Managing Director - True Colors Theatre Company

Managing Director

Kenny Leon's True Colors Theatre Company | Atlanta, GA | $100K - $110K | Full-Time
Best Consideration Deadline: April 30, 2026
Welcome to True Colors Theatre Company
The mission of True Colors Theatre Company is to celebrate the rich tradition of Black storytelling while giving voice to bold artists of all cultures.
Founded in 2002 by Tony Award-winning director Kenny Leon and Jane Bishop, Kenny Leon's True Colors Theatre Company (TCTC) is one of Atlanta's most vital professional theatre companies and a nationally recognized leader in centering the Black artistic experience. From its earliest days as a "moveable feast" producing across Atlanta venues, True Colors has grown into a company with a permanent home at the Southwest Arts Center and a deeply rooted presence in its community.
True Colors thrives at the intersection of artistic excellence and civic engagement. In 2019, Jamil Jude became Artistic Director, carrying forward a vision that honors the company's founding commitment to Black storytelling while expanding its reach across communities, cities, and generations.
True Colors' work is recognized nationally: in 2013, the company received the American Theatre Wing's National Theatre Company Grant, and its flagship education program, the Next Narrative Monologue Competition now operates in eight cities across the country, with its national finals held each year at the Apollo Theatre in New York City.
True Colors' programming spans mainstage productions, new play development, and transformative community education:
Next Narrative Monologue Competition (NNMC): The company's signature education program, built on original monologues commissioned by True Colors from living Black playwrights on topics relevant to today's high school students. NNMC operates in eight cities nationally, culminating in a national finals at the Apollo Theatre.
The Drinking Gourd: A cohort-based consortium that commissions and develops world-premiere works by leading Black playwrights in partnership with Black theatres nationwide.
New Pages: A commissioning program focused on mid-career Southern playwrights, expanding the canon of voices heard on American stages.
Community Connectivity: Enduring partnerships with civic organizations

including MARTA, the Atlanta Beltline, and Home Depot Backyard

that bring True Colors' programming to diverse audiences across the city and region.
Our Values
Black Storytelling & Artistic Excellence
We believe the Black artistic tradition is a cornerstone of American culture and that centering it on stage is an act of both artistry and justice. We hold ourselves to the highest standards of production quality and artistic ambition.
Civic Engagement
We recognize that the theatre has a responsibility to the communities it inhabits. True Colors meets audiences where they are

in schools, on transit, at community events

and builds lasting relationships across civic, educational, and neighborhood life.
Equity & Inclusion
We are committed to building an organization that is equitable, anti-racist, and inclusive in both its artistic output and its internal culture. We pursue integrity and transparency in all that we do.
Collaboration & Partnership
We believe in the power of deep, generative partnerships

with artists, playwrights, donors, institutions, and communities

to amplify our mission and sustain our work.
The Job
The Managing Director (MD) is the chief external relations leader of True Colors Theatre Company, responsible for driving earned and contributed revenue growth of a budget of $1.5 million, strengthening external partnerships, and ensuring the organization's financial and operational sustainability. The MD directly supervises the General Manager, Finance Manager, Development and Marketing Consultants, and co-leads a staff of 20 full-time and part-time staff. In close partnership with the Artistic Director (AD), the MD advances TCTC's mission by aligning artistic ambition with strong fundraising, marketing, and strategic execution.
Current Environment
Like many regional theatres across the country, True Colors Theatre Company navigated significant challenges in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, including shifts in audience behavior and contributed revenue. The company has remained deeply committed to its mission throughout and continues to build on a strong foundation of community relationships, artistic credibility, and donor engagement.
True Colors is in an exciting moment of transition for the organization, with a dynamic and visionary Artistic Director, a committed Board, and a mission that resonates with the Atlanta community. The company is positioned to expand its revenue base, grow its institutional profile, and deepen its community footprint. The next Managing Director will need a firm grasp of the opportunities and challenges facing arts nonprofits today, and will bring both strategic clarity and entrepreneurial energy to help lead this next chapter of growth.
Your Roles and Responsibilities
Revenue Growth & Development
Lead and execute a diversified contributed revenue strategy to raise $1.5 million across individual, corporate, foundation, and government sources.
Personally cultivate and solicit major gifts and institutional support, serving as a primary relationship holder with key donors and funders.
Build and provide strategic revenue goals for the organization in collaboration with the Artistic Director and Board Chair.
Supervise the Development team with clear performance metrics and a culture of accountability and collaboration.
Ensure that earned and contributed income goals are met through targeted revenue strategies.
Develop financial models projecting one, three, and five years out to align with strategic priorities and long-term sustainability.
Expand contributed and earned income streams by identifying and pursuing new opportunities consistent with TCTC's brand and mission.
Marketing & External Affairs
Supervise and guide Marketing Consultant to manage brand, marketing, communications, and audience development strategy, ensuring alignment with fundraising and revenue goals.
Strengthen the theatre's visibility and influence across civic, corporate, philanthropic, and cultural communities in Atlanta and nationally.
Serve as chief administrative spokesperson and relationship builder, representing TCTC at community forums, national convenings, and arts advocacy events.
Work closely with the Marketing & Communications consultant to enhance earned revenue models and deepen audience engagement.
Advocate for the arts and increase public awareness of theatre's role in civic life, particularly in elevating Black storytelling and artists of color.
Strategic Leadership
Partner with the Artistic Director to translate artistic vision into fiscally sound, mission-aligned initiatives and long-term strategic plans.
Reflect the organization's values in daily management, strategic planning, communication, and external relationship building.
Support and engage the Board of Directors in governance, fundraising leadership, and fiduciary oversight.
Work with the board and staff to implement strategies that reflect the company's transformational goals and mission priorities.
Identify opportunities for partnerships, innovation, and expansion of the company's reach and impact.
Maintain effective, transparent communication with the Board of Directors, ensuring their ongoing engagement and participation.
Organizational Excellence & Operations
Develop and manage the annual operating budget, including forecasting and financial planning in collaboration with the General Manager and Board.
Monitor financial performance and cash flow; ensure compliance with audit, tax, contractual, and policy requirements.
Oversee administrative systems, contracts, HR policies, and organizational infrastructure to ensure operational efficiency and resilience.
Supervise business and facility operations with a focus on finance, fundraising, and earned revenue models.
Staff Management & Culture Building
Foster a positive, cohesive work environment by empowering staff and providing clear opportunities for professional growth and development.
Build a high-performing, accountable, and collaborative organizational culture consistent with TCTC's values.
Develop a transparent and supportive relationship with the staff and leadership team, ensuring clear and consistent communication across all levels.
Champion and elevate the organization's equity, diversity, inclusion, and anti-racism initiatives with care and intentionality.
Who Are We Looking For?
True Colors seeks a strategic, externally oriented leader with demonstrated success in revenue growth, organizational leadership, and building influential partnerships. The ideal candidate understands that leading a mission-driven arts organization requires both entrepreneurial ambition and deep cultural sensitivity.
The top candidates will have the following qualifications:
A proven track record of individual, corporate, and major gift fundraising, with experience personally cultivating and closing significant gifts.
Strong financial acumen, including budget development, financial modeling, and performance management in a nonprofit or arts organization setting.
Experience leading and developing high-performing, mission-aligned teams