Executive Director

Position: Executive Director

Schedule & Location: This is a full-time, on-site position based in Franklin, North Carolina.

Salary: $50,000–$65,000 based on experience, with growth tied to fundraising performance

Benefits: Paid Leave, Paid Federal Holidays, Professional Development Support

Reports To: Board of Directors

Application Deadline: Open until filled

About Cowee School Arts & Heritage Center

The Cowee School Arts and Heritage Center is housed in the historic Cowee School in Franklin, North Carolina’s West’s Mill Historic District, is dedicated to preserving, celebrating, and sharing the rich cultural and natural heritage of the Southern Appalachians and Cherokee people. The Civilian Conservation Corps had a camp on the site during the Great Depression in the 1930s.

Cowee School was built of local stone by the Works Progress Administration (WPA) and was opened as a school in 1943, serving thousands until 2012, when members from the community and local government worked together to preserve the building and transformed the school into an arts and heritage center. Today, the Cowee School Arts and Heritage Center continues its mission through a rich array of programming: a Summer Concert Series, a cultural Speaker Series, a Makers Series, art and dance classes, festivals, and educational outreach. It also hosts a weekly Farmer’s Market, maintains a Community Garden and commissary kitchen, and provides studio space to a wide community of resident artists and makers, from potters and weavers to podcasters and yoga instructors. The Cowee School Arts and Heritage Center also offers outdoor education and experiences along with rotating exhibitions featuring regional and guest artists.

Position Summary

The Executive Director provides visionary and operational leadership for the Cowee School Arts and Heritage Center. Reporting to the Board of Directors, the Executive Director is responsible for the organization’s mission fulfillment, financial health, community engagement, fundraising, and

day-to-day operations. This is an exciting opportunity for a passionate, experienced leader to steward a beloved community institution through its next chapter of growth and impact.

Key Responsibilities

Strategic Leadership

• Implement the organization’s strategic vision in partnership with the Board of Directors.
• Serve as the primary spokesperson and ambassador for the Center in the community, with media, and with partner organizations.
• Foster a welcoming, inclusive organizational culture aligned with the Center’s mission.

Fundraising & Resource Development

• Lead all development activities including grant writing, major donor cultivation, corporate sponsorships, and fundraising events.
• Identify and pursue new funding streams to ensure long-term financial sustainability.
• Maintain and grow relationships with existing donors, foundations, and government funders.

Paid Leave, Paid Federal Holidays, Professional Development Support