Executive Director

Tennessee Holocaust Commission; Tennessee; Remote; USD 90,000 - 150,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical/dental/vision

Generous PTO

Retirement savings

Cell phone reimbursement

Job summary

The Tennessee Holocaust Commission seeks a visionary Executive Director to lead the organization as it expands statewide educational programming and outreach. Reporting to the Chair, you will guide strategy, fundraising, and operations while honoring survivor testimony and memory.

Based in Tennessee with a strong preference for Nashville, this remote role requires statewide travel and partnerships with schools, museums, and public institutions to advance informed civic engagement.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree required; advanced degree preferred.
• Proven senior leadership experience in nonprofit management or public education.
• Strong fundraising, budgeting, and program development capabilities.

Responsibilities

• Provide strategic leadership to advance the Commission’s mission and visibility.
• Lead planning, evaluation, and implementation of educational programs and public commemorations.
• Build partnerships with schools, universities, museums, and state agencies.
• Support governance, policy implementation, and board development.
• Oversee financial management, fundraising, and diverse funding streams.
• Recruit, mentor, and evaluate staff and volunteers; represent the Commission publicly.
• Oversee communications and public engagement across digital platforms and reports.

Skills

Strategic leadership

Fundraising

Board governance

Stakeholder engagement

Public speaking

Executive presence

Education

Bachelor's degree

Advanced degree preferred

Tools

CRM fundraising tools

Job description

The mission of the Tennessee Holocaust Commission is to educate Tennesseans about the history of the Holocaust, seeking to remind citizens that prejudice, hatred, and violence, as manifested in the Holocaust and other genocides, leads to the destruction of a humane society. Created by the Tennessee legislature in 1984 and recreated in 1996 to establish a parallel not-for-profit body, the Commission is composed of Commissioners appointed by the governor and is recognized as one of the most celebrated organizations of its kind in the nation. The Tennessee Holocaust Commission provides a wide range of educational services and opportunities across the state, including resources, workshops, conferences, teacher fellowships, the Belz-Lipman Educator Awards, the Survivors Archive, a statewide speakers program, and annual Days of Remembrance observances on the Capitol grounds.

The Commission seeks a visionary and strategic Executive Director to lead the organization at one of the most consequential moments in its history. As the generation of Holocaust survivors grows smaller each year, the work of capturing and sharing their testimony, and preparing future generations to carry these stories forward, has never been more urgent. Reporting directly to the Commission through the Chair, the Executive Director serves as the chief executive and strategic leader responsible for organizational leadership, statewide educational programming, board partnership, fundraising, financial stewardship, community engagement, and operational management, ensuring the memory and lessons of the Holocaust endure for Tennesseans for generations to come. This is a remote position in Tennessee, with a strong preference for candidates based in Nashville. This position will require travel across the state.

Job Responsibilities

• Provide strategic leadership to advance the Commission’s mission, statewide visibility, and long-term sustainability
• Lead the planning, implementation, evaluation, and continuous improvement of educational programs, teacher-training initiatives, exhibitions, and public commemorations
• Build and cultivate strategic partnerships with schools, universities, museums, libraries, cultural institutions, nonprofit organizations, and state agencies
• Partner closely with the Commission Chair, Commissioners, and board committees to support effective governance, board development, and implementation of Commission policies and priorities
• Oversee financial management and fiscal stewardship, including annual budgeting, financial reporting, and responsible management of state appropriations and private funds
• Develop and manage diverse funding streams through grants, individual and corporate giving, sponsorships, and state and other public funding
• Recruit, lead, mentor, and evaluate staff, contractors, interns, and volunteers, fostering a collaborative, respectful workplace culture
• Serve as the Commission’s principal public spokesperson, representing its mission and work with media, educators, elected officials, community leaders, donors, and the public
• Oversee organizational communications and public engagement, including digital platforms, public messaging, publications, and reports, ensuring consistency with the Commission’s mission and values

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree required; advanced degree strongly preferred
• 5+ years of progressive senior leadership experience ideally in nonprofit management, education, museums, public history, cultural institutions or public administration
• Demonstrated success in organizational leadership, fundraising and strategic planning, including setting priorities, managing complex initiatives, allocating resources, and advancing long-term organizational goals
• Proven experience overseeing programs and operations, with the ability to establish measurable goals, assess outcomes, and drive continuous improvement
• Demonstrated ability to lead, develop, and inspire staff and foster a collaborative, accountable, and mission-driven culture
• Exceptional written, verbal, interpersonal, and public-speaking skills with strong executive presence
• Proven ability to build and sustain strategic partnerships with governing boards, educators, policymakers, donors, cultural institutions, and other stakeholders

Additional Information

Medical/dental/vision, generous PTO, retirement savings, cell phone reimbursement