Executive Director

Overview

Join to apply for the Executive Director role at Portland Rose Festival Foundation

The Portland Rose Festival Executive Search Committee seeks a new, full-time Executive Director, a collaborative, energetic team player with excellent leadership, public relations, and executive administrative skills, ready to take on a high-profile position with an opportunity for maximum community impact. Powerful interpersonal skills, high personal and professional standards, and an unflagging commitment to getting the job done are necessary.

The Portland Rose Festival has been a Pacific Northwest tradition for 118 years. This unique festival celebrates the City of Roses with exciting events and entertainment for all ages. Events include popular parades, a family-oriented waterfront festival, and a Fleet Week featuring the U.S. Navy, U.S. Coast Guard and Royal Canadian Navy.
The Official Festival of the City of Portland
, Rose Festival creates an important economic impact for Portland while helping brand the City as an attractive and welcoming destination for both locals and visitors.

The Portland Rose Festival Foundation (PRFF) is the 501c3 nonprofit organization that produces the annual Rose Festival. PRFF has a Board of directors which serves on committees that work year-round to plan and implement festival events and programs. The professional staff is augmented by seasonal employees during the late winter and spring.

Job Title: Executive Director

Reports To: PRFF Executive Committee

Primary

Purpose:

The Executive Director (ED) is responsible for the overall management and operation of the PRFF. They will work with the PRFF Executive Committee and Board of Directors (Board) to develop and implement strategic direction, manage a successful, effective, and efficient organization, and lead/shape all external communications to ensure the integrity of the Portland Rose Festival Foundation.

• Vision: Define, clarify and build consensus around the vision for PRFF and develop commitment from the Board and the employees for the vision, mission, and operating goals. Emphasis will be on clarifying priorities, ensuring viable planning, and aligning resources to meet said priorities. The ED facilitates discussions about what PRFF should accomplish over the next several years and how it can be done.
  
  The successful candidate will be a proven connector — someone who builds relationships across diverse communities, city, county, state and government agencies, civic institutions, the business community, and cultural networks with authenticity and enthusiasm.
• Leadership: Bring a passion for the Festival’s traditions and mission to the Board, staff, volunteers and any other group touched by PRFF. Act to build bridges and serve as a liaison between PRFF and elected and appointed officials, the business community, the educational community, and the general public. Lead a broad partnering effort that prioritizes relationships. Familiarity with large-scale special events, festivals, or public attractions is highly valued.
  
  Direct understanding of event planning, production logistics, and civic permitting is highly preferred.
• Board Relationship Management: Communicate regularly and often with the Board to provide information on organizational issues, address and make recommendations regarding strategies, and secure necessary approval of actions taken. Include Executive Committee in appropriate policy discussions and ensure Board familiarity with PRFF’s programs, successes, needs, and opportunities. Serve in an advisory role on several important committees that shape the board.
• Budgeting: Work closely with event managers, the Board, and the Financial Task Force to evaluate and adapt existing programs and events while identifying new and innovative programming for long-term financial health and stability.
• Sales/Fundraising: Develop and lead a comprehensive fundraising and revenue-generation strategy. Must be experienced in the sales process, particularly related to sponsorship development. This includes identifying, pitching, and closing corporate sponsorship…