Land Acquisition Specialist

About Legacy Land Conservancy (Legacy):

Legacy Land Conservancy is an accredited land trust founded in 1971 to protect the forests, fields,

wetlands, and rivers of southern Michigan. Serving Washtenaw, Jackson, and Lenawee counties,

Legacy’s mission is to secure for current and future generations a land base for nature, agriculture,

fresh water, and recreation today and forever. More information: www.legacylandconservancy.org.

Legacy Land Conservancy is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

Legacy seeks to embrace these core values in all our actions: justice, equity, diversity, inclusion, trust,

relationships, integrity, perpetuity, responsibility, honor, collaboration, science, sustainability, and

history.

Legacy is a highly collaborative workplace where we foster an environment of trust, inclusivity, and

transparency. We strive for excellence, not perfection. We are passionate about protecting the

environment, and understand the critical role we play in mitigating the effects of the climate crisis.

While our work is serious, we strive to inject humor, laughter, and joy into our lives. We believe

employees are more than workers and that a workplace culture of flexibility, laughter, and meaningful

support enhances a healthy life-work balance.

Position Overview:

The Land Acquisition Specialist (LAS) will provide expertise and support on land acquisition projects

at Legacy. The LAS guides land acquisition projects from the inquiry stage through their transition to

perpetual stewardship. The LAS also completes baseline documentation reports and current

conditions reports in coordination with the Easement Stewardship Manager.

This person is responsible for completing land acquisition projects according to Land Trust Alliance

(LTA) Accreditation and Legacy policies and procedures. The LAS will work closely with landowners,

guiding them through the land acquisition process, negotiating transaction terms, assist in procuring

funding sources, and working through any issues raised by due diligence. The LAS will coordinate with

the Land Protection Director, and other staff to ensure every project is fully funded before closing,

including application for and management of private, federal, state, and local grants.

This person is an integral part of the Land Team, which includes the Acquisition, Easement

Stewardship, and Preserve Stewardship programs. Some Acquisition work overlaps with other

programs, so the LAS will work closely with other Land Team members and administrative staff to

achieve the goals of their position.

Reports to:

Land Protection Director, and works collaboratively with the Land Team

Hours:

This is a 40-hour per week, full-time exempt position. Legacy embraces a remote work culture and flexible schedule, to be determined with supervisor. This position requires some time at the office and travel throughout our service area of Jackson, Lenawee, and Washtenaw Counties. Evening and weekend work may be required to meet the goals of this position.

Compensation:

• Salary is $55,000. Legacy sets a nonnegotiable salary to ensure all employees are compensated equitably
• Employer-paid health, dental, vision, life insurance, short-term and long-term disability
• Employer contribution to an Annual Flexible Spending Account (FSA) of $500
• Up to 3% employer match to each employees’ 401k and/or Roth IRA
• Professional development opportunities
• 12 paid holidays
• Accrued, paid personal time off starting at 24 days the first year

Responsibilities:

• Respond to and manage land acquisition inquiries and guide projects that meet Legacy’s Land Protection Criteria through the inquiry stage.
• Facilitate due diligence for acquisition projects including title investigation, surveys, and environmental assessments.
• Organize and conduct site visits to assess and document project conservation values.
• Complete baseline documentation reports and current conditions reports for conservation easements.
• Support on resolutions of issues raised by due diligence as needed, in collaboration with Land Protection Director and relevant legal support.
• Draft conservation easements and work with landowner and attorneys to tailor conservation easement terms for landowner and funding source needs, in collaboration with the Land Protection Director.
• Compile and audit Land Protection Project files up to Land Trust Alliance Accreditation Standards.
• Ensure all projects are completed to Land Trust Alliance Accreditation Standards and Practices and follow Legacy policies and procedures.
• Discuss and negotiate land acquisition transactions with landowners, and their families and representatives.
• Orchestrate closings of conservation projects in collaboration with the Executive Director, Land Protection Director, and others.
• Collaborate with Land Protection Director and development staff on writing grants to fund Legacy’s land acquisition work including private, local, state, and federal grants.
• Implement landowner and community engagement efforts including development or maintenance of outreach materials, speaking at events, and ongoing communications to priority land owners with consultation of communications staff.
• Develop and enrich relationships with conservation partners.
• Represent Legacy at local, statewide, and national meetings and conventions.
• Manage project data in multiple databases and filing systems.
• Other tasks as agreed upon by Land Team and/or Land Protection Director

Required Qualifications:

• At least 3-5 years of experience in land acquisition, conservation, or natural resources work
• Experience gathering data, compiling, and writing a property report identifying conservation values
• Strong written, verbal, and interpersonal communication skills
• Ability to manage multiple projects with different deadlines
• Experience with ArcGIS
• Works well with a highly collaborative team and independently
• Willingness to progress Legacy’s Justice, Equity, Diversity, Accessibility and Inclusion Commitment

Desired Qualifications:

• Experience resolving basic title issues
• Experience using Landscape and/or Salesforce databases
• Familiarity with Land Trust Alliance Standards and Practices
• Experience writing private, federal, state, and local grants
• Familiarity with natural community designations and identification
• Live in, or have experience or knowledge of Jackson, Lenawee, or Washtenaw Counties
• Have an understanding or background in land conservation, environmental work, and/or nonprofits

Other Requirements:

• Valid Michigan driver’s license and reliable transportation
• Background check

Milestones:

First month:

• Review all Legacy policies and the Employee Handbook
• Meet with colleagues to learn about their roles at Legacy
• Become familiar with the Land Acquisition Procedures
• Shadow Land Team on various meetings and site visits
• Watch Land Trust Alliance webinars and Landscape tutorials

Within three months:

• Take responsibility for one land acquisition project and progress it following Land Acquisition Procedures
• Collaborate with Land Protection Director on title clean up and contractor management for current acquisition projects
• Work with Acquisition and Development teams to seek funding for acquisition projects
• Complete a Baseline Documentation Report
• Complete paper and digital files for a closed acquisition project

Within six months:

• Be comfortable meeting with landowners to discuss working with Legacy to conserve their land
• Draft a conservation easement using Legacy’s templates
• Present a project for initial approval to the Land Protection Acquisition Committee
• Lead due diligence and title clean-up for an acquisition project
• Organize a closing of a conservation project

How to Apply:

Interested candidates should send their cover letter and resume to bizmgr@legacylandconservancy.org with the job title (“Land Acquisition Specialist”) in the email subject. Qualified candidates will be emailed for an initial interview. Applications may be submitted until March 18, 2026 11:59 pm, with an anticipated start date of May 18, 2026.

Legacy recognizes that opportunities in the conservation and environmental fields have historically excluded and continue to disproportionately exclude Black and Indigenous people, people of color, people from working class backgrounds, people with disabilities, and LGBTQ+ people. We strongly encourage individuals with these identities to apply.

Legacy is committed to fostering a culture of diversity, equity and inclusion. We embrace people from all backgrounds, experiences, and viewpoints, because we value the collective sum of our individual differences, unique capabilities, and talents. We encourage and support our employees’ differences in age, race, color, ability, ethnicity, family or marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, language, national origin, political affiliation, socioeconomic status, veteran status and any other characteristics that make our employees unique.

Employer-paid health, dental, vision, life insurance, short-term and long-term disability

Employer contribution to an Annual Flexible Spending Account (FSA) of $500

Up to 3% employer match to each employees’ 401k and/or Roth IRA

Professional development opportunities

12 paid holidays

Accrued, paid personal time off starting at 24 days the first year