Executive Director

Although this position will remain open until filled,please submit your application by December 7, 2025 for full consideration.

Please use the form below to apply and
note that you will be asked to upload the following 3 documents, preferably as PDFs:

• Single sheet with names and contact information of three references. (
  
  Note:
  
  A Search Committee memberwillnotify you and request permission before contacting references.)

The Chesapeake Research Consortium (CRC,(Use the "Apply for this Job" box below).), a regional 501(c)(3) located near Annapolis, MD, seeks an experienced environmental scientist and leader to serve as its next Executive Director.

Established in 1972, CRC represents some of the most active research institutions in the U.S., including Old Dominion University, Smithsonian Institution, The Johns Hopkins University, University System of Maryland, Penn State, Virginia Institute of Marine Science, and Virginia Tech. CRC’s primary mission is to support long-term basic and applied research addressing coastal issues, ranging from land-based watershed considerations to rigorous investigation of water quality and living resources in its aquatic ecosystems.

CRC fully enables its member institutions and broader scientific community in the region to inspire and implement solutions for understanding and managing of the Chesapeake Bay and its watershed. This is achieved through defining, coordinating, and disseminating the research and education that inform science-based management. To translate this mission into strategic action, CRC embraces four enabling roles: (1) convening managers and science providers, (2) creating pathways for emerging environmental professionals, (3) building platforms for sharing knowledge and developing solutions, and (4) supporting member institutions in the research and education efforts relevant to Chesapeake Bay partnership efforts.

Below are some specific responsibilities of CRC’s Executive Director. Interested candidates should review the CRC website for more information about our organization and the full range of activities associated with the position.

Organizational Leadership

• Provide collaborative and supportive leadership to a team of seven dedicated CRC staff members at CRC’s headquarters office in Edgewater, MD, cultivating a workplace culture rooted in trust, open communication, and mutual respect. Work in close partnership with staff to support their growth, encourage innovation, monitor individual and team performance, and advance the organization’s mission together.
• Partner with CRC’s Director of Finance to oversee day-to-day organizational operations.

Partnerships and Program Support

• Identify and respond to science needs of the Chesapeake Bay restoration effort by convening managers and science providers through strategic communications, including a monthly webinar series and newsletters.
• Serve as Executive Secretary of the Chesapeake Bay Program’s Science and Technical Advisory Committee (STAC,). Since its creation in December 1984, STAC has enhanced scientific communication and outreach throughout the Chesapeake Bay watershed by providing independent scientific and technical advice to inform management decisions.

Organizational Growth/Resource Development

• Lead efforts to expand and diversify CRC’s funding portfolio, including identifying and cultivating new funding sources to ensure long-term financial sustainability and mission impact.
• Engage CRC’s Board of Trustees on issues of capacity-building initiatives in three areas: (1) strengthening the environmental professional pipeline through professional development and internship programs, (2) supporting organizational development of CRC and its members through interdisciplinary and multi-institutional network building, and (3) acting as a proactive liaison between the research and management communities to facilitate science transfer for informed, science-based management and policy in the region.
• Support and help resource collaborative multi-disciplinary, multi-institution research projects as…