Executive Director
 International Storytelling Center | |
 United States, Tennessee, Johnson City | |
 May 13, 2026 | |
|
International Storytelling Center A better world through the power of storytelling. Executive Director Location: Jonesborough, TN in-person Compensation: Salary range of $85,000 to $100,000, commensurate with experience, and a comprehensive benefits package that includes employer-paid health, life, and disability insurance, a 3% retirement match, and optional dental coverage. Timeline: Applications will be reviewed beginning June 1, 2026, and candidates are encouraged to apply by this date for full consideration. The position will remain open until filled. Position International Storytelling Center (ISC) seeks an Executive Director who will bring visionary leadership to the organization that both sustains our 50+ year history while simultaneously guiding us into the future with growth and international positioning.The ideal candidate will be an advocate for the art of storytelling in its many iterations and have a grasp on the contemporary working presentations of and interactions with art. They will be a relationship-builder and strategic thinker with demonstrated experience that shows an ability to translate the ISCs vision and mission into action. Organization Based in Jonesborough, Tennessee, the International Storytelling Center (ISC) is the flagship American institution for storytelling promotion and presentation. Our mission is to inspire and empower people to tell their stories, listen to and honor the stories of others, and use storytelling to produce positive change. As a 501(c)3 nonprofit corporation, the ISC presents two significant storytelling events: The National Storytelling Festival and Storytelling Live Teller-in-Residence series. Our work falls broadly into three categories: performance, preservation, and practice. Founded in 1973, the annual National Storytelling Festival helped to coalesce aspects of the folk-arts revival movement with traditional practices and emergent modes of art, performance, and history. Today our festival boasts an average of 10,000 attendees. The event features over 25 storytellers across five stages housed in circus-style tents scattered across historic Jonesborough and two additional theater venues. The festival is an affiliate of the Smithsonian Institution and supported by a swath of sponsors, both local and national. The 20-week Storytelling Live series starts in May and culminates the week of the National Storytelling Festival in October. Each performer in Storytelling Live comes to Jonesborough to give daily in-person performances and provide educational and outreach opportunities in the surrounding community. Both programs offer a virtual viewing option for our audiences worldwide. Not only does the ISC set a standard for storytelling artistryincluding traditional, historical, personal, and contemporary storieswe also serve as an international consultant for storytelling program development and are a sought-after collaborator for storytelling-related activities. In recent years, ISC has expanded its onsite events to include the Kids Institute, a dynamic educational program that engages students, educators, and families through performances, workshops, and school partnerships, as well as the development of a learning library designed to better accommodate the needs and schedules of anyone interested in how storytelling can make a difference in their communities. Using grant funding, we have produced the I Have a Story, Stories for Change, and Freedom Stories initiatives. As part of our commitment to the preservation of storytelling, ISC maintains an archival relationship with the American Folklife Center. Through the promotion of the finest caliber of domestic and international storytellingboth on stage and around the kitchen tablewe believe that stories can serve as the building blocks of strong communities, more effective workplaces, and vibrant schools. OPPORTUNITY The Executive Director (ED) will serve as the ISCs chief executive, responsible for overall organizational leadership including strategy implementation, fundraising, financial oversight, staff leadership, programming, and external relations. They will work with and direct the ISC staff of 15 and 400 volunteers, answer responsibly to the Board of Directors, and serve as a public face for the Storytelling Center. Our new ED will help to advance strategic priorities, strengthen organizational performance, and uphold community trust. Candidates will understand the existing value of the organization and seek to expand audiences, resources, and impact through thoughtful innovation. The ED will act as a fundraiser to meet the programming needs, goals, and vision of the ISC, as well as develop and maintain relationships with individual, group, organizational, and corporate donors/funders. The Executive Director will work alongside the Board of Directors to develop and execute a clear and sustainable strategic plan that helps translate mission into meaningful outcomes, ensuring that ISC remains artistically vibrant, fiscally sound, and organizationally resilient. Success in this role will be measured by meaningful growth in revenue, organizational impact, and international visibility. This is a full-time, in-person position that requires onsite presence. The Executive Director is expected to be an active, visible presence in the organization and the surrounding community. ORGANIZATIONAL CONTEXT AND STRATEGIC FOCUS ISC is focused on strengthening its institutional capacity and expanding its reach and relevance. A strong candidate will work to first understand existing organizational assets and then map out action plans to implement the following goals:
The next Executive Director will step into a period of opportunity that requires both steady operational leadership and thoughtful, forward-looking change balancing strong day-to-day management with well-planned, strategic evolution. POSITION AND RESPONSIBILITIES Strategic Leadership and Execution
Fundraising and Revenue Generation
Financial and Operational Leadership
Programming and Artistic Leadership
Community Engagement and External Relations
QUALIFICATIONS AND CHARACTERISTICS Required
Preferred
EQUAL OPPORTUNITY STATEMENT The International Storytelling Center is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate based on age, color, national origin, ethnic origin, citizenship status, disability, race, religion, creed, gender, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity and/or expression, marital status, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local law. HOW TO APPLY Interested candidates should submit: Applications should be emailed to: position@storytellingcenter.net recblid 538pdzt9r8jpvu2cppvyuimuo8snhp | |