Executive Director - Arts Together

Career Opportunity

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.

Key Responsibilities of the Executive Director

Collaborative and Relationship-Centered Leadership

• 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

Strong Fundraising and External Relations Skills

• 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

Operational and Financial Management Strength

• 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

Deep Appreciation for Arts Education and Creative Culture

• 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

Strategic Vision Paired with Stewardship

• 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

The Ideal Candidate Profile

The ideal candidate will possess the following qualifications:

• 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

About Arts Together

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.

Want to know more? Visit www.artstogether.org

Benefits

The salary range for this position is $75,000-$85,000. Benefits include fully covered employee health insurance, short- and long-term disability, life insurance, optional dental coverage, and employee discounts on Arts Together classes and programs. Arts Together offers paid holidays and 15 days of PTO.

How To Apply

Join Arts Together and play a critical role in shaping its future while driving impactful change in the community.

To apply, click on the link for this position at https://jobs.armstrongmcguire.com/. You will see instructions for uploading your compelling cover letter, resume, and salary requirements. Cover letters should be responsive to the mission of Arts Together as well as the stated responsibilities and qualifications.

Please provide all requested information to be considered. In case of any technical problems, contact talent@armstrongmcguire.com. No phone calls, please, and no applications will be accepted by email or directly from third-party posting sites.

About Armstrong McGuire

Armstrong McGuire is a national executive search, fundraising, and strategic advising firm that believes in unlocking the potential of nonprofit leaders and the communities they serve. Founded in 2004, our diverse team of advisors work with clients and leaders to align strategy, optimize operations, build capacity, and lead nationwide searches that bring supremely talented individuals to high-impact organizations. Learn more about our services in talent acquisition, fundraising counsel, and strategic planning.