Executive Director – Dances for a Variable Population

OPPORTUNITY

Founded in 2005 and incorporated as a nonprofit in 2009, Dances For A Variable Population has emerged as a major arts programmer and thought leader in the area of dance and healthy aging in New York City. Having experienced rapid development under the leadership of our founding Artistic Director, Naomi Goldberg Haas, we seek to hire our first Executive Director, a second organizational leader with the skills and capacities to drive continued growth for the organization.

BACKGROUND

Dances For A Variable Population is a dance company and educational organization with a mission to promote strong and creative movement among older adults of all abilities, enabling them to build creativity, improve their mental and physical health, strengthen social connections and enhance quality of life. Our artistic vision is to bring participatory dance experiences and performances to older adults throughout NYC, and to train teaching artists to expand our impact across NY and beyond. DVP’s free workshops and public performances promote a democratic, interactive, and inclusive vision of dance that highlights the power and beauty of older bodies.

DVP brings vital dance programming to thousands of diverse New Yorkers each year through:

• Free site-related professional dance performances in city parks and transportation hubs. Highlights include the annual multi-borough “Revival” series begun in 2017; “Phoenix Project” in New York Botanic Garden in 2016; “Roundup” in Times Square in 2012; “Autumn Crossing,” the first commissioned dance on the High Line in 2010; “LES Citizens Parade,” staged at Seward Park for the 2018 River to River Festival; and other recent performances in Washington Square Park, on Governors Island, and in the Whitehall Ferry Terminal. Partners have included the LMCC, the NYC Parks Dept, and the Times Square Alliance. Most recently, Revival 8: Then and Now (2024) embodied 20th Century dance forms, showcasing works of modern, Hip Hop, Flamenco, and Afro-Caribbean dance created by legendary dance artists in their 60s, 70s and 80s who performed with major 20th century dance companies.
• Free, community-based dance programs – Movement Speaks® and Dances for Seniors – for low-income, minority, and culturally underserved older adults, held at over 40 senior centers serving over 5,000 seniors. We launched Movement Speaks® in 2010 with 10-week sequential dance programs at two NYC older adult centers. That program expanded to serve over 20 sites by 2019 and currently offers 37 remote and in-person programs serving over 800 participants annually. We have built long-term partnerships with older adult centers citywide.
• Opportunities for older professional dancers to engage as choreographers, performers, and teachers, inspiring communities of dancers and extending dancers’ careers.

DVP’s operating budget for 2025 is just over $700,000, 96% of which comes from contributions and grants and the remaining 4% from program service revenue. DVP has a 9-member board of directors and an administrative staff of 3 full-time and 2 part-time employees, and a roster of 20+ teaching artists.

POSITION AND RESPONSIBILITIES 

The Executive Director will work closely with the Artistic Director to provide vision and leadership for Dances for a Variable Population (DVP) in service of its mission. Reporting to the Board of Directors, the Executive Director is responsible for the overall strategic, financial, and cultural success of the organization and will oversee administrative and business operations in the following areas:

Organizational Leadership and Board Governance 

• Engage all stakeholders to realize DVP’s vision and implement its strategic and  organizational plans, along with the short- and long-term goals that support DVP’s  mission, vision, and values.
• Work closely with the Board to ensure progress on strategic and operational goals, fiscal  health, and effective governance.
• Support board functions, including committee and board meetings, policy development,  board member recruitment and orientation, and succession planning.

Fund Development 

• Serve as principal development strategist for DVP, working closely with DVP’s development team.
• Steward existing donor relationships, identify and cultivate new donor prospects, and  solicit individual major donors in partnership with the Artistic Director, Board of Directors and our development team.
• Develop and maintain relationships with foundations, corporations, government funding  agencies, and other philanthropic supporters.
• Identify and pursue new funding opportunities to support the organization’s programs.
• Encourage and provide support for Board involvement in development activities.
• Ensure organizational databases and records are properly maintained and oversee all  necessary reporting.
• Oversee and develop earned revenues through contracted services, mission-based classes and partnerships.

Fiscal & Operational Management 

• Oversee the organization’s day-to-day operations, finances, fund development, and  programs, including managing and supporting staff, responsibly allocating resources,  and ensuring contractual obligations are developed and fulfilled.
• Build healthy working relationships with the staff and board members, and work to inspire and sustain staff morale, energy, and alignment while holding everyone  accountable.
• Oversee financial and program operations, including managing staff and contractors,  information technology systems and facilities.
• Ensure that the brand and institutional messaging related to events, programs, and  performances accurately represent the high quality of the organization.
• Implement and manage policies and procedures to support and improve organizational  effectiveness, programs, and processes.

Program Management and Audience Development 

• Working closely with the Artistic Director, oversee artistic programs and communications staff to ensure they grow, develop, market, implement, and monitor DVP’s annual and long-term artistic objectives.
• With the Artistic Director, develop new partnerships and maintain strong relationships with community partners and center directors, service providers and health organizations, and work closely to ensure the successful execution of dance performances, workshops, and educational programs.
• Monitor program outcomes and assess effectiveness, adjusting as needed.
• Oversee Programs and Events Manager to manage contracts with independent contractors, program partners, and teaching artists.
• Work with staff and board to broaden and diversify our student population and audiences by building collaborations with other organizations and businesses, and seek opportunities to expand our programming and geographical footprint.
• Embrace other program management and audience development responsibilities as needed.

The key qualifications for this role are articulated as: 

• Strategic and Visionary Leader: A visionary, strategic, and experienced nonprofit  leader with a proven ability to provide strong, stabilizing management and leadership with a belief in the power of the arts to transform lives and strengthen communities.
• Cultural Competence: The ideal candidate will have an in-depth understanding of the experiences and challenges faced by older adults and historically marginalized racial groups in the U.S., particularly Black, Indigenous, and Latinx communities, with a comprehensive grasp of institutional and structural racism and its effects on underserved populations.
• Fundraising Acumen: A proven track record of fundraising expertise, from donor  database management, development planning, and grant writing through donor  relationship building, major gift acquisition, and campaign management.
• Planning, Organizing, and Flexibility: The capacity to build a consensus-built planning process that allows for flexibility and leads to well-organized implementation plans while building positive rapport and promoting a healthy, productive work environment.
• Interpersonal and Communication Skills: The dexterity to effectively communicate verbally and in writing, build rapport through active listening, and develop relationships with a broad demographic. This includes exceptional written and spoken communication skills.
• Experience and Knowledge: Have proven success in administrative leadership in the arts or similar creative industries with an emphasis on nonprofit administration combined with educational experiences that support that work.

Preferred qualifications for the role include: 

• A passion for dance or a dance background with the ability to be visionary in the field of dance and healthy aging.
• A current and active network of connections in dance, health, and/or healthy aging, high-level donors, emerging donors, and foundations in NYC.
• A desire to live and work in NYC, especially with in-person engagement with staff,  donors, and patrons.

COMPENSATION AND START DATE 

DVP offers a competitive and equitable compensation package, including an annual salary for full time work (range $75,000 – $85,000). DVP hopes to make its decision in the summer of 2025 with the chosen candidate taking on the position shortly thereafter.

Dances for a Variable Population is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not  discriminate on the basis of age, color, national origin, ethnic origin, citizenship status, disability,  race, religion, creed, gender, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity and/or expression, marital  status, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local law in its employment policies.

HOW TO APPLY 

Interested and qualified candidates should submit the following items for consideration to execdir@dvpnyc.org as a combined pdf:

• Cover letter (no more than 1½ pages)
• A current resumé