About the Organization: Dayton Live
Dayton Live, located in the heart of downtown Dayton, is the city’s premier, not-for-profit presenter of performing arts and one of the largest real estate owners (700,000 sf across six separate buildings) in downtown proper. Serving the Miami Valley and beyond, Dayton Live presents first run Broadway shows, a diverse schedule of national and international artists, and performing arts companies of the highest quality; offers comprehensive arts education programs; provides a world-class home for local arts organizations; and is an economic catalyst ($33 million annually) and community leader, which supports efforts to increase travel and tourism.
With a $20 million operating budget, Dayton Live presents more than 300 performances for all ages and interests each year, across a broad range of arts, education, and entertainment activities from its four main venues: the Benjamin & Marian Schuster Performing Arts Center (home to the 2,319-seat Mead Theatre, black box Mathile Theatre, Kettering Wintergarden, and several meeting spaces); the Victoria Theatre (a restored 1,154-seat proscenium theater built in 1886); the PNC Arts Annex (a flexible black box theater and multi-purpose studio); and the Metropolitan Arts Center (home of the 212-seat, three-quarter-thrust Loft Theatre).
Dayton Live also owns and operates the Arts Garage and a Starbucks. Dayton Live is an acclaimed independent presenter of Broadway and in the 2025-26 season will offer several popular titles, including Les Misérables, through its Broadway in Dayton series. Dayton Live also offers series centered on all styles of music and varied star attractions; curated wine and cocktail tasting events; children’s theatre, and a speaker series. Dayton Live’s Education & Engagement programs enrich the lives, learning and leisure of Miami Valley residents by providing free and low-cost creative experiences that are varied, diverse and accessible. Dayton Live is also the proud home of several resident companies including Dayton Performing Arts Alliance (Dayton Ballet, Dayton Philharmonic, and Dayton Opera), the Human Race Theatre Company, Muse Machine, and Dayton Contemporary Dance.
With more than one million residents (CSA), Dayton is the sixth-most populous city in Ohio and anchors the state’s fourth largest metropolitan area. Located within Ohio’s Miami Valley region, Dayton neighbors Columbus to the east and Cincinnati to the south. Renowned as the home of many patents and inventors, most notably the Wright brothers, Dayton has shifted from its manufacturing heyday of the 20th century to a more diversified service economy today. The city proudly boasts the Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, a robust healthcare system pillared by Kettering Health and Premier Health, well-regarded institutions of higher education like University of Dayton and Wright State University, year-round recreational activities through the award-winning Five Rivers MetroParks, and other significant cultural institutions like Dayton Art Institute and Boonshoft Museum of Discovery.
Financially stable and diversely funded, Dayton Live has in recent years undergone a successful rebranding and repositioned itself as a destination market for popular traveling shows and productions. Known as an entrepreneurial enterprise, Dayton Live sustains itself with an exceptionally strong ratio of earned to unearned income and is a member of the IPN. At this time of growth and innovation at Dayton Live, there are several exciting initiatives the CFO will play a key role in, including: 1) Completing a major capital campaign to fund deferred maintenance needs and increase endowment, 2) Undergoing significant building renovation work once funds are in place, and 3) Potentially acquiring additional real estate or lease agreements.
Scope & Responsibilities
Reporting to the President & CEO, the Chief Financial Officer (CFO) is a key member of Dayton Live’s senior leadership team and is responsible for all aspects of financial and fiscal management of Dayton Live. The CFO will provide leadership and coordination in the administrative, business planning, capital planning, accounting, and budgeting processes of the organization. In addition, the CFO will be responsible for maximizing the income from non-arts special projects, new building ventures, co-ventures, and other business development.
He or she will develop tools and systems to provide critical financial and operational information to the President & CEO and make actionable recommendations on both strategy and operations. He or she will also oversee long-term budgetary planning and costs management in alignment with Dayton Live’s strategic plan. This position also provides support to the Finance Committee of the board, in addition to managing outside consultants and business relationships including auditors, banking, legal, and the financial information system.
This role offers a unique opportunity to serve as a strategic thought partner to a visionary executive team and help steward one of Ohio’s most prominent performing arts institutions into its next era of growth and innovation. Among the many exciting opportunities and responsibilities for the CFO, include:
Leadership & Culture
- Play a significant role in furthering the organization’s mission and vision, working with the President & CEO and senior leadership team to set and achieve strategic direction for the organization;
- Take day-to-day responsibility for the ongoing long-term strategic planning process, and develop budgets and business scenarios for ongoing, short-term and long-range plans;
- Work with the Finance Committee and Strategic Planning Committee, providing data, analysis, situational scenarios and structure to the discussions;
- Support and partner with the President & CEO on major strategic initiatives;
- Oversee the Human Resources initiatives of Dayton Live;
- Foster a collaborative, transparent, and data-informed decision-making culture;
- Mentor and lead department heads within operational divisions.
Financial Strategy
- Working with the President & CEO and senior leadership team, strategize and manage the annual budget process; oversee the assembly of the annual operating budget for presentation to the Board of Trustees;
- Forecast and manage operating and capital activity against budget; evaluate business performance by analyzing and interpreting data and metrics; oversee necessary adjustments;
- With the Controller, regularly assess the overall financial functions, ensuring that the accounting, bookkeeping, audit, budgeting, general ledger, bank reconciliations and taxes are organized and accurate;
- Lead the preparation of all financial reports, including income statements, balance sheets, cash flow statements, and capital spending plans in accordance with financial standards;
- Long-term financial planning.
Physical Plant
- Provide oversight and supervision of the renovation and maintenance of the Schuster, Victoria Theatre, and Metropolitan Arts Center. This includes the development and management of a plan to maintain the physical structure as well as the equipment, furniture, machines, etc. contained within the building. This responsibility also applies to any other physical structure or property that is, or may come under the control of, Dayton Live;
- Guide the ongoing maintenance plan for the buildings, including the determination of renovation priorities, and develop a capital replacement plan;
- Manage the company’s real estate affairs consisting of leases and sub-leases;
- Ensure that the income potential of Dayton Live’s physical assets is maximized.
Administration
- Direct the Information Technology (IT), Human Resources (HR), Payroll, and Legal functions;
- Align HR initiatives with organizational goals and foster an inclusive, effective workplace;
- Oversee investments, banking relationships, and endowment funds in collaboration with the Dayton Foundation;
- Manage the organization’s 403(b) retirement and healthcare benefit plans;
- Manage the organization’s insurance program;
- Ensure internal controls, compliance, and reporting accuracy across the organization.
Key Selection Criteria
Dayton Live is seeking a strategic and forward-thinking CFO with significant experience overseeing the financial and administrative functions of a similarly large, complex nonprofit enterprise. The ideal candidate will bring strong analytical and management skills, a collaborative spirit, and experience in a performing arts or venue-based organization – particularly one with a significant real estate footprint. The CFO will be a proactive, data-informed leader who contributes to big-picture strategy while ensuring excellence in execution. This person will be capable of navigating ambiguity, balancing risk, and helping to shape organizational priorities during a period of continued growth and opportunity. The successful candidate will have a commitment to mission-driven work, paired with the ability to develop and sustain a sound financial model.
In addition, the ideal candidate will possess the following characteristics and experience:
- Leadership skills and behaviors demonstrating self-awareness, empathy, the ability to analyze complex management situations, and the ability to lead, influence, and build consensus;
- Experience working in a presenting or performing arts organization with a proven ability to design and control a sustainable financial model;
- Experience managing a significant real estate portfolio with a proven ability to evaluate and advise on future real estate acquisitions;
- Experience monitoring and reporting major ($20M+) capital campaigns, including accurate tracking of multi-year gifts;
- An analytical approach to business development, with the ability to gather and synthesize data and to recommend calculated business investment decisions based on the data;
- Demonstrated success managing multi-disciplinary teams and operational departments;
- Master’s degree in Business Administration, Finance, or Accounting required. CPA designation preferred;
- 8–10 years of experience in a senior financial management role, ideally in a complex nonprofit or arts environment.
Personal / Professional Attributes
- Entrepreneurial with a constant eye on new business opportunities and maximizing income potential
- Forward thinking and proactive approach to problem-solving
- Clear, persuasive communication – written and verbal
- Flexible and collaborative; comfortable navigating nuance and gray area
- Self-motivated with an ability to multi-task while also being detail-oriented
- Interested in new and more efficient ways of doing things, including an openness to emerging technologies
- High integrity, emotional intelligence, and professional demeanor
- Commitment to equity, diversity, and inclusion in the workplace
- Passion for the performing arts and personal alignment with Dayton Live’s mission, purpose, and values
Application Instructions
DHR Global has been exclusively retained by Dayton Live to conduct the search for a CFO. Interested candidates should submit their resume to:
Philip DeBoer
Partner, Nonprofit Practice
DHR Global
pdeboer@dhrglobal.com
