President and Chief Executive Officer

Brooklyn Botanic Garden (BBG or the Garden) seeks a strategic, visionary, and operational leader to serve as its next president and chief executive officer (president). Situated on 52 acres of intensively planted landscapes and specialty gardens, BBG is renowned as an intimate oasis in one of the country’s most densely populous regions. By virtue of its context and programmatic investment in community greening, free and low-cost education programs, and cultural programming, BBG is known as the country’s foremost urban garden.

The Garden features more than a dozen distinct landscapes, a glass Conservatory complex, and more than 10,000 taxa of plants. It also maintains an historic archive in the Library program, as well as an Herbarium (dried plant specimen) collection with more than 300,000 records. Originally designed in 1910 by the Olmsted Brothers, the Garden has more recently been refined by distinguished landscape and building architects to diversify its horticultural experiences and create a more welcoming environment for all. With steadily increasing attendance and participation, BBG now welcomes nearly 900,000 visitors a year, including 24,000 member households. A committed staff of 165 manages the Garden.

The next president will refine and execute a recently developed strategic plan while helping finalize a long-term master site plan called the “Greenprint for the Future.” With skillful organizational management, they will lead staff through a series of strategies and tasks tied to those plans, driving deep understanding of the process and desired outcomes. As a visible leader of an internationally renowned and locally beloved cultural institution, BBG’s next president must excel not only at management but also as a financial builder by driving earned revenues, growing the endowment, and, eventually, carrying out a capital campaign. BBG serves as a member of the New York City Cultural Institutions Group; its president connects with municipal and private donors and maintains relationships with other botanic gardens. BBG’s president must embody the Garden’s ethos and values and continue to promote it as a civically oriented, beautiful botanic haven in service to its communities.

BBG anticipates a salary range of $350,000 – $425,000 for this position, commensurate with the successful candidate’s experience. The president is expected to have a regular presence at the Garden, ensuring visibility and accessibility with both staff and the community. Periodic travel for conferences, events, and network building is expected.

Brooklyn Botanic Garden has retained Isaacson, Miller, an executive search firm, to assist with this recruitment. Inquiries, nominations, and applications, in the form of a CV and cover letter, should be sent in strict confidence to Sarah James, Jackie Mildner, and Jonathan Sanchez below.

 Brooklyn Botanic Garden is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer.