Executive Director, Central Oregon Trail Alliance

Job Announcement

The Central Oregon Trail Alliance seeks a passionate, visionary, and team-oriented leader to fulfill our mission to develop, protect, and enhance the mountain bike experience in Central Oregon through trail stewardship, advocacy, collaboration, and education. Our Executive Director will share and embrace our vision of a robust and diverse mountain biking experience that will endure for generations.

COTA has a rich history and a vibrant community. The right Executive Director will honor our past while helping us plan ambitiously and execute for the future. Our ideal candidate has direct nonprofit experience, the ability to manage and grow our staff and volunteers, be a public advocate and COTA champion, and work collaboratively with land managers and partners.

The Executive Director will support and work closely with the leadership of the six COTA Chapters, ensure sound financial management, and maintain a safe and enjoyable work environment for COTA’s employees and volunteers. 

This position reports to the Board of Directors and serves on COTA’s Executive Committee, which includes the President, Vice President, Secretary, and Treasurer. This is a full-time position based in Bend, Oregon with competitive compensation and benefits. This position is not a remote opportunity.

Much like our strategic plan, the Executive Director’s responsibilities align to the following areas.

Program Coordination and Planning (25%)

Representing the heart of what we do, the Executive Director will provide leadership in our trail building and maintenance efforts such that Central Oregon continues to be one of the premier places to mountain bike. The Executive Director will manage COTA’s Trails Program Director and work closely with the Board to plan, implement, and evaluate our programs regularly. The Executive Director will also develop our long-term strategic plan as well as short-term priorities to ensure our organization is sustainable in its operations.

Development (25%)

The ability to fund our mission and grow comes directly from our generous members, individual donors, business partners, and grants. The Executive Director will manage the Development Director and be expected to engage in our Development committee. The Executive Director will establish positive relationships with donors, work closely with the Board to determine the best fundraising goals, and aim to diversify fundraising sources.

Financial Management (20%)

The Executive Director will work with the Board to develop a comprehensive annual budget and multi-year spending plan. This position will develop financial best practices and manage our funds to maximize our organization’s impact. The Executive Director will administer our funds according to the approved budget, will monitor cash flow, and report financial activity to the Board. Additionally, the Executive Director will ensure COTA has adequate insurance to protect its programs and people, and is in compliance with all federal, state and local laws.

Communications and Community Outreach (15%)

Communicating what we do, why we do it, and building community are key requirements for this position. The Executive Director will determine the best way to scale communication and outreach efforts to meet these goals. The right candidate will have experience engaging a large volunteer base, the broader public, and be adept at explaining our impact and long-term value. We hope the Executive Director will increase COTA’s name recognition and impact within Central Oregon, regionally, and beyond.

Advocacy and Partnerships (15%)

COTA began based on a partnership with the US Forest Service. We build on this every day by engaging and meeting regularly with land-use management agencies in Central Oregon (i.e., USFS, BLM, County, others) to discuss priorities, projects, and strategies to ensure continued public trail access and increased mountain bike riding opportunities. The Executive Director will build positive relationships with these partners to further our strategic interests and will play a key role in representing COTA’s interests and explaining our impact and value.

Our Values

COTA’s values must be at the heart of what the Executive Director does: lead with integrity, be curious and open-minded, ensure COTA is seen as the best at what we do, lead a diverse team and community, spend our donor’s money wisely, and get stuff done.

Other Details and Requirements

  • College degree (or equivalent) and a minimum of 5 years of relevant experience, nonprofit experience highly preferred.

  • Experience managing staff and leading large groups of volunteers.

  • Trail design, maintenance, or experience with the world of singletrack is highly desirable.

  • Mountain biking experience, passion for the sport and community is highly desirable.

  • Ability to work flexible hours, including periodic nights and weekends.

  • Outstanding written and verbal communication skills, as well as experience and comfort with public speaking.

  • Proficient in modern software for documents, collaboration, social media, CRM, and others.

Compensation & Benefits

This is a full-time position located in Bend, Oregon (non-remote). The salary range is $90-105k, with benefits and paid time off.

How to Apply & Key Dates

We are accepting applications now with a deadline to submit by November 15, 2025. Please submit your resume and cover letter both in PDF format to jobs@cotamtb.com.