Job Details
Job Location: The Fine Arts Association - WILLOUGHBY, OH 44094
Fine Arts Association Managing Director Location: Willoughby, Ohio
Reports To: Board of Directors
Status: Full-Time, Exempt
The Opportunity
The Fine Arts Association seeks an experienced and operationally focused Managing Director to lead the day-to-day operations of the organization and execute on its strategic priorities. This is a hands‑on leadership role for a disciplined, people‑centered manager who thrives on building strong teams, driving accountability, and delivering results. The Managing Director will be responsible for the full scope of FAA's operations – financial management, staff leadership, program delivery, and fundraising execution – while working in close partnership with the Board of Directors. The ideal candidate is not primarily a visionary but an executor: someone who can take clear direction, build systems, hold people accountable, and get things done. This leader will inherit a talented and mission-committed staff and will be expected to cultivate, develop, and retain that team for the long term.
Required Skills and Experience
1. Operational Excellence- Proven ability to manage the day-to-day operations of a complex, multi-program organization with discipline and consistency
- Experience building and maintaining organizational systems, processes, and workflows that improve efficiency and accountability
- Demonstrated ability to identify operational gaps and implement practical, sustainable solutions without disrupting core mission delivery
- Comfortable managing multiple priorities simultaneously in a fast-moving environment
- Demonstrated ability to read, interpret, and act on financial statements including P&L, balance sheet, and cash flow reports
- Experience managing organizational budgets, monitoring performance against plan, and making real-time adjustments to stay on track
- Proven ability to identify and implement cost efficiencies without compromising program quality
- Understanding of nonprofit financial management including endowment stewardship, restricted fund compliance, and debt management
- Proven track record of leading, developing, and retaining a diverse staff across multiple departments and disciplines, including faculty
- Direct supervisory responsibility for FAA's full staff – this leader must be an engaged, present, and effective people manager
- Ability to set clear performance expectations, conduct timely and meaningful performance reviews, and hold direct reports accountable to measurable goals
- Commitment to cultivating a positive, resilient, and inclusive workplace culture where staff feel valued, supported, and challenged to grow
- Skill in identifying talent, creating internal development opportunities, and building long-term organizational capacity
- Experience supporting or executing fundraising efforts including major gift cultivation, grant writing, and corporate and government relations
- Ability to build and maintain strong relationships with donors, community partners, and external stakeholders
- Comfortable representing the organization publicly and articulating its mission compellingly to a variety of audiences
- Genuine belief in the value of arts education and community-based arts programming
- Ability to connect operational decisions to mission impact and communicate that connection clearly to staff, donors, and the board
Qualifications
- Minimum of 7–10 years of progressive leadership experience, with demonstrated success in an operational management role
- Prior experience as a Managing Director, Chief Operating Officer, Executive Director, or similar role in a nonprofit, arts, or education organization preferred
- Demonstrated history of successfully managing staff across multiple departments
- Strong financial literacy – experience reading and acting on financial reports is required
- Bachelor's degree required; advanced degree in Nonprofit Management, Business Administration, or a related field preferred