Description
The Lewis & Clark Trail Alliance (LCTA) seeks an energetic, relationship-oriented professional to serve as Trail Engagement Manager, a national position responsible for strengthening engagement, coordination, and participation across the 4,900-mile Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail and its 16-state corridor.
The Manager will serve as a principal field representative of LCTA, building relationships with LCTA Regions and Chapters, federal and state agencies, Tribal nations, local governments, museums, historic sites, tourism organizations, businesses, volunteers, and other organizations connected to the Lewis and Clark story. The position will support a geographically dispersed network as an active, connected, and collaborative Trail community through relationship management, field outreach, partnership development, heritage tourism, membership engagement, and program activation.
For over sixty years, the Lewis & Clark Trail Alliance has served as a national 501c3 organization supporting stewardship, interpretation, education, public engagement, and heritage tourism associated with the Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail. LCTA provides volunteer capacity, educational programming, publications, digital interpretation, heritage tourism development, and partnership coordination across the Trail corridor and works in partnership with the National Park Service and a broad network of federal, Tribal, state, local, nonprofit, educational, tourism, and community organizations.
Key Responsibilities:
The Trail Engagement Manager will expand our comprehensive, active network of relationships throughout the Trail corridor. This includes working with priority partners establishing regular communication, conducting relationship-building meetings, maintaining accurate partner information, documenting commitments, and ensuring follow-through. The objective is a proactive, systematic, and measurable approach to Trail engagement.
The Manager will serve as a critical link between LCTA’s national organization and its Regions and Chapters. Working with local leaders, the Manager will identify opportunities for programs, partnerships, volunteer activities, and participation in national initiatives while helping connect Chapters with agencies, tourism organizations, Tribal partners, museums, businesses, and community organizations.
A major responsibility will be partner activation. The Manager will identify and help develop opportunities for joint programs, heritage tourism initiatives, cooperative marketing, Trail events, stewardship projects, educational and interpretive programs, volunteer projects, digital storytelling, tourism itineraries, and collaborative grant opportunities.
The Manager will also support LCTA’s growth strategy by introducing new audiences to the organization and creating pathways to deeper participation. This includes activating membership recruitment and retention programs and connecting audiences with LCTA’s publications, programs, events, and digital resources.
The position will also support national and regional events and programs, identify program partners, recruit speakers and participants, and connect national initiatives with local communities.
Requirements
The ideal candidate will combine education or equivalent professional experience with strong relationship-building and communication skills and a demonstrated interest in public service, history, heritage, tourism, conservation, or community engagement. A bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience is preferred. Experience with nonprofit organizations, tourism, public history, parks, heritage, conservation, community development, public engagement, or partnership development is highly desirable.
Experience working with federal, Tribal, state, or local organizations is particularly valuable. Experience in heritage tourism, national historic trails, public lands, interpretation, volunteer management, community engagement, grant or sponsorship development, digital engagement, or stewardship is advantageous.
The successful candidate must be organized, self-directed, comfortable initiating relationships, able to work independently across a large geographic area, and willing to travel extensively. Proficiency with standard office, virtual meeting, database/CRM, and digital communication tools is expected. A valid driver’s license and ability to travel independently are required.
The successful candidate will be a natural connector, listener, relationship builder, and closer—someone who can understand local circumstances, build trust across diverse organizations, identify opportunities, and turn conversations into action. The individual should genuinely enjoy travel, meeting people, learning about communities, and working across federal, Tribal, state, local, nonprofit, tourism, and community environments.
Above all, the candidate should be mission-driven and results-oriented, understanding that the purpose of the position is greater public engagement with the Lewis and Clark story, the National Historic Trail, and the communities and places connected to it.
To apply for this position, please forward your resume and cover letter to director@lewisandclark.org. The recruitment will remain open until the qualified and best candidate is identified. The position will be open to begin in October 2026.
