JOB ANNOUNCEMENT
Site Director, Setting Sun Circle
Posting Date: June 2, 2026
Review Date: Resumes will begin being reviewed June 11, 2026
Closing Date: Open until filled
Position Type: Full-Time, Exempt
Schedule: Day shift with occasional evenings / weekends for events
Work Location: On-site in Bellingham, WA
Travel: Approx. 15%
Compensation: $135,000 - $155,000
Benefits: Medical
Position Overview
The Site Director, Setting Sun Circle presents a rare opportunity to help guide the next phase of Setting Sun Circle’s growth through shared leadership of a purpose-built home for Indigenous storytelling, arts, gathering, and innovation. This role calls for a leader who is strategic, grounded in community, visionary, and who understands that meaningful impact grows from trust, reciprocity, and long-term relationships.
This position includes strategic leadership, cultural and creative collaboration, organizational
stewardship, program oversight, partnership development, and community engagement. The Site
Director will help carry forward a vision that is both ambitious and rooted in the spirit of our work,
ensuring that growth remains aligned with Setting Sun Circle’s cultural values and purpose.
The successful candidate brings a strong ability to connect people, build trust, and develop partnerships across institutions, governments, corporations, community organizations, philanthropies, and Tribal communities. They approach the work with care and responsibility, holding a deep commitment to the heart of the work and to how we learn, grow, and build together over time.
Experience across one or more of Setting Sun Circle’s pillars — Art, Gathering, Food, and Innovation —
and may come from backgrounds such as arts and culture administration, public sector work,
environmental policy, fundraising, cultural programming, or start-up leadership. Most importantly, this
individual understands how to hold relationships with integrity over time and move work forward in a way that honors people, place, and shared responsibility.
Leadership and Strategy
• Provide long-term, mission-grounded strategic and operational leadership for Setting Sun Circle
in alignment with Setting Sun Circle’s values and vision.
• Collaborate with Setting Sun Circle leadership to design and implement a business model that
supports sustainable programming, partnerships, and revenue generation without compromising
cultural integrity.
• Help shape and refine the structure, flow, and pacing of Setting Sun Circle’s programming to
maximize coherence, resonance, and reach.
• Co-establish sequencing and quality standards across all programs, ensuring cultural integrity
and community-centered design.
• Approach strategic planning with creativity and relational intelligence, grounded in Indigenous
values of reciprocity and responsibility.
Community and External Engagement
• Work alongside the Setting Sun Circle Executive Director in advancing the mission, acting as the
primary representative and relationship-builder for Setting Sun Circle in public, community,
cultural, and institutional settings.
• Build, sustain, and recognize meaningful partnerships with Tribal Nations, cultural institutions,
educational organizations, government partners, environmental groups, corporations,
philanthropic partners, and community networks.
• Act as a connector across sectors—bringing people together, building trust, and strengthening
pathways for collaboration.
• Represent Setting Sun Circle with authenticity and confidence in public speaking, storytelling,
panels, and conferences.
• Travel approximately 15% for relationship-building, meetings, and partnership development
Organizational Management
• Collaborate with the Executive Director of SSC and the Board of Directors on organizational
vision, governance, values, and long-term strategy.
Support the development and operationalization of a hybrid nonprofit/for-profit model, working
alongside finance, legal, and strategy teams to ensure alignment with SSC’s mission and cultural
commitments.
• Ensure the financial health of Setting Sun Circle through conscientious budgeting, forecasting,
and strategic revenue opportunities.
• Lead staff development and mentor senior program and curatorial staff, fostering a team culture
rooted in reciprocity, respect, collaboration, and curiosity.
• Ensure program development and operations remain synchronized with organizational capacity
and community needs.
• Lead with a relational approach, building strong connections and keeping story and people at the
center across all areas of Setting Sun Circle.
Qualifications
• Demonstrated leadership within complex institutional environments across nonprofit, arts,
cultural, community, civic, educational, or related sectors.
• Experience or grounding in one or more of the following: art, culture, convening, purpose-driven
innovation.
• A natural connector with exceptional relationship-building skills and the ability to cultivate trust
across communities, sectors, and institutions.
• Deep respect for Indigenous knowledge systems, storytelling traditions, and culturally grounded
ways of working.
• Strong interpersonal and communication abilities, including authentic, confident public speaking.
• Proven experience in partnership development, fundraising, stewardship, or cross-sector
collaboration.
• Experience helping develop or guide mission-aligned business frameworks, revenue strategies,
cooperatives, social enterprises, or hybrid organizational models.
• Demonstrated ability in program design, organizational leadership, and managing complex
initiatives.
• A relational approach to leadership with humility, curiosity, and the ability to balance long-term
vision and day-to-day realities.
Education & Experience
• Bachelor’s degree in Organizational Leadership, Public Administration, Business, Indigenous
Studies, Arts Administration, or a related field, or an equivalent combination of education and
relevant experience.
• Master’s degree or advanced training in a related field preferred.
• 8–12+ years of leadership experience in nonprofit, cultural, community, public, arts, educational,
or other mission-driven sectors.
Demonstrated experience working across sectors (nonprofit, for-profit, Tribal, public, or
philanthropic environments)
• Proven ability to build and sustain relationships, develop partnerships, and lead complex,
community-centered initiatives.
• We recognize that leadership pathways are diverse and value lived experience, cultural
knowledge, and community-based leadership alongside formal education.
Organizational Responsibilities
• Actively practice and uphold Setting Sun Circle’s values of gratitude, generosity, respect, and
responsibility.
• Help build and manage a team that can execute a public experience at a high level.
• Lead with creativity, flexibility, and a solutions-oriented mindset rooted in community well-being.
• Participate fully in organizational life, working collaboratively to support shared purpose and
program success.
• Support communication that fosters respect, collaboration, and openness across all teams.
• Approach work with humility, accountability, and heart.
Submission Information
To be considered for this opportunity, please submit a complete application packet to
Application Questions:
1. Do you have experience working with Indigenous and Tribal communities?
2. Do you have experience in one or more Setting Sun Circle pillars: Art, Food, Gathering, or
Innovation?
3. Please describe your experience forming cross-sector partnerships or building institutional
relationships.
4. Please describe any experience you have working with or developing nonprofit business models,
social enterprises, or community-centered revenue frameworks.
Your submission should include:
1. Responses to the application questions listed above (maximum of 200 words per response)
2. A cover letter
3. A current resume and/or curriculum vitae (CV)
4. One letter of recommendation
5. References available upon request
Applications will be reviewed as they are received and will remain open until the position is filled.