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EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Discover Sugar River Region Reports to:

Board of Directors Status:

Full-time, Exempt Work Arrangement:

Home-based, with regular travel throughout the region

Location:

Sullivan County, New Hampshire Organization:

501(c)(3) nonprofit destination management and marketing organization

POSITION OVERVIEW

Discover Sugar River Region (DSRR) seeks an entrepreneurial, collaborative Executive Director to lead destination development, management, and marketing for the greater Sullivan County region of western New Hampshire. DSRR works to strengthen the region as a place to visit, work, and build a life by connecting people with the communities, businesses, natural landscapes, cultural resources, and experiences that give the Sugar River Region its distinctive character. The Executive Director serves as DSRR's principal staff leader and works closely with the Board of Directors, contractors, businesses, municipalities, nonprofit and cultural organizations, state and regional partners, and community leaders. This is a highly relational and hands-on position requiring both strategic thinking and the ability to move ideas into action. The next Executive Director will join DSRR at an important stage in its development. The organization has established a regional destination identity and growing network of partners and is advancing significant new initiatives in destination and experience development, community engagement, regional communications, and sustainable organizational revenue. Success in this role requires someone who is equally comfortable building relationships in communities across the region, helping a local business shape a new visitor experience, managing a complex grant-funded initiative, developing compelling destination content, presenting to a board or community group, and coordinating the many moving pieces of a small regional organization.

CORE RESPONSIBILITIES 1.

Regional Engagement & Partnership Development Build and maintain strong relationships with visitor-facing businesses, lodging properties, attractions, municipalities, economic and community development organizations, cultural and historical organizations, outdoor recreation partners, and other stakeholders throughout the Sugar River Region. Regularly engage businesses and community partners to understand opportunities, challenges, visitor activity, and emerging needs and connect them with DSRR programs, resources, marketing opportunities, and one another. Serve as a trusted regional connector who can work effectively across municipal and organizational boundaries, identify areas of shared interest, and build collaboration around opportunities that benefit the region. Increase understanding of DSRR's role and value and create meaningful opportunities for businesses, organizations, municipalities, and residents to participate in the organization's work. 2. Destination and Experience Development Lead DSRR's destination-development initiatives, with particular responsibility for implementation of the organization's federally funded Catalyst project. Identify businesses, organizations, and community partners with the potential to develop compelling visitor experiences and work directly with them to define, refine, price, package, and bring those experiences to market. Identify and coordinate appropriate technical assistance and consultants and ensure that individual activities contribute to broader project and organizational goals. Develop and manage programs that encourage residents and visitors to experience the region, including outdoor recreation, cultural and community initiatives, the Sugar River Region Hiking Challenge, regional events, and other emerging programs. Approach destination development with an understanding that successful tourism should contribute to strong communities, viable local businesses, stewardship of regional assets, and an appealing quality of place for residents as well as visitors. 3. Marketing, Content and Digital Strategy Provide strategic direction for DSRR's destination marketing and communications, working with marketing contractors and regional partners to establish priorities, themes, audiences, and campaigns. Develop and oversee high-quality, locally grounded destination content. Identify stories that advance DSRR's outreach and marketing priorities; cultivate local organizations and knowledgeable individuals as sources; research, write, edit, or commission content; source appropriate photography; and ensure accuracy and authenticity. Maintain strategic oversight of DSRR's website and digital presence, including WordPress content management, search-engine optimization, analytics, and ongoing improvements to the usefulness and discoverability of regional content. Work with contractors on social media, newsletters, digital campaigns, and other communications while maintaining a consistent organizational voice and destination identity. Lead development of DSRR's annual Destination Guide in partnership with its publishing partner, including editorial planning, content coordination, advertising development and sales, grant funding, and regional distribution. 4. Grant, Project & Revenue Development Identify public, philanthropic, and other funding opportunities that align with DSRR's mission and strategic priorities. Develop competitive grant proposals, project narratives, budgets, workplans, partnerships, and supporting materials. Manage awarded grants and funded initiatives, including project implementation, consultant coordination, financial tracking, compliance, reimbursement, outcome measurement, and required reporting. Work with the Board and Finance Committee to develop, test, and implement sustainable organizational revenue strategies, which may include partnerships or membership, advertising, sponsorships, destination-management contributions, and other appropriate earned and contributed revenue sources. Develop relationships with prospective funders, sponsors, and organizational partners and clearly communicate the value and impact of DSRR's work. 5. Community Programs & Regional Visibility Oversee programs that connect residents, businesses, community organizations, and visitors, including Sugar River Socials, the regional events platform, the Hiking Challenge, and other community-engagement initiatives. Represent DSRR and the Sugar River Region at tourism and economic-development meetings, community gatherings, trade shows, media opportunities, and other appropriate forums. Maintain productive relationships with state and regional partners, including New Hampshire tourism, economic-development, outdoor-recreation, and community-development organizations. Serve as an informed and credible spokesperson for the region and for DSRR's work. 6. Organizational Leadership & Governance Work in partnership with the Board Chair, officers, committees, and full Board to establish priorities and advance DSRR's strategic direction. Prepare for and participate in Board and committee meetings, provide clear and useful information to support Board decision-making, implement Board direction, and maintain appropriate communication between meetings. Support effective nonprofit governance, Board recruitment and engagement, organizational planning, policy development, and continuous improvement. Coordinate and supervise DSRR contractors, consultants, vendors, and professional service providers, establishing clear expectations and ensuring accountability for deliverables. Provide financial and operational oversight in coordination with the Treasurer, Finance Committee, and professional bookkeeper, including budgeting, financial monitoring, contracts, insurance, technology platforms, subscriptions, and other organizational obligations. Maintain appropriate nonprofit, grant, contractual, and organizational records and ensure required filings, reporting, and compliance activities are completed.

QUALIFICATIONS DSRR

recognizes that strong candidates may arrive through different professional paths. Experience in destination management, tourism, community or economic development, nonprofit leadership, communications, small-business development, regional planning, or related fields may provide relevant preparation for this position.

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent combination of education and substantial relevant professional experience; advanced education in tourism, community or economic development, public administration, planning, communications, or a related field is welcomed.
• Demonstrated experience leading projects involving multiple organizations, businesses, communities, or stakeholder groups.
• Experience in destination development, community or economic development, tourism, nonprofit management, or a closely related field.
• Demonstrated success developing partnerships and maintaining productive professional relationships.
• Experience developing and managing grants, including budgets, workplans, compliance, and reporting.
• Experience working with a nonprofit board, public-sector body, advisory group, or other governance structure.
• Understanding of rural communities, small businesses, and the opportunities and challenges associated with regional collaboration.

The successful candidate will bring:

• Strong relationship-building skills and genuine interest in learning from businesses, community organizations, residents, and regional partners.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to translate complex projects and ideas into clear, engaging language.
• Strong project-management skills and the ability to manage multiple initiatives, deadlines, contractors, and partners simultaneously.
• Strategic judgment combined with a willingness to handle the practical work required in a small organization.
• Strong writing, editing, and storytelling ability and an understanding of authentic place-based communications.
• Working knowledge of digital marketing, websites, content management, social media, email marketing, and analytics; experience with WordPress and SEO is desirable.
• Financial literacy sufficient to develop and manage project budgets, interpret nonprofit financial reports, and work effectively with professional bookkeeping support and the Board Treasurer.
• Grant-writing and grant-management skills.
• Comfort working independently while maintaining close communication with a volunteer Board and external partners.
• Curiosity, diplomacy, adaptability, good judgment, and the ability to build trust across communities and sectors.
• A genuine interest in becoming deeply engaged in the communities of the Sugar River Region and developing first-hand knowledge of its businesses, people, places, stories, and visitor experiences.
• Ability to represent DSRR professionally in public settings and communicate effectively with audiences ranging from individual business owners and community volunteers to municipal leaders, funders, media, and state and regional partners.

NATURE OF THE POSITION DSRR

is a small, evolving organization. The Executive Director must be comfortable operating in an environment where strategic leadership and hands-on implementation frequently intersect. The organization uses contractors and professional service providers to extend its capacity, and the Executive Director is expected to determine when work should be performed directly, delegated, contracted, or accomplished through partnership. This is a home-based position; DSRR does not maintain a central office. Because the Executive Director's effectiveness depends heavily on building relationships, participating in community life, meeting regularly with regional partners, and developing a deep understanding of the communities DSRR serves, residence within Sullivan County is strongly preferred. The position requires frequent travel throughout the Sugar River Region and occasional travel elsewhere in New Hampshire and New England. Evening and occasional weekend participation in meetings, events, programs, and industry activities is also required.

Pay:

$70,000.00 - $90,000.00 per year

Work Location:

Hybrid remote in Claremont, NH 03743