Executive Director

Lead a healthier, more resilient, and more sustainable Nashville.

Salary: $95,000–$110,000 | Start: Early 2027 | Location: Nashville, TN

Who we are

Urban Green Lab is building a healthier, more resilient, and more sustainable Nashville. Since 2009, we’ve helped residents, schools, businesses, and community organizations turn environmental challenges into practical action through education, partnerships, and nonpartisan advocacy. We believe that when sustainable living is accessible to everyone, our entire community thrives.

The opportunity

Urban Green Lab’s work has never been more important. As Nashville grows, so do the challenges that come with growth: increased waste, greater strain on infrastructure and resources, and a growing need for healthier, more resilient communities. At the same time, the city has set ambitious goals for climate action, resilience, and waste reduction. Achieving them will require collaboration across government, business, education, and the nonprofit sector. Urban Green Lab plays a unique role in bringing those partners together and helping turn aspirations into action.

A position of strength

Urban Green Lab enters this transition from a position of strength, with a clear strategic plan, strong community partnerships, an engaged board, and a respected reputation across Nashville. The next Executive Director will have the opportunity to build on that foundation and help shape the organization’s next phase of growth and impact.

The role

The Executive Director reports to the Board of Directors and is responsible for Urban Green Lab’s overall leadership, strategy, financial health, and growth. Leading a talented team, the Executive Director will build on the organization’s 2030 Strategic Plan while bringing their own vision for how Urban Green Lab expands its reach, influence, revenue, and impact.

This is a highly visible leadership role for someone who is equally comfortable shaping strategy, building relationships, raising resources, and serving as a public champion for sustainable living in Nashville.

Key responsibilities

Strategy and Impact

• Lead implementation of Urban Green Lab’s 2030 Strategic Plan and annual organizational priorities.
• Ensure programs, partnerships, and campaigns deliver measurable community impact.
• Expand the organization’s reach, influence, and effectiveness across Nashville.

Fundraising and Financial Leadership

• Serve as Urban Green Lab’s chief fundraiser, personally cultivating major donors, foundations, corporate partners, and community relationships. This includes oversight of grant strategy, grant development, writing, and management.
• Grow and diversify revenue in support of the organization’s long-term sustainability.
• Provide strong financial stewardship through sound budgeting, forecasting, reporting, and resource management.

Board and Organizational Leadership

• Partner closely with the Board Chair, Executive Committee, and Board of Directors to advance Urban Green Lab’s mission and strategic priorities.
• Develop, support, and inspire a high-performing team and healthy organizational culture.
• Ensure effective governance, organizational systems, compliance, and operational excellence.

Community Leadership

• Represent Urban Green Lab in civic, philanthropic, business, educational, and media settings, helping elevate sustainability as a community priority.
• Strengthen relationships across government, business, education, philanthropy, and the nonprofit sector.
• Advance collaborative solutions that position Nashville as a leader in sustainability, resilience, and quality of life.

The candidate

We recognize that exceptional candidates may not meet every qualification listed below. If this opportunity excites you and you believe you could thrive in the role, we encourage you to apply.

Required qualifications

• Significant leadership experience, typically seven years or more, including senior leadership responsibility in a nonprofit, public agency, mission-driven business, or comparable sustainability or educational organization.
• Demonstrated success securing and stewarding funding through major gifts, foundation grants, corporate partnerships, or other revenue sources.
• Experience building and sustaining partnerships across sectors and translating shared goals into meaningful action.
• Strong organizational leadership experience, including managing growth, developing teams, and fostering a healthy, high-performing culture.
• Financial acumen, including experience with budgeting, forecasting, resource management, and reporting to a board or senior stakeholders.
• A strategic and data-informed mindset, with the ability to set goals, measure results, and use insights to guide decisions and communicate impact.
• Outstanding communication and relationship-building skills, with the ability to engage diverse audiences and inspire others around a shared vision.
• Demonstrated commitment to equity, inclusion, and serving communities disproportionately affected by environmental and climate-related challenges.

Preferred qualifications

• Experience working closely with a nonprofit board of directors as an executive director, chief executive, or senior leader.
• Knowledge of sustainability, climate resilience, environmental education, public health, or related fields.
• Familiarity with Nashville’s civic, philanthropic, business, or nonprofit landscape.
• Experience developing earned-income, fee-for-service, consulting, training, or other revenue-generating programs.
• Experience in coalition-building, public policy, advocacy, or community engagement in a nonpartisan environment.
• An advanced degree in a relevant field.

Compensation and benefits

This is a full-time, exempt position with a salary range of $95,000–$110,000, depending on experience and qualifications. Final salary determination will be made based on the successful candidate’s background and through discussions during the interview process. Urban Green Lab will not provide relocation packages or assistance to candidates who may be from outside of the Middle Tennessee region.

Benefits include:

• 27 days of paid time off annually (excluding sick leave)
• 90 days of paid parental leave
• SIMPLE IRA with employer match
• Flexible hybrid work schedule
• Health insurance allowance (medical, dental, and vision)
• Cell phone stipend
• Volunteer and service hours

Company culture

Urban Green Lab takes pride in being a human-centric organization, and we’ve designed our policies to reflect that principle. We believe people work best when they’re treated well and grow both personally and professionally. Examples include our flexible hybrid work schedule (two days in the office plus three days working from any location); collaboratively created goals, metrics, and performance expectations; up to 15 “silent retreat” days in which staff have permission to focus on uninterrupted work time; separate goals and budgets just for professional development; regular one-on-one check-ins with supervisors for guidance and planning; frequent team lunches; onsite composting; and an overall collaborative and inquiry-friendly culture. We’re always learning from each other.

Work environment

The Executive Director is expected to live in Nashville and maintain a regular presence with staff, partners, funders, and stakeholders throughout the city. Evening and occasional weekend events are part of the role. The employee is regularly required to sit, stand, walk, talk, listen and feel, reach hands above the shoulder, occasionally stoop or crouch, and lift or move items weighing 10–25 pounds. Reasonable accommodations will be provided for qualified individuals with disabilities.

Transition and onboarding

Our current Executive Director will step down at the end of 2026 after ten years of leadership. The Board aims to have the next Executive Director begin in early 2027. The successful candidate will benefit from a structured transition process that includes onboarding with board leadership, staff, key community partners, and a comprehensive transfer of organizational knowledge, plans, and relationships.

How to apply

Download the full job description at https://bit.ly/UGL-executive-director for complete application instructions and the submission email address. Applications through LinkedIn (Click to Apply, Easy Apply) will not be accepted.

You’ll need to submit a cover letter, resume, and three professional references, combined into one PDF file with your full name as the file name. References will not be contacted without permission. Incomplete submissions and follow-up inquiries will not be considered. Applications are accepted until the position is filled. All correspondence is confidential. Background check required.

Equal opportunity

Urban Green Lab is fully committed to Equal Employment Opportunity and to attracting, retaining, developing, and promoting the most qualified employees without regard to their race, color, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, age, physical or mental disability, citizenship status, veteran status, or any other characteristic prohibited by state or local law. Urban Green Lab welcomes applicants from a diversity of backgrounds, experiences, abilities, and ideas.

Disclaimer

This job description is not necessarily an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, skills, requirements, or conditions. While intended to be accurate, it is not meant to exclude that other, different tasks may be required when circumstances change (such as during emergencies, personnel changes, workload alterations, rush jobs, or technological developments or advancements).