Careers

Executive Director

Chokecherry Studios is looking for our next Executive Director.

We are looking for a steady, youth-centred leader who believes strong systems and deep care belong together. Chokecherry is a youth space, an arts space, a cultural gathering place, and a community rooted in creativity, belonging, harm reduction, life promotion, and possibility. Our next ED will support staff and youth, build relationships with Elders, artists, funders and community, and provide the structure, accountability and leadership that allow this work to thrive.

This is a hands-on job in a small organization. Some days mean budgets, Board meetings and funder conversations; others might mean working the floor with youth, preparing for an event, stretching a bison hide, hauling tipi poles, or stepping into whatever gap needs filling. We are looking for someone grounded, dependable and ready to become part of the life of Chokecherry.

Start October 1, 2026.

Apply with a résumé and cover letter to: admin@chokecherrystudios.com by September 8, 2026.

Executive Director

Chokecherry Studios | Saskatoon, Saskatchewan

Position: Full-Time Executive Director
Location: Saskatoon, Saskatchewan
Salary: 65K+ Negotiable
Application Deadline: 08 September 2026
Anticipated Start Date: 01 October 2026

The Opportunity

Chokecherry Studios is seeking a steady, youth-centred Executive Director to lead a creative, community-based organization rooted in art, culture, connection, harm reduction, and self-determination.

The Executive Director is the senior operational leader of Chokecherry Studios, responsible for stewarding the people, programs, relationships, and systems that allow the organization to do its work and flourish. This role requires someone who can support staff and youth, build trust with community, funders, Elders, artists, and partners, and bring the structure, follow-through, and accountability required of a healthy nonprofit organization.

Chokecherry is a youth space, an arts space, a cultural gathering place, and a community rooted in creativity, belonging, life promotion, and possibility. The Executive Director must understand and protect that spirit while strengthening the practical systems that allow it to thrive.

This is a hands-on role in a small organization. On any given day, supporting the team may mean working the floor while youth are in the space, helping prepare for an event, stretching a bison hide, hauling tipi poles, solving a facilities problem, or stepping into a gap when something needs to get done. The Executive Director must be comfortable moving between Board meetings, budgets, funder conversations, staff support, and the physical work of making the space function.

Working in partnership with the Board of Directors, the Executive Director will receive  governance, direction, and support while leading the organization’s day-to-day work with sound judgment and confidence, grounded in Chokecherry’s mission and vision.

About Chokecherry Studios

Chokecherry Studios creates inclusive and safe spaces for young people to explore artistic and cultural identity through arts programming, social justice education, harm reduction, traditional knowledge, wellness, and community connection.

Our work supports young people in building confidence, developing their voices, and strengthening their capacity for advocacy and self-determination.

What the Executive Director Will Lead

Creativity, Culture & Community

The Executive Director will support the conditions in which youth, arts, cultural, and community programming can thrive.

They will:

  • Support youth-centred artistic and cultural programming, leadership, participation, and self-determination.
  • Support harm-reduction-informed, trauma-informed, wellness, and life-promotion approaches.
  • Respect Indigenous culture, ceremony, traditional knowledge, and culturally grounded programming.
  • Work respectfully with Elders, knowledge keepers, artists, community partners, and Indigenous staff.
  • Strengthen relationships across the arts, nonprofit, Indigenous, youth-serving, and broader community sectors.
  • Build long-term relationships with funders and connect Chokecherry’s mission and programming needs with aligned funding opportunities.
  • Expand and diversify the organization’s funding network.
  • Support long-term program planning and sustainable growth.

Staff Leadership & Organizational Culture

The Executive Director will provide staff with clear direction, appropriate accountability, and the trust and support required to lead their work well.

They will:

  • Supervise, support, and develop staff.
  • Communicate clearly, honestly, and in a timely way.
  • Establish clear roles, responsibilities, budgets, and decision-making authority.
  • Maintain strong professional boundaries with staff and youth.
  • Support respectful conflict resolution and healthy workplace communication.
  • Ensure timely onboarding, contracts, HR processes, and training.
  • Delegate appropriately and provide structure without micromanaging.
  • Support staff confidence, collaboration, professional development, and wellbeing.
  • Help build trust between youth, staff, and the Board.

Operations, Finance & Governance

The Executive Director is responsible for the sound administration and day-to-day management of Chokecherry Studios.

Responsibilities include:

  • Budgeting, financial oversight, grants, restricted funds, reporting, and financial controls.
  • HR administration, contracts, policy implementation, and records management.
  • Facilities and operational oversight.
  • Legal, regulatory, insurance, and organizational risk responsibilities.
  • Maintaining confidentiality and appropriate organizational boundaries.
  • Preparing clear and timely reports for the Board.
  • Supporting strong governance while maintaining the distinction between Board oversight and staff operations.
  • Ensuring commitments to staff, funders, partners, and the Board are followed through.

Public Leadership & Relationships

The Executive Director will represent Chokecherry publicly and strengthen confidence in the organization.

They will:

  • Build relationships with funders, donors, government, community partners, and sector organizations.
  • Represent Chokecherry at community events and public activities.
  • Participate in fundraising, grant, and partnership development.
  • Respond to media and public inquiries as appropriate.
  • Strengthen Chokecherry’s public profile, credibility, and long-term sustainability.

The Leader We Are Looking For

The strongest candidate will be grounded, emotionally mature, and dependable. They will remain steady under pressure, receive feedback professionally, communicate honestly, and follow through on commitments.

They will trust staff expertise, welcome ideas, delegate appropriately, and provide structure without micromanaging. They will keep youth safety, dignity, voice, and self-determination central to decision-making.

They will approach Indigenous culture, ceremony, Elders, knowledge keepers, and Indigenous staff expertise with humility and respect.

Above all, they will understand that strong systems and deep care belong together, and that youth-centred leadership requires imagination, responsibility, humility, and a willingness to roll up their sleeves.

Experience & Qualifications

Candidates should bring:

  • Senior leadership or management experience in a nonprofit, charity, arts organization, youth-serving organization, community organization, or related environment.
  • Experience supervising and supporting staff.
  • Working knowledge of nonprofit governance and Board relationships.
  • Financial literacy, including budgeting, grants, restricted funds, reporting, and financial controls.
  • Experience with HR, organizational policy, administration, and record keeping.
  • Strong written, verbal, and conflict-resolution skills.
  • Experience working with youth, community programming, or vulnerable populations.
  • Strong organizational and records-management practices.
  • Experience building partnerships and representing an organization publicly.

Experience in any of the following areas would be particularly valuable:

  • Arts education or public arts programming.
  • Harm reduction or trauma-informed practice.
  • Indigenous community relationships and culturally grounded programming.
  • Fundraising and donor stewardship.
  • Facilities management.
  • Organizational change or transition.
  • Community partnership development.
  • Wellness or life-promotion programming.

Candidates are not expected to have worked in every one of these areas. Chokecherry is interested in strong transferable leadership experience, sound judgment, curiosity, and a willingness to learn.

Why Chokecherry

Chokecherry is entering an important period of organizational development. The next Executive Director will have an opportunity to support a committed staff team, strengthen organizational systems, deepen relationships with youth and community, and help build a stable foundation for the organization’s next chapter.

How to Apply

Please submit:

  • A résumé.
  • A cover letter describing your interest in the position and the experience you would bring to the role.

In your cover letter, please briefly address:

What interests you about leading Chokecherry Studios, and what experience has prepared you to lead a youth-centred arts and community organization?

Applications should be submitted by email to: admin@chokecherrystudios.com

Application Deadline: 08 September 2026

Chokecherry Studios welcomes applicants with diverse professional backgrounds, identities, lived experiences, and pathways into leadership. We particularly encourage applications from Indigenous candidates and from people with meaningful experience working with the communities Chokecherry serves.

Only candidates selected for an interview will be contacted.