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The Forge Nashville

Executive Director

The Forge Nashville

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Job Summary

Background: The Forge, an established charitable 501(c) (3) organization in Nashville, is recruiting an Executive Director to expand its services to the local community. This position will be located at The Forge’s headquarters in Nashville. The Executive Director will report to the Board of Directors.

The Forge serves our local community with a 24,000 sq ft state-of-the-art maker space, a gallery for emerging artists, education and training, opportunities for underserved youth, programs to help entrepreneurs create small businesses, and a gathering place for creatives from all walks of life. We seek to significantly improve our facilities and expand our services to become one of the leading maker-arts organizations in the country.

Characteristics: The foundational characteristic we seek in this person is a leader who embodies a strong culture of long-term commitment to the community through artistic and technical activities. This leader will combine commitment with strong ethics, community insight, and environmental responsibility. We seek a person who can be a strategic leader and a hands-on, collaborative contributor to the success of this organization. This person must have the enthusiasm and confidence to be involved with people at all levels inside and outside The Forge. This person will be motivated by the idea that The Forge can be an increasingly important part of the Nashville community and can grow the organization’s impact on the community.

Summary: We seek a leader who is highly motivated to grow The Forge’s impact on the Nashville community with a strong financial base.

Job Responsibilities

The Executive Director will be primarily responsible for strategically and tactically leading a successful organization to the next level. This will include:

  • Expand existing fund-raising efforts
  • Develop budgets and oversee financial management activities
  • Define and develop new initiatives to increase the impact of The Forge in the community and build a broader base of donors
  • Implement plans and projects consistent with the strategic direction of the organization
  • Serve as a spokesperson for makers and artists as a vital part of our community
  • Provide leadership and direction to both the employees and volunteers
  • Ensure regular communications with the Board about the financial and operating status and plans of the organization
  • Be responsible that the organization conducts its activities in a highly ethical and fiscally responsible manner
  • Interest in teaching one or more classes annually for The Forge educational programs

Qualifications

  • Bachelor’s degree or higher, preferably in finance, marketing, or arts/allied fields
  • Proven fundraising and donor management experience
  • Fiscal management skills including budget preparation, decision-making, and financial reporting
  • Experience at a nonprofit organization working with an Executive Director and Board
  • Understanding of how makers and artists contribute to a vibrant community
  • Enjoys the challenge of fundraising and has a track record of being a part of successful fundraising initiatives.
  • Ability to create and maintain an active profile in the community
  • Excellent communication skills to promote the organization’s mission and programs to donors, staff, volunteers, and other constituents
  • Provide direction to create and fulfill a comprehensive marketing plan including print and digital advertising, social media postings, and web content
  • Leadership skills to promote a collaborative, enthusiastic culture within the organization
  • Commitment to serving underprivileged communities
  • Proficiency with bookkeeping and donor software

Equal Opportunity Statement: The Forge is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We are proud to be a diverse and inclusive space. Our policies are clear: There shall be no discrimination on the basis of gender, age, disability, sex, race, ethnicity, national origin, religion or belief, gender reassignment, marriage/civil partnership, pregnancy/maternity, or sexual orientation.

Additional Information

Benefits

Not offered at this time.

How to Apply

To apply for this position, submit in one PDF document with your name as the document name: a letter or statement of interest, a current résumé, and a list of at least three (3) personal and/or professional references with contact information.

Send the applicant package to DirectorSearch@theforgenashville.org

Details

  • Date Posted: January 31, 2024
  • Type: Full-Time
  • Job Function: Accounting / Financial Management
  • Service Area: Arts / Culture
  • Start Date: 07/01/2024
  • Salary Range: $70,000-$80,000
  • Working Hours: 40 hours per week - flexible