Executive Director - Arts Together

Armstrong Mc Guire•Raleigh, NC

7d•Onsite

About The Position

Arts Together seeks a collaborative, emotionally intelligent, and community-centered leader to serve as its next Executive Director. The next leader will help steward a beloved organization known for its creativity and relational approach to arts education while strengthening long-term sustainability and organizational capacity. The ideal candidate will bring strong nonprofit leadership and operational experience, demonstrated fundraising and community engagement skills, and a deep appreciation for arts-integrated education. This leader will be called to both preserve what makes Arts Together special and help build the operational and financial foundation needed for its next chapter. Mission: To cultivate individual, creative strengths through the arts in a diverse, inclusive, collaborative, and nurturing community. Reporting Structure: The Executive Director reports to the Board of Directors and leads a collaborative staff team that includes program leadership, preschool administration, operations, teaching artists, and administrative support. Total Staff and Budget: Arts Together operates with 4 full-time staff members, more than 35 part-time instructors and teaching artists, seasonal counselors and support staff, and an annual operating budget currently under $1.1 million. Working Environment/Location: This is a full-time Raleigh-based leadership position requiring regular on-site presence and active engagement with staff, students, families, community partners, and programming. For more than 40 years, Arts Together has created transformative arts experiences for children, families, artists, and the broader community through arts-integrated preschool, dance, visual arts, camps, classes, performances, and community programming. Widely recognized for its creativity, warmth, and commitment to inclusion, Arts Together has become a beloved part of the Raleigh arts and education landscape. At its core, Arts Together believes everyone is an artist and that creativity, expression, and belonging are essential to learning and human development. Families, staff, and alumni consistently describe the organization as “magical,” deeply relational, and uniquely centered on seeing and supporting students. Arts Together is entering an important new chapter following a leadership transition. The next Executive Director will have the opportunity to strengthen the organization while honoring the culture, relationships, and mission that have made Arts Together so meaningful to generations of families and young people.

Requirements

Alignment with Arts Together’s mission, values, and educational philosophy
Emotionally intelligent and collaborative leadership style grounded in trust, transparency, and communication
Demonstrated leadership experience within nonprofit, arts, education, youth-serving, or community-based organizations
Strong fundraising, partnership development, and community engagement experience
Financial and operational management experience, including systems and organizational infrastructure
Appreciation for arts-integrated education, creativity, dance, and student-centered learning
Ability to lead thoughtfully through organizational change and growth
Excellent communication and storytelling skills
Commitment to inclusive, community-centered leadership
Bachelor’s degree or equivalent professional and lived experience

Responsibilities

Foster a transparent and trusting organizational culture grounded in empathy, open communication, shared leadership, and accountability across the organization
Lead with emotional intelligence, compassion, steadiness, and a listening-first approach that helps staff feel heard, valued, psychologically safe, and empowered to contribute their expertise and creativity
Build strong relationships with staff, families, students, alumni, artists, donors, board members, and community partners
Serve as a visible and authentic ambassador who represents Arts Together with warmth, integrity, and care
Lead and strengthen fundraising efforts through individual giving, grants, sponsorships, events, partnerships, and donor engagement
Expand community visibility, storytelling, and public awareness of the mission and impact
Cultivate authentic relationships with funders, civic leaders, arts organizations, educators, and community stakeholders across the Triangle region
Work with the Board to facilitate the organization’s fundraising plan
Serve as the organization’s chief advocate and spokesperson
Provide strong financial leadership, including budgeting, operational oversight, long-term planning, and responsible resource management
Strengthen organizational systems, infrastructure, staffing structures, and internal processes to support sustainability and effectiveness
Ensure operational practices align with organizational values while improving accountability, communication, and organizational clarity
Lead a multifaceted organization that includes preschool, arts education, camps, dance instruction and performances, and community programming
Partner with staff and the Board to assess organizational needs, strengthen capacity, and support long-term financial health
Champion Arts Together’s commitment to arts-integrated education, creativity, accessibility, and whole-child development
Honor and preserve the unique culture, spirit, and “magic” that define the Arts Together experience
Support and strengthen high-quality preschool, dance, arts education, camp, and community programming
Value and elevate the expertise of teaching artists, educators, and creative staff while fostering collaboration across programs
Partner with the Board and staff to shape a clear and sustainable vision for the organization’s next chapter
Balance thoughtful innovation and organizational growth with stewardship of the organization’s mission, culture, and legacy
Explore opportunities to strengthen community partnerships, accessibility, facilities planning, and program sustainability
Help position Arts Together to expand its impact while remaining deeply rooted in its values, history, and community relationships