Posner Center Executive Director

Executive Director

Posner Center | Job Posting

Reports to: Board of Directors (primary liaison: Board Chair and Executive Committee)

Type: Full-time employee

Compensation: $100,000 annually

Location: Denver, CO — regular on-site presence at the Posner Center required

Target start: Late 2026 - early 2027; timing flexible for the right candidate

Direct reports: Interim Director of Operations through the transition, and the Manager of Building and Operations to be hired; oversight of contracted property management, events team, bookkeeping, and marketing partners

About Posner Center

Posner Center is a Denver-based nonprofit that brings the social impact community together under one roof. Housed in the historic Horse Barn, Posner provides shared office space, membership, programming, and connection for organizations working on social impact and global development, at home and abroad. Our tenants and members are nonprofits, social enterprises, funders, and practitioners who do more together than they could alone.

Our vision for 2026–2028 is to be Colorado's leading collaborative hub for the social impact community at home and abroad.

The Opportunity

The Posner Center is entering a new phase, and the Board is recruiting an Executive Director to lead it.

Several decisions over the past year have set the direction. We completed a vision process that formally broadened our focus from international development to the wider social impact community, nonprofits and social enterprises alike, and that reframed Posner as a collaborative hub rather than solely a shared office space. We also redesigned how Posner is staffed, moving from a single, broadly scoped position to a small team supported by contracted property management, bookkeeping, and marketing partners.

A central priority for the role will be strengthening Posner’s long-term financial sustainability by diversifying revenue beyond its historic reliance on rental and membership income. This will require both building a stronger development function and creating new sources of revenue through mission-aligned programming and partnerships. The Executive Director will identify opportunities for new programs in social impact and international development, develop fundable concepts and partnerships, pursue grants and other philanthropic support, and build programming that attracts participants, partners, sponsors, and funders.

The goal is to develop a more resilient financial model that draws from multiple complementary sources: philanthropy and grants, program revenue, corporate and institutional partnerships, sponsorships, events and space rentals, membership, and tenancy. Programming should advance Posner’s mission while also strengthening the organization’s value proposition and creating opportunities for sustainable revenue growth.

The Executive Director will lead this work in close partnership with the Board.This role requires entrepreneurial leadership and someone who can see opportunities, develop ideas into viable programs, build partnerships around them and secure the resources needed to launch them. It is a substantial undertaking for a part-time role, which is why it comes with contracted operational support, a Board that fundraises alongside staff rather than delegating it, and a lead gift already committed to support this transition.

What You'll Do

Strategy and implementing the vision

• Work with the Board to develop and implement a revenue diversification plan that establishes a mix of rental office and event space, philanthropic, program, and partnership income Posner should be working toward, what each stream requires, and over what timeframe.
• Translate the 2026–2028 vision into an actionable strategic and financially sustainable plan with clear goals, owners, milestones, and measures, and then lead its execution.
• Serve as the primary strategic partner to the Board and its committees.
• Support board recruitment, onboarding, and effective governance.

Fundraising and revenue diversification

• Lead Posner's fundraising and revenue development strategy and its execution, across annual giving, institutional and foundation support, corporate sponsorship, and earned revenue.
• Grow and diversify revenue across tenancy, membership, programming, events and space rentals, and philanthropy.
• Develop a clear and compelling case for support that connects Posner’s mission, programming, community, and role as a collaborative hub, and ensure that Posner’s financial reporting and tax return Form 990s are in compliance and donor-ready.
• Steward and deepen relationships with current donors and long-standing supporters, including a committed lead donor, while identifying, cultivating and securing new funding relationships locally, nationally and within the international development and social impact sectors.
• Develop and cultivate new funding relationships across Denver's philanthropic and corporate community and the global development sector.
• Build the infrastructure necessary for sustained fundraising including a prospect pipeline, donor database, grant calendar, a moves-management discipline, and clean reporting on how funds are used.
• Work with the Board so that fundraising is a shared responsibility rather than a staff-only one.

Developing programs

• Design and lead a portfolio of programming that further establishes Posner as a leading Colorado hub for social impact and international development.
• Identify existing and emerging issues, community needs and funding opps that can be translated into new programming, convenings, learning events, member offerings, and collaborations, so that membership carries substantial value beyond workspace. Programming is central both to what a Posner membership is worth and to the case we make to funders.
• Seek opportunities for Posner to serve as a convener and platform for cross-sector collaboration on issues where Colorado organizations and institutions can contribute expertise, resources, and leadership.
• Rebuild and support the Program Committee: its charter, goals, participants, and meeting rhythm.
• Create the conditions for resource sharing and collaboration among tenants and members, and measure whether programs are reaching the people they are designed for.

Partnerships and collaborations

• Serve as the face and external voice of Posner with tenants, members, funders, peer organizations, universities, city and state partners, and the media.
• Articulate the member and tenant value proposition clearly, and be able to explain what it is worth and why.
• Build strategic partnerships that expand Posner’s programming, attract new resources, and extend Posner’s reach.
• Manage the relationship with the Denver Housing Authority, including lease matters and any change in building ownership, working alongside the Board and Posner's pro bono real estate counsel.
• Steward relationships with Posner's guarantors and longest-standing partner organizations.
• Build and maintain partnerships with aligned organizations that strengthen Posner’s programming and open doors for its community.
• Re-engage and steward the Leadership Council as an advisory network of experts and key stakeholders.

Financial and operational success

• Own the annual budget with the Board Treasurer, including building the budget, developing revenue assumptions, monitoring performance, and reporting against it accurately and on time.
• Establish a clear, consistent, and market-informed approach to lease terms, renewals, and pricing, and communicate it well to tenants so that expectations are set in advance rather than negotiated under pressure.
• Oversee the outsourced accounting function, and ensure sound financial controls, clean records, and audit-ready books.
• Lead the tax return process each year and liaise with the external accounting firm to ensure accuracy, a timely filing, and board review and approval.
• Ensure the building serves tenants and members well: leases, insurance compliance, vendor performance, and responsive day-to-day service.

Managing staff

• Supervise, support, and develop the operations lead, and set clear expectations and priorities for a small staff team.
• Manage contracted partners in property management, bookkeeping and accounting, and marketing and communications, holding each to scope, budget, and service standards.
• Build a healthy, accountable, and sustainable culture in a small team where people carry more than one responsibility.
• Ensure institutional knowledge is documented, organized, and shared, rather than concentrated in any one person.

What Success Looks Like in Year One

• A Board-approved strategic and revenue diversification plan, with clear targets for each revenue stream and visible progress against them.
• A functioning development program is in place, including a strong case for support, documented prospect pipeline, a completed annual campaign, and new funding relationships established.
• A consistent, well-communicated approach to leases, renewals, and pricing, applied across the tenant base.
• Occupancy improving, supported by an active prospect pipeline and fill-time standards.
• A programming calendar that tenants and members take part in.
• New strategic partnerships that contribute funding, programming, expertise, participants and expanded reach.
• Financial reporting is timely and accurate and Posner can demonstrate measurable progress toward audit readiness.
• Clear scopes and standards in place for staff and contracted partners.

Who We're Looking For

Required

• Meaningful nonprofit leadership experience, including a demonstrated record of raising money that you have personally cultivated, asked for, and closed.
• Experience building or substantially growing a development strategy or plan, rather than inheriting one that was already running.
• Demonstrated ability to build new programs and initiatives from concept through funding and implementation.
• Experience generating diversified revenue through fundraising, grant development, partnerships, sponsorships, and/or programming.
• Experience leading an organization through a period of growth, change, or repositioning.
• A strategic thinker who is also willing to execute personally in a lean organization without a large support team.
• A capable relationship builder and a credible external representative for the organization.
• Strong financial literacy, including comfort developing and managing budgets, reading financial statements, and working with a Treasurer and outsourced accountants.
• Experience supervising staff and managing vendors or contracted partners.
• Experience partnering effectively with a board of directors in strategy, governance, fundraising, and organizational development.
• A genuine connection to Posner's mission and to the social impact and global development community.

Strong pluses

• Established relationships in Colorado's philanthropic, corporate, or civic community.
• Experience with membership organizations, shared or collaborative workspaces, coalitions, or convening organizations.
• Familiarity with commercial leasing, facilities, or real estate.
• Experience communicating clearly and building trust with a community of stakeholders through a period of organizational growth and change.

Compensation and Terms

• Salary: $100,000 annually for a full-time role
• Schedule: Flexible, with regular on-site presence at the Posner Center expected. Posner’s operating hours are 8:30am - 5:00pm Monday through Friday; some evenings and weekends may be required for certain events
• Benefits: Comprehensive benefits package includes 75% employer-paid health and dental insurance, a 401(k) retirement plan with up to a 6% match, generous paid time off and sick leave, and paid family and medical leave (FAMLI).
• Start date: Late 2026 - early 2027, with timing flexible for the right candidate.

How to Apply

This is a Board-led search, conducted by the Board of Directors. Candidates will be in direct contact with the people responsible for the decision throughout.

To express interest, please submit a resume of no more than 2 pages and a brief cover letter describing your fit for the role and why this job now to hiring@posnercenter.org. Applications will be accepted through November 9, 2026, and will be reviewed on a rolling basis until the position is filled.

Our process. A Board of Directors search committee reviews applications and conducts first interviews. The use of an AI tool may be part of our initial review process, depending on volume, to help review initial applications, but human engagement and oversight will be present throughout all stages of the process. Finalists then meet with a Community Search Committee of Posner tenants and members, who interview candidates directly and provide structured feedback to the Board. The Board makes the final decision. We will keep candidates informed at each stage about where they stand and what comes next.

Posner Center is an equal opportunity employer. We welcome applicants of all backgrounds and are committed to building a leadership team that reflects the community we serve.

Posner Center Policy on the Use of AI for Job Application Materials

At the Posner Center, authenticity and integrity are central to our hiring process. While we recognize that AI tools may be used to create application materials such as résumés and cover letters, transparency is essential. Applicants are required to disclose whether they used AI tools to prepare their materials. The only exception to this requirement is for applicants using AI as an accessibility support due to a disability; in such cases, disclosure is at your discretion. We respect and fully support accessibility needs.

Application materials must truthfully reflect your skills, experiences, and achievements. The use of AI must not lead to misrepresentation or inaccuracies in your submission. We seek authenticity because AI cannot replace the value of genuine human input. Even when AI tools are used, your application should present your unique experiences and voice. We value genuine connections and want to engage with individuals whose materials convey their authentic stories and capabilities.

The Posner Center is committed to an inclusive and accessible hiring process for all applicants. If you require any accommodations during the application process, please contact hiring@posnercenter.org.

Comprehensive benefits package includes 75% employer-paid health and dental insurance, a 401(k) retirement plan with up to a 6% match, generous paid time off and sick leave, and paid family and medical leave (FAMLI).