Founding Executive Director
Street Fair Memphis

Street Fair is building a public movement for safer, more connected streets in Memphis, and we’re looking for a founding Executive Director to turn that momentum into lasting policy change and infrastructure investment. Currently housed within Innovate Memphis, Street Fair is a community-driven initiative advancing better local policies and resources for transportation & mobility through advocacy, storytelling, and public engagement. Under the founding Executive Director’s leadership, our goal is for Street Fair to become an independent nonprofit to fully meet its advocacy mission.

Position Overview
Street Fair Memphis seeks an entrepreneurial and strategic Founding Executive Director to lead the organization during a critical early phase of growth. This leader will shape the organization’s public presence, policy influence, and long-term sustainability.

In the first 12–24 months, success in this role will be defined by:

Building a visible and engaged public constituency
Establishing a strong media and membership-driven advocacy platform
Strengthening the organization’s role in transportation policy and accountability
Supporting and facilitating select high-impact events that drive awareness, community support, and funding
Developing a diversified, sustainable funding model through a combination of individual donations, sponsorships, and grants
This role treats communications not just as outreach but as a core engine for influence, community-building, and revenue.

Leadership Profile
The ideal candidate is:

A mission-driven advocate for safer, more equitable streets who understands Memphis
A compelling storyteller who can capture attention and drive action
A community builder who can turn supporters into advocates
A strategic thinker who can connect advocacy and fundraising activities into a cohesive model
An entrepreneurial leader comfortable building systems from the ground up, albeit with support and coaching from Innovate Memphis staff, the Street Fair steering team, and technical experts
Key Responsibilities
Build a Public Constituency & Movement
Develop and grow a visible, vocal base of engaged supporters and advocates
Activate residents through community outreach, storytelling, and public engagement
Build systems for supporter engagement (email lists, membership, calls to action)
Grow and maximize flagship events (e.g., William’s Walk, World Day of Remembrance) as platforms for storytelling, advocacy, and fundraising
Integrate events into a broader strategy that drives audience growth, membership, and donor engagement
Establish Street Fair as a trusted, recognizable voice on transportation and street safety
Lead Media & Membership-Driven Advocacy
Develop and execute a strong content platform (e.g., newsletters, social media, storytelling) that improves public understanding and support for effective street safety measures
Launch and test a membership/subscriber model that builds both community and sustainable revenue
Translate complex transportation issues into compelling, accessible narratives
Strengthen Policy & Advocacy Impact
Serve as a consistent, credible advocate for transportation and street safety priorities
Build relationships with city officials, civic agencies, and policymakers to promote change
Track public investments and plans and translate them into clear public accountability
Diversify and Strengthen Funding
Build a sustainable funding model that reduces reliance on any single grant source
Grow revenue through membership, events, sponsorships, philanthropy, and grants
Manage and/or oversee staff & contractors supporting grant writing & donor engagement
Qualifications
Required
Passion for and knowledge of transportation, street safety, public policy, and/or built environment issues
Demonstrated education or work experience in strategic communications, especially for public, policymaker, and funder audiences
3+ years of experience building coalitions through community organizing, advocacy, and/or political campaigns
Strong relationship-building skills across diverse stakeholder groups
Experience executing large-scale projects and managing staff or contractors
Preferred
Knowledge and experience with Memphis’ civic landscape and institutional relationships
Experience building or growing membership-based or audience-driven initiatives
Experience with fundraising, grant writing, or other revenue generation models
Experience leading events, campaigns, or other relevant public-facing initiatives
Background in nonprofit leadership or startup environments
Support & Growth
This role and Street Fair as a whole are designed to grow over time with contractor and partner support in key areas including fundraising, communications, and operations. The founding Executive Director will receive support from Innovate Memphis staff and Street Fair’s steering committee including training and capacity-building in nonprofit management areas such as finance, audit & compliance, board governance, and grant management. Our goal is for Street Fair to become an independent nonprofit led by the founding Executive Director after establishing sustainable funding, operations, and impact models during the startup phase.

Compensation & Benefits
Salary Range: $85,000 – $95,000

During the founding Executive Director’s employment with Innovate Memphis, we offer:

Flexible hybrid environment for remote and in-person work
24 days of personal time off (PTO) per year, plus holidays
Employer 401K matching contribution
Generous health insurance benefits
Ongoing professional development and training opportunities