Executive Director

Job Description: Film Streams - Executive Director Job Description Organization Currently celebrating its 19th year as an internationally recognized art house film center, Film Streams was established as a nonprofit in 2005 and has grown to an operation of two venues that are open 365 days per year and seven days per week, with 4,135 public showtimes and 251 different film programs in 2023. Film Streams oversees two distinct cinemas in Omaha, Nebraska: the Ruth Sokolof Theater and the historic Dundee Theater. Film Stream's mission is to enhance the cultural environment of the Omaha-Council Bluffs area through the presentation and discussion of film as an art form. Its strategic vision articulates five core programmatic areas Community Development, Education, New Releases, Repertory Selections, and Special Events. Its goal for longevity and long-term sustainability in programming, relevance, and funding will maintain Film Streams unique ability to foster and engage through film while enhancing its flexibility and vibrancy in the community over the long term. As part of its Community Development, Film Streams creates collaborative events that foster dialogue and helps establish connections among divergent and diverse community groups. As part of New Releases, See Change is Film Streams commitment to reach gender parity among directors of films presenting diverse experiences and underrepresented voices in contemporary filmmaking. Situated in North Downtown Omaha near the Missouri River, the two-screen Ruth Sokolof Theater was Film Streams first venue, which opened in July 2007 with capital campaign support by individuals, foundations, and corporations. In 2008 Omaha World-Herald reported that, Film Streams has become a major institution for our city. The New York Times also noted that, Film Streams has its ambitions. Both the movie house and its extensive offerings are the sort of resources one expects to stumble upon happily in second-city American metropolises Seattle, Dallas, Philadelphia, even Washington or Chicago. At the end of that remarkable opening year, Film Streams served 42,000 visitors and had 1,737 members. By 2017, having hosted more than half a million patrons, Film Streams was gifted the 92-year-old Dundee Theater from Susie Buffett's Sherwood Foundation. Located near the University of Nebraska Omaha campus, the Dundee Theater is Omaha's last surviving neighborhood cinema. Film Streams completed a major renovation of the theater and reopened it in 2017. Each year, Film Streams' robust education programs serve thousands of students from schools and districts across the region through attendance at free events at its cinemas. With more than 60 community partnerships, Film Streams reached 6,428 community members in more than 53 programs in 2023. A longtime member of Art House Convergence community of cinemas, Film Streams has partnered with national film programs such as Science on Screen and Sundance Institute Film Forward. Film Streams is governed by a 17-member board of directors. Its FY24 budget is $2.8 million. Annual revenue is 44 percent contributed and 56 percent earned including box office. To run both venues 365 days a year, the staff includes 22 full-time and 18 part-time team members. Senior staff reporting to the Executive Director include the Managing Director, Director of Marketing, Director of Programming, Director of Development, Director of Theater Operations, Education Manager, and Head Projectionists. Position Summary Reporting to the board of directors, the Executive Director will serve as the chief executive officer of Film Streams, overseeing all the organizations activities, operations and strategic vision/goals. This individual will be a dynamic leader with a passion for both community and film, eager to expand Film Streams position as the leading Omaha arts nonprofit and model cinema in the arthouse community. Joining a strong leadership team, including an extraordinarily engaged board and passionate staff, the Executive Director will leverage the foundational strengths of Film Streams outstanding programming, pursuit of institutional excellence, community collaboration, and consistent communication to maximize the organizations impact in Omaha and the film community. They will be responsible for all areas of revenue and operation and will work cooperatively with the staff to maintain the box office as a primary revenue source. Roles and Responsibilities: Strategic Leadership and Community Engagement Provide dynamic and inspirational leadership for a ground-breaking, progressive organization at the center of Omahas cultural ecosystem that motivates and engages the board, staff and community. Serve as Film Streams chief ambassador, committed to representing the organization and advocating for film appreciation, film education, and community building and staying attuned to the changing dynamics of the film industry. Articulate the organizations mission to multiple audiences and create and oversee the implementation of effective strategies to expand engagement. Develop and execute an exciting programmatic and educational vision in partnership with the staff and board. Provide strategic guidance to the programming and operations teams to develop audiences and cultivate donors. Lead the organization through an inclusive, equitable and accessible lens. Nurture and actively collaborate with current and potential community, educational, and artistic partners locally, regionally and nationally. Advocate for filmmakers, arts education, and media arts access throughout Nebraska and beyond. Revenue Enhancement and Partnerships Provide strategy to all organization fundraising activities including annual giving campaigns, capital campaigns, special initiatives, and membership drives. Serve as primary fundraiser, actively maintaining strong relationships with Omahas unique and sophisticated philanthropic community. Leverage the networks of the Board of Directors and other organization volunteers, supporters, and partner organizations to maximize sponsorship opportunities. Ensure ongoing programmatic excellence by assessing the impact, efficacy, and sustainability of existing programs across all five programmatic areas. Develop a comprehensive sustainability plan and establish priorities, processes, and resources for new program development within budget, timeframes, and capacity. Implement a comprehensive revenue plan that progressively grows earned and contributed income. Support development efforts to build a strong cycle and pipeline management process that identifies, cultivates, solicits, and stewards philanthropic giving from individual, foundation, and corporate supporters. Work with the Director of Development to navigate Omahas philanthropic community and cultivate relationships with current and prospective individual donors and institutional partners to expand, broaden, and diversify the donor and membership bases. Evaluate and improve the effectiveness of marketing and giving programs. Governance and Institutional Vision Build a diverse and inclusive board, representative of the community who are engaged and committed to grown the organization. Collaborate with the board to ensure strategic objectives are in line with the mission. Establish and maintain relationships with each board member to seek their ideas, talents, and resources while continuing to evolve the organizations governance. Partner with the board in its policy-making role and ensure its members have timely access to accurate and updated information to reach decisions that ensure the organization has the financial resources to realize its strategic and programming goals. Provide support to the board, including concise, timely financial and programmatic reporting, cultivation and recruitment, direction on good governance practices, support in fundraising, and ongoing education and engagement. Support and serve as ex-officio member of board committees: Executive, Development, Governance, Finance, Community Collaboration, and Education. Engage the board in strategic planning, updating members regularly on the status of current activities and matters that require action, as well as ways in which they can help ensure success. Operational Management Lead an innovative organization with a culture of inquiry and respect, encouraging staff to build partnerships and develop programs that support social change. Develop and direct short- and long-term participatory budget processes that values input from all voices, manage financial resources, and establish policies for transparent financial operations and reporting. Support a culture and environment that promotes a high level of professional performance, employee engagement and positive communication and collaboration. Oversee and ensure an organizational HR management processes are implemented in a timely manner that include annual reviews of job descriptions, compensation, performance evaluations as well as any necessary updates to the employee handbook. Oversee staff responsibility to maintain internal controls and ensure compliance with federal, state and local regulations. Maintain facilities, collaborate with the Managing Director to ensure positive operations with restaurant tenant, and maximize concession and bookstore revenue while creating excellent experiences for audience members. Direct and support staff, manage budgets, establish priorities, and organize operations to ensure timely and smooth delivery of external programs and internal activities. Develop and maintain a sustainable staffing model to support the organizations current and future needs. Inspire, mentor, and lead a long-serving and dedicated staff by fostering collaboration and teamwork, empowering each member to fulfill their role and maintain high professional standards in all areas. Traits and Characteristics The Executive Director will be a collaborative and engaged leader who can build and enhance partnerships to bring people together. Versatile and receptive to new ideas, they will lead by example with passion and a vision that inspires others. A self-starter and sound-decision maker, the Executive Director will establish a clear course of action and produce measurable results to meet financial, operational, and strategic objectives. They will be decisive and have the capacity to discern competing priorities and embrace opportunities in a timely manner while quickly adapting during periods of uncertainty. The Executive Director will demonstrate leadership through collaboration and consensus building with highly developed cultural competencies. Key competencies of the role include: Personal and Professional Accountability - The ability to self-evaluate and take responsibility for personal actions and decisions, accept setbacks, look for ways to progress, and understand how obstacles impact results. Problem Solving - The ability to anticipate and identify problems and challenges, analyze and evaluate causes and effects, and creatively develop potential solutions that mitigate negative impact on the organization. Leadership and Self-Starting - The dexterity to organize, inspire, and influence people to believe in a vision, creating a sense of common purpose centered on creativity, artistry, and diversity, and to demonstrate an initiative and willingness to start working. Diplomacy, Resiliency, and Teamwork - The capacity to deeply respect others, effectively and tactfully handle difficult or sensitive issues, build consensus, and guide the team in support of their values and those of the organization. They will possess leadership that promotes transparency with constituents including the board, staff, patrons and greater community. Customer, Donor, and Community Focus - They will be people-oriented and able to network across sectors beyond film and the arts. The drive to instill a customer-centric approach throughout the organization, anticipating and understanding existing and future audience interests, and addressing broader interests of the community. Qualifications Senior leadership experience of seven to ten years in a cultural institution of a comparably high quality, size, and reputation is essential and relevant degree(s) in the arts, business, or nonprofit management (or equivalent experience) is preferred. Qualified candidates will have or be able to develop a deep knowledge of the independent film industry and wider media landscape, including trends around distribution, engagement, and outreach. Prior executive level experience with community-based organizations and nonprofits is ideal. A demonstrated ability to translate a broad vision and plans into specific objectives oriented towards results is required. Candidates should be financially savvy and possess a verifiable fundraising record of raising funds, including familiarity with nonprofit budgeting and financial reports. Management of physical facilities and operations of public venues, in particular to arthouse organizations, are preferred. Must have outstanding presentation and communications skills, be a relationship building and strong experience in fundraising. Past experience in leading and inspiring positive change in a community similar to Omaha is highly appreciated. Compensation and Benefits Film Streams offers a competitive salary, with a starting salary range of $130,000 - $150,000 commensurate with results-oriented experience. The benefits package includes paid time off and an array of opportunities for medical, dental, vision, life, and short- and long-term disability insurances and a 403b retirement plan. Film Streams is committed to enhancing the cultural environment in Omaha. Film Streams celebrates diversity in all forms and welcomes candidates who will bring diverse perspectives to its work. Community Omaha is the Midwest's best kept secret. The word Omaha means Dwellers in the Bluff and comes from the Omaha and Quapaw Native American tribes that lived on land prior to pioneer settlement. Established in 1864, Omaha became a major transportation hub for the Union Pacific Railroad due to its central location. Situated on Nebraskas eastern border near the Missouri River, Omaha is a center of creativity, business, and philanthropy in the Midwest. Des Moines is a two-hour drive and Kansas City is a three hour drive from Omaha with Minneapolis and Chicago a half-days drive away. Denver and Dallas can also be reached in a day by car. Today, the Omaha-Council Bluffs metropolitan area population is nearing one million. Omaha is home to four Fortune 500 companies Berkshire Hathaway, Mutual of Omaha, Kiewit Corporation, and Union Pacific and many other major corporations, including Gallup, Linked-In, Omaha Steaks and Werner Enterprises. In 2013, Forbes named Omaha as one of the best places for business and careers. Award-winning arts and culture thrive with a year-round calendar of events. The city is home to the newly re