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Chief Community Development Officer
Island Institute
Marketing & Communications, Customer Service
Rockland, ME, USA
USD 134,700-215,500 / year
Posted on Aug 1, 2025
Island Institute has an exciting career opportunity for an experienced professional to join our team as Chief Community Development Officer (Chief CDO). Under the direction of the President, the Chief CDO has responsibility for and oversight of two of Island Institute’s three programmatic centers: the Center for Climate and Community and the Center for Marine Economy. This position serves as a member of the Senior Leadership Team and supports organization-wide efforts to expand the impact of Island Institute’s efforts.
The Chief CDO will possess exceptional management skills and will partner with colleagues across the organization to promote teamwork, effectively communicate, and successfully execute our strategy.
The Chief CDO will occasionally represent the organization externally with community partners, donors, and other private sector, state, and nonprofit leaders across Maine and nationally.
The Chief Community Development Officer will have professional experience that aligns strongly with Island Institute’s mission, goals, and programs; relevant education; and at least 10 years of experience working in natural resource-dependent communities. We are seeking someone with demonstrated success as a leader, including supervision, mentoring, budget management, development and implementation of strategy, and building partnerships.
Headquartered in Rockland, Maine, Island Institute is a leading community development organization dedicated to navigating climate and economic changes with Maine’s island and coastal communities, expanding opportunities, and delivering effective solutions. Our culture thrives on collaboration
and creativity, driven by a vision where Maine’s island and coastal communities thrive in a rapidly changing world, serving as models of innovation.
Qualifications:
- Professional expertise that aligns strongly with the mission, goals, values, and programs of the Island Institute.
- An advanced degree or substantial relevant experience, preferably in areas related to community economic development or our Center strategies.
- At least 10 years’ experience at a senior level including experience working in natural resource-dependent communities.
- Strong commitment to rural community success, practical solutions, and community engagement.
- The ability to listen closely to stakeholders to inform, develop, and implement programming.
- Proven ability to lead and directly supervise a team of professionals while fostering a culture grounded in organizational values.
- Skilled in setting clear objectives and leading meetings to successful outcomes.
- The ability to give and receive constructive and helpful feedback with staff,
colleagues and community partners.
- Experience managing a variety of funding sources and significant program commitments and deliverables under deadlines.
- Ability to develop annual, measurable workplans that align with strategic plans and organizational budgets and to support the team in delivering on those plans.
- Demonstrated ability to cultivate, manage, and strengthen multi-sectoral relationships with nonprofit, private, and public-sector partners.
- Experience working closely with a board of directors or trustees.
- Exceptional written communication skills and ability to effectively convey the organization’s mission, priorities, and programs to diverse audiences in a variety of formats.
- Comfort with technology, including Office 365, video conferencing and customer relationship management.
- The ability and willingness to travel both locally and nationally.
Essential Functions:
- As a leader at Island Institute, models positive leadership behaviors, embraces a growth mindset, and has a genuine interest in and desire to strengthen leadership skills across the Centers.
- Leads Island Institute’s Center for Climate and Community and Center for Marine Economy, including strategic oversight, supervision, and management.
- Manages programmatic and financial resources effectively and communicates with other Senior Leadership Team members and staff to ensure proper coordination of such resources.
- Ensures that the Centers are meeting measurable goals and delivering high quality, impactful programs aligned with the organization’s new and ambitious strategic plan.
- Works closely with the President, Chief Policy and External Affairs Officer, and Chief Operating Officer to ensure strong cross-organizational program partnerships.
- Works collaboratively with the other organizational leaders to create synergies and ensure good decision-making among project teams and across strategic priority areas, for the short-term and long-term success of Island Institute.
- Partners with Philanthropy to develop proposals, engage with donors, and ensure grant deliverables are exceptional and timely.
- Serves as a board liaison for the Programs Committee of the Board of Trustees, ensuring that the projects of the organization are framed for discussion with and input from the board.
- Manages an annual Marine and Climate Center strategy review process that informs the organization’s annual budget, marketing content, and philanthropic strategies.
- Promotes the Institute’s work by representing the organization before external audiences.
- Organizes and facilitates conversations about community development best practice across the organization.
- Serves as a mentor and resource to staff members in developing their professional skills and building the case for promotion and succession as appropriate.
- Seeks and participates in professional development opportunities to build cross-sector and essential skills.
What we offer:
- A benefits program to include health, dental, vision, company provided life insurance, and a 403b plan with an employer match of up to 6% after a year of service.
- A generous paid time off policy.
- 12 paid holidays and 2 paid floating holidays.
- Island Institute membership benefits.
- Hybrid work environment.
Physical Demands and Work Environment:
The physical demands and work environment characteristics described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
- Physical demands: the employee is required to sit, enter data using computer keyboard and mouse, stand, walk, bend over occasionally, and move about the office space as well as between building floors. There is no requirement to lift and/or move weights of more than 15 pounds. The employee will be expected to travel on occasion by boat and ferry to various island and remote coastal locations. There will be times when working long hours in the evenings and weekends will be required.
- Travel: Must be comfortable traveling for extended periods of time by any mode of transportation in cross cultural contexts.
- Work environment: The noise level in the work environment is usually minimal.
- Hybrid Work: The Chief Community Development Officer is based in our Rockland office and is expected to spend the majority of their time working from the Rockland office when not in community.
The pay range for the position is $134,700 - $215,500, based on experience.
Most initial offers are made below the midpoint of the range and are based on factors such as relevant experience, skills alignment, and internal equity.
While there is no deadline for submitting your application, the application period will close when the position is filled. Contact Susan Haversat at shaversat@islandinstitute.org if reasonable accommodation is required to complete the application.
Based in Rockland, Maine, the Island Institute is a nonprofit organization, and an equal opportunity "at-will" employer committed to providing equal employment opportunities based upon an individual's ability and qualifications. We do not discriminate against people on the basis of race, citizenship, ancestry, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, national origin, age, mental or physical disability.