Children's Theatre Company
Executive Director
Children's Theatre Company, Saint Paul, Minnesota, United States, 55199
Purpose of Position: The Executive Director (ED) provides leadership in the administration, development, and fiscal management of One Voice Mixed Chorus, ensuring the organization thrives operationally and financially. The ED collaborates closely with staff, board members, committees, and external partners to execute strategies and foster a culture of stewardship that advances One Voice’s mission of “building community and creating social change by raising our voices in song”.
The Executive Director leads One Voice in partnership with the Artistic Director, where collaboration is at the center of the leadership paradigm, spanning strategy, finances, operations and all aspects of One Voice’s mission-driven work.
Time Commitment: Full-time salaried position. Variable hours, frequently including evenings and weekends.
Expected Outcomes
Leadership and Execution: Collaborative leadership that results in clear, actionable work plans, fostering strong alignment and execution across the board, staff, and committees to support One Voice’s goals and ensure organizational efficiency and community engagement.
Development and Fundraising: Increase and maximize revenue through individual donations, grants, and events while overseeing the Development Committee and subcontractors to achieve revenue goals.
Fiscal Responsibility: Serve as the financial leader by orchestrating work, information flow, insights and decision-making with the Treasurer, Bookkeeper, Grant Coordinator, and Finance Committee to manage budgets, cash flow, and financial forecasting effectively.
Financial Management: Provide the Board and other stakeholders timely, detailed and accurate management analysis regarding One Voice’s financials, anticipating the information needed, and framing discussions with adequate context and lead time for effective management intervention, when required.
Compliance: Coordinate contract management and legal obligations to ensure agreements protect One Voice’s interests, while ensuring contracts are reviewed by appropriate parties before execution and maintaining a clear separation of responsibilities, including oversight of payment processes, tax returns, access to financial accounts, and credit card use.
Impact: Attain or exceed mutually agreed-upon goals for fundraising, grants, and management oversight of revenue-generating programs while demonstrating strong command of job responsibilities to ensure the organization’s success.
Responsibilities
As a mission-critical position, the Executive Director interacts frequently with staff, the board of directors, committees, volunteers, and external stakeholders. Success in this role requires a balance of leadership, collaboration, and communication, as well as the ability to manage complex situations effectively. The ED must navigate relationships with care, utilizing soft skills such as active listening, empathy, conflict resolution, negotiation, and team-building to foster a culture of transparency, stewardship, and accountability. Lead Organizational Operations: Ensure all operational aspects of One Voice are executed efficiently to meet the organization’s goals. Manage day-to-day operations, coordinating staff, contractors, and volunteers.
Oversee internal communications, ensuring transparency across teams.
Develop and implement annual and multi-year work plans aligned with strategic priorities.
Ensure all organizational policies and procedures are up-to-date and in compliance with applicable regulations.
Act as the primary liaison between staff, board, and committees to ensure alignment in mission execution.
Supervise the staff, subcontractors and/or volunteers responsible for office and chorus administration, bookkeeping, grant writing, and other functions, as designated.
Drive Development and Fundraising: Lead efforts to grow One Voice’s financial resources to sustain and expand its programs. Develop and implement fundraising strategies to increase individual donor contributions, grants, and sponsorships.
Oversee the management of donor relationships, including engagement, cultivation, and stewardship.
Meet with potential donors, ask for money, and nurture the donor throughout all stages (reach, awareness, consideration, securing the donation, becoming an advocate to amplify One Voice’s reach).
Maximize the use of the Development Committee and support grant writing and event planning efforts.
Ensure timely and accurate donor and grant reporting, maintaining compliance with funder requirements.
Collaborate with the board to establish fundraising goals and regularly report progress.
Manage Financial and Organizational Health: Take a proactive approach to fiscal responsibility and sustainability. Develop and manage the annual budget in coordination with the Staff, Treasurer, Finance Committee, and Bookkeeper.
Monitor cash flow, financial forecasting, and scenario planning to ensure financial health.
Provide the board with timely financial reports and recommendations for action, with management analysis that reflects a sufficient command of the given situation or opportunity.
Ensure proper financial controls and processes are in place, including compliance with regulatory and audit requirements.
Oversee financial decision-making with regard to resource allocation and long-term sustainability.
Ensure Compliance: Maintain oversight of legal obligations and ensure the integrity of One Voice’s contracts and financials. Coordinate contract review and management with appropriate stakeholders, ensuring contracts are well-structured, legally sound, and are tracked and recorded in a manner that allows for institutional (rather than individual) ownership and administration.
Ensure that all contracts are reviewed by the Board Chair, appropriate Officer, appropriate Committee Chair, and/or legal counsel before execution.
Maintain proper separation of responsibilities for financial processes, ensuring that payment processes, tax returns, and access to financial accounts are appropriately handled.
Anticipate and address any potential legal risks, collaborating with external counsel as needed.
Ensure compliance with relevant local, state, and federal regulations.
Ultimate accountability for the accuracy and financial controls for One Voice staff, Subcontractor and/or Volunteer inputs and transactions regarding financial operations (including recording revenue through donations, restricted funds, and recurring gifts).
Lead Marketing, PR, and Advocacy Efforts: Support One Voice’s mission through effective communication and outreach. Oversee marketing and communication efforts to ensure alignment with One Voice’s mission and brand.
Manage the organization’s public relations strategy, ensuring consistent messaging across all platforms.
Collaborate with internal teams and external vendors to execute marketing campaigns, including social media, website, and email communications.
Develop and foster relationships with community partners and stakeholders to enhance One Voice’s visibility and impact.
Ensure marketing and communication efforts are measured and adjusted to optimize engagement and reach.
Required Experience and Knowledge
To succeed in this role, the Executive Director must demonstrate: Nonprofit Leadership: A minimum of 5 years of experience in nonprofit management, ideally within a small to mid-sized organization, demonstrating a history of leading teams and fostering collaboration across staff, board members, and volunteers. One Voice will give priority to candidates with performing arts nonprofit experience.
Fundraising Expertise: Proven success in increasing individual donor contributions and securing grants in organizations with over $100k (each) in annual individual donor and grant revenue, with a strong track record of managing and growing donor, sponsor, and grant relationships.
Financial Stewardship: Strong experience overseeing financial health, including budgeting, cash flow management, and forecasting, with the ability to make data-informed decisions and ensure fiscal responsibility. Previous experience coordinating with finance committees and managing organizational financial processes is vital.
Contract and Compliance Oversight: Demonstrated ability to manage contracts and legal agreements, ensuring compliance with organizational standards and legal requirements. Experience in creating checks and balances within legal and financial processes is key.
Strategic Execution: Ability to translate high-level organizational goals into actionable work plans, with an emphasis on execution and achieving measurable outcomes. Experience balancing long-term strategic initiatives with day-to-day operational demands is required.
Collaboration and Communication: Strong interpersonal skills with a proven ability to build relationships, resolve conflicts, and foster teamwork across diverse stakeholder groups. Must excel in clear, transparent communication with staff, board members, and external partners.
Growth Mindset: Demonstrated ability to embrace problem-solving and creative thinking, inspiring and leading others through change. The candidate should foster a culture of innovation, adaptability, and continuous improvement within the organization.
Required Skills
People Management: Experience managing direct reports, subcontractors and other professionals, including goal-setting, performance evaluations, progressive discipline, hiring, and employee relations.
Budgeting: Strong proficiency in creating, managing, and adjusting budgets in a dynamic, nonprofit environment.
Grant Writing: Expertise in (or hiring and managing subcontractors who have expertise in) drafting and submitting successful grant proposals, including reporting and compliance with grant requirements.
Donor Management Systems: Proficiency with donor databases and Customer Relationship Management (“CRM”) systems to track and manage donor engagement.
Financial Reporting: Ability to prepare clear, accurate, and timely financial reports for board and stakeholder review.
Contract Administration: Skilled in the administration of contracts, including tracking deadlines, renewals, and ensuring compliance with legal terms.
Regulatory Compliance: Familiarity with nonprofit compliance standards, including tax filings, audits, and reporting requirements.
Project Coordination: Ability to oversee multiple initiatives simultaneously, ensuring timely completion of tasks and objectives.
Technology Proficiency: Competency with office productivity software, cloud-based collaboration tools, and communication platforms.
Raising Money: Demonstrated ability to meet with potential donors, ask for money, and nurture the donor throughout all stages (awareness, consideration, active donor, advocacy).
Application Submission
The deadline for applications is
December 31, 2024 . All application materials must be submitted electronically via the following email:
joinus@onevoicemn.org . Please ensure all attachments are in PDF format. Applicants are asked to submit the following: Cover Letter: In no more than two pages, please detail: Your interest in the Executive Director position at One Voice Mixed Chorus.
Specific examples from your past experiences that demonstrate your ability to lead within a nonprofit organization, focusing on fundraising, financial stewardship, and contract management.
How your leadership style aligns with One Voice’s mission of “building community and creating social change by raising our voices in song.”
Resume: Please provide a detailed resume that includes: Your educational background and relevant professional experience.
A list of your most significant accomplishments in nonprofit management, fundraising, and financial leadership.
Any additional experience you have that would be relevant to this role (e.g., grant writing, marketing, strategic planning, etc.).
Writing Sample: Submit a 1-2 page writing sample showcasing your ability to communicate effectively with donors, such as a donor appeal letter or an example of messaging for a fundraising campaign. This should highlight your persuasive communication style and how you engage and inspire support for a cause.
Video Submission (Optional): We invite you to submit a 2-3 minute video of yourself making a donor appeal. This video should demonstrate your ability to speak passionately and clearly about a nonprofit organization’s mission and financial needs, showcasing how you would engage donors in support of One Voice Mixed Chorus.
References: Please provide the names and contact information of three professional references who can speak to your leadership, nonprofit experience, and fundraising skills. At least one reference should be from a current or former board member or donor.
Interview Process
Candidates who move forward in the selection process will be asked to participate in an interview. In addition to a standard interview format, in second interviews you may be asked to: Present a Case Study: We will provide a fictional fundraising scenario, and you will be asked to walk us through how you would approach it, from strategy development to donor engagement.
Facilitate a Mock Board Meeting Discussion: Demonstrate your ability to lead a discussion with a board of directors, focusing on financial reporting, strategic planning, or an operational challenge.
Finalists will also be invited to meet with select staff, board members, and community stakeholders to further assess organizational fit.
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Leadership and Execution: Collaborative leadership that results in clear, actionable work plans, fostering strong alignment and execution across the board, staff, and committees to support One Voice’s goals and ensure organizational efficiency and community engagement.
Development and Fundraising: Increase and maximize revenue through individual donations, grants, and events while overseeing the Development Committee and subcontractors to achieve revenue goals.
Fiscal Responsibility: Serve as the financial leader by orchestrating work, information flow, insights and decision-making with the Treasurer, Bookkeeper, Grant Coordinator, and Finance Committee to manage budgets, cash flow, and financial forecasting effectively.
Financial Management: Provide the Board and other stakeholders timely, detailed and accurate management analysis regarding One Voice’s financials, anticipating the information needed, and framing discussions with adequate context and lead time for effective management intervention, when required.
Compliance: Coordinate contract management and legal obligations to ensure agreements protect One Voice’s interests, while ensuring contracts are reviewed by appropriate parties before execution and maintaining a clear separation of responsibilities, including oversight of payment processes, tax returns, access to financial accounts, and credit card use.
Impact: Attain or exceed mutually agreed-upon goals for fundraising, grants, and management oversight of revenue-generating programs while demonstrating strong command of job responsibilities to ensure the organization’s success.
Responsibilities
As a mission-critical position, the Executive Director interacts frequently with staff, the board of directors, committees, volunteers, and external stakeholders. Success in this role requires a balance of leadership, collaboration, and communication, as well as the ability to manage complex situations effectively. The ED must navigate relationships with care, utilizing soft skills such as active listening, empathy, conflict resolution, negotiation, and team-building to foster a culture of transparency, stewardship, and accountability. Lead Organizational Operations: Ensure all operational aspects of One Voice are executed efficiently to meet the organization’s goals. Manage day-to-day operations, coordinating staff, contractors, and volunteers.
Oversee internal communications, ensuring transparency across teams.
Develop and implement annual and multi-year work plans aligned with strategic priorities.
Ensure all organizational policies and procedures are up-to-date and in compliance with applicable regulations.
Act as the primary liaison between staff, board, and committees to ensure alignment in mission execution.
Supervise the staff, subcontractors and/or volunteers responsible for office and chorus administration, bookkeeping, grant writing, and other functions, as designated.
Drive Development and Fundraising: Lead efforts to grow One Voice’s financial resources to sustain and expand its programs. Develop and implement fundraising strategies to increase individual donor contributions, grants, and sponsorships.
Oversee the management of donor relationships, including engagement, cultivation, and stewardship.
Meet with potential donors, ask for money, and nurture the donor throughout all stages (reach, awareness, consideration, securing the donation, becoming an advocate to amplify One Voice’s reach).
Maximize the use of the Development Committee and support grant writing and event planning efforts.
Ensure timely and accurate donor and grant reporting, maintaining compliance with funder requirements.
Collaborate with the board to establish fundraising goals and regularly report progress.
Manage Financial and Organizational Health: Take a proactive approach to fiscal responsibility and sustainability. Develop and manage the annual budget in coordination with the Staff, Treasurer, Finance Committee, and Bookkeeper.
Monitor cash flow, financial forecasting, and scenario planning to ensure financial health.
Provide the board with timely financial reports and recommendations for action, with management analysis that reflects a sufficient command of the given situation or opportunity.
Ensure proper financial controls and processes are in place, including compliance with regulatory and audit requirements.
Oversee financial decision-making with regard to resource allocation and long-term sustainability.
Ensure Compliance: Maintain oversight of legal obligations and ensure the integrity of One Voice’s contracts and financials. Coordinate contract review and management with appropriate stakeholders, ensuring contracts are well-structured, legally sound, and are tracked and recorded in a manner that allows for institutional (rather than individual) ownership and administration.
Ensure that all contracts are reviewed by the Board Chair, appropriate Officer, appropriate Committee Chair, and/or legal counsel before execution.
Maintain proper separation of responsibilities for financial processes, ensuring that payment processes, tax returns, and access to financial accounts are appropriately handled.
Anticipate and address any potential legal risks, collaborating with external counsel as needed.
Ensure compliance with relevant local, state, and federal regulations.
Ultimate accountability for the accuracy and financial controls for One Voice staff, Subcontractor and/or Volunteer inputs and transactions regarding financial operations (including recording revenue through donations, restricted funds, and recurring gifts).
Lead Marketing, PR, and Advocacy Efforts: Support One Voice’s mission through effective communication and outreach. Oversee marketing and communication efforts to ensure alignment with One Voice’s mission and brand.
Manage the organization’s public relations strategy, ensuring consistent messaging across all platforms.
Collaborate with internal teams and external vendors to execute marketing campaigns, including social media, website, and email communications.
Develop and foster relationships with community partners and stakeholders to enhance One Voice’s visibility and impact.
Ensure marketing and communication efforts are measured and adjusted to optimize engagement and reach.
Required Experience and Knowledge
To succeed in this role, the Executive Director must demonstrate: Nonprofit Leadership: A minimum of 5 years of experience in nonprofit management, ideally within a small to mid-sized organization, demonstrating a history of leading teams and fostering collaboration across staff, board members, and volunteers. One Voice will give priority to candidates with performing arts nonprofit experience.
Fundraising Expertise: Proven success in increasing individual donor contributions and securing grants in organizations with over $100k (each) in annual individual donor and grant revenue, with a strong track record of managing and growing donor, sponsor, and grant relationships.
Financial Stewardship: Strong experience overseeing financial health, including budgeting, cash flow management, and forecasting, with the ability to make data-informed decisions and ensure fiscal responsibility. Previous experience coordinating with finance committees and managing organizational financial processes is vital.
Contract and Compliance Oversight: Demonstrated ability to manage contracts and legal agreements, ensuring compliance with organizational standards and legal requirements. Experience in creating checks and balances within legal and financial processes is key.
Strategic Execution: Ability to translate high-level organizational goals into actionable work plans, with an emphasis on execution and achieving measurable outcomes. Experience balancing long-term strategic initiatives with day-to-day operational demands is required.
Collaboration and Communication: Strong interpersonal skills with a proven ability to build relationships, resolve conflicts, and foster teamwork across diverse stakeholder groups. Must excel in clear, transparent communication with staff, board members, and external partners.
Growth Mindset: Demonstrated ability to embrace problem-solving and creative thinking, inspiring and leading others through change. The candidate should foster a culture of innovation, adaptability, and continuous improvement within the organization.
Required Skills
People Management: Experience managing direct reports, subcontractors and other professionals, including goal-setting, performance evaluations, progressive discipline, hiring, and employee relations.
Budgeting: Strong proficiency in creating, managing, and adjusting budgets in a dynamic, nonprofit environment.
Grant Writing: Expertise in (or hiring and managing subcontractors who have expertise in) drafting and submitting successful grant proposals, including reporting and compliance with grant requirements.
Donor Management Systems: Proficiency with donor databases and Customer Relationship Management (“CRM”) systems to track and manage donor engagement.
Financial Reporting: Ability to prepare clear, accurate, and timely financial reports for board and stakeholder review.
Contract Administration: Skilled in the administration of contracts, including tracking deadlines, renewals, and ensuring compliance with legal terms.
Regulatory Compliance: Familiarity with nonprofit compliance standards, including tax filings, audits, and reporting requirements.
Project Coordination: Ability to oversee multiple initiatives simultaneously, ensuring timely completion of tasks and objectives.
Technology Proficiency: Competency with office productivity software, cloud-based collaboration tools, and communication platforms.
Raising Money: Demonstrated ability to meet with potential donors, ask for money, and nurture the donor throughout all stages (awareness, consideration, active donor, advocacy).
Application Submission
The deadline for applications is
December 31, 2024 . All application materials must be submitted electronically via the following email:
joinus@onevoicemn.org . Please ensure all attachments are in PDF format. Applicants are asked to submit the following: Cover Letter: In no more than two pages, please detail: Your interest in the Executive Director position at One Voice Mixed Chorus.
Specific examples from your past experiences that demonstrate your ability to lead within a nonprofit organization, focusing on fundraising, financial stewardship, and contract management.
How your leadership style aligns with One Voice’s mission of “building community and creating social change by raising our voices in song.”
Resume: Please provide a detailed resume that includes: Your educational background and relevant professional experience.
A list of your most significant accomplishments in nonprofit management, fundraising, and financial leadership.
Any additional experience you have that would be relevant to this role (e.g., grant writing, marketing, strategic planning, etc.).
Writing Sample: Submit a 1-2 page writing sample showcasing your ability to communicate effectively with donors, such as a donor appeal letter or an example of messaging for a fundraising campaign. This should highlight your persuasive communication style and how you engage and inspire support for a cause.
Video Submission (Optional): We invite you to submit a 2-3 minute video of yourself making a donor appeal. This video should demonstrate your ability to speak passionately and clearly about a nonprofit organization’s mission and financial needs, showcasing how you would engage donors in support of One Voice Mixed Chorus.
References: Please provide the names and contact information of three professional references who can speak to your leadership, nonprofit experience, and fundraising skills. At least one reference should be from a current or former board member or donor.
Interview Process
Candidates who move forward in the selection process will be asked to participate in an interview. In addition to a standard interview format, in second interviews you may be asked to: Present a Case Study: We will provide a fictional fundraising scenario, and you will be asked to walk us through how you would approach it, from strategy development to donor engagement.
Facilitate a Mock Board Meeting Discussion: Demonstrate your ability to lead a discussion with a board of directors, focusing on financial reporting, strategic planning, or an operational challenge.
Finalists will also be invited to meet with select staff, board members, and community stakeholders to further assess organizational fit.
#J-18808-Ljbffr