Whim W’Him seeks a dynamic and experienced leader to serve as its next Executive Director. This is an opportunity to champion the mission of a leading Pacific Northwest contemporary dance organization. The ideal candidate has a background in arts leadership with a passion for dance. Must be a seasoned fundraiser and have marketing experience.

Status: Full-Time Exempt (40 hours/week, some nights and weekends required)
Reports to: Board of Directors
Supervises: Administrative Assistant, Front of House Manager, Contractors
Collaborates with: Artistic Director and Board of Directors
Salary range: $50,000-$60,000
Benefits: Eligible for healthcare reimbursement. Paid time off including 12 holidays, vacation and sick leave.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

LEADERSHIP

Partner with the Board and Artistic Director to advance the mission, vision, and values of Whim W’Him. Observe all policies and procedures set forth by and in partnership with the Board of Directors.
Develop and execute organizational strategies to create efficiency and increase awareness of processes and systems within the organization.
Provide information, assistance, and tools to the Board to govern and support the organization.
Work in partnership with the Board to enhance their leadership development and training, engage and energize all Board members, and leverage their talents and experiences to the short and long-term benefit of the organization.
Develop and execute short and long-term strategic plans, in partnership with the Board and Artistic Director.
Cultivate an atmosphere of shared leadership, collaborative decision making, and healthy working relationships between board, staff, volunteers, and stakeholders.
Provide leadership, supervision, and guidance for staff and volunteers.
Advise and support Board committees and Task Forces (Executive, Finance, Governance, Development, Equity and Inclusion, Advisory and others as needed).
Ensure that programs and activities reflect broad diversity, inclusion, and equity.
Lead with the values of transparency, communication, and collaboration across the organization.
Act with clarity, decisiveness, and diplomacy as established in the leadership principles of the organization.
Stay up to date on national, regional and local issues that impact the sector and organization.

RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT AND COMMUNITY RELATIONS

Secure contributed and earned revenue necessary to carry out the company’s mission.
Manage all fundraising activities. This includes annual fund campaigns, special events, sponsorships, grant-writing, donor cultivation and stewardship, and major gift solicitations in partnership with the board and the Artistic Director.
Oversee all administrative aspects of executing high-caliber productions and successful special events for Whim W’Him including, but not limited to, adhering to a budget, negotiating contracts, promoting sales, securing sponsorships, and arranging other logistical aspects to ensure financial sustainability and success.
Identify, cultivate and steward relationships, collaborations and partnerships with individuals and organizations.
Collaborate with Artistic Director to manage and execute the annual marketing and communications plan to promote the organization. Work closely with marketing contractors and volunteers to ensure the timely and effective delivery of all marketing assets and collateral.
Increase the organization’s visibility as a leader in the contemporary dance field by serving as an outstanding ambassador, effectively representing Whim W’Him with grace and agility in diverse social and artistic settings.
Deepen and refine all aspects of communications—from web presence to external relations with the goal of creating a stronger brand.
Nurture a climate that attracts, retains, and motivates a diverse, top quality staff, contractors and collaborators.

FINANCE AND OPERATIONS

Manage and supervise all financial aspects of the organization.
Oversee preparation of yearly 990, budgets and monthly financial reports.
Manage weekly cash flow projections.
Provide HR, mentoring, professional development and performance management to administrative staff.
Act as authorized signing official for all Whim W’Him business transactions. 
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.
Ensure that personnel policies comply with all relevant local, state, and federal requirements.
Manage IT in partnership with IT volunteers for day to day operations and box office operations during productions.
Other duties as necessary and/or as assigned.

QUALIFICATIONS

Passion for growing a mid-sized performing arts organization
Knowledgeable about Seattle’s arts ecosystem
Demonstrated success in fundraising including major gifts
Experience in nonprofit financial management
Excellent communicator and public speaker
Dynamic and able to lead and motivate others
Detail-oriented and resourceful
Professional,  transparent and clear with a sense of humor
Results-oriented
Team player able to resolve conflicts

EDUCATION/SKILLS REQUIRED

Minimum 5 years of experience in administration, fundraising, and leadership
Minimum of a Masters’ Degree or equivalent working experience
Experience in Human Resources
Demonstrated success working with Quickbooks, Little Green Light and Vendini (financial software, donor management databases and ticketing systems)
Proficient in Microsoft Office Suite applications including Word, PowerPoint, Outlook, and advanced Excel, WordPress, Mailchimp and social media platforms
Exceptional nonprofit accounting and financial reporting skills
Must be legally authorized to work in the United States
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
Ability to lift 50 lbs.
Comfortable in a fast-paced environment with frequent interruptions and short deadlines, and able to handle a high degree of pressure with grace and compassion

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 $620,000 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 we perform in January, June, and September at Cornish Playhouse at Seattle Center and The Erickson Theatre Off Broadway. 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 robust operational infrastructure and diverse networks of support. The organization needs to build a stronger brand and expand its outreach opportunities to further its name recognition in the region and nationally.

LEADERSHIP
Olivier Wevers, Artistic Director
Originally from Brussels, Belgium, Olivier is the founded Whim W’Him in 2009. In 2012 Olivier was honored with the City of Seattle’s Mayor’s Arts Award and in 2011 he received the Princess Grace Choreographic Fellowship. In both 2011 and 2010, Olivier’s work took home the grand prize award at the Annual Dance Under the Stars Choreography Festival in California and he has also been named by Dance Magazine as one of their 25 to watch.

Olivier has created and set works for numerous companies and festivals around the world, including Pacific Northwest Ballet, Canada’s Royal Winnipeg Ballet, Czech Republic’s Ballet of the National Theatre Brno, Grand Rapids Ballet, Northwest Dance Project, SFDanceworks, Ballet X, Spectrum Dance Theater, Seattle Dance Project, Cornish Dance Theater, Prix de Lausanne, PNB’s Laugh Out Loud Festival, White Bird’s 4×4 Ballet Project, and Against the Grain/Men in Dance. Olivier danced as a Principal Dancer at Royal Winnipeg Ballet before becoming a Principal with Pacific Northwest Ballet, where he danced in leading roles in the major full-length classical ballets, as well as in contemporary works by the world’s most noted choreographers.

Board of Directors
Whim W’Him is governed by a Board of Directors consisting of 12 business and community leaders, chaired by Ila Nazarco.

HISTORY
Whim W’Him was founded in 2009 by Olivier Wevers, former Pacific Northwest Ballet principal dancer and choreographer. In 2010 the company debuted in Seattle at On The Boards and in 2012 premiered its first full-length production. The inaugural Choreographic Shindig took place in 2015 which put the power of curation into the hands of our dancers. In 2016 we converted our 7 dancers to staff from contractors. In that same year, we started a salary growth plan for them. Today our dancers receive benefits and one of the most competitive contracts in the region for contemporary dance. 

TO APPLY
To apply, send an email to Board President, Ila Nazarco at jobs@whimwhim.org with your resume and a cover letter explaining your relevant experience and qualifications. Application is open until filled. Priority over applications received by August 1, 2019. Preferred start date is September 15 -October 1, 2019. Final candidates will be subject to a background check. No phone calls, please.

Whim W’Him is an equal opportunity employer. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, gender, national origin, age, religion, creed, disability, veteran’s status, or sexual orientation