Executive Director

General Background:

Wisconsin Farmers Union is a member-driven non-profit and cooperative with a long history of supporting progressive farm and rural policies and programs. Established in the 1930s, the organization operates programs in education, civic engagement, and cooperative development. It is the second largest general agricultural organization in Wisconsin with over 2000 household memberships.

Profile:

The board seeks highly motivated candidates with broad experience in farm and rural policy, and organizational development and management. The right candidate will understand Farmers Union's background and values, have excellent communication skills, be able to incorporate innovative strategies, and have strong administrative and financial management skills. The Executive Director will provide leadership in financial management and develop additional resources and investments. WFU has a highly motivated staff working in a collaborative framework, and the Executive Director will provide leadership and inspiration for those efforts.

Position Summary:

The WFU Executive Director is responsible, in collaboration with boards and staff, for providing leadership to assure that key organizational goals are achieved, including: developing and implementing a long-term strategy to achieve its mission, providing leadership in developing and managing organizational programs, supervising financial resources, including fund development, investments and business development, maintaining membership relations and governance policies, providing support for communications strategies and organizational partnerships, and managing core administrative and employee support systems.

The Executive Director works closely with the President of the Board of Directors and is directly accountable to the elected WFU Board. The Executive Director operationalizes the directives of the WFU Board, the WFU Foundation, and the WFU Service Association. The organization currently has twenty-four employees and manages several properties. The organization’s main office and youth camp are in Chippewa Falls, with a satellite office in Madison. The Executive Director works in the Chippewa Falls office.

WFU provides regular employees with a group health insurance plan, generous paid time off, and an employer match for a retirement fund. Salary expectation is in the $85,000-$105,000 range depending on experience.

Skills and Experience:

• A minimum of 5 years of leadership experience is required.
• 3 to 5 years of relevant experience is required. Experience in non-profit or cooperatives is preferred.
• Proven expertise in fund development, strategic planning, human resources management, and financial management is essential.
• A master’s degree or higher is preferred.
• Experience with the agricultural sector is preferred.
• Excellent written, verbal, technical, and administrative communication skills are required.

Application: WFU will accept applications until March 31, 2025. Send a cover letter, resume, and contact information for three professional references to Camryn Billen, Executive Assistant, at cbillen@wisconsinfarmersunion.com. Questions and inquiries can be addressed to Executive Director, Julie Keown-Bomar at jbomar@wisconsinfarmersunion.com, or Darin Von Ruden, President, at dvonruden@wisconsinfarmersunion.com.