Executive Director

Position Status: Full-Time, Exempt Professional Staff (40 hours per week) 

Compensation: Base salary of $50,000. (Note: No health or retirement benefits are provided at this time).

The Executive Director is the chief administrative officer of Downtown Menomonie, responsible for managing the organization's daily operations.

To maintain our accreditation with the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation (WEDC), Downtown Menomonie strictly adheres to the Main Street America™ Four-Point Approach . The official national Main Street methodology dictates that successful programs operate on a "volunteer-driven, staff-supported" model (Reference: Main Street America Approach ) .

Therefore, the Executive Director is an administrative leader and coordinator, not the sole implementer of all tasks. The ED provides the framework, communication, and operational continuity that empowers the volunteer Board of Directors and Committees to successfully execute their initiatives.

(Note: Hours are approximate averages to guide weekly prioritization. Actual time spent will fluctuate seasonally based on event schedules).

• Daily Operations & Office Management: Manage the Downtown Menomonie office as the organization's central headquarters. The ED is expected to maintain reliable, posted office hours and ensure the office space is kept clean, organized, and professionally welcoming on a weekly basis. When stepping out for required business outreach or meetings, clear signage must be posted indicating the ED’s location and expected return time.
• Board Administration & Support: Collaborate with the Executive Committee to draft Board meeting agendas and assemble supporting documents (financials, reports) prior to meetings. Provide general administrative support, including maintaining shared digital files, managing the master organizational calendar, and monitoring the general email inbox.
• Proactive Information Sharing: Foster a culture of transparency and teamwork. At a minimum weekly, the ED must actively share operational updates, vendor timelines, and feedback from downtown businesses with the Executive Committee so leadership can make well-informed decisions.
• Committee Coordination (Staff-Supported, Volunteer-Driven): Serve as an operational resource for volunteer committees. All official Downtown Menomonie committee meetings should be scheduled and held at the downtown office. While Committee Chairs lead meetings and delegate tasks to volunteers, the ED attends to provide historical context, budget updates, and cross-committee alignment.
• WEDC Accreditation & Financials: Maintain all required WEDC reporting, including the collection of monthly Board volunteer hours and district statistics (Reference: WEDC Wisconsin Main Street Program Standards ) . Actively participate in Wisconsin Main Street/WEDC director calls and required training sessions. Operate within the Board-approved budget, processing invoices and assisting the Treasurer with financial documentation. 

• Event Leadership: Serve as the staff operational coordinator for Board-approved signature events (including the Cocoa Crawl, Golf Scramble, Music on Main, and Winter Daze ). Event setup and execution are a shared responsibility with the Board and volunteer committees.
• Event Attendance Expectation: The ED is expected to be present at established, recurring signature events. (If new events are added mid-year, required ED attendance will be coordinated with the Executive Committee to respect a 40-hour work week and prior personal commitments).
• Digital Storytelling & Communications: Maintain the organizational website, execute a consistent social media content calendar, and produce the weekly BID/Business email and monthly community newsletter.

• Committee Support: While the volunteer EV Committee focuses on strategic business recruitment, analyzing market gaps, and investor relations, the ED provides tactical support. This includes maintaining the BOOMS Tracker database, preparing data/welcome packets for the committee, and coordinating the logistics of business outreach campaigns.
• Direct Outreach: Dedicate consistent weekly time to visiting downtown businesses and developing working relationships with owners.

• Partnership Representation: Serve as a primary professional face of Downtown Menomonie. The ED is expected to regularly attend City Council meetings (when downtown matters are discussed), Chamber of Commerce networking events, and relevant UW-Stout meetings.
• Team-Based Outreach: Operate as a collaborative team with the Board. The ED will actively invite Executive Committee and Board members to co-attend key stakeholder meetings and business visits, fostering a unified, "ambassador-style" approach.
• External Meeting Debriefs: Act as the vital information link between the community and the Board. Following City Council, Chamber, or stakeholder meetings, the ED will proactively share key takeaways, upcoming municipal votes affecting downtown, and new partnership opportunities with the Executive Committee and full Board.
• Resource Navigation: Connect local businesses with appropriate WEDC, SBDC, and City resources (including referring property owners to the City of Menomonie for facade and beautification grants).

• Project Coordination: Provide administrative support to the Design Committee for physical district improvements (e.g., coordinating vendor timelines for planters or holiday lighting).

Task Delegation & Chain of Command: To ensure the Executive Director maintains a manageable 40-hour work week, individual Board Members may not assign ad-hoc tasks directly to the Executive Director. All operational tasks and directives must flow through the Board President, the Executive Committee, or the approved annual Committee Work Plans, acting in strict accordance with the Downtown Menomonie Bylaws, Governance Manual, and Financial Policies . (Committee Work Plans are developed and approved by the Board in Q4 of each preceding year, in alignment with the Main Street America Transformation Strategy & Planning Cycle ) .

Collaborative Leadership: The Executive Director thrives by operating as an open, team-oriented leader. Success in this role requires actively sharing critical organizational insights, fostering an inclusive environment, and consistently communicating community meeting outcomes back to the Board. This collaborative approach ensures the organization functions at its highest potential and will be a key positive metric during performance evaluations.

Reporting Structure: The Executive Director reports weekly to the Executive Committee (via the Friday huddle or President check-ins) and monthly to the full Board of Directors via a written ED Report. The monthly report must include a summary of all City, Chamber, and stakeholder meetings attended.

Performance Reviews & Compensation: The Executive Director will undergo a 90-day probationary review, followed by formal Annual Performance Evaluations conducted by the Executive Committee. Any consideration of a base salary increase or discretionary bonus is strictly contingent upon:

1. Documented achievement of the goals outlined in this position description and the annual work plan.
2. The successful realization of organizational fundraising goals and the subsequent availability of funds within the Board-approved annual budget.

• Demonstrated experience in nonprofit administration, economic development, or business management.
• Excellent written, verbal, and digital communication skills.
• Strong organizational ability with the capacity to manage multiple projects and deadlines.
• The ability to work collaboratively to support—rather than replace—volunteer committee leadership.

To apply, please submit your resume along with a brief cover letter answering the following questions: 1. What do you see as the single most important responsibility of this role?, 2. Briefly describe your experience with budget management, grant writing, or fundraising.