Executive Director, The Dad Games

About The Dad Games

The Dad Games is a growing fatherhood platform built to celebrate, support, and strengthen dads through community, competition, and connection. Through family-centered events, friendly competition, wellness conversations, and community experiences, we're helping build a new kind of fatherhood movement: one rooted in joy, presence, support, and belonging.

Position Summary

The Executive Director will serve as the day-to-day leader and primary builder of The Dad Games. This is not a maintenance role. It's a hands-on leadership position for a startup-minded nonprofit builder - someone entrepreneurial, highly organized, and mission-driven, who can see the big picture while building the practical infrastructure that makes growth possible.

Working closely with the founders and key advisors, the Executive Director will sharpen strategy, raise resources, manage programs, deepen partnerships, and expand The Dad Games' reach. This role requires someone who can both lead and do - build the plane while flying it - without losing sight of the dads and families at the center of the work.

Key Responsibilities

Build Organizational Infrastructure

• Develop annual plans, budgets, workplans, reporting systems, and internal management tools
• Establish the organization's operating rhythm: planning meetings, program calendars, fundraising updates, and accountability systems
• Build templates, playbooks, and repeatable processes that allow the work to grow beyond founder-led execution

Lead Strategy and Growth

• Work with founders and advisors to define the next phase of growth: priority markets, signature programs, fundraising goals, staffing, and impact measures
• Translate big ideas into clear plans with timelines, owners, and deliverables
• Shape a national expansion strategy that protects the culture and quality of The Dad Games as the model grows

Manage Programs and Events

• Oversee planning and execution of core programs, including live competitions, family events, fishing trips, Dad 100, DadsGiving, and March Dadness
• Turn existing programs into repeatable models that can be adapted and replicated in new cities
• Track participation, outcomes, and stories so the organization can improve and communicate its impact

Drive Fundraising and Partnerships

• Lead a diversified fundraising strategy spanning corporate sponsorships, grants, individual giving, and brand partnerships
• Build and manage relationships with funders, sponsors, brands, churches, schools, and community organizations
• Develop sponsorship decks, grant proposals, and donor materials, with a clear pipeline for outreach, follow-up, and stewardship

Strengthen Operations

• Manage day-to-day operations: budgets, contracts, vendors, timelines, and administrative systems
• Ensure events are executed with excellence, from staffing and logistics to post-event follow-up
• Support nonprofit compliance, financial tracking, governance, and risk management
• Manage contractors, volunteers, and eventually staff as the organization grows

Represent the Mission

• Serve as a trusted ambassador with dads, families, partners, funders, and media
• Support storytelling and communications that highlight the strength, joy, and complexity of fatherhood
• Help maintain the tone and spirit of The Dad Games: joyful, affirming, culturally grounded, and welcoming

Support Wellness Initiatives

• Help develop father-centered wellness and mental health programming in partnership with licensed professionals, with appropriate safeguards, referral protocols, and cultural competence

Qualifications

The strongest candidates will bring many of the following:

• 7-10 years of relevant experience in nonprofit leadership, growth-stage organizations, community engagement, fundraising, events, or related fields
• Demonstrated experience building programs, organizations, or systems from an early stage
• Fundraising or revenue-generation experience, including sponsorships, grants, or corporate partnerships
• Strong project management skills and experience developing organizational infrastructure
• Excellent communication and relationship-building skills across a wide range of stakeholders
• A deep commitment to fathers, families, and community wellbeing
• Experience working with fathers of color, men's wellness initiatives, faith-based organizations, or fatherhood programming is strongly preferred

Compensation and Location

Salary range: $75,000 - $90,000 + fundraising commission, annually, depending on experience. This position may begin as a full-time or contract role, with the expectation that the role and team may grow as The Dad Games expands.

Location is flexible. Some travel will be required for events, partner meetings, and city-based expansion.

The Dad Games is committed to building a community that reflects the diversity, strength, and lived experiences of fathers and families. Candidates of all backgrounds are encouraged to apply.