The International Festival of Arts and Ideas is seeking an Executive Director who can provide visionary and strategic leadership and engage with a wide variety of people in powerful and compelling ways. We need someone who is self-realized as a leader and can make decisions efficiently, confidently, and clearly from experience with complex real-life situations. You must be an exceptional communicator and relationship-builder who can design and articulate a bold and inclusive vision, engage people across sectors and communities, and represent the Festival with warmth, credibility, and confidence. We are looking for someone who can take risks thoughtfully, honoring what has made the Festival strong while helping us let go of past approaches when needed. You should lead with adaptability, integrity, and a dynamic growth mindset, build trust across staff and Board, align people around shared priorities, and guide the organization through transition and renewal while keeping people motivated, focused, and supported.

We need demonstrated leadership experience in unifying creative work, fiscal understanding and strategy, and organizational vibrancy with diverse teams; a track record of results-oriented success in donor relations and major gift cultivation; an expansive national and global mindset; and nonprofit governance and structural expertise. Your primary areas of focus must be fundraising and external representation, structural understanding of seasonal presenting, and guiding alignment and coordination across staff and Board. This includes setting and driving strategic direction, understanding festival systems (budgets, revenues, timelines), and taking personal responsibility for organizational communication that is open, two-way, people-centered, and grounded in transparency and shared stewardship.

Preferred app deadline is March 9.

Leadership & Experience

• Demonstrated leadership experience unifying artistic, curatorial, or creative work with fiscal strategy and organizational vibrancy in diverse teams.

• A track record of results-oriented success in donor relations, including establishing new supporter relationships (large and small) and strong skills in personal major gift solicitation and ongoing donor stewardship.

• An expansive national and global mindset with the ability to connect local, national, and international creativity and human experience.

• A commitment to building the future of the people and communities of Connecticut.

• Nonprofit leadership experience with expertise in governance and operational structures.

Location & Work Environment

• Must live full time in the Greater New Haven area and be able to work effectively in a hybrid environment (in-office and remote).

Professional Skills & Attributes

• Visionary and strategic thinker.

• Exceptional communicator and relationship-builder across sectors and communities.

• Adaptable, with integrity and a dynamic growth mindset.

• Ability to build trust, align teams, and guide organizational transition and renewal.

• Strong understanding of festival systems (budgets, revenues, planning timelines, risk management) and how creative choices connect with operational and financial progress.

Preferred/Additional Requirements

• Lead fundraising and external representation as chief ambassador.

• Guide strategic planning and coordinate activities across staff and the Board.