Executive Director

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Location: St. Paul, Minnesota | In-Person / Arena-Based

Reports To: Board of Directors

Direct Reports/Key Partners: Operating Director, Artistic Director, Professional Program Director, Director of Advancement, School Administrator and other designated leadership positions

Position Type: Full-Time, Exempt

POSITION OVERVIEW

The Executive Director serves as the chief executive of Circus Juventas, reporting to the Board of Directors, and is responsible for advancing the organization’s mission while ensuring its long-term financial strength, organizational effectiveness, community impact, and sustainability.

The Executive Director, in partnership with the Artistic Director, Operations Director, and senior leadership team, executes organizational strategy and ensures Circus Juventas has the financial resources, people, infrastructure, and external relationships necessary to achieve its artistic, educational, and community goals.

It is the Executive Director’s responsibility to provide timely, transparent, and data-informed reports to the Board of Directors regarding organizational performance, financial health, fundraising, enrollment, people, facilities, risk, and strategic priorities. The Executive Director identifies matters requiring Board awareness, guidance, or approval and ensure they are elevated appropriately. The Executive Director attends Board of Director meetings, Executive Committee meetings, and other Board committees as needed.

The Executive Director balances mission and vision with strong organizational leadership. This position provides executive oversight of financial performance, fundraising, organizational operations, people strategy, risk management, facilities, community engagement, and long-term growth.

The Executive Director serves as a visible ambassador for Circus Juventas and builds strong relationships with students and families, employees, donors, corporate and community partners, government entities, and the broader Twin Cities arts and philanthropic communities.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

Strategic & Organizational Leadership

• Partner with the Board of Directors and senior leadership to establish and execute Circus Juventas’ long-term strategic direction.
• Translate the organization’s mission and vision into annual priorities, measurable objectives, financial plans, and organizational goals.
• Monitor departmental spending against approved budgets and proactively identify variances.
• Support preparation of financial information and operational reporting for the Board.
• Assess organizational opportunities, challenges, and risks and recommend strategies that support sustainable growth.
• Ensure artistic ambitions, program growth, financial resources, staffing, facilities, and organizational capacity remain appropriately aligned.
• Create clarity and accountability across the senior leadership team.
• Lead significant organizational change and growth initiatives.

Financial Leadership & Sustainability

• Maintain executive accountability for the overall financial health of Circus Juventas.
• Lead the development of annual operating and capital budgets in partnership with the Operating Director, finance resources, leadership team, and Board.
• Monitor financial performance, forecasts, cash flow, revenue, expenses, and organizational risks.
• Identify opportunities to diversify revenue, improve operating performance, optimize resources, and strengthen long-term financial sustainability.
• Ensure appropriate financial controls, reporting practices, and accountability systems are maintained.
• Oversee major contracts, investments, insurance strategies, capital expenditures, and other significant financial commitments.
• Manage the organization’s day-to-day financial administration and ensure accurate and timely financial processes.
• Oversee or coordinate payroll, accounts payable/receivable, purchasing, expense management, financial documentation, and grant tracking as assigned.
• Coordinate with external accountants, auditors, payroll providers, insurance brokers, and other professional partners as appropriate.

Fundraising & Advancement

• Provide executive leadership for Circus Juventas’ comprehensive fundraising and development strategy.
• Partner closely with the Director of Advancement and Board to establish and achieve annual and long-term fundraising objectives.
• Cultivate, solicit, and steward major donors, foundations, corporate partners, sponsors, and community benefactors.
• Play a highly visible role in major-gift development and relationship building.
• Engage and equip Board members and organizational leaders to participate effectively in fundraising.
• Provide executive oversight of major fundraising initiatives and signature events, including the Big Top Ball.
• Identify new opportunities for philanthropic, corporate, foundation, and public-sector support.

Artistic & Programmatic Partnership

• Develop a strong, trusting partnership with the Artistic Director that recognizes and respects distinct executive and artistic leadership responsibilities.
• Support the artistic vision by ensuring appropriate financial, operational, staffing, development, and facility resources are available.
• Partner with artistic and program leadership to evaluate program growth, enrollment, capacity, participant experience, productions, and new opportunities.
• Oversee and balance artistic excellence and mission impact with financial and organizational sustainability.
• Resolve competing organizational priorities while protecting the integrity of Circus Juventas’ mission.
• Oversee and regularly review program operational policies, procedures, employee handbooks, family/student handbooks, and administrative practices.

Executive & People Leadership

• Lead, develop, and hold accountable the organization’s senior leadership team.
• Establish clear organizational priorities, expectations, and performance standards.
• Ensure Circus Juventas attracts, develops, engages, and retains the talent necessary to achieve its mission.
• Provide executive oversight of organizational design, workforce planning, compensation philosophy, succession planning, and leadership development.
• Champion an inclusive environment that supports equity, belonging, and opportunity throughout the organization.
• Facilitate communication and coordination across departments clarify responsibilities, decision-making authority, handoffs, and accountability between functions.
• Escalate significant financial, operational, people, safety, or reputational risks to the Board when necessary.
• Build a culture that supports employee relations and coach managers in addressing workplace concerns appropriately.
• Coordinate employee training, leadership development, compliance education, and other organizational development initiatives.

Risk, Safety & Organizational Stewardship

• Maintain executive accountability for organizational risk management and compliance.
• Ensure appropriate systems exist to protect students, employees, volunteers, audiences, organizational assets, and facilities.
• Oversee operational, artistic, facilities, and program leadership to maintain rigorous safety practices appropriate for circus arts, aerial activities, youth programming, performances, and public events.
• Ensuring organizational policies and practices comply with applicable legal, regulatory, insurance, and governance requirements.
• Coordinate organizational insurance administration, contracts, licenses, permits, and required documentation.
• Maintain appropriate crisis-management, emergency-response, security procedures, and business-continuity practices.
• Ensure operational processes appropriately support youth protection, employee safety, and organizational security.

External Relations & Community Leadership

• Serve as a primary public spokesperson and ambassador for Circus Juventas.
• Build partnerships with donors, community leaders, government officials, corporate partners, arts organizations, schools, foundations, and other stakeholders.
• Increase Circus Juventas’ visibility and influence throughout the Twin Cities and broader arts and youth-development communities.
• Represent Circus Juventas at public events, donor meetings, industry gatherings, media opportunities, and community forums.
• Ensure administrative processes create a professional, welcoming, and responsive experience for Circus Juventas students and families.
• Partner with program leadership to continuously improve registration, enrollment, communication, scheduling, billing, and other participant-facing processes.

QUALIFICATIONS

Required

• Bachelor’s degree in business, nonprofit management, arts administration, organizational leadership, or related field, or equivalent combination of education and executive experience.
• 5+ years of progressive executive leadership experience within a nonprofit, performing arts, youth development, recreation, entertainment, education, sports, or similarly complex organization.
• Demonstrated responsibility for organizational or significant business-unit performance.
• Strong nonprofit financial management, budgeting, forecasting, and governance experience.
• Demonstrated successful fundraising and donor-relations experience.
• Experience successfully partnering with a Board of Directors.
• Demonstrated ability to lead senior professionals and multidisciplinary teams.
• Exceptional communication, relationship-building, presentation, and public-speaking skills.
• Demonstrated ability to navigate organizational growth and change.

Preferred

• Experience partnering with an Artistic Director, Creative Director, or similarly positioned creative/programmatic leader.
• Experience securing or supporting five- and six-figure philanthropic gifts.
• Experience overseeing organizations with specialized facilities or significant physical assets.
• Knowledge of the Twin Cities philanthropic, corporate, nonprofit, and arts communities.