October 15, 2023

NOW HIRING: EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

About us

The Seattle Chinese Garden Society is a non-profit organization founded in 1989. Its mission is to showcase the rich heritage of Chinese arts and culture to our visitors by building, operating and sustaining a Sichuan-style Chinese Garden that serves as a bridge of friendship between our region and Chinese people around the world. The Chinese Garden is located at the north end of South Seattle College in West Seattle, high on a plateau overlooking the Seattle harbor. It is a collaborative project with the Municipality of Chongqing, Seattle’s Chinese sister city.

The Seattle Chinese Garden is a 4.3-acre site. A few of the planned structures have been built including the Song Mei Pavilion and the Knowing the Spring Courtyard. The next planned project is the Teahouse on Lotus Pond. More information about the garden and future plans may be found on our History & Mission page.

This winter the Chinese Garden will host the Astra Lumina multimedia immersive experience for four months, beginning in early December. This evening light and sound show will be given four days per week and attract thousands of people each week to the Garden site, greatly raising the awareness and visibility of the Chinese Garden and creating new opportunities to engage the community with the Chinese Garden.

Job Description

We are currently seeking an experienced professional to collaborate with our Board of Directors, staff, volunteers, community partners, and supporters to:

  • With the Board, raise funds for the annual operations of the Chinese Garden.

  • With the Board, raise funds for the capital expansion of the Chinese Garden.

  • With the Treasurer and relevant committees, draft the operating and capital budgets for Board approval.

  • Manage the Chinese Garden’s day-to-day operations.

  • Oversee the hosting of the Astra Lumina Show and the Chinese Garden’s cycle of annual festivals and events.

  • Recruit and train volunteers and docents.

  • Plan and manage the Chinese Garden’s marketing and social media presence.

  • Support the activities of the board and its committees.

  • Maintain relationships with the Seattle College System and South Seattle College.

  • Cultivate and expand relationships with stakeholders and potential stakeholders in the following communities: garden and horticultural, people of Chinese heritage, people interested in Chinese art and architecture, businesses and residents of West Seattle, businesses interested doing business in China and other countries with Chinese heritage, and those interested in cultural tourism.

The Executive Director is a full-time, exempt position reporting to the Board President and the Board of Directors. The membership of the Board currently consists of eleven people with diverse backgrounds in strategic planning, fundraising, events and programs, planning and delivery of capital projects, finance and budgeting, architecture, horticulture and gardening.

IDEAL EXPERIENCE

  • Experienced administrator with 5-7 years of progressive, professional experience with a successful track record of leadership in a nonprofit organization. Open to candidates who have previously held an ED position as well as those who have demonstrated leadership capacity in secondary roles.

  • Demonstrated success in cultivating, stewarding, and securing sponsorships, individual donations, and grants from governments and foundations. Experience fundraising in the Seattle area strongly preferred.

  • Experience recruiting, training, managing, and mentoring volunteers.

  • Solid background in the oversight and management of capital assets/facilities. Proven experience in leading a capital project or campaign.

  • Strong budgeting, financial management, and recordkeeping skills.

  • Proven success in navigating local and state legislative processes.

  • Excellent presentation and public speaking skills

COMPETENCIES

  • Excellent oral and written English language skills

  • Ability to understand, relate to, and work with people of diverse backgrounds, especially with the Seattle area’s many different Chinese communities

  • Excellent information skills, including Microsoft Office, Mail Merge, Excel, JavaScript, Mailchimp, graphics skills; (InDesign) desirable

  • Ease in representing the Chinese Garden to the public at our many festivals and events.

  • Ability to work independently, but to know when to check in with relevant committee chairs, board members

  • Familiarity with hosting and interacting with international guests and supporters.

  • Fluency in oral and written Chinese preferred, preferably in both Mandarin and Cantonese.

INTERESTS/PASSIONS

  • Interests in Chinese arts and culture, and in gardens and horticulture strongly preferred.

COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS

  • Employment Status: Full-time, Exempt.

  • Starting Salary Range: $90,000-$100,000 dependent on experience.

  • 15-20 days of vacation per year; up to 5 days of sick time per year; 14 paid holidays per year.

TO APPLY:

Please submit a cover letter and resume to paige.miller@seattlechinesegarden.org (no hard copies, please).
Screening of applications will begin October 25, 2023.