Position Announcement: President & CEO

The Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation based in Scottsdale, AZ, seeks a visionary and exceptional organizational leader to serve as its next President & CEO. Interested candidates can learn more about the organization at https://franklloydwright.org/

JOB SUMMARY

The President & CEO is responsible for managing the human and financial resources of the Foundation with a deep appreciation for cultural sites and education. This position requires an approachable and personable leader who can engage the public and develop relationships with allied organizations and donors to secure funding for the preservation and programming at two of the most singular sites in the country - Taliesin and Taliesin West.

MISSION

The Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation inspires people to discover and embrace an architecture for better living through meaningful connections to nature, the arts, and each other.

The 501(c)(3) nonprofit Organization was founded by Frank Lloyd Wright (1867-1959) to be the repository of his life’s work. The Foundation engages in a broad range of activities that includes education, preservation, and influencing the development of architecture and design through collaborations. The Foundation maintains and preserves the buildings, landscapes and collections at Taliesin West (designed 1937-1959) in Scottsdale, AZ and Taliesin (designed 1911-1959) in Spring Green, WI. Both sites are National Historic Landmarks and UNESCO World Heritage Sites and together welcome more than 130,000 visitors annually.

The Foundation also owns and manages the intellectual property for all of Frank Lloyd Wright’s designs, drawings, and other collections from his prolific career. This knowledge base is used to influence the growth of architecture, design and planning by collaborating with universities, scholars, practitioners, and the design industry. To assist in achieving this goal, in 2022 the Foundation launched the Taliesin Institute, a collection of programs to advance the principles of organic architecture. 

THE POSITION

Position Summary

The President & CEO is responsible for the overall direction and leadership of the organization to achieve the Foundation’s mission, vision, strategy, annual fundraising goals and multi-year objectives. The CEO is focused on the long-term sustainability of the Foundation, accomplished through robust fundraising and day-to-day operations. This involves management of a senior staff of six, supervising an overall staff of 100, and a $12 million annual operating budget. The CEO reports directly to the Board of Trustees and works closely with staff leadership to advance mission-oriented activities within each department. 

The CEO will be a confident and engaging team leader, diplomat, and relationship builder with a strong business acumen. The CEO will convincingly communicate to the Foundation’s diverse constituencies, and possess the imagination, clarity of vision, and operational aptitude to anticipate future opportunities and challenges, and develop achievable solutions. 

The Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation relies on public support to fulfill its mission. Foundation memberships and donations support educational programming, exhibitions, and preservation as well as community and public events hosted by the Foundation. Private philanthropy and corporate sponsorship are essential to the Foundation’s ability to inspire people to discover meaningful connections to nature, the arts, and each other. The President & CEO position is critical to furthering our fundraising initiatives.

THE PERSON

Qualifications & Experience

• The successful candidate should have a minimum of ten years of experience in senior level leadership and management in a comparably sized or larger non-profit or for-profit setting.
• Demonstrated success in fundraising. The candidate should have a proven track record of successful fundraising and established connections with philanthropists, donors, and business leaders dedicated to the arts and education, preferably within Arizona but also beyond.
• Exemplary managerial skills; ability to inspire, lead and delegate.
• Strong strategic, operational, and financial acumen and revenue-generating capabilities.
• Demonstrated experience and ability to effectively articulate a vision to stakeholders, including staff, funders, business partners, industry, media, and the broader community.
• Proven ability to develop approaches to partnerships, collaborations, and relationships that can advance the Foundation’s mission. 
• Proven ability to manage priorities and workflow, handle multiple projects, delegate accountably, and meet deadlines.

SPECIFIC RESPONSIBILITIES

Vision and Strategy

• Provide inspired, forward-thinking leadership for the continued growth of the Foundation while remaining focused on the mission of the organization.
• Maximize the value of the Foundation’s assets to the public and the design profession. 
• Implement and manage the new five-year strategic plan and lead the development of the 2030 strategic plan. 
• Work closely with the Board, in collaboration with senior staff, to formulate and communicate overall goals and priorities, and with the Board committees to develop and execute strategic and operational plans.

External Relations

• Represent the Foundation to local, regional, national and international communities, reaching out to engage potential corporate, governmental, civic, community, and cultural partners.
• Work with other Frank Lloyd Wright sites and aligned organizations to advance the mission of the Foundation and promote Mr. Wright’s relevance and impact.
• Collaborate productively with the leadership of Taliesin Preservation Inc. (TPI), our partner organization in Spring Green, WI. 

Program Leadership

• Manage and develop the Foundation’s multi-site, multi-dimensional assets, including Taliesin, Taliesin West, Taliesin Institute, and the collections.

Financial Management

• Focus and emphasize the long-term sustainability of the Foundation by increasing private and public funding while growing the endowment.
• Oversee implementation and develop annual operating and capital budgets to ensure effective and responsible fiscal practices. 
• Collaborate and engage with the Board, staff, and other stakeholders to increase grants and attract donors.  
• Continually review and enhance the operations of the organization, and actively seek new opportunities for increasing and diversifying earned income.
• Work with the senior staff to oversee all policies, procedures, and systems to ensure the highest level of efficiency and quality throughout the organization.

Human Capital Oversight and Management

• Assemble a team of Wright scholars to add to the institutional expertise for fund raising presentations, education and resource purposes. 
• Create a work culture through inspired leadership that is mission-centric and values teamwork, good communication, and accountability.
• Supervise, retain, and recruit well-qualified senior staff and support the continued development of a culturally diverse staff. 
• Work with all Board committees to provide on-going guidance to ensure the effectiveness of the Board. 
• Work with the Governance Committee of the Board to identify, cultivate and recruit strong Trustees and members of the advisory Board of Governors. 
• Continually develop and evaluate the communication channels between the Board, management, and staff.

AREAS OF LEADERSHIP

The following responsibilities and mission-oriented activities are managed by the CEO in partnership with the senior leadership to ensure the Foundation is thriving. 

• Preserve and steward Taliesin, Taliesin West, and the associated collections.
• Position and leverage the Taliesin Institute as a convener in the architecture and design space by collaborating with architecture professionals, universities and students, and the public to facilitate scholarly activities.
• Cultivate intellectual property licensing and marketing partners and manage the licensing agreements, retail operations, and the strategic commercialization of intellectual assets.
• Work closely with TPI to update the legal agreements outlining each party’s roles and responsibilities in collaboration.
• Advance the key partnership with TPI in a collaborative manner by maximizing efficiency between the two organizations, minimizing resource redundancy, and achieving common goals. 
• Build the Foundation’s visibility through media channels, speaking engagements, industry and community events, press releases, and other media type activities. 
• Support and foster public engagement around initiatives that study, interpret and protect the buildings, landscapes and collections.
• Ensure educational programs and cultural offerings at Taliesin, Taliesin West and the Taliesin Institute are aligned with the overall mission of the Foundation and designed to reach diverse audiences as well as new, targeted audiences, and capitalize online learning and experiential events to enhance and expand the Foundation’s identity.
• Actively engage and explore cooperative programs with K-12 programs, universities, and other Frank Lloyd Wright-related organizations in the fields of architecture, historic preservation, and design, including seeking opportunities to engage internationally.
• Further launch the Taliesin Institute to produce vibrant educational programming and scholarship. Develop funding relationships to expand the Taliesin Institute’s reach. 
• Oversee and support the administrative components of program services, including contracting, contract and grant reporting, and satisfactory completion of committed work.
• Distinguish the Foundation from, and work collegially with, other Frank Lloyd Wright-associated nonprofit organizations.

SALARY, BENEFITS, AND LOCATION

The target salary for this position is $250,000 annually depending on experience. A comprehensive benefit package is also provided, for which a general overview can be found on the Foundation’s website at www.franklloydwright.org/careers. This position is based out of the Foundation’s corporate headquarters in Scottsdale, AZ and allows for limited hybrid presence.

In addition to the minimum qualifications listed above, additional information relevant to all positions is as follows: 

Physical Demands and Work Environment: The physical demands and work environment described here are inclusive and considerate of the diverse needs of all employees, including individuals with disabilities. Reasonable accommodation will be provided to ensure that individuals can successfully perform the essential functions of this job.

Physical Demands: To perform the essential functions of this job, employees may be required to engage in various physical activities. These activities include standing, walking, sitting, using hands to handle objects, tools, or controls, reaching with hands and arms, climbing stairs, maintaining balance, stooping, kneeling, or crouching. Additionally, effective communication through talking and hearing is consistently required. The employee may occasionally need to lift and/or move up to 25 pounds. This job requires specific vision abilities, including close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and the ability to adjust focus.

Work environment: The duties of this job may expose employees to weather and environmental conditions that are prevalent at the time, taking into account the diverse needs of individuals. The work environment aims to be inclusive and accommodating. The noise level in the work environment is typically moderate.

We strongly encourage individuals who may not meet all the listed requirements to still apply for this position. We value diversity and believe in providing equal opportunities to all candidates. If you possess a strong passion for the role and are motivated to learn and grow, we are committed to considering your application and providing reasonable accommodations to help you succeed in this job. Your unique perspectives and experiences can contribute to our team and enhance our overall success.

Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

All qualified candidates should submit an application directly to the Foundation's recruitment portal at: 

https://recruiting.paylocity.com/recruiting/jobs/Details/2710100/Frank-Lloyd-Wright-Foundation/President-CEO