Gibney is Searching for a Chief Operating Officer

POSITION DESCRIPTION

Gibney was founded in 1991 by CEO/Artistic Director Gina Gibney. It is a contemporary dance company, performing arts hub, and social justice incubator that has grown to be one of New York City’s most distinctive cultural institutions and a vital force in the field. Today, Gibney consistently ranks among the top contemporary dance companies in the country, with a $10 million operating budget.

Gibney’s mission is to tap into the vast potential of movement, creativity, and performance to effect social change and personal transformation.

• Company: Our artistically acclaimed and socially active touring dance Company of Artistic Associates performs works by internationally renowned and rising contemporary choreographers. Watch a Gibney Company trailer by clicking here.
• Community: Gibney’s pioneering Community initiatives in shelters and in schools use art to prevent and move beyond violence 365 days a year.
• Centers: We are stewards of two vibrant performing arts Centers in Manhattan that encompass 55,000 sq. ft. of performing, rehearsal, and event space.

Through expansive programming we push boundaries, address pressing issues, lift voices, and mobilize the power of movement to transform lives and, in turn, change the world. www.gibneydance.org

WHY THIS ROLE | WHY NOW

This is a moment of opportunity with Gibney. The organization has reached a scale and complexity that has created new potential. Significant investments have been made in space, programs, and infrastructure; the next chapter is about optimizing those assets.

The Chief Operating Officer will step into a role with a clear mandate and authority: to unlock earned revenue potential, establish stronger operating discipline and help shape a more sustainable and resilient business model. This is not a maintenance role—it is one that will build, refine, and lead. The ideal candidate is an inventive, and experienced leader with strong analytical and communication skills, a collaborative leadership style, and a commitment to mentorship. They will bring integrity, presence, and an understanding of best practices and emerging trends in nonprofit and performing arts operations.

This role offers the chance to make visible, lasting impact at an organization where artistic excellence, community engagement, and social purpose are intertwined. Working closely with Gina Gibney, the Founder, Artistic Director, and CEO, the COO will help define how a mission-driven performing arts organization operates at its full economic and creative potential.

This grant-funded role is supported for its first three years, offering a rare opportunity to shape an inaugural position and make a meaningful, lasting impact at Gibney.

ROLES + RESPONSIBILITIES

The COO will lead a team of three direct reports and overall management of 29 staff spanning full and part time positions. The COO will also manage key vendor relationships in facilities, IT, and HR through Gibney’s PEO provider and auditor.

Beyond their direct team, the COO’s influence extends across the full organization. They will partner with the CEO on budgeting, forecasting, and earned revenue generation for programs whose leaders report directly to the CEO. In this capacity, the COO serves as both a
strategic resource and a culture-builder—fostering transparency, accountability, and a spirit of innovation at every level of the organization.

EARNED REVENUE DEVELOPMENT

• Develop and implement strategies to maximize earned revenue—i.e., increase space utilization, optimize pricing, attract new client segments, and expand space-based offerings—evaluating each opportunity for mission alignment and financial impact.
• Collaborate with the Education Director on class and Learning & Leadership programming with a focus on revenue generating initiatives—enrollment, capacity, and margin.
• Support program leaders in understanding the economics of their work, enabling sound, mission-aligned decisions around staffing, costs, and programmatic focus.

FINANCE

• Ensure day-to-day outsourced accounting capacity is strong, establishing financial discipline across the organization by developing practical templates and decision-making tools that enable proactive management.
• Responsible for budgeting, forecasting, cash flow, and financial reporting in concert with the CEO and relevant teams, ensuring leadership has clear, timely visibility into performance across all areas.
• Improve reporting and workflow across a multi-platform environment, including Mindbody, Salesforce, Patron, Stripe, QuickBooks, and related tools.
• Responsible for audit preparation and financial governance in partnership with the Finance Committee of Gibney’s Board of Directors.
• Oversee payroll and benefits administration in partnership with one internal HR staff member, leveraging a PEO for payroll, benefits, compliance, and regulatory guidance.

OPERATIONS

Oversee the operation of two facilities comprising 23 studio spaces and approximately 55,000 square feet of rehearsal, performance, and event space. This is a high-volume, continuously active environment requiring strong systems, real-time problem-solving, and disciplined operational leadership.

• Lead day-to-day operations across both sites to ensure a seamless, high-quality experience for a large and diverse community of artists, renters, students, and partner organizations.
• Establish and refine operational systems for scheduling, space utilization, and staffing that support both mission delivery and earned revenue performance.
• Set and uphold standards for facilities, security, maintenance, and front-of-house operations, ensuring a safe, clean, and professionally managed environment.
• Oversee vendor relationships across facilities, IT, and building services, ensuring strong performance, cost control, and responsiveness.

QUALIFICATIONS

Gibney is committed to building inclusive teams that reflect the diversity of its community. We encourage applications from individuals who may not meet every qualification listed but who bring relevant experience, transferable skills, and strong alignment with Gibney’s mission and values.

REQUIRED

• Senior financial leadership experience with ownership of budgeting, forecasting, cash flow, and reporting — and a demonstrated track record of growing earned revenue through pricing, utilization, policy changes, or business development.
• Experience with a facilities-based, earned-revenue environment, ideally with exposure to rental, event, hospitality, or space-based enterprises.
• Entrepreneurial leader a proven track record of spearheading business development initiatives that deliver measurable before-and-after results.
• Proven ability to lead teams and manage across functions with clear accountability and steady execution.
• Strong judgment, integrity, and the capacity to operate as a trusted partner with consistent follow-through.
• Familiarity with arts, culture, education, or mission-driven organization.
• Must be able to work on-site in New York City.

PREFERRED

• Multi-site operations oversight.
• Experience supporting board-level finance and audit governance.
• Experience with or understanding of nonprofit finance.
• Familiarity with Mindbody, Salesforce, Patron, Stripe, QuickBooks, and related tools.

OUR VALUES

Gibney embodies …
Respect – considerate, thoughtful, and act with integrity.
Advocacy – supportive, principled, and catalytic.
Responsibility – collaborative, responsive, and dedicated to sustainable change.
Action – resourceful, proactive, enterprising, and resilient.
Equity – inclusive and committed to justice, anti-racism, anti-oppression, and diversity.

These values are intrinsic to Gibney and guide how we work and interact with our core communities.

COMPENSATION & BENEFITS

Salary range: $150,000–$175,000. Gibney offers a robust benefits package including comprehensive healthcare and retirement.

TO APPLY

In your application, please include a cover letter, resume and where you learned about the role. Please also include details on any of the following that are applicable:

• Earned revenue growth: Your experience driving revenue growth through pricing, utilization, new offerings, or business development—and the results you achieved.
• Finance leadership: Your experience with budgeting, forecasting, cash flow, and management reporting—and how you translate analysis into decisions quickly.
• Strategic execution: An example of how you turned a big idea into concrete action and measurable results.

Finalists will be required to complete a background check and provide references from former supervisors. To apply or for accommodation requests or questions, please contact: gibneysearch@gibneydance.org.

Incomplete submissions will not be considered nor will submissions sent via postal mail or fax. No phone calls, please. Gibney will not consider submissions from applicants that do not have the required experience. Gibney will not consider submissions through employment agencies or online services.

EQUAL OPPORTUNITY STATEMENT

Gibney is an Equal Opportunity / Affirmative Action Employer. Gibney provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment.

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