Executive Director

The Hawthornden Literary Retreat, a U.S. private charitable foundation supporting contemporary writers and literary arts, seeks an Executive Director. Founded by Drue Heinz, a patron and benefactress of the arts, the Foundation is named for the historic Hawthornden Castle in Scotland where an international residential fellowship program provides month-long retreats for creative writers. Hawthornden also supports a second historic property, Casa Ecco, on Lake Cuomo in Italy, the site of years of “Conversaziones” among writers, and now a retreat for invited established authors to complete a literary work in progress. In addition, the Foundation sponsors the annual Hawthornden Prize, one of Britain’s oldest and foremost literary awards, and provides grant support to other literary programs.

With a significant inflow of resources from the Founder’s estate, Hawthornden is poised for an expansion of its global activities. The Executive Director reports to Hawthornden’s five-member Board of Trustees and must ensure that the organization meets all the requirements of a sizable private American grantmaking foundation as it updates its current programming, builds a staff team, and pursues new charitable endeavors in the spirit of its Founder.

The position calls for a creative, detail-oriented leader with experience in not-for-profit management, preferably within a foundation or cultural institution. A keen grasp of the legal and financial requirements of a private tax-exempt foundation is essential; experience with historic properties and/or residential programming is preferred; and experience living or working overseas would be ideal. The Executive Director must reside in the United States but the location within the U.S. is flexible, recognizing that periodic travel to Europe is required.

For more information or to apply, contact: www.imsearch.com/8038