General Manager

Status: Full Time, Exempt
Start Date: November 17, 2025
Reports to: Executive & Artistic Director
Submit materials: through our online portal linked here.
Submit all inquiries to: Alex Francis, ForestTheater.Manager@forestforward.org

Forest Forward is a nonprofit 501(c)3 organization partnering with community stakeholders to drive equitable development, economic mobility, and improved outcomes for children, residents, and families of the South Dallas community. The Forest Theater serves as the anchor institution, with an anticipated grand opening scheduled Fall 2026.

We are seeking our inaugural General Manager to lead the charge in establishing and scaling a strong, viable operations foundation. This is a critical, hands-on leadership role reporting directly to the Executive & Artistic Director. You’ll be the architect behind our day-to-day business goals, driving success across internal operations, campus facilities, finance, compliance, and key external affairs. You’ll partner closely with leadership to ensure our theater’s strategic vision is executed with care, from internal planning to real-world implementation and ongoing assessment.

What You’ll Drive

• Operational Architecture & Infrastructure
  • System Design & Implementation: You will champion the development and refinement of essential institutional systems, policies, best practices, and processes. This includes all facets of human resources, budgeting, financial management, legal compliance, and maintenance, ensuring an efficient, safe, healthy, and structured operational environment campus-wide.
  • Facility & Operational Readiness: Lead the charge in ensuring our facility is primed for public use safely, building the foundational infrastructure for all essential systems, best standards of operation, upkeep and maintenance.
  • Strategic Resource Development: Generate comprehensive, value-aligned tools and resources that ensure operations are compliant, secure, and structured, incorporating pathways for real-time refinement and annual assessment.
  • Partnership Cultivation & Management: Drive the planning, development, implementation, and assessment of new or existing business-to-business relationships with partners, vendors, and service providers. This encompasses managing legal agreements, establishing robust reporting and assessment mechanisms, and ensuring overall quality control for consistent, value-aligned contractor, employee and customer experiences.
  • Seamless Communication &Team Coordination: Establish and optimize streamlined communication and cross-team coordination pathways, with a critical focus on compliance with health, safety, and occupancy regulations. We are a people-centered organization.
• Team Success & Resource Stewardship
  • Team Leadership & Mentorship: Guide and mentor our leadership team of directors, establishing clear performance expectations and fostering dynamic pathways for feedback, their professional growth and career development.
  • Talent Integration: Play an integral role in the hiring and onboarding process for future team members, collaborating closely with the Leadership Team and Forest Forward Human Resources liaison to ensure new hires are set up for success from day one.
  • Financial Stewardship: Partner with the VP of Finance to actively monitor operating budgets, skillfully manage expenses, and provide crucial support for monthly, quarterly, and annual financial reporting and forecasting.
  • Compliance & Transparency: Maintain meticulous documentation of all policies, leases, licenses, and insurance, ensuring absolute audit-readiness and organizational transparency. You’ll ensure full contractual, HR, and legal compliance in coordination with the Executive Vice President and Legal Counsel.

What You’ll Build (Pre-Opening)

As our inaugural General Manager, you will be the core builder of our operational readiness and financial stability prior to opening. Key pre-opening deliverables include:

• Operational Playbooks: Conceptualize, design, and implement comprehensive operational playbooks for all departments, including HR, finance, facilities, safety and guest services.
• Vendor & Partner Ecosystem: Establish and finalize contracts with all foundational business-to-business partners, vendors, and service providers essential for day-one operations.
• Compliance Framework: Build and solidify the complete compliance framework, including all necessary permits, licenses, and regulatory documentation for opening and continued operation.
• Initial Operating Budget & Financial Controls: Drive the detailed initial operating budget, establish robust financial controls, and implement forecasting mechanisms for the first 1-3 years of operation.
• Cross-Functional Launch Plan: Design and coordinate the integrated cross-functional launch plan for all pre-opening activities, ensuring seamless coordination across teams.

Direct Impact

This role is paramount to our success, impact sustainability across internally and externally. You will directly impact:

• The seamless functionality and safety of our cutting-edge facilities;
• The financial health and sustainability of our mission;
• The effectiveness and collaboration of our entire team;
• The quality of experience for our community, partners, and patrons.

Tools We Use

Our team relies on a modern tech stack to stay connected and productive, including Dropbox, Slack, Monday.com, Google Suite, RAMP, and Zoom.

What You’ll Bring

• 10+ years of experience in general management, business operations, administration, or a transferable equivalent, with a track record of success in a dynamic, high-growth environment;
• Strong foundational knowledge of contracts, HR standard practices, organizational development, and infrastructure building;
• Proven ability to cultivate organizational culture, establish robust systems, build and support new teams, and adeptly juggle multiple priorities in a fast-paced, startup-like setting;
• Exceptional interpersonal, organizational, and communication skills that foster collaboration and clarity;
• A deep commitment to working within a people-centered, mission-driven organization dedicated to community revitalization and equitable outcomes.

This is a full-time, salaried position with a fixed compensation offer of $125,000 annually, complemented by a comprehensive benefits package.

Compensation and Benefits

Employees who work an average of thirty (30) hours or more on a weekly basis may participate in medical, dental, vision, and other insurance programs. Under these plans, participating employees will receive comprehensive health and other insurance coverage for themselves and their families, as well as other benefits. Forest Forward presently pays a portion of the insurance premium for all eligible employees. Our Employee Benefits Package include the following:

Medical, Dental, Vision and other Voluntary options

Medical Coverage is provided through Blue Cross Blue Shield. Employees are eligible to enroll in the plan within 30 days of their hire date, and the coverage is effective on the first of the following month.

Retirement Plan

Forest Forward offers a 401(k) retirement plan administered by Lincoln Financial Services. Employees are eligible to participate in the plan 90 days after their hire date.

Paid Time Off/Vacation/Sick Days

All full-time employees are eligible to receive 80 hours of vacation time annually, 40 hours of sick time and three (3) paid personal/ or mental health days per calendar year.

Additional Information

This position will require occasional evening and weekend work, in conjunction with major performances and other special events.

Applications and Inquiries

Submissions will be received and reviewed on a rolling basis, through our online portal linked here. Please submit a cover letter and resume with a summary of demonstrable accomplishments. If you are in need of an alternative form of submission, email: ForestTheater.Manager@forestforward.org

Forest Forward provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color,religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local laws. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation, and training.