Executive Director

The International Storytelling Center (ISC) invites applications for the position of Executive Director, a pivotal leadership role guiding one of the nation’s most respected cultural institutions dedicated to the art of storytelling.

Based in Jonesborough, Tennessee, ISC seeks a visionary and strategic leader who will honor the organization’s more than 50-year legacy while advancing its mission—to inspire and empower people to tell their stories, listen to and honor the stories of others, and use storytelling to produce positive change—into its next chapter of growth and advocacy.

The Executive Director will serve as the organization’s chief executive, providing leadership across strategy, fundraising, financial stewardship, programming, and community engagement. Working in close partnership with the Board of Directors, staff, artists, and stakeholders, the Executive Director will strengthen ISC’s institutional capacity, expand its reach and relevance, and ensure its continued artistic excellence and fiscal sustainability.

ISC is widely recognized as the flagship American institution for storytelling, presenting the renowned National Storytelling Festival and the Storytelling Live Teller-in-Residence series, as well as a growing portfolio of educational, archival, and community-based initiatives. With both deep roots in the Appalachian region and a growing global audience, ISC continues to elevate storytelling as both an art form and a powerful tool for connection and cultural understanding.

This is a full-time, in-person position based in Jonesborough, Tennessee.

The full position description and application details can be accessed at storytellingcenter.net.