Sonoma County Agricultural Preservation + Open Space District General Manager


Sonoma County Agricultural Preservation + Open Space District (Ag + Open Space) permanently protects the diverse agricultural, natural resource, and scenic open space lands of Sonoma County for future generations. Formed in 1990 for the purpose of preserving agricultural land and open space in Sonoma County, Ag + Open Space is responsible for stewarding land protected by conservation easements as well as lands held in fee. Since its inception, Ag + Open Space has protected over 122,300 acres with an acquisition cost of $431.2 million. The District ranks as one of the top open space and farmland conservation programs in the nation.

Appointed by the Board of Directors, the General Manager has full responsibility for planning and directing the activities and operations of Ag + Open Space. As an integral member of the County’s executive leadership team, the General Manager works effectively and collaboratively with the County Administrator and County department heads, landowners, ranchers and farmers, citizen groups, private entities, and advisory bodies. In order to accomplish the goals and objectives of the District, the General Manager is supported by a four-member executive management team, with programmatic responsibilities in the areas of conservation planning, acquisitions, stewardship, and administration and finance. The total staffing complement of the District is 29 employees and the operating budget for FY 20-21 is approximately $55 million.

The ideal General Manager will be an experienced professional with strong communication, interpersonal, and relationship building skills. They will also be an innovative visionary, who can anticipate issues, think analytically, and act strategically to meet the current and future needs of the District. To be considered for the position, minimum qualifications must be demonstrated. Most typically, a qualified candidate would have a degree in planning, public administration, business administration, park management, natural resources, economics, recreation, or a closely related field; and 5+ years of management or administrative experience in governmental program analysis and planning, open space acquisition and management, or park management. The annual base salary range for the position is $153,966 - $187,152. Salary is negotiable within the established base salary range, dependent upon qualifications.

If you are interested in this outstanding opportunity, more information can be found at https://bit.ly/3j0h3jr. Filing Deadline: 02/28/21

Visit our website: County of Sonoma Position Information