Legado is a women-led, global nonprofit working alongside Indigenous Peoples, Afrodescendent Peoples, and local communities in some of the world’s most ecologically important places.
Our mission is to support communities to design and implement solutions of their choosing—benefiting people and landscapes alike. We call these outcomes Thriving Futures.
We are driving toward a paradigm shift towards holistic climate justice by putting 360° Community-Led Change at the center: ensuring communities lead, set priorities, and steward their futures—not as project “beneficiaries,” but as architects.
Learn more at legadoinitiative.org.
We are looking for a senior leader to shape how our organization shows up in the world—and to turn that into meaningful partnerships, influence, and funding.
This role operates at the intersection of strategy, relationships, communications, and revenue, with a clear mandate to build a strong external presence and translate that into the relationships and resources needed to deliver long-term impact.
You will work across a wide network of funders, partners, and allies—from foundations and individual donors to partner organizations and global platforms—and ensure that our external work is coherent, credible, and effective.
The VP of Strategic Alliances sits in our executive leadership team, working closely with the CEO, Executive Vice President, and Senior Director of Programs on the vision, strategy, and trajectory of Thriving Futures.
You will collaborate with and oversee our Director of Development, who leads day-to-day fundraising execution, and manage the Senior Marketing & Communications Manager to ensure high-quality, audience-ready materials and messaging. You will also work closely alongside our Executive Vice President and Partnership Team to develop, steer, and nurture our partnerships with diverse types of organizations using Thriving Futures.
This is a role for someone who can think systemically, build trust quickly, and operate with both strategic clarity and practical follow-through.
This role is central to how we grow our impact.
It will shape:
- how we are understood externally
- who we build with
- and what becomes possible for the communities we work alongside
For the right person, this is an opportunity to shape not just an organization, but how a field approaches long-term, community-led change.
1. Guide Organizational Leadership
- Act as a senior member of the leadership team, contributing beyond your functional area to the overall strategy of the organization
- Work closely with the CEO, Executive Vice President, and Senior Director of Programs to shape programmatic priorities and ensure external positioning aligns with those priorities
- Bring external insight—on funders, partners, and the broader field—into internal decision-making
- Help retain consistency between what we say and what we do as we grow
2. Shape External Engagement Strategy and Positioning
- Develop and lead our overall external engagement strategy, bringing together fundraising and communications into one clear, focused approach
- Manage and support the Director of Development and Senior Marketing & Communications Manager
- Support the continued growth and development of both functions, building strategic capability over time
- Translate organizational priorities into a compelling external narrative and engagement plan that shapes field-level influence alongside direct pathways
- Co-shape where the organization should focus externally, which relationships to prioritize, and how to position the organization
- Work closely with the Senior Marketing & Communications Manager to ensure consistent, high-quality messaging and materials across all external outputs
3. Develop and Lead Strategic Alliances
- Serve as one of the principal owners of the organization’s most important external relationships, alongside the CEO
- Strengthen how relationships are managed across the organization, ensuring clear ownership and consistency
- Build and strengthen relationships with organizations that could partner with us, fund us, or help amplify our work
- Identify and develop opportunities that sit at the intersection of partnerships and funding
- Represent Legado and Thriving Futures partnerships at virtual and in-person events
- Work closely with the Executive Vice President and Director of Partnerships to ensure alignment with partnership strategy and avoid duplication
- Support co-developed funding opportunities with partners, working alongside the Director of Development where relevant
- Assess wider networks to connect the right people and ideas at the right time
4. Build and Deliver a Strategic Approach to Funding
- Own the overall strategy for how we secure funding, working in close partnership with the Director of Development who leads day-to-day execution. This role carries ultimate accountability for fundraising strategy and outcomes.
- Bring a strategic, portfolio-level lens—helping to shape where to focus, how different funding streams fit together, and how to balance short-term needs with long-term positioning
- Work with the Director of Development to:
- refine approaches across different types of funders (foundations, individuals, family offices, and others)
- strengthen prioritization, pipeline quality, and conversion
- ensure clarity on roles, ownership, and execution across the team
- Identify how relationships, partnerships, and external positioning can unlock new funding opportunities beyond traditional fundraising
- Support the Director of Development to translate strategy into clear priorities, targets, and rhythms for delivery
Please note that the title and scope of this role will be calibrated based on the candidate’s experience.
Core Experience and Skills
- A track record of operating effectively in resource-constrained environments — comfortable moving between strategic thinking and practical execution without relying on a large team to implement
- Significant experience in fundraising, partnerships, or external affairs within mission-driven organizations
- A track record of building and managing senior relationships with funders, partners, or other stakeholders
- Strong strategic thinking—able to see patterns, set direction, and make decisions about where to focus
- Excellent communication skills, with the ability to translate complex work into clear, compelling narratives
- Experience leading teams and improving how they work
- High levels of judgment, integrity, and follow-through
Ideal Experience
- Experience working in or alongside community-led development, conservation, or related fields
- 5 years + experience in senior leadership
- Spanish language skills (professional or working proficiency)
- Experience operating across multiple geographies and cultures
Characteristics Needed for Success
- An entrepreneurial mindset — energized rather than frustrated by ambiguity, and comfortable building systems and approaches that don't yet exist
- A willingness to operate at every altitude — from shaping long-term strategy to writing a proposal, preparing briefing notes, or jumping in where needed. Legado is a lean organization and its leaders are expected to be both visionary and hands-on
- A highly collaborative approach—you will work closely with colleagues across programs, partnerships, development, and communications
- Comfort operating in a fast-moving, evolving environment
- Willingness to travel and build relationships in person
- A strong alignment with values of partnership, humility, and long-term impact
