Executive Director

Frequent Flyers Aerial Dance; Boulder (CO); On-site; USD 95,000 - 111,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Paid Sick Leave

Paid Family & Medical Leave

Standard Protections (Workers' Comp &

Health & Insurance Benefits

Job summary

Frequent Flyers Productions, based in Boulder, CO, seeks an Executive Director to stabilize and scale operations, lead fundraising, and drive growth for a premier aerial dance nonprofit. You will partner with the Board, staff, and partners to advance programs and capital initiatives while expanding community impact and national prominence.

The role combines strategic leadership with hands-on execution, overseeing budgets, campaigns, staff development, and external relations to sustain the

Qualifications

• Previous experience serving as an Executive Director of a nonprofit organization.
• Non-profit leadership experience, including responsibility for organizational strategy, staff, finances, fundraising, and operations.
• Developing and managing nonprofit organizational budgets and financial forecasts.
• Fundraising success, including cultivating, soliciting, and stewarding individual donors and developing relationships with institutional funders.
• Supervising, developing, and evaluating staff and building effective leadership teams.
• Working closely with a nonprofit Board of Directors and understanding the distinction between governance and management.
• Establish priorities, delegate effectively, and manage multiple organizational demands.
• Strong written, verbal, interpersonal, and public communication skills.
• Ability to lead an organization through change, challenge, or strategic initiatives.
• Ability and willingness to work a limited number of evenings and weekends for performances, events, fundraising activities, and other organizational needs.
• Experience leading a small or mid-sized nonprofit where the Executive Director combines strategic leadership with hands-on responsibilities.
• Experience with performing arts, arts education, cultural organizations, or other community-based nonprofits.
• Knowledge of the Boulder/Denver nonprofit, arts, philanthropic, or government funding.
• Experience developing diverse earned and contributed revenue streams.
• Experience leading organizational growth, facilities, capital, or other long-term initiatives.
• Interest or experience with capital campaigns and real estate acquisition/management
• Experience in arts non-profit leadership

Responsibilities

• Provide overall leadership and direction for FFP and translate the organization’s mission and strategic plan into clear priorities and measurable results.
• Ensure FFP has the financial resources, systems, and discipline necessary to fulfill its mission and remain sustainable over the long term.
• Lead the development of contributed and earned resources necessary to support FFP’s mission and long-term sustainability.
• Build and support a capable, collaborative staff with clear responsibilities, appropriate accountability, and the resources necessary to succeed, have fun, and grow personally.
• Ensure FFP’s artistic, educational, and community programs collectively advance its mission, serve its communities, and operate within the organization’s capacity.
• Develop a strong working partnership with the Board of Directors and provide the information, leadership, and organizational support necessary for effective governance.
• Serve as a visible and credible representative of FFP and develop relationships that strengthen the organization and advance its mission.

Skills

Executive leadership

Fundraising

Budgeting

Staff supervision

Board collaboration

Strategic leadership

Communication skills

Change management

Arts nonprofit leadership

Job description

The Executive Director is the visionary leader of Frequent Flyers® Productions (FFP) [DBA Frequent Flyers Aerial Dance]. We are at a pivotal inflection point, emerging from recent industry challenges, ready to architect a bold new era of growth. We are seeking a dynamic, ambitious leader who thrives in a dynamic environment and is hungry to make their mark. You will not only stabilize and scale our financial and operational foundation but also spearhead our trajectory toward becoming the premier, award-winning aerial dance organization in the country. From revitalizing our business model to driving the capital campaign for our future state-of-the-art facility, this role is a career-defining opportunity to take a beloved institution and lead it to national prominence.

As the leader of a small nonprofit, the Executive Director must combine strategic leadership with hands-on execution. The ED is accountable for the organization’s overall performance but works through staff, contractors, and Board members to accomplish its goals. The ED personally leads strategy, financial oversight, fundraising, staff leadership, and key external relationships while empowering staff to lead day-to-day programs, administration, communications, and other organizational functions. FFP is at a crucial crossroads where there is opportunity and decades of experienced support on staff to shape the present while shaping the organization, strategy, and network that will enable the next 40 years of flight.

Working in partnership with the Board of Directors and staff, the Executive Director sets organizational priorities, leads fundraising and financial management, develops and supports staff, and represents FFP in the community.

This is an opportunity for someone with non-profit experience to be an Executive Director who enjoys both shaping the future of an organization and being actively engaged in the work required to get there.

Founded in 1988 by Nancy Smith, Frequent Flyers® Productions is a pioneer of aerial dance-theatre that transforms gravity-defying technique into expressive modern dance. Based in Boulder, Colorado, the company has grown into a world-renowned non-profit hub featuring an elite performance company, an acclaimed aerial dance school, and the internationally celebrated Aerial Dance Festival. By continually expanding community outreach and pushing the artistic boundaries of vertical space, Frequent Flyers offers a visionary leader the opportunity to guide an iconic legacy into its next chapter of creative and community impact.

Primary Responsibilities

See a full list of responsibilities on our website: frequentflyers.org/job-opportunities/

1. Organizational Leadership

Provide overall leadership and direction for FFP and translate the organization’s mission and strategic plan into clear priorities and measurable results.

Ensure FFP has the financial resources, systems, and discipline necessary to fulfill its mission and remain sustainable over the long term.

Lead the development of contributed and earned resources necessary to support FFP’s mission and long-term sustainability.

4. People & Organizational Management

Build and support a capable, collaborative staff with clear responsibilities, appropriate accountability, and the resources necessary to succeed, have fun, and grow personally.

5. Program & Mission Oversight

Ensure FFP’s artistic, educational, and community programs collectively advance its mission, serve its communities, and operate within the organization’s capacity.

6. Board Partnership & Governance

Develop a strong working partnership with the Board of Directors and provide the information, leadership, and organizational support necessary for effective governance.

7. External Leadership & Community Relationships

Serve as a visible and credible representative of FFP and develop relationships that strengthen the organization and advance its mission.

Qualifications & Experience

Required

• Previous experience serving as an Executive Director of a nonprofit organization.
• Non-profit leadership experience, including responsibility for organizational strategy, staff, finances, fundraising, and operations.
• Developing and managing nonprofit organizational budgets and financial forecasts.
• Fundraising success, including cultivating, soliciting, and stewarding individual donors and developing relationships with institutional funders.
• Supervising, developing, and evaluating staff and building effective leadership teams.
• Working closely with a nonprofit Board of Directors and understanding the distinction between governance and management.
• Establish priorities, delegate effectively, and manage multiple organizational demands.
• Strong written, verbal, interpersonal, and public communication skills.
• Ability to lead an organization through change, challenge, or strategic initiatives.
• Ability and willingness to work a limited number of evenings and weekends for performances, events, fundraising activities, and other organizational needs.
• Experience leading a small or mid-sized nonprofit where the Executive Director combines strategic leadership with hands‑on responsibilities.
• Experience with performing arts, arts education, cultural organizations, or other community-based nonprofits.
• Knowledge of the Boulder/Denver nonprofit, arts, philanthropic, or government funding.
• Experience developing diverse earned and contributed revenue streams.
• Experience leading organizational growth, facilities, capital, or other long‑term initiatives.
• Interest or experience with capital campaigns and real estate acquisition/management
• Experience in arts non‑profit leadership

A successful candidate does not need to be an aerial artist or arts practitioner. The ability to understand, champion, and communicate the value of FFP’s mission is essential. Employment is contingent upon satisfactory references and completion of required background checks.

This is a full‑time, exempt position with a salary range of $95,000-111,000, depending on experience.

What We Offer:

• Paid Sick Leave: Accrue up to 48 hours of paid sick time annually (earned at a rate of 1 hour per 30 hours worked) for your health and wellness.
• Paid Family & Medical Leave: Access to Colorado’s FAMLI program, providing up to 12 weeks of paid leave for qualifying personal or family medical needs.
• Standard Protections: Fully covered by state Workers' Compensation and Unemployment Insurance.
• Health & Insurance Benefits: Monthly stipend available based on need.

Equal Opportunity Employment

Frequent Flyers Productions is an Equal Opportunity Employer committed to creating an inclusive workplace and community. FFP welcomes applicants with diverse backgrounds, identities, experiences, and perspectives and does not discriminate on the basis of any status protected by applicable federal, state, or local law.