Executive Director

Summary

Join DanceSafe as its next Executive Director and lead this national harm reduction nonprofit into its next era of growth. This role offers a unique opportunity to oversee a national organization with international reach, working at the intersection of public health, drug policy, and nightlife culture. The Executive Director will partner with the Board of Directors and executive leadership team to drive long-term sustainability, deepen programmatic impact, and maintain a community-centered approach. The ideal candidate will be a visionary, community-rooted leader skilled in strategy and execution, committed to collaboration and transparency. This position involves strategic leadership, financial growth and sustainability, operational leadership, and movement leadership and advocacy. The Executive Director will have two direct reports upon hiring and will oversee additional direct reports as the team grows.

Requirements

• Passion and deep commitment to DanceSafe’s mission, vision, values, and principles, with a deep understanding of harm reduction as a public health and social justice approach
• Lived experience as a member of one or more of the communities DanceSafe serves
• Proven track record of executive leadership, with the ability to oversee complex organizational landscape, portfolios, drive measurable results, and lead effectively through change and growth
• Exceptional leadership and management skills, rooted in collaboration, transparency, and a “power with, not power over” philosophy
• Deep commitment to accessibility, justice, equity, ethics, and cultural humility as guiding frameworks for leadership, programs, and internal culture
• Clear rejection of psychedelic exceptionalism, with a strong grounding in drug policy and public health solutions that prioritize those most harmed by prohibition
• Proficiency with Google Suite, ClickUp, Slack, AirTable, Notion, Miro, and other remote office and collaboration tools
• Direct experience in drug policy, public health, music industry, and/or harm reduction
• Experience leading or working within a chapter-based organizational model
• Board Member experience in nonprofit and/or private organizations
• Minimum 10 years in an executive leadership role, with at least 7 years as an Executive Director role with a successful and active track record: Leading nonprofit organizational growth—including expansion of programs, team, infrastructure, impact, and budget—with measurable, mission-aligned outcomes
• Stewarding successful non-profit fiscal strategy, operations, and health
• Fundraising, campaigns, donor programs, and securing large & major gifts
• Program design and evaluation, with a strong ability to use data and community insight to inform decision-making and drive impact
• Building, managing, and mentoring high-performing, cross-functional teams in a remote or distributed environment
• Overseeing and optimizing impactful digital infrastructure and omni-channel digital initiatives, including websites, tools and platforms (CMS, social & digital media, paid & non-paid marketing & communications, analytics & optimization, donation/payment processing, etc.), e-commerce systems, CRMs, and UI/UX strategies
• Exceptional emotional intelligence, cultural fluency, and cultural humility with high capacity to build trust, psychological safety, navigate conflict, and foster an inclusive, trauma-informed organizational culture

Responsibilities

• Provide visionary leadership and sustainable strategic direction for DanceSafe alongside the executive leadership team and board of directors, shaping a future that ensures mission fidelity while aligning all strategies, and operations with DanceSafe’s mission, vision, values, principles , and organizational goals
• Define and track measurable key performance indicators (KPIs) across all departments to evaluate organizational health, program effectiveness, and strategic progress
• Lead DanceSafe through phases of organizational change efforts, growth, and evolution, aligning infrastructure, strategy, and culture with DanceSafe’s mission, vision, and goals
• Serve as a visible and trusted ambassador of DanceSafe, representing the organization’s mission, values, and harm reduction principles in public, media, and movement spaces
• Continue to cultivate DanceSafe’s role as both a public health leader and cultural participant, bridging community care with nightlife and festival culture
• Embody and promote accountability and alignment with DanceSafe’s cultural expectations, ensuring all volunteers and employees actively practice and embody our mission, vision, and values
• Uphold our community-centered approach, ideally drawing from experience with chapter-based organizational models
• Demonstrate organizational agility, responding and adapting to evolving needs, landscapes, and opportunities within the harm reduction landscape
• Build and operationalize comprehensive crisis response and risk mitigation plans, ensuring alignment across leadership, staff, volunteers, and contractors for proactive and coordinated action
• Steward a sustainable business model that integrates fundraising, grant income, marketing, earned revenue (ie. paid and non-paid social enterprise strategy, program-related income, etc.), and other
• Diversify DanceSafe’s revenue streams, including identifying new funding opportunities, cultivating relationships with donors, foundations, and funding partners with a strong focus on securing large & major gifts and grants
• Continue development and execution of comprehensive fundraising systems, initiatives, and campaigns
• Oversee annual and multi-year budgeting processes to support strategic priorities and long-term sustainability
• Lead financial planning, including forecasting, cash flow, scenario modeling, and cost modeling
• Ensure DanceSafe maintains strong internal financial systems, controls, regulatory compliance, sound fiscal policies, clean audits, and platinum Candid status
• Collaborate with the finance committee on transparent financial reporting and risk oversight
• Monitor financial performance and adjust strategies to maintain fiscal health
• Continue to build and maintain efficient, scalable, and mission-aligned financial and reporting systems
• Lead HR systems and functions in a way that centers equity, care, and accountability, while ensuring strong legal compliance and fostering a supportive, inclusive, and values-driven work environment
• Lead comprehensive talent acquisition, retention, engagement, and growth strategies in close collaboration with the Board of Directors and the executive leadership team
• Provide strong operational leadership to ensure daily organizational efficiency, effectiveness, and compliance across finance, HR, programs, administration, technology & digital Infrastructure, facilities & logistics, and all legal areas that effect the organization
• Guide the strategic direction, execution, and evaluation of all DanceSafe programs to ensure community relevance, quality, and scalability
• Oversee DanceSafe’s portfolio and project management systems and foster a culture of transparency, value delivery, innovation, and continuous improvement
• Utilize data, feedback, and evaluation tools and strategies to optimize systems, inform decision-making, and enhance community and user experience across programs and platforms (including DanceSafe’s entire digital ecosystem)
• Be very tactical minded, enthusiastically willing to directly execute tasks, own a high amount of administrative work, and contribute to the workload across the organization
• Represent DanceSafe externally through media, public speaking, coalitions, conferences, etc. to build strategic alliances
• Champion progressive drug policy reform and advocate for culturally responsive harm reduction
• Build and maintain strong relationships with community leaders, organizations, coalitions, and movement partners to strengthen collective impact
• Monitor the organization’s public perception, identifying reputational risks and proactively strengthening trust, transparency, and accountability
• Oversee a comprehensive communication strategy that uplifts DanceSafe’s mission and goals across platforms
• Align internal culture with external messaging, ensuring the organization “walks the talk” and maintains credibility in the communities it serves
• Respond to cultural, political, and public health moments with clarity, care, and mission-aligned leadership — especially when visibility is high and/or stakes are sensitive

Benefits

• PTO
• Medical and dental benefits
• Disability and life insurance
• Professional development
• Employer contribution retirement