About This Role
Leading one of Iowa's most distinctive cultural and historic attractions is the core of this Executive Director role. The Danish Windmill is a nonprofit organization dedicated to preserving Danish-American heritage, providing engaging visitor experiences, and promoting cultural tourism. This position offers a unique opportunity for a resourceful, hands-on leader to guide the organization's continued growth while preserving an irreplaceable historic landmark for future generations.
Responsibilities
- Provide strategic and operational leadership, implementing Board-approved policies, budgets, initiatives, and long-term organizational goals
- Oversee financial management, including budgeting, accounting coordination, payroll, financial reporting, and internal controls
- Lead fundraising and development activities, including grants, memberships, sponsorships, donor relations, and special campaigns
- Manage personnel and volunteer operations, including hiring, scheduling, supervision, training, and performance management
- Direct visitor services, educational programming, tours, events, and the organization's responsibilities as an official Iowa Welcome Center
- Oversee gift shop and ecommerce operations, including merchandising, purchasing, inventory management, pricing, vendor relationships, and sales performance
- Coordinate preservation, maintenance, and safe operation of the historic windmill, buildings, grounds, and associated facilities
- Lead marketing, public relations, digital communications, and tourism development efforts to strengthen visibility, attendance, and community engagement
- Develop partnerships with local businesses, tourism organizations, cultural institutions, donors, and community stakeholders
- Work collaboratively with the Board of Directors to establish organizational priorities, evaluate performance, and promote long-term financial sustainability
Requirements
- Bachelor's degree in business, nonprofit management, museum studies, tourism, marketing, public administration, or a related field; equivalent relevant leadership experience may be considered
- Minimum of five years of progressively responsible leadership experience in a nonprofit, cultural organization, museum, tourism operation, retail business, or comparable setting
- Demonstrated experience in budgeting, financial administration, personnel management, project coordination, and organizational operations
- Strong communication, relationship-building, and problem-solving skills, with the ability to work effectively with a Board of Directors, employees, volunteers, donors, and community partners
- Familiarity with fundraising, grant development, marketing, business technology, and digital platforms
- Ability to manage diverse responsibilities, balance strategic priorities with daily operational needs, and take a practical, hands-on approach to leadership