Director of Campus Development, Landscape and Arboretum

Job Title: Director, Campus Development, Landscape and Arboretum

FLSA: Exempt (Executive)

Department: Leadership Team

Reports To: President

Start Date: November 1, 2026

ORGANIZATION BACKGROUND

Lakewood is one of the most distinguished and progressive cemeteries in the nation - a Minnesota landmark renowned for its history, art, and natural beauty. As a nonprofit serving families for over 150 years, Lakewood remains devoted to its mission of memorialization, while actively reimagining the role of a cemetery in modern life. Visit our website for more information: lakewoodcemetery.org.

THE OPPORTUNITY

The Director of Campus Development, Landscape & Arboretum will lead the physical, aesthetic and experiential evolution of Lakewood’s extraordinary 250-acre campus. This senior leadership role brings together long-range cemetery campus and landscape planning, architecture and design, horticulture and arboretum development, facilities and infrastructure planning, and capital project delivery - all in service of creating an exceptional place for remembrance, reflection, nature and community. We are seeking a leader who can collaborate on a bold, long-term vision for Lakewood while translating that vision into thoughtful, beautifully executed projects today.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

**Campus Vision, Landscape & Design**

* Lead the ongoing development and implementation of Lakewood’s long-range campus and landscape vision.
* Translate Lakewood’s mission and aspirations into an integrated approach to landscape, cemetery development, buildings, circulation, trails, infrastructure, ecology and visitor experience.
* Champion exceptional landscape architecture and design across the campus, establishing a coherent design philosophy for planting, materials, memorialization, wayfinding, lighting, furnishings and the relationship between buildings and landscape.
* Help leadership imagine possibilities that may not yet exist as defined projects, while ensuring today’s decisions strengthen the Lakewood envisioned decades from now.
* Lead or oversee the conceptual development of new cemetery sections, memorial landscapes, trails, gardens, gathering spaces and ecological areas.

**Arboretum, Horticulture & Living Landscape**

* Provide strategic leadership for Lakewood’s evolution as a memorial arboretum and exceptional horticultural landscape.
* Guide long-term strategies for tree canopy and succession, living collections, cemetery section development, gardens, greenhouse and propagation, native and adaptive planting, ecological restoration, biodiversity, soil and water stewardship, and interpretation.
* Balance horticultural ambition with long-term maintainability and responsible stewardship.
* Honor and capture the institutional knowledge of long-tenured staff while building Lakewood’s next generation of landscape leadership.

**Campus Development, Facilities & Capital Projects**

* Partner with the President and senior leaders to shape Lakewood’s long-range campus and capital development program.
* Translate strategic ideas into viable projects through feasibility, programming, budgeting, design, permitting, construction and completion.
* Oversee major projects involving buildings, adaptive reuse, cemetery development, roads and trails, utilities, water and drainage, infrastructure, landscape construction and visitor amenities.
* Establish disciplined project management practices and manage architects, engineers, landscape architects, contractors, and other professional partners.
* Provide executive leadership for Lakewood’s buildings, facilities and physical infrastructure, including preventive maintenance, asset replacement and long-range facilities planning.

**Partnerships, Community & Organizational Leadership**

* Build relationships with exceptional landscape architects, architects, horticulturists, artists, planners and other partners who can extend Lakewood’s thinking.
* Partner with Product & Service Development and Customer Experience teams on opportunities where landscape, grounds and the family/visitor experience and expanded care model intersect.
* Support storytelling with the community, donors and media as an expert and ambassador for Lakewood’s landscape, arboretum and physical campus.
* Partner with the Director of Operations to ensure new landscapes and facilities can be successfully operated and maintained and support exceptional burial, services, events and visitor experiences.
* Build and lead an internal team spanning capabilities such as landscape architecture, horticulture/arboretum management, cemetery care, facilities and capital project management.
* Engage the Board in Lakewood’s long-term vision for its grounds, arboretum and physical campus.
* Model collaboration, adaptability and a positive One Lakewood culture.

WHAT WE’RE LOOKING FOR

The strongest candidates will bring leadership experience from an arboretum, botanical garden, cemetery, university campus, cultural institution, public garden, municipality, park system, multidisciplinary design practice or similarly complex environment.

Your background may include landscape architecture, architecture, planning, horticulture, campus facilities oversight or a related field. Specific credentials are less important than demonstrated ability to lead the design, stewardship and evolution of a significant physical place in service of its mission.

Ideal candidates will bring:

* 10+ years of relevant leadership experience.
* Sophisticated design judgment and visual literacy.
* Genuine passion for landscape, horticulture and the experience of place.
* Understanding of horticulture, ecology, living systems and plant materials.
* Experience leading complex capital projects, facilities, and infrastructure planning.
* Strong financial, project, and organizational judgment.
* Ability to move fluidly between long-term vision and near-term decisions.
* Experience leading talented internal teams and sophisticated external design and professional partners.
* Deep appreciation for historic landscapes, stewardship, and institutional legacy.
* Curiosity, imagination, and willingness to explore unconventional possibilities.
* Excellent communication, collaboration, change management, and relationship-building skills.
* The ability to translate creative ideas for boards, donors, staff, designers, and contractors.

WORK SCHEDULE & COMPENSATION

This is a salaried leadership position, with regular office hours Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m.–4:30 p.m., and occasional evening or weekend commitments. Lakewood values reasonable work/life balance and trusts its leaders to maintain appropriate boundaries.

Salary: $120,000–$150,000

Benefits include 401(k) with employer match; employer-paid health, dental and life insurance for the employee, with optional dependent coverage; and paid time off.

Pay: $120,000.00 - $150,000.00 per year

Benefits:

* 401(k)
* 401(k) matching
* Dental insurance
* Employee assistance program
* Flexible spending account
* Health insurance
* Life insurance
* Paid time off
* Parental leave
* Professional development assistance
* Vision insurance

People with a criminal record are encouraged to apply

Work Location: In person