Alliance of Resident Theatres/New York - Job Announcement Co-Director

Status // Full time, exempt, salaried

Schedule // General working hours for this role are Monday through Friday, 10 am to 6 pm.

Because attending theater is part of the co-director’s responsibilities, some weekend and evening event attendance is also expected.

Location // A.R.T./New York administrative staff currently operates in a hybrid model that includes both remote and in-person work. In-person occurs primarily at our locations at 520 8th Ave, Suite 319, in Manhattan, and 138 S. Oxford Street, in Brooklyn; and occasionally at the A.R.T./New York Theatres in Hell's Kitchen.

Reports to // Board of Directors, currently sitting at 24 members

Supervises // A full-time staff of 19 and a part-time staff of 31.

Key Relationships // This will be a shared leadership model, with two co-directors sharing responsibility for the organization

Compensation // $120,000 annually. Employer-provided benefits including health, dental, and vision. Option to enroll in AFLAC, Commuter Benefits, and a Retirement plan. Flexible paid time off policy.

Timeline // Review of application materials is currently expected to begin in July 2022. We welcome people from all backgrounds and the application will remain open until applications from a pool of candidates who are representative of NYC’s diverse population have been received. Anticipated to begin late summer or early fall 2022.

Curtain up! A.R.T./New York is looking to complete a starring duo to lead New York’s pre-eminent theatre service organization into the next act of its venerable and productive 50-year history. Together with Co-Director, Risa Shoup, you will build a collaboration that shapes the future not only of our organization, but of nonprofit theatre in our city, our state, and the world. You will work with people who absolutely love what they do: A.R.T./New York’s staff and its 450 members form a passionate, committed community dedicated to advancing theatre as a diverse, inclusive and innovative art form that connects and moves us with its sense of infinite possibility. The impact of the co-directors on this influential sector will be profound.

Job Summary

A.R.T./New York seeks experienced candidates to fill the role of Co-Director on a new Executive Leadership Team. Aligned with our values, the two-director team will jointly oversee an annual budget of approximately $7,000,000, a full-time staff of 19 and a part-time staff of 31 delivering a growing slate of services to New York’s nonprofit theatre sector. Specific responsibilities and areas of focus will vary based on the skills and interests of each director, as discussed with board and staff during the interview process and finalized in collaboration between Co-Directors upon hiring. We are not looking for a unicorn who can be everything at once. We are looking for a leader excited to collaboratively originate a shared leadership model in which two partners’ complementary skills and passions contribute to achieving shared goals.

Why a shared leadership model? When leadership is shared, each stakeholder invests not in any one individual but in the organization and its mission, and therefore in the future of the organization. This shift in investment began to emerge organically at A.R.T./New York in the past year and a half, as staff engaged more deeply in decision-making and envisioned collaborative frameworks. In the model, the staff and board now propose, two directors have equal standing within the organization; are recognized as equals externally; have autonomy over the process of determining what responsibilities they share, and make major decisions together.

Who You Are

We seek leaders who:

• Are accessible, present, collaborative, transparent, authentic, and communicative.
• Empower and support member theaters, understanding their challenges and offering both individual and programmatic solutions.
• Empower and support staff, encouraging them to represent themselves and their ideas.
• Are visionary in their leadership: thoughtful, innovative, open to new ideas, and able to see the big picture, and balance the needs of members, staff, and board.
• Are bold in their decision-making and can nimbly adapt when situations change.
• Will foster a sense of belonging among members, staff, and the theater community.
• Are excited to be of service to New York’s nonprofit theatre community and energized by the prospect of guiding our organization through critical junctures and into transformation.

The Ideal Candidate

Experience

An ideal candidate has a deep understanding of:

• Management
• Devising and implementing workflow systems and infrastructure
• Setting priorities and balancing the interests of a wide array of stakeholders
• Participating in anti-racism, anti-oppression, social justice, and/or restorative justice work through trainings or previous work experience and will co-lead the organization through this lens
• Some experience working with nonprofit organizations in the cultural sector and/or organizations with a balance of donated and earned income
• Working knowledge of many or all of the below:
• Public and Private Sector Advocacy
• Branding and Marketing
• Budget Planning
• Community Event Planning and Facilitation
• Donor Cultivation and Relationship Management
• Grantmaking and Regranting
• Organizational Infrastructure and Collaborative Leadership
• Program Design and Development
• Earned Revenue Development
• Theater in New York City -- from any number of perspectives

An ideal candidate would also be eager to learn about any of the above areas that they are not already familiar with.

Primary Responsibilities and Expectations

In our shared leadership model, two Co-Directors will partner in the responsibility of leading ART/New York. We expect the Co-Directors to take the first year of their collaboration to determine the distribution of responsibilities and find an appropriate balance between supporting one another and leading together and independently.

These responsibilities include:

• Lead the charge in championing nonprofit theater in New York City and throughout New York State
• Articulate and communicate the vision and strategic plan of the organization with input from members, staff, and board
• Ensure that values align across stakeholders
• Champion diversity, accessibility, and inclusion across the organization
• Advocate for our sector with elected and appointed government officials and through working with our lobbyist
• Set annual advocacy and departmental priorities in collaboration with members, staff, and board
• Foster collaboration between departments and manage teams
• Guide the development and review of communication strategies
• Maintain and manage the organization’s budget; develop and review fiscal management policies; set revenue goals
• Set grantmaking priorities and policies with Grants staff
• Participate in governance, oversight, and compliance with the board
• Establish accountability benchmarks and auditing policies
• Attend Ethics and Accountability Committee meetings, staff work sessions and trainings, and occasional programmatic or grantmaking panel sessions

• Develop policies that create a safe, productive, welcoming experience in our spaces for staff, renters, and visitors and sustain reliable growth of rental revenue
• Negotiate major vendor contracts and leases effectively and efficiently, with input from staff and board
• Oversee the management of existing infrastructure and lead staff in the development of new systems
• Cultivate new individual and institutional donors and strategically manage existing donor relationships
• Review and revise external communications, marketing, and branding as needed
  
  To Apply
  Please visit our website at art-newyork.org/jobs for more important information on the hiring process and how to apply.
  
  
  You will be asked to include the following:
• A recent resume, either in traditional pdf format or as a link to a digital copy
• Responses to a few questions in short-answer format, traditional cover letter, video, or audio file
• Portfolio documents

In both the hiring process and employment practices, A.R.T./New York is deeply committed to accessibility for those who are d/Deaf, disabled, and/or neurodivergent. Your application materials may be submitted in writing, audio, or video format. Initial interviews will be held via Zoom. If you are asked to interview, we will provide you with the following:

• A copy of interview questions in advance
• A list of who will be interviewing you
• Visual description of your interviewer(s)
• Automated captioning during the interview (provided by Zoom)

We are happy to provide whatever allows you to bring your best self to the application and interview process. If you require an accommodation that is not listed here, such as ASL interpretation or CART captioning, please contact Senior Manager of Business Affairs Daniella Benavides at dbenavides@art-newyork.org and we will be sure you have what you need. Additional accessibility information will be provided to candidates as they advance through the hiring process.

At A.R.T./New York, we strongly encourage individuals from historically underrepresented communities (including people of color, trans/NB/GNC, women, and disabled people) to apply for our job openings. A.R.T./New York strives to create a supportive work environment staffed by people who love theatre, desire to support the field, and are committed to a just and diverse theatre community in all its forms. A.R.T./New York is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, military status, or any other characteristic protected by law.

Vaccination Notice

Employees must be fully-vaccinated (as defined by the CDC). If you require accommodations for a disability or other exemption, please email our Senior Manager of Business Affairs, Daniella Benavides, to discuss. ART/NY will consider requests on individual circumstances of the situation and applicable law. You may also request a copy of our vaccine mandate ahead of submitting your application, which Daniella can provide

For more about who we are, how we work, and how to apply visit our website.