Chief Executive Officer (CEO)

ABOUT OUR ORGANIZATION:

The Sustainable Forestry Initiative® (SFI®) is a non-profit organization with a mission to advance sustainability through forest-focused collaborations. SFI has expanded its scope beyond standards to include conservation collaboration, community engagement, Indigenous relations, environmental education, and career pathways in the forest sector. We have the scale to make a meaningful difference and contribute to a positive change through our networks. This is because the SFI footprint includes 350 million acres/145 million hectares of certified forests and influences over 11 billion cubic feet of wood fiber procured through mills certified to the SFI Fiber Sourcing Standard.

SFI's operating revenue comes from a variety of sources, including conference attendance fees, sales of educational materials, government grants, service agreements, investment income, and licensing fees from SFI-certified organizations. In 2025, SFI licensing fees accounted for approximately 65% of revenue.

At SFI, we aim to foster a culture where everyone feels valued, empowered, and supported in advancing sustainability through forest-focused collaborations.

POSITION SUMMARY:

The CEO is the highest-ranking executive at SFI and is a known and credible leader with well-established relationships within the environmental and business communities. The CEO works closely with the 18-member, three-chamber Board of Directors to set the organization’s overall strategic direction, and with diverse groups and individuals to further SFI’s commitment to conserving working forests and improving the vitality of communities. The CEO is responsible for defining and overseeing the execution of the organization’s strategy and vision while cultivating both external relationships and a high-performing team that embodies SFI’s values and priorities. Our ideal candidate will be a visionary yet pragmatic leader who can take a well-established organization and chart its course forward – someone who can assess our current strengths, identify emerging opportunities, and execute the strategic evolution needed to deepen our impact in a changing landscape.

ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS:

Strategic Leadership

• Advance the organization’s mission, vision, and strategic goals in collaboration with the Board of Directors, including delivering on the 2025-2030 Strategic Direction and annual workplans. SFI’s key strategies are:
  • Climate Resiliency and Carbon
  • Promote Responsible Forestry and Sourcing
  • Provide Nature Based Solutions from the SFI Footprint
  • Foster a Lifetime of Learning through Project Learning Tree (PLT)
  • Create Positive Change that Sustains Communities
• Monitor external trends, opportunities, and challenges to guide the organization’s growth and impact. Provide proactive and well-supported responses to competitive challenges in all issues areas including supply chain assurances, forest conservation, community and Indigenous engagement, on-product labeling, green building strategy, customer relations, government relations, and communications/marketing.
• Lead the organization through its next phase of evolution, building on its strong foundation to envision and execute strategic initiatives that ensure continued relevance, impact, and sustainability.
• Provide input into the agendas and operations of key committees (Resources Committee, External Review Panel, Standard Revisions Task Force, Interpretations Committee, Education Operating Committee, and others) and the PLT Canada Board of Directors.

Brand Elevation & Global Representation

• Serve as SFI’s leading public voice, elevating the SFI as a trusted sustainability leader across local, national, bi-national and global platforms.
• Secure and deliver high-impact speaking roles at major conferences, industry gatherings, government forums, and international sustainability events.
• Act as SFI’s primary media representative, engaging with prominent media outlets to advance the organization’s mission and visibility.
• Leverage SFI’s extensive networks to cultivate and maintain strategic partnerships by building and sustaining trust and credibility.
• Strengthen SFI’s relevance to the supply chain partners, conservation leaders, Indigenous communities, governments, and the forest sector.

Board Relations & Executive Leadership

• Serve as the primary liaison between the Board of Directors and the organization, ensuring open communication on governance matters, policy development, and strategic direction.
• Provide regular updates on organizational performance, financial health, and strategic initiatives.
• Oversee and work closely with the Senior Leadership Team (SLT) to ensure operational alignment with strategic goals, Board expectations, and the needs of SFI-certified organizations. The SLT consists of the President of SFI; the President of PLT Canada / SFI VP, Canadian Operations & Communications; the Chief Conservation Officer; and the Senior VP, Network Initiatives.

SFI Certified Organization and Government Relations, and Conservation Leadership

• Serve as an external advocate for the SFI Standards, advancing sustainable forest management, market acceptance, and the needs of certificate holders.
• Provide strategic oversight on certified organization relations, ensuring emerging risks and opportunities inform SLT and Board priorities while upholding the credibility and science-based integrity of the SFI Standards.
• Understanding of the role of the forest certification Standards in meeting global sustainability framework expectations and how that influences procurement policies and investor decisions.
• Understand and articulate SFI’s role in global climate, biodiversity, and sustainable development conversations, balancing North American foundation with global impact.
• Advocate for forest policies that positively affect the ability for forests to be managed sustainably.
• Engage in discussions with governments to promote sound policy and continued recognition of SFI Standards and programs.

Community Partnerships and Indigenous Relations

• Engage in high-level strategic discussions that drive positive impact across SFI’s diverse communities, including environmental educators.
• Demonstrate a deep commitment to Indigenous Peoples’ rights recognition, and relationship building. Lead by example, continually learn and improve and work with Indigenous communities to understand their self-determined priorities and how and whether SFI can be supportive in achieving those priorities that align with SFI’s mission and vision.
• Champion the belief that SFI is stronger and more impactful when strategically collaborating with a diversity of communities.
• Engage deeply with the communities SFI works with and continuously explore how their priorities could be advanced or met in collaboration with SFI’s standards, programs, network, and relationships.

People, Culture & Organizational Leadership

• Provide overall leadership and direction to a high-performing team across the U.S. and Canada, fostering a culture of excellence, innovation, and collaboration.
• Play a leadership role in cultivating SFI’s internal culture, partnering with Human Resources to support staff well-being, drive successful hiring, maximize employee engagement, and retain high performers.
• In collaboration with the SLT, drive accountability across the organization through measurable goals and performance metrics.

Financial Oversight & Fundraising

• Collaborate with the Chief Financial Officer and the Finance Department to ensure the organization's financial health and sustainability and develop strategies to diversify revenue streams.
• Achieve a sustainable long-term financial model for the PLT-US program and elevate PLT’s 50th Anniversary Campaign throughout 2026.
• Lead fundraising initiatives, approve and oversee budgets, financial reports, and resource allocation to align with strategic goals.

Risk Management and Compliance

• Oversee the organization’s adherence to all legal, regulatory, and ethical standards.
• Identify and mitigate risks that could impact the organization’s operations, reputation, or mission delivery.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS / TRAVEL REQUIREMENTS:

SFI is committed to providing reasonable accommodations to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential job functions. Physical requirements include the ability to work from a desk at a computer for prolonged periods of time.

This position requires frequent travel within the US, Canada, Europe, and other international locations, up to 50% of time.

WORK LOCATION:

This position requires regular presence in SFI’s offices, located in Washington, DC and Ottawa, Ontario.

There is a strong preference for this individual to be based in the Washington, DC or Ottawa, Ontario office.

EDUCATION/EXPERIENCE REQUIREMENTS:

• Master’s degree in forestry, wildlife, conservation, international affairs, natural resources, business or related field is a plus
• At least 15 years as a proven organizational leader working with a diversity of interests and balancing priorities
• Proven entrepreneurial abilities and skills in fundraising, leadership, management, consensus building, communications, and financial administration of for-profit or nonprofit organizations
• Proven success accomplishing business objectives with international reach, multi-regional communities, and cross-cultural teams
• A proven track record of driving strategic innovation in mature organizations and positioning the organization for future growth and impact
• Experience setting and executing a long-term global strategy that aligns environmental integrity, social responsibility, and economic viability
• Extensive experience in international forestry and forest certification issues and a deep knowledge of forest standards, forestry practices, and forest supply chains is a plus

QUALIFICATIONS/PERSONAL CHARACTERISTICS:

• An extensive existing North American network, and the ability to collaborate effectively with the forest and conservation sector, Indigenous communities, governments, academics, customers, educators, and career pathway leaders across North America
• Appreciation for all points of view, with the ability to make tough decisions quickly to enable important work to proceed
• A strong appreciation for forest-based solutions, and a passion for SFI’s mission and vision
• A commitment to certification as a means of advancing sustainable forest management, conservation, accountability, and continuous improvement
• A positive attitude and high energy – a person who sees opportunities rather than problems, enjoys work and working with others
• An ability to represent the organization at all levels of management and with the public, with excellent verbal communication, and interpersonal skills
• Committed to extensive travel across North American primarily, but also globally, to meet the needs of partners, to build and maintain relationships, and to conduct both internal and external business
• Ability to respect confidentiality and exercise discretion with sensitive and privileged information
• Strategic yet detail oriented with the ability to work in a fast-paced environment, with strong organizational skills
• Business and financial acumen skills; the ability to manage a budget and resources effectively
• Working knowledge of accounting, human resources and general organizational operations
• Working knowledge of Microsoft 365; knowledge of Salesforce a plus

Contact:

If you have any questions regarding this opportunity, please contact us at CEOSearch@forests.org.

-

OUR COMMITMENT TO EQUAL OPPORTUNITY:

SFI is proud to provide our employees with a collaborative, dynamic, and rewarding professional experience, with a competitive compensation and benefits package and growth opportunities. We are committed to creating a diverse environment and being an equal opportunity employer. Our team represents a broad range of cultures, education, disciplines, and work and life experiences, and we strive to leverage these differences in our daily work. We will not discriminate against any employee or applicant on the basis of race, color, national origin, religion, age, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, disability, or any other protected characteristic. We believe in creating an empowered and supportive team that is committed to advancing sustainability through forest-focused collaborations.

Learn more about SFI Staff Culture, read our Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Policy, and review our Indigenous Relations Commitment.