Executive Director, National Association of Geoscience Teachers

The National Association of Geoscience Teachers (NAGT) seeks a collaborative and strategic Executive Director to lead the organization in advancing excellence in geoscience education and supporting a vibrant professional community.

The Executive Director serves as the chief executive officer and public representative of NAGT and works closely with elected leadership, contracted staff, volunteers, members, and partner organizations to advance the association's mission and long-term sustainability. NAGT is a member-driven nonprofit organization supported by a contracted Executive Office operated through the Science Education Resource Center (SERC) at Carleton College. Executive Office staff at SERC support the Executive Director with services for NAGT operations, activities, programs, and leadership including communication and management services; website hosting, tools and support; financial management and membership, election, and donation services.

The Executive Director provides leadership in the following areas:

• Strategic planning and organizational management
• Volunteer recruitment, engagement, and support across committees, geographic sections, and topical divisions
• Financial stewardship and long-term organizational sustainability
• Fundraising, donor engagement, sponsorships, and membership development
• Oversight of organizational programming, professional development activities, publications, and events (e.g. Earth Educators' Rendezvous, workshops and webinars, Journal of Geoscience Education, In the Trenches, Lab Manual in Physical Geology, Teach the Earth website, awards and scholarship programs)
• External relations, partnerships, and communications

The Executive Director collaborates with NAGT's Executive Committee to develop and implement strategic priorities, support effective governance, and respond proactively to evolving community needs. The position requires strong communication skills, sound judgment, and the ability to lead a complex, largely volunteer-driven organization in a collaborative remote environment.

Qualifications

Required qualifications include:

• Leadership experience in nonprofit organizations, professional societies, higher education, or related settings
• Experience managing programs, budgets, projects, or organizational operations
• Experience working with volunteers, boards, committees, or distributed leadership structures
• Strong interpersonal, organizational, and strategic leadership skills
• Commitment to advancing geoscience education and professional community building

Preferred qualifications include:

• Experience with fundraising, donor development, and membership organizations
• Familiarity with geoscience education or STEM education communities
• Experience supporting volunteer-led organizations and remote collaboration
• Experience with nonprofit governance

This is a part-time, remote, contracted position with flexible appointment arrangements possible through either an institution or an individual contract.The NAGT Executive Director position constitutes a 1/4-time position, with a starting salary range of $26,000 - $28,000, but is negotiable based on experience and qualifications. The incoming Executive Director would serve a three-year term, with the potential for renewal.

To Apply

Applicants should submit a letter of application, a CV, and a list of three references. Review of applications will begin on January 4, 2027. The position will remain open until filled. Please direct any questions about the position to the search committee chair, Lynsey LeMay (lemayl@vpcc.edu). To apply, visit the Executive Director position application form.

NAGT welcomes applicants from diverse backgrounds and professional experiences and is committed to fostering an inclusive professional community.

About NAGT

Since 1938, the National Association of Geoscience Teachers has promoted excellence in geoscience education and supporting the community of geoscience educators. We are a member-driven professional organization with a strong vision: that everyone experiences welcoming, inspiring, and effective Earth education. The mission of NAGT is to support a diverse, inclusive, and thriving community of educators and education researchers to improve teaching and learning about the Earth.