[DANK Haus German American Cultural Center] Executive Director

DANK Haus German American Cultural Center is a 501(c)3 not-for-profit founded in 1959 and the leading German-American center in the Midwest. Our mission is to preserve and promote German culture, heritage, and language through a museum, art gallery, library, and language school, along with educational and social programming celebrating German heritage. Located in a historic 77,000 sq. ft. building in Lincoln Square, one of Chicago’s historically German neighborhoods, we engage generations of friends, neighbors, and all those interested in exploring vibrant German-American culture through our core values: Hospitality (Gastfreundschaft), Engagement (Austausch), and Authenticity (Authentizität).

Responsibilities

• Leadership
  • Serve as the primary public spokesperson for the organization, initiating and fostering relationships within the German-American and wider community in Chicago and beyond.
  • Represent and communicate DANK's mission, vision, and strategic goals.
  • Set organizational strategy in partnership with the Board and monitor & evaluate the organization's overall performance and impact against that strategy.
  • Make data-driven decisions to improve the organization's effectiveness, drawing on input from all departments.
  • Engage frequently with DANK's Skyline Cycle members & the broader community, including growing & fostering new members.
• Revenue Generation & Financial Management
  • Serve as DANK Haus's chief fundraiser and the lead driver of organizational revenue growth and new opportunities.
  • Set strategy to grow and diversify revenue across DANK Haus's core lines of business — including facility rentals and events, the Language School, and philanthropic giving — while delegating day-to-day sales and administration to department leads.
  • Personally cultivate, solicit, and close major gifts, grants, sponsorships, and corporate partnerships.
  • Set the strategic direction and guidance for DANK Haus's budgeting, financial planning, and resource allocation, aligning priorities across department leads.
  • Review and hold department leads accountable for their budgets and ensure the organization's overall financial sustainability, in partnership with the Board.
• Human Resources
  • Own HR strategy, organizational structure, and culture; delegate day-to-day supervision of staff and volunteers to department leads.
  • Set staffing plans with the Board, and approve key hiring, compensation, and performance decisions.
  • Foster a positive, inclusive, and accountable organizational culture.
• Board Relations
  • Partner with the Board on strategic priorities and policies.
  • Provide regular updates on organizational health and progress, including risks and mitigation strategies.
  • Support Board recruitment, development, and meetings.
• Organizational Oversight, Program Development, and Management
  • Maintain ultimate accountability for performance and legal/regulatory/ethical compliance; ensure every department has the clarity, resources, and support to execute DANK's strategic priorities.
  • Set the strategic vision for Language School and Cultural Programming with Language School Director and Museum Director on strategy implementation, & financial metrics.
  • Hybrid role: High degree of self-motivation and time-management skills to effectively balance independent tasks at home with team management in the office.

Requirements

• Years of Experience and Working Knowledge
  • Minimum of 3-5 years of senior nonprofit leadership/executive director-level experience, including revenue growth, staff management, and fundraising.
  • Grant writing, corporate/government funding, and Board-level communication experience preferred.
• Education, Licenses, and Certifications
  • Bachelor's degree in nonprofit management, business, finance, operations, or related field, or equivalent experience required.
  • Master's degree and fundraising- or project management-related certification preferred.
• Skills And Abilities
  • Strong business/financial acumen, leadership, negotiation, and communication skills, with a track record of financial growth, process improvement, and change management.
  • Strategic thinker, self-motivated, hands-on, and comfortable leading through transition.
  • Bilingual English/German preferred; able to work occasional evenings/weekends, and legally authorized to work in the U.S.

Pay

$90,000 – $125,000, commensurate with experience and qualifications.

Benefits

• 401k
• Medical/Dental/Vision Coverage
• Life/Disability Insurance
• PTO
• Free language classes