Executive Director

• Location: Texas based, in person + remote hybrid
• Salary commensurate with experience
• Apply by May 20, 2026

Overview

The xTexas Trail Association seeks a talented, visionary, executive director with excellent communications skills to shepherd a young cross-state hiking, biking, and horseback riding adventure trail nonprofit to its next level of success.

Our vision is an Appalachian trail type adventure route across the state. A citizen driven project, in its current incarnation the xTx route utilizes rural public roads (paved, gravel, dirt, singletrack), and traverses near or through portions of 17 state parks, Sam Houston National Forest, Big Bend and Guadalupe National Parks.

The current route (mapped on Ride with GPS and coming to FarOut by early May) begins on the Louisiana border at the south end of Toledo Bend and weaves its way through the heart of rural Texas until finishing in El Paso.

The organization was launched in August of 2024 under the fiscal receivership of BikeTexas, and became its own 501(c)(3) in fall of 2025. The right candidate to steward this once in a generation project, will have the skills and network for both the macro long-term vision and micro day-to-day operations.

The Ideal Candidate is. . .

As a young dynamic organization we need a skilled fundraiser who excels at building and maintaining personal relationships with donors, institutional grant writing, and collaborating with the board, staff, and stakeholders to create other sustainable and community building revenue streams to accomplish the project’s vision.

The right candidate understands the needs of a trail organization in a state where 95% of the land is privately owned and trail safety is the highest priority. They understand the trail needs of those traveling by foot, bicycle, and horse, as well as state transportation and agro-tourism laws.

The ability to build strong, collaborative relationships with the trail towns, civic organizations, and like-minded philanthropy along the trail is key to this position, along with maintaining a professional work environment within the organization.

The lay of the land right now…

The xTx has a strong brand presence for such a young organization and a following eager to participate in the development of the trail. Our founder and board chair is a former Texas state legislator. He also founded BikeTexas in the 1990s, worked in biking and walking advocacy on the national level, and is a passionate thru-hiker and bikepacker.

We currently have 2k+ email newsletter subscribers, 4k+ IG followers, 600+ FB followers, 40+ media placements including NPR’s All Things Considered, Texas Monthly, Texas Parks and Wildlife and Texas Public Radio and our website receives an average of 2k+ visits a month. All of this is managed by our Chief Storytelling Officer. Further we have a database of over 150 people with an impressive array of skills eager to volunteer their talents to the cause.

Qualifications Details

• Bachelor's degree required.
• 6-10 years of experience in trails or a related sector.
• A resident of Texas.
• Strong skills in fundraising, financial oversight, and strategic planning.
• Excellent communication, stakeholder engagement, and team-building abilities.
• Knowledge of statewide issues relevant to the organization's mission.
• Strong Texas based professional network.
• Can travel to Austin and along the trail as needed to meet with the Executive Board members, stakeholders, and communities.

Must be fluent in spoken and written English.

Spanish speaking a plus.