Executive Director

Arts for Learning Connecticut ( is seeking an experienced professional to join our team as Executive Director. This job posting is designed to share all necessary information for interested applicants, and contains three sections: Job Description , Organization Description , and Next Steps .

I. JOB DESCRIPTION

Job Title

Executive Director

Reports to

Board of Directors

Job Summary

The Executive Director is the leader of the organization and provides vision, strategy, management and direction to the staff and organization. The Executive Director implements goals, budgets, and policies created with and approved by the Board of Directors, manages the organization’s programs and operations, ensures sufficient revenue through multiple fundraising and business development practices, and serves as ambassador for AFLCT throughout the state, region, and country. The Executive Director is ultimately responsible for the programmatic, financial, and strategic success of the organization, and the fulfillment of its mission.

Responsibilities

Create and implement annual goals and budgets and strategic plan/goals

• Draft and work with staff and board on Annual Budget, Annual Goals, and strategic planning
• Track success against goals and budget throughout the year, and implement the goals while staying on track with budget
• Create reports as necessary for staff, board, and funders

Support staff through administration, management, and human resource initiatives

• Support staff in creating annual and quarterly goals aligned with the organization’s goals and budget
• Implement Staff Review Process (for direct reports and through managers for others) throughout the year, including 1:1 meetings, quarterly surveys and meetings, and annual performance reviews
• Provide support opportunities for staff including professional development and employee benefits, and resolve any internal issues
• Support independent contractor Teaching Artists through annual processes, compliance, and timely resolutions of issues and payments
• Lead hiring initiatives, including organizational planning, recruiting and hiring, onboarding
• Lead firing and offboarding, as necessary
• Manage staff, as appropriate
• The Executive Director currently supervises the Director of Operations, Director of Business Development, and Higher Order Thinking Schools Director

Secure financial resources and ensure fiscal strength

• Serve as chief fundraiser, designing and implementing a revenue program across multiple staff and board functions
• Direct earned revenue program
• Ensure strategic and effective marketing and outreach across new, returning, and retained clients, aligned with realistic goals
• Ensure faithful utilization of program operations system
• Direct and implement contributed revenue program, including:
• Ensure strategic and effective grant writing annual and multi-year campaigns across unrestricted and restricted foundation, corporate, and government sources
• Ensure effective individual giving program across new and returning donors through research, outreach, and cultivation
• Ensure high-quality reporting and stewardship across all contributed revenue sources
• Guide and support implementation of events (including fundraisers, “friend”-raisers, and other)
• Manage Bookkeeper and ensure implementation of Generally Accepted Accounting Principles
• Manage cash flow
• Manage checks, payrolls, invoices, etc.

Provide programmatic oversight, vision, and direction

• Ensure impact, effectiveness, and efficiency of all responsive programs
• Support Higher Order Thinking Schools program, evaluation, and strategic expansion
• Serve as a statewide leader of the Connecticut Arts Learning Collaborative, ensuring its financial management within AFLCT and helping determine its future
• Support programmatic partnerships with the Young Audiences Arts for Learning National Network
• Support the design, development, and implementation of new programs, as appropriate

Liaise with Board of Directors and support Governance

• Create agendas for and lead regular board meetings
• Work with Executive Committee on annual and strategic initiatives
• Ensure successful annual audit
• Maintain documents and records

Classification, Salary and Hours

The Executive Director is a full-time, exempt position.

The salary range for this position is $125,000 - $140,000, commensurate with experience.

The Executive Director will generally maintain the office hours of 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM, working in the office (currently located in Hamden) or remotely, as necessary. Frequent in-person engagement throughout Connecticut is required, including staff meetings, board meetings, school visits, funder meetings, and events.

The Executive Director must live in Connecticut, or be willing to relocate to Connecticut upon hiring.

Benefits

The Executive Director will receive a SIMPLE IRA with a matching contribution of up to 3% from the organization; the IRA will be managed through Ascensus.

They will receive a $30/month cell phone reimbursement.

AFLCT maintains a flexible vacation policy.

The Executive Director is eligible to participate in AFLCT's health and dental insurance program; the organization will cover between 70% and 90% of the premium, depending on the plan selection.

Preferred Qualifications

• 7-10+ years of nonprofit leadership experience
• Experience supervising staff and managing budgets
• Demonstrated fundraising success
• Relationship-building skills with boards, funders, and community partners
• Commitment to arts learning, youth development, education, or related fields
• Experience leading through organizational change
• Public speaking and external relations experience

II. ORGANIZATION DESCRIPTION

The mission of Arts for Learning Connecticut (AFLCT) is to inspire young people and expand their learning through the arts. Our office is located in Hamden, CT. Founded over 45 years ago as an affiliate of the Young Audiences Arts for Learning National Network, AFLCT has remained a leading provider of arts in education programs in the state. Our staff of 6 and roster of 85+ Teaching Artists serve 70,000+ PK-12 students in over 60% of CT towns annually. We work primarily in schools—and also in community centers, libraries, and other civic institutions—offering performances, workshops, residencies, and professional development. Our work spans the creative spectrum—from spoken word and contemporary visual art to classical Kathak dance and improvisational theatre. Our diverse roster of Teaching Artists (with respect to race, ethnicity, gender, and sexuality) is reflective of the students we serve, half of whom are people of color, and half of whom qualify for Free or Reduced Price Lunch.

With an annual budget of $1,500,000, Arts for Learning secures substantial earned and contributed revenue to ensure that our programs reach the students and communities in the greatest need. Beyond our vast array of responsive programs, we also implement Higher Order Thinking Schools—a whole school, deep impact teaching and learning program that utilizes arts integration to improve student engagement, enrich school culture, and expand teacher practice—at a cohort of 8 partner schools across the state. And in the last two years, AFLCT has served a critical role in the launch of the Connecticut Arts Learning Collaborative, the state’s first-ever collective impact initiative in arts learning, designed to ensure all young people in CT experience high-quality, equitable arts learning in their schools and communities.

Arts for Learning Connecticut is entering an exciting period of strategic growth and statewide leadership, with opportunities to strengthen existing programs, expand partnerships, and advance equitable arts learning throughout Connecticut. Its next Executive Director will serve a critical role in defining this vision, developing the strategic plan that will make it possible, and leading the staff, board, partners, and Teaching Artist community toward its fulfilment.

III. NEXT STEPS

You will be required to upload a cover letter and resume. In the cover letter, please be sure to describe your relevant skills and experiences, your passion for arts learning, and why you believe you’re the right fit for this position. Questions can be directed to AFLCT Executive Director John-Michael Parker at ***email_hidden***. Candidates who advance to the final round will be compensated $500 for their participation throughout the process.

For preferred consideration, submit your initial application (with cover letter and resume) by July 10, 2026. We will seek to begin employment with the Executive Director on or after August 3, 2026.

AFLCT is committed to cultivating an inclusive space that affirms and celebrates the backgrounds, learned and lived expertise, whole identities, and individual perspectives of our staff. We are committed to the diversity of our staff as it pertains to race, color, ethnicity, class, sex, marital or parental status, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, size, disability, religion, and/or national origin. AFLCT is an equal opportunity employer.