Open Roles

• Project and Staff Management: Serves as high-level project manager for the organization's work; collaboratively manages staff to set and achieve short and long-term organizational and individual professional goals; empowers staff ownership of projects and work

• Advocacy & Industry Engagement: Listens to and engages thoughtfully with emerging needs, challenges, and opportunities across the field; represents FFA at 4-6 major industry conferences and events annually (often multi-day commitments)

• Fundraising: Leads organizational efforts toward grant writing, sponsor proposals, and other contributed revenue goals

• Industry Leadership: Serves as the leadership face of the organization within the industry; promptly and warmly communicates with membership and stakeholders; develops relationships with allied organizations to create beneficial and strategic partnerships for FFA

• Programming: Sets strategic direction for FFA programs, ensuring alignment with short and long-term goals as well as financial parameters; participates in the execution of select programs; serves as FFA representative and decision maker for biannual IND/EX partnership with Art House Convergence

• Board Management: Facilitates board meetings, consent agendas, and communications with the board; guides board to effective work within expectations of their roles; works with Executive Committee on board nominations and other governance issues as needed

• Financial Management: Creates yearly organizational budget and sets financial goals in collaboration with staff leadership; manages to a balanced budget; identifies shortfalls and solutions when needed

• Member & Community Partner Relations: Maintains relationships with FFA's membership base of film festivals; cultivates community partnerships that advance FFA's mission; conducts relationship-building conversations with members and partners

• Crisis Management & Problem-Solving: Uses sound judgment consistent with FFA's values and practices; makes timely decisions, balancing consultation with decisiveness

• Performs other duties as needed

• Significant experience in the film festival or independent exhibition industry
• 5+ years experience in film festivals or comparable events
• Demonstrated experience managing and leading a team to success 

 
Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• Deep understanding of the film festival and independent exhibition terrain, positive relationships with key partners and players
• Robust understanding of non-profit leadership, including experience with fundraising and other nonprofit-specific activities
• Able to communicate and guide a variety of stakeholders (staff, board, partners, members) to success, using strong communication and empathy skills
• Demonstrated management and teambuilding skills, using principles of empowerment and professional development. Must also allow team members with specific skill sets to utilize said skill sets without micromanaging or interference
• Demonstrated project management talent, able to track details and big picture simultaneously to progress to goals and deadlines
• Must possess deep analytical and problem solving skills using judgment that is consistent with FFA’s standards, practices, policies and procedures. Must also be able to use intuitive decision making skills more promptly, as needed.  
• Past experience successfully managing multiple responsibilities simultaneously with competing deadlines. Ability to effectively identify and resolve problems in a timely manner and proactively develop alternative solutions.
• Must be a dynamic, resourceful, authentic, level-headed leader/professional with the confidence to express a strong point of view and provide honest feedback, and who can work collaboratively to drive the best results for our membership. Must also possess the ability to speak with/listen to a variety of personalities contained with our membership and industry.
• Adept with digital tools (gSuite or similar), Wordpress or similar, social media, ticketing platforms, etc.

Reports to the Board President. Frequent contact with the Executive Committee and all FFA staff. Occasional interaction with other Board members.

The Executive Director possesses all decision-making authority around the organization’s programming and hiring, goal setting and strategy implementation. Most of this decision-making is done collaboratively with input from staff and at times Executive Committee and Board President, and at times, certain decisions are left solely to the Executive Director – these are typically financial decisions that may not be explicitly accounted for in budget, final say on hiring contract workers, etc. The Board of Directors possesses sole authority to hire/fire Executive Director and approve annual budget as recommended by staff.

Work Environment/Physical Demands/Mental Demands

• Work is conducted remotely, with a geographically diverse staff in multiple time zones.
• Ability to communicate with colleagues virtually (Zoom, phone, etc.) due to geographic location
• Flexible working hours, though an ability to work across North American time zones and to work longer hours, evenings, and/or weekends (especially prior to and during key events) is required
• May need to travel to 2-3 festivals or industry gatherings to represent FFA
• Able to set clear boundaries between FFA work, other jobs and life responsibilities to create good working habits for the team
• Can communicate verbally with colleagues, vendors, patrons, and others
• Read/interpret electronic and paper documents
• Able to process and understand written instruction
• Able to operate a computer and other equipment