Chief Executive Officer
Envision Utah is looking for its next Chief Executive Officer (CEO) to lead the organization through a refreshed vision and to carry forward Envision Utah’s role as a leader in bringing Utahns together to solve challenges related to growth.
Envision Utah is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization with the mission to engage people to create and sustain communities that are beautiful, prosperous, healthy, and neighborly for current and future residents. (Please refer to our mission summary document for more.)
Opportunity
Utah faces a defining moment. The state is known for its exceptional economy, strong sense of community, and stunning landscapes. And what makes Utah great also makes it grow. Along with population, Utah is experiencing demographic shifts and increasing pressure on natural resources, infrastructure, and housing supply. These changes call for visionary leadership to ensure that Utah remains a vibrant and extraordinary place for generations to come.
This is more than just a period of transition—it’s an opportunity to reaffirm our shared love of place and acknowledge that growth can coexist with the values that make Utah’s communities special. Even as Utah has grown, residents have enjoyed a strong sense of community and connection. This is not by accident. It is the result of thoughtful collaboration and a shared vision.
For nearly three decades, Envision Utah has played a key role in guiding this balance by convening leaders and residents to create that shared vision. Envision Utah is a trusted connector that brings Utah’s leaders and the public to the table to find common values. Envision Utah operates at the intersection of the public, private, non-profit, and institutional sectors, creating opportunities to advance shared goals. Through the Envision Utah process, Utahns learn together, examine choices for the future, and create a vision and strategic plan to tackle our state’s most daunting challenges.
This is a crucial time to protect Utah’s spirit and engage all Utahns in shaping what comes next. The new CEO must inspire a shared vision of Utah’s future that is rooted in mutual respect, promotes the values we hold in common, and is collaboratively crafted through meaningful dialogue. The work ahead is not just about policy or planning; it is about protecting the very spirit of Utah and inviting all who call it home to help shape what comes next.
Responsibilities
The CEO’s primary charge is to lead the organization to fulfill its mission. To do this, the CEO has several core day-to-day responsibilities:
Serve Utah through fostering connections, relationships, and partnerships across the community and lead Envision Utah in playing an active role in conversations about Utah’s future.
Ensure Envision Utah has adequate resources to fulfill its mission and sustain the organization.
Lead, develop, and motivate a capable staff to fulfill the organization’s mission.
Effectively engage members of Envision Utah’s Board of Directors and Board of Governors in fulfilling the mission of Envision Utah.
Ensure the effective creation and execution of projects and initiatives that further Envision Utah’s mission.
The CEO reports to the Executive Committee of the Board of Directors, and the CEO works with the board and employees to set the overall direction for the organization. The CEO also works with the Board of Directors to update the organization’s 5-year strategy each year on a rolling basis. The latest 5-year strategy can be seen here.
Preferred Qualifications
Envision Utah’s CEO must have a love of Utah and the ability to inspire others about the possibilities for Utah’s future. The CEO must be visionary, with the ability to see the things that make Utah special and the risks that imperil what makes Utah great. The CEO must also be able to convene across differing communities—including political perspectives and Utah’s urban-rural communities—to find common ground and common values.
We seek a CEO with the following strengths:
Exemplary interpersonal and organizational leadership skills
Proven success in facilitation and consensus-building
Proven success with fundraising and development
Strong communication, public speaking, and media skills
Knowledge of urban planning and public policy
Meaningful experience in a management position (10 years or more)
Experience managing an organizational budget ($1 million or more)
Salary and Benefits
The Board of Directors will offer a competitive salary that matches both the responsibility and importance of the role as well as the experience and talent of the new CEO.
Envision Utah also provides generous PTO and paid holidays; 100% paid premium health and dental insurance (with 50% paid premiums for dependents); a 3% employer matching 403(b) plan; an FSA/cafeteria plan; and long-term disability insurance.
Working Environment
Envision Utah’s team has been operating in a hybrid work environment. The CEO will need to attend in-person meetings frequently both in Salt Lake County and around the state.
About Envision Utah
In 1997, a group of concerned community, government, and business leaders came together to form Envision Utah, a nonprofit that engages Utahns to create and sustain communities that are beautiful, prosperous, healthy, and neighborly for current and future residents. We do this by applying a proven process to different growth-related challenges and geographies. We seek common ground for the common good, cultivate partnerships, bring stakeholders together across sectors, provide practical tools, and respect market forces. For more information, visit envisionutah.org.
To Apply
Please email a cover letter and resume to laurahanson@utah.gov. Applications will be accepted at any time while the position is posted.