EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR POSITION

Whim W’Him seeks a dynamic and experienced Executive Director to lead our innovative dance organization. The Executive Director will work in partnership with the Artistic Director and staff to realize Whim W’Him’s mission, vision, and values. Whim W’Him is at an important and exciting stage of growth and expansion. In addition to ensuring the long-term financial sustainability of the organization, the Executive Director will be responsible for managing and overseeing the administration, program execution, and strategic planning. The position reports directly to the Board of Directors.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

Leadership and Management

• Work to support and promote the Artistic Director’s artistic vision and goals for the organization in close collaboration with the Director of Education.
• Lead with the values of transparency, communication, and collaboration across the organization.
• Provide creative leadership around strategic direction to ensure the organization’s growth and sustainability.
• Oversee day-to-day operations and ensure organizational efficiency and effectiveness.
• Is dynamic, able to lead and motivate others, and fosters a positive, collaborative, and inclusive organizational culture.
• Provide support and coverage for fellow staff roles and organizational priorities as needed.
• Stay up to date on national, regional and local issues that impact this sector and organization.

Financial Development and Fundraising

• Develop and implement a comprehensive fundraising strategy in support of the vision of the Artistic Director. This includes securing financial support from individuals, foundations, corporations, and government agencies.
• Cultivate and maintain relationships with donors, sponsors, and key stakeholders.
• Identify and pursue new funding opportunities, including grants and partnerships.
• Oversee the planning and execution of fundraising events and campaigns.

Financial Management

• Prepare and manage the annual budget in collaboration with the Artistic Director, Director of Education, and Board of Directors.
• Ensure financial stability and sustainability through prudent financial management and oversight.
• Ensure customer payments are collected in a timely manner and determine when to take action with past due accounts.
• Pay bills, process payroll, and deliver deposits to the bank in partnership with Bookkeeper.
• Oversee preparation of yearly 990, budgets, and monthly financial reports.
• Oversee and manage the donor database.
• Provide timely financial reports to the Board of Directors.
• Act as authorized signing official for all Whim W’Him business transactions.

Organizational Program Development and Management

• Oversee the development and implementation of programs and initiatives that align with the company’s mission and strategic plan and reflect broad diversity, inclusion, and equity.
• Evaluate and enhance the effectiveness of existing programs and services.
• Ensure that onboarding, recruitment, retention, management, development, and compliance of administrative staff, partners, and vendors are carried out with excellence.
• Create clear staff roles (job descriptions), and supervise collaborative tasks (projects/meetings) to ensure that they are done efficiently, inclusively, with respect, and comply with all relevant local, state, and federal requirements.
• Negotiate contracts, promote sales, secure sponsorships.

Marketing and Communications

• Develop and implement a comprehensive marketing and communications strategy, in coordination with the rest of the executive staff, to increase the company’s visibility and reach. This includes the creation and distribution of promotional materials, press releases, newsletters, and social media content.
• Increase the organization’s visibility as a leader in the contemporary dance field by serving as an spokesperson, effectively representing Whim W’Him with grace and agility in diverse social and artistic settings.

Board Administration and Support

• Engage the members of the Board of Directors to maximize their participation in the organization and their contribution towards its success and growth.
• Is accountable to the Board and provides timely, transparent, and accurate information to the Board to facilitate informed decision-making.
• Engage Board members to maximize their participation in the organization and their contribution toward its success and growth.
• Assist in the recruitment, orientation, and development of Board members.

Community Engagement

• Build and maintain strong relationships with community leaders, organizations, and partners.
• Develop and implement community engagement and outreach programs in alignment with the Artistic Director’s vision.
• Represent the company at performances, public events, conferences, and meetings to enhance its profile and reputation.
• Promote and advocate for the importance of dance and the arts in the community.

DESIRED QUALITIES

• Resourceful
• Attention to detail
• Results-oriented
• Professional
• Transparent
• Accountable
• Timely
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Excellent leadership, organizational, and interpersonal skills.
• Good-hearted

QUALIFICATIONS

• Bachelor’s degree required; advanced degree preferred.
• Minimum of 5 years of experience in nonprofit management, preferably within the performing arts sector.
• Proven track record of successful financial development and fundraising.
• Strong financial acumen and experience in budgeting and financial management.
• Strong executive, financial, and management skills.
• Strong understanding of audience development approaches.
• Demonstrated ability to work collaboratively with diverse stakeholders.
• Passion for dance and the arts, with a commitment to the mission, vision, and values of Whim W’Him Seattle Contemporary Dance.
• Experience with financial software, donor management databases and ticketing systems. We use Quickbooks, Little Green Light, Auctriam, AudienceView
• Proficient in Google Workspace and Suite, WordPress, and Mailchimp
• Must be eligible to work in the United States.

LOGISTICAL CONSIDERATIONS

• Willingness and ability to work nights and weekends as needed based on programming and events scheduling.
• Have a valid driver’s license and be willing to drive to run errands.
• Have the ability to help with load-in and load-out before/after events and performances.
• Is comfortable in a fast-paced environment with frequent interruptions and short deadlines.
• Able to handle a high degree of pressure with grace and compassion.
• This position is located at the Whim W’Him Contemporary Dance Center in Seattle.                       

COMPENSATION

• Salary is 50K-90K depending on experience.

APPLICATION PROCESS

Interested candidates should submit a resume, cover letter, and a list of references to kathleen@whimwhim.org. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis until the position is filled.

Whim W’Him Seattle Contemporary Dance is an equal opportunity employer and encourages candidates of all backgrounds to apply. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees.

ABOUT THE ORGANIZATION

Whim W’Him is a Seattle-based nonprofit performing arts organization whose mission is to provide a platform, centered on choreography and dance, for artists to explore their craft through innovation and collaboration. The organization operates with a $1.3M operating budget and a staff of 10. Volunteers are engaged at every level of the organization.

The company is committed to high-caliber relevant art that engages and challenges audiences. Each season Whim W’Him performs in September, January, and May at Cornish Playhouse at Seattle Center, The Erickson Theatre Off Broadway, and Vashon Center for the Arts. We serve 10,000 individuals annually with our mainstage programs and outreach efforts. Whim W’Him needs to increase all earned and contributed revenue streams, and continue to develop a robust operational infrastructure and extensive networks of support. The organization needs to develop a stronger brand and reputation, expand its outreach opportunities, and further its name recognition Nationally and Internationally.

LEADERSHIP

Olivier Wevers, Artistic Director & Founder

From ballet training in his native Belgium, Olivier learned the beauty, passion and discipline of the art. On coming to North America at age 19, he discovered the exhilaration of many new dance forms. As a principal dancer, first with Royal Winnipeg Ballet and later, for most of his dancing career, with Pacific Northwest Ballet, he acquired his strong conviction that dancers are the heart and soul of a company. As such they, and artists in general, must live at the very center of the process, their dignity, psychological and creative growth and safety deemed just as essential as their technical accomplishments.

During his years of performing in classical and contemporary works by choreographers from around the world, Olivier also discovered the thrill of making dances and how imaginative story-telling and movement exploration connect to caring about individuality and physicality. Creating dances fed his perennial curiosity. It became “my way to express myself and, during the process, to be able to learn more about the human condition, start dialogues, touch people and share ideas, reflecting on our times and our humanity.”

While still dancing with PNB and developing his own choreographic approach, Olivier became convinced that only by starting his own company could he create the works he envisioned in an artist-centered sanctuary where kindness, empathy, and collaboration are built into the very DNA. The result is Whim W’Him, with its yearly Choreographic Shindig for which the dancers choose the choreographers; emphasis on new works; transparent and candid leadership; ethical practices and equitable pay; commitment to diversity and social justice; and dedication to uncovering and nurturing new voices.