Site Director, Setting Sun Circle

JOB ANNOUNCEMENT

Site Director, Setting Sun Circle

Posting Date: June 2, 2026

Review Date: Resumes will begin being reviewed June 11, 2026

Closing Date: Open until filled

Position Type: Full-Time, Exempt

Schedule: Day shift with occasional evenings / weekends for events

Work Location: On-site in Bellingham, WA

Travel: Approx. 15%

Compensation: $135,000 - $155,000

Benefits: Medical

Position Overview

The Site Director, Setting Sun Circle presents a rare opportunity to help guide the next phase of Setting Sun Circle’s growth through shared leadership of a purpose-built home for Indigenous storytelling, arts, gathering, and innovation. This role calls for a leader who is strategic, grounded in community, visionary, and who understands that meaningful impact grows from trust, reciprocity, and long-term relationships.

This position includes strategic leadership, cultural and creative collaboration, organizational

stewardship, program oversight, partnership development, and community engagement. The Site

Director will help carry forward a vision that is both ambitious and rooted in the spirit of our work,

ensuring that growth remains aligned with Setting Sun Circle’s cultural values and purpose.

The successful candidate brings a strong ability to connect people, build trust, and develop partnerships across institutions, governments, corporations, community organizations, philanthropies, and Tribal communities. They approach the work with care and responsibility, holding a deep commitment to the heart of the work and to how we learn, grow, and build together over time.

Experience across one or more of Setting Sun Circle’s pillars — Art, Gathering, Food, and Innovation —

and may come from backgrounds such as arts and culture administration, public sector work,

environmental policy, fundraising, cultural programming, or start-up leadership. Most importantly, this

individual understands how to hold relationships with integrity over time and move work forward in a way that honors people, place, and shared responsibility.

Leadership and Strategy

• Provide long-term, mission-grounded strategic and operational leadership for Setting Sun Circle

in alignment with Setting Sun Circle’s values and vision.

• Collaborate with Setting Sun Circle leadership to design and implement a business model that

supports sustainable programming, partnerships, and revenue generation without compromising

cultural integrity.

• Help shape and refine the structure, flow, and pacing of Setting Sun Circle’s programming to

maximize coherence, resonance, and reach.

• Co-establish sequencing and quality standards across all programs, ensuring cultural integrity

and community-centered design.

• Approach strategic planning with creativity and relational intelligence, grounded in Indigenous

values of reciprocity and responsibility.

Community and External Engagement

• Work alongside the Setting Sun Circle Executive Director in advancing the mission, acting as the

primary representative and relationship-builder for Setting Sun Circle in public, community,

cultural, and institutional settings.

• Build, sustain, and recognize meaningful partnerships with Tribal Nations, cultural institutions,

educational organizations, government partners, environmental groups, corporations,

philanthropic partners, and community networks.

• Act as a connector across sectors—bringing people together, building trust, and strengthening

pathways for collaboration.

• Represent Setting Sun Circle with authenticity and confidence in public speaking, storytelling,

panels, and conferences.

• Travel approximately 15% for relationship-building, meetings, and partnership development

Organizational Management

• Collaborate with the Executive Director of SSC and the Board of Directors on organizational

vision, governance, values, and long-term strategy.

Support the development and operationalization of a hybrid nonprofit/for-profit model, working

alongside finance, legal, and strategy teams to ensure alignment with SSC’s mission and cultural

commitments.

• Ensure the financial health of Setting Sun Circle through conscientious budgeting, forecasting,

and strategic revenue opportunities.

• Lead staff development and mentor senior program and curatorial staff, fostering a team culture

rooted in reciprocity, respect, collaboration, and curiosity.

• Ensure program development and operations remain synchronized with organizational capacity

and community needs.

• Lead with a relational approach, building strong connections and keeping story and people at the

center across all areas of Setting Sun Circle.

Qualifications

• Demonstrated leadership within complex institutional environments across nonprofit, arts,

cultural, community, civic, educational, or related sectors.

• Experience or grounding in one or more of the following: art, culture, convening, purpose-driven

innovation.

• A natural connector with exceptional relationship-building skills and the ability to cultivate trust

across communities, sectors, and institutions.

• Deep respect for Indigenous knowledge systems, storytelling traditions, and culturally grounded

ways of working.

• Strong interpersonal and communication abilities, including authentic, confident public speaking.

• Proven experience in partnership development, fundraising, stewardship, or cross-sector

collaboration.

• Experience helping develop or guide mission-aligned business frameworks, revenue strategies,

cooperatives, social enterprises, or hybrid organizational models.

• Demonstrated ability in program design, organizational leadership, and managing complex

initiatives.

• A relational approach to leadership with humility, curiosity, and the ability to balance long-term

vision and day-to-day realities.

Education & Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in Organizational Leadership, Public Administration, Business, Indigenous

Studies, Arts Administration, or a related field, or an equivalent combination of education and

relevant experience.

• Master’s degree or advanced training in a related field preferred.

• 8–12 years of leadership experience in nonprofit, cultural, community, public, arts, educational,

or other mission-driven sectors.

Demonstrated experience working across sectors (nonprofit, for-profit, Tribal, public, or

philanthropic environments)

• Proven ability to build and sustain relationships, develop partnerships, and lead complex,

community-centered initiatives.

• We recognize that leadership pathways are diverse and value lived experience, cultural

knowledge, and community-based leadership alongside formal education.

Organizational Responsibilities

• Actively practice and uphold Setting Sun Circle’s values of gratitude, generosity, respect, and

responsibility.

• Help build and manage a team that can execute a public experience at a high level.

• Lead with creativity, flexibility, and a solutions-oriented mindset rooted in community well-being.

• Participate fully in organizational life, working collaboratively to support shared purpose and

program success.

• Support communication that fosters respect, collaboration, and openness across all teams.

• Approach work with humility, accountability, and heart.

Submission Information

To be considered for this opportunity, please submit a complete application packet to

recruitment@settingsuncircle.org.

Application Questions:

1. Do you have experience working with Indigenous and Tribal communities?

2. Do you have experience in one or more Setting Sun Circle pillars: Art, Food, Gathering, or

Innovation?

3. Please describe your experience forming cross-sector partnerships or building institutional

relationships.

4. Please describe any experience you have working with or developing nonprofit business models,

social enterprises, or community-centered revenue frameworks.

Your submission should include:

1. Responses to the application questions listed above (maximum of 200 words per response)

2. A cover letter

3. A current resume and/or curriculum vitae (CV)

4. One letter of recommendation

5. References available upon request

Applications will be reviewed as they are received and will remain open until the position is filled.