mobilizes resources to support and inspire Colorado’s people to preserve their meaningful places, heritage, and history. Founded in 1965, this nonprofit conserves historic places through preservation easements, provides financing to maintain and repurpose old buildings, and administers funds and projects to support public access to history. We believe historic places reflect culture and heritage and are integral to a community’s sense of place. We also believe in preserving places sustainably and adapting them for today’s needs. Our goal is to ensure Colorado’s cultural heritage resources reflect all its people through time, building a foundation for an inclusive future.

Why join our team?

Are you passionate about activating historic buildings? Do you want to be a leader in the preservation nonprofit sector? If you enjoy varied work, building relationships, collaborating with experts, and contributing to multi-phased projects, you may enjoy working with us. You will be trained by two experienced professionals and supported by a passionate board of trustees. Working remotely, you will design your weekly schedule and be provided with necessary equipment and stipends. You will also have opportunities to learn, engage with industry peers, and grow as an organizational leader. A person who aligns with our values and embraces co-leadership, diplomacy, and pride in our impact will succeed long-term.

Job Summary

This position’s primary focus is managing the preservation easement program and interfacing with property owners and preservation clients. The goals are to grow Colorado’s number of protected historic properties and help owners of properties with preservation easements navigate changes affecting their properties’ historic characteristics.

 

Program responsibilities include:

• Frequent correspondence, calls and online or in-person meetings with clients.
• Developing and coordinating correspondence, documentation, and easement enforcement actions.
• Evaluating prospective easement properties.
• Preparing draft easement documents. (Note: This is not legal work and is done in coordination with the Foundation’s legal counsel.)
• Maintain the easement database, photo documentation, and records.
• Staying informed of emerging issues affecting preservation and easements.
• Conducting or delegating site visits and utilizing digital photography.
• Supervising interns or contractors.
• Organizing and facilitating meetings.
• Developing and delivering presentations.
• Evaluating photos, historical records, and conceptual plans.
• Developing project scopes and budgets.
• Connecting property owners with financial and technical resources.
• Participating in grant writing and administration.
• Writing newsletter articles.
• Maintaining annual program certification.
• Frequent road travel within Colorado, including occasional overnight travel, is required and expenses are reimbursed.

You will also work with the President/CEO to gain knowledge of board-adopted policies, operational procedures, and business continuity plans. This includes, but is not limited to, attending board meetings, reviewing policies and processes, participating in program evaluation and strategic planning, and handling the organization’s mail, invoices, deposits, document retention policy.

Candidate Qualifications

• At least 6 years of professional experience including client-interface and progressive leadership responsibilities.
• At least 4 years combined education and experience in, or related to, preservation.
• Basic knowledge of the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for the Treatment of Historic Properties, how to evaluate problems in older buildings, and strategize for repair, restoration, or adaptation.
• Basic knowledge of conservation easements or covenants is a plus.
• Basic knowledge of the nonprofit sector.
• Experience managing or working with volunteer board or committee members.
• Experience supervising employees or contractors.
• Demonstrated ability to lean into complex problems, new relationships, and difficult conversations with optimism, curiosity, and diplomacy.
• Program management experience: organization, setting schedules, time management, tracking, budgeting, record keeping.
• ·Grant writing experience.
• Strong verbal, presentation, writing and editing skills, plus ability to use Microsoft Office products, Adobe Acrobat, and Zoom.
• Minimum physical requirements include traversing over uneven terrain; climbing stairs; and physically accessing areas of historic buildings and sites not designed for public access.
• Valid driver’s license.

Compensation & Benefits:

Starting Annual Salary: $90,000

Benefits: Currently 11 scheduled holidays plus one floating holiday, accrued paid sick leave up to 48 hours annually, accrued vacation time up to 120 hours annually, plus cell phone and remote office stipends (total $160 per month). Due to the organization’s small size, no group insurance or retirement benefits are available currently. No relocation benefit.

How to Apply:

Please submit the following to [email protected] by April 21, 2025 with the subject line “deputy”. Inquiries may be directed to the same. No phone calls please.

• A letter (no more than 2 pages) articulating how this position supports your long-term professional goals, a summary of relevant experience and other qualifications, a statement of where you would be located in Colorado, and when you can start.
• Resume
• List of three professional references (name, explain how you know each person, phone number, and email address). Top candidates will be notified prior to contacting references.