Chief Executive Officer

Korn Ferry has partnered with our client, OpenET, on their search for the role, Chief Executive Officer.

The Organization

Sustainable water management is one of the most challenging issues of our time. Adequate freshwater supplies are critical for the health of communities and wildlife, and nothing is more important to agriculture’s ability to grow food. Roughly 1.7 billion people live in places, including the western United States, where unsustainable water withdrawals already threaten long-term water supplies, and water shortages are expected to increase in the majority of countries around the world. Climate-driven water scarcity and declining aquifers necessitate more precise measurement and efficient use of water to continue supporting vibrant communities and ecosystems while also producing food for the world’s growing population.

To sustain our water supplies and their many uses, decision-makers must understand not only how much water is available, but also how much water is being used. While supplies have long been tracked, information about water use — especially by crops and other vegetation — has been difficult to obtain. In most settings, this transfer of water back into the atmosphere is the second largest component (after precipitation) in the water cycle, yet access to this data has previously been limited and expensive, keeping it out of the hands of most water users and decision-makers.

OpenET (openetdata.org) is a nonprofit collaborative that generates evapotranspiration (ET) data for user-defined geographies and time frames across the western United States through an online platform that employs several well-established methods to generate daily, monthly, and annual satellite-based ET estimates. The web-based platform consists of data visualization and access tools as well as an application programming interface (API), providing publicly accessible and scientifically rigorous ET data and filling a critically important data gap in water management. The organization recently released a beta version of its newest application, the Farm and Ranch Management Support (FARMS), to allow users to make customized data requests and reports using a simple user interface. OpenET uses the best available science and publicly available data to increase access to satellite-based ET and consumptive water use information for farmers and water managers.

Purpose of the Position

The Chief Executive Officer is responsible for leading all strategic and day-to-day operations of OpenET’s work. The successful candidate will serve as the primary spokesperson for the organization and supporting Consortium, representing it to its constituents, including non-profits, government agencies, customers, elected officials, funders, and others. The Chief Executive Officer will play a critical role externally, expanding relationships with organizations and subject matter experts in the field, and leveraging those relationships to sustain the organization and consortium and grow the use of ET data in water decision-making. Internally, the Chief Executive Officer will develop and execute a corresponding business plan in cooperation with the Consortium Partners and the Board of Directors with pathways for global expansion. This dynamic leader will drive OpenET and the Consortium to realize the transformative potential of OpenET data to improve water management policies and practices.

Duties and Responsibilities

The Chief Executive Officer of OpenET will be a thought leader in water management, data, or a related field with a desire to advance management of scarce water supplies through use of satellite-based evapotranspiration data.

The successful candidate will work to increase OpenET’s brand recognition across relevant users, develop and update processes and procedures to support the organization’s mission and objectives, and create sustainable funding pathways across a diverse range of outlets.

Executive and Operational Leadership

• Serve as the key member of the executive team, recruiting, retaining, and mentoring a world-class team at OpenET to accomplish existing and future strategic objectives.
• Provide opportunities for professional development and advancement for staff within OpenET and partner institutions.
• Assess organizational performance against budget and make actionable recommendations.
• Participate in developing and implementing short- and long-term strategic plans that support the organization’s vision and goals; translate the strategic plan to staff to ensure support; and modify the plan in response to changing internal and external factors.
• In collaboration with OpenET staff and Consortium Partners, manage, grow, improve, effectively deliver, and enhance programs' reliability, innovation, timeliness, and excellence across the organization.
• Effectively and continually communicate the vision and mission of OpenET to a wide variety of stakeholders.
• Guide the organization and its diverse internal and external stakeholders through goal setting and prioritizing, and long-range planning.

External Affairs and Partnerships

• Build and lead a world-class leadership team to execute OpenET’s strategy.
• Provide opportunities for professional development and advancement for all staff both within OpenET and at partner institutions.
• Provide oversight and strategy to support OpenET Consortium teaming and execution of jointly developed plans.
• Establish effective new Partnerships with organizations vital to OpenET’s goals around expansion into new geographies, expanded applications, and user communities.
• Conceptualize and lead relationship development with key local, state, federal, and international entities to support and expand the impact and support long-term financial sustainability of OpenET, Inc and the Consortium. Initiate and steward partnerships as needed to further OpenET goals.
• Recruit and retain a diverse staff in accordance with organizational diversity goals and policies.
• Ensure compliance with relevant workplace and employment laws.
• Lead staff in maintaining a climate of excellence, accountability, and respect within the nonprofit organization and across the Consortium.
• Where appropriate, direct and engage in state and federal policy efforts to support appropriate use of OpenET data and/or the long-term financial health of the OpenET enterprise.

Qualifications

• The Chief Executive Officer must be a passionate advocate for OpenET’s mission, excited to direct the day-to-day operations and grow the organization into its next iteration. OpenET seeks a credible, proven, innovative, and dedicated leader to provide long-term innovative leadership to the organization.

Specific qualifications include:

• 10 plus years’ experience in progressively responsible leadership roles in positions across the non-profit, academic, or for-profit industries.
• Proven track record of large-scale fundraising experience and success, including private philanthropy, foundations, corporate donations, and government funding.
• Excellent strategic thinking and planning skills, and proven record for tackling and solving complex problems.
• Demonstrated success managing a complex budget with multiple funding sources and grant obligations.
• Experience working with or managing diverse consortiums or organizations with multiple stakeholders preferred.
• Demonstrated success in nonprofit or business management and working with and supporting a Board of Directors.
• An understanding of the politics and stakeholder landscape of water management within the US.
• Understanding of water accounting and management systems, programs and practices, especially for agricultural and other non-urban landscapes.
• Excellent and demonstrated outreach and communications capabilities, especially across multiple
• stakeholder groups including agricultural producers and rural communities, academics, water resource managers, technical consultants and practitioners, and policymakers.
• Experience with one or more of the following: satellite-based approaches for measuring/mapping
• evapotranspiration; open-source software applications; managing a complex technology stack (API, data hosting, public website).
• A bachelor’s degree in a relevant field. A master’s or doctorate degree in a relevant field is preferred.
• Experience and willingness to travel domestically and internationally.

Compensation

• The expected salary range for this position is $200,000 - $225,000. OpenET will offer a competitive salary and benefits to the successful candidate.

OpenET (OPENET) is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, protected veteran status, or any other category legally protected by federal or state law

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