Executive Director

Feb 28

Dances For A Variable Population
New York, NY

Anticipated Start Date: July 1, 2025

Description

Founded in 2005 and incorporated as a nonprofit in 2009, Dances For A Variable Population has emerged as a major arts programmer and thought leader in the area of dance and healthy aging in New York City. Having experienced rapid development under the leadership of our founding Artistic Director, Naomi Goldberg Haas, we seek to hire our first Executive Director, a second organizational leader with the skills and capacities to drive continued growth for the organization.

Responsibilities

The Executive Director will work closely with the Artistic Director to provide vision and leadership for Dances for a Variable Population (DVP) in service of its mission. Reporting to the Board of Directors, the Executive Director is responsible for the overall strategic, financial, and cultural success of the organization and will oversee administrative and business operations in the following areas:

Organizational Leadership and Board Governance

Engage all stakeholders to realize DVP’s vision and implement its strategic and organizational plans, along with the short- and long-term goals that support DVP’s mission, vision, and values. Work closely with the Board to ensure progress on strategic and operational goals, fiscal health, and effective governance. Support board functions, including committee and board meetings, policy development, board member recruitment and orientation, and succession planning.

Fund Development

Serve as principal development strategist for DVP, working closely with DVP’s development team. Steward existing donor relationships, identify and cultivate new donor prospects, and solicit individual major donors in partnership with the Artistic Director, Board of Directors and our development team. Develop and maintain relationships with foundations, corporations, government funding agencies, and other philanthropic supporters. Identify and pursue new funding opportunities to support the organization’s programs. Encourage and provide support for Board involvement in development activities. Ensure organizational databases and records are properly maintained and oversee all necessary reporting. Oversee and develop earned revenues through contracted services, mission-based classes and partnerships.

Fiscal & Operational Management

Oversee the organization’s day-to-day operations, finances, fund development, and programs, including managing and supporting staff, responsibly allocating resources, and ensuring contractual obligations are developed and fulfilled. Build healthy working relationships with the staff and board members, and work to inspire and sustain staff morale, energy, and alignment while holding everyone accountable. Oversee financial and program operations, including managing staff and contractors, information technology systems and facilities. Ensure that the brand and institutional messaging related to events, programs, and performances accurately represent the high quality of the organization. Implement and manage policies and procedures to support and improve organizational effectiveness, programs, and processes.

Program Management and Audience Development

Working closely with the Artistic Director, oversee artistic programs and communications staff to ensure they grow, develop, market, implement, and monitor DVP’s annual and long-term artistic objectives. With the Artistic Director, develop new partnerships and maintain strong relationships with community partners and center directors, service providers and health organizations, and work closely to ensure the successful execution of dance performances, workshops, and educational programs. Monitor program outcomes and assess effectiveness, adjusting as needed. Oversee Programs and Events Manager to manage contracts with independent contractors, program partners, and teaching artists. Work with staff and board to broaden and diversify our student population and audiences by building collaborations with other organizations and businesses, and seek opportunities to expand our programming and geographical footprint. Embrace other program management and audience development responsibilities as needed.

Requirements

The key qualifications for this role are articulated as:

Strategic and Visionary Leader: A visionary, strategic, and experienced nonprofit leader with a proven ability to provide strong, stabilizing management and leadership with a belief in the power of the arts to transform lives and strengthen communities.
Cultural Competence: The ideal candidate will have an in-depth understanding of the experiences and challenges faced by older adults and historically marginalized racial groups in the U.S., particularly Black, Indigenous, and Latinx communities, with a comprehensive grasp of institutional and structural racism and its effects on underserved populations.
Fundraising Acumen: A proven track record of fundraising expertise, from donor database management, development planning, and grant writing through donor relationship building, major gift acquisition, and campaign management.
Planning, Organizing, and Flexibility: The capacity to build a consensus-built planning process that allows for flexibility and leads to well-organized implementation plans while building positive rapport and promoting a healthy, productive work environment.
Interpersonal and Communication Skills: The dexterity to effectively communicate verbally and in writing, build rapport through active listening, and develop relationships with a broad demographic. This includes exceptional written and spoken communication skills.
Experience and Knowledge: Have proven success in administrative leadership in the arts or similar creative industries with an emphasis on nonprofit administration combined with educational experiences that support that work.

Preferred qualifications for the role include: A passion for dance or a dance background with the ability to be visionary in the field of dance and healthy aging. A current and active network of connections in dance, health, and/or healthy aging, high-level donors, emerging donors, and foundations in NYC. A desire to live and work in NYC, especially with in-person engagement with staff, donors, and patrons.

Salary Range and Employee Benefits

$75,000 - 85,000

How to Apply for this Job

Interested and qualified candidates should submit the following items for consideration to execdir@dvpnyc.org as a combined pdf. Subject line should read Executive Director Application: