Executive Director Job Announcement
New York City, New York(released October19, 2011)
Our mission is to support and sustain the vital spirit of the spoken word in all its forms, beginning with poetry and including performance, theater and intersections with music, dance and the visual arts; to support and sustain these arts globally, in all languages, with committed attention to Endangered Languages; to provide a safe haven through the use of The Bowery Poetry Club; to promote the publishing of books of poetry and poetry in all media; and to encourage community and fruitful interaction among artists.
ABOUT THE ORGANIZATION
Bowery Arts + Science, Ltd. (BAS) advances the arts by encouraging cooperation among artists and others engaged in artistic activities. Founded by visual artist Elizabeth Murray and poet Bob Holman and sited at the Bowery Poetry Club since 2002, BAS is a safe haven where emerging and established poets, visual artists, performers, writers, producers, publishers and others may hold exhibitions and develop and produce works for viewing, print, performance on stage, television, film, internet and other media.
Bowery Arts + Science is a multi-art nonprofit and the major producer of all art activities held at the Bowery Poetry Club (BPC), its for-profit host site. BAS annually serves 3,600 artists and a greater New York City-based audience of over 56,000. BAS’ live webcasts serve an indirect international audience of 33,000, 50% from New York City.
LEADERSHIP
BAS is seeking an executive director to oversee staff, fund development, financial management, communications, strategic planning, programming, and administration of the organization. BAS founding director, Bob Holman, transitioned out of the post in 2010 and remains a board member and proprietor of the Bowery Poetry Club. The current BAS board chair, Janice Erlbaum, is serving as Interim Director.
Bowery Arts + Science currently employs one full-time and several part-time staff members. Our organizational culture embraces shared leadership between staff and board members. Board members have played a critical and hands-on role, especially in fundraising and financial management. Staff and board members alike look forward to partnering with a new ED who is a strong leader who values input from coworkers as well as community stakeholders.
The executive director will report directly to the board of directors and supervise the entire staff. Our fourteen-member board of directors continues to grow and seeks an ED who can play an integral role in the board development process while working in tandem with the board chair. The Executive Director will serve as an ex officio member of the BAS board and as a member of all board committees.
ABOUT THE POSITION
Bowery Arts + Science is embarking on an exciting period of change and seeks an Executive Director who can effectively advance the organization’s growth and sustainability. As chief executive and operating officer, the Executive Director will provide strategic, creative and visionary leadership in collaboration with the board and staff. The successful candidate will be entrepreneurial and combine a passion for poetry, in particular, and the arts, in general, with a proven ability to maintain a vibrant, visible, community-rooted and financially stable organization. S/he will be tech savvy, able to ensure a stable work environment and capable of meeting key goals, including developing new sources of funding and updating our business model, especially as it relates to the Bowery Poetry Club, Bowery Arts + Science’s primary programming partner. A successful track record in raising funds from earned income streams, foundations, government agencies, corporations and individual donors will be critical for success. As the organization’s primary representative and spokesperson, the Executive Director will have significant experience working in diverse communities and will project the democratic values of Bowery Arts + Science, which include free speech, cross-culturalism, internationalism and positive social transformation.
Specific Responsibilities:
Fund development
- Identify new sources of funding, raise adequate funds to enable the organization to carry out its work, increase organizational capacity, and ensure financial stability over the long term.
- Lead the board in developing and implementing a fund development plan.
- Serve as primary fundraiser responsible for the execution of fund development strategies, grant writing and cultivating relationships with donors, granters, members, volunteers and prospective stakeholders.
- Guide the evolution and implementation of a business model with a mix of contributed and earned revenue.
- Effectively advance a recently launched membership program.
Financial management
- Oversee financial planning and fiscal management.
- Efficiently develop and manage operational and project budgets.
- Oversee annual audit and the preparation of timely reporting.
- Ensure compliance with current laws and regulations.
External communications& marketing
- Manage external communications.
- Effectively communicate and network with diverse groups and communities. Build community collaborations and partnerships.
- Represent the organization in the field. Speak and write as a public, passionate and vocal proponent of BAS’s mission, programming, goals and objectives.
- Lead board and staff in developing and implementing a marketing plan that will include media relations, website development, social networking and the timely production and distribution of annual reports and collateral literature.
- Lead board in brand identification and development.
Organizational leadership and management
- Oversee overall organizational operations, development and effectiveness, including staff supervision and evaluation.
- Provide input to the board of directors to support its role as an accountable, effective, engaged governing body.
Strategic and programmatic leadership
- Provide leadership and direction necessary for the organization to achieve its mission, vision and strategic goals.
- Take initiative on opportunities to advance BAS’s mission and goals. Ensure disciplined, strategic decision-making and evaluation of new opportunities.
- Ensure integration of programs with organizational mission, budget, organizational capacity and planning.
Board Development
- Work closely with board of directors to diversify and expand board composition.
- Provide board with timely and accurate reports to keep them informed of BAS operations, fiscal health, and organizational relationships.
- Working in concert with the board chair, create and maintain effective and appropriate line of communications and serve as primary liaison between staff, contractors, volunteers, members and board.
KEY QUALIFICATIONS
- Significant experience and demonstrated leadership in organizational management.
- A passion for BAS’s mission and an ability to speak and write compellingly about our work.
- Substantial and successful track record in fundraising from foundations, corporations, government agencies, and individual donors.
- Proven ability to be entrepreneurial, resourceful, flexible, and take initiative on opportunities to strategically advance BAS’s program and brand locally, regionally, and nationally.
- Demonstrated ability to plan, prioritize, build organizational systems and see projects through to their successful conclusion.
- Ability to develop, manage, mentor, support, and evaluate teams, while providing and building strong leadership and motivation for diverse staff, volunteers, and consultants.
- Experience leading, building, and working effectively with a diverse board of directors.
- Demonstrated ability in planning, developing and managing a budget of at least $500K.
- Emotionally mature with strong diplomatic and people skills. Experience working effectively in collaborations and partnerships.
SALARY AND BENEFITS
Bowery Arts + Science is offering a competitive salary based on the selected candidate’s experience and qualifications, plus a benefits package.
Application Process
Michael Warr, Principle, WarrConsulting is conducting this search on behalf of Bowery Arts + Science. Applicants should email a résumé and cover letter describing their qualifications and interest in the position to search@bowerypoetry.com by November 21, 2011 at the latest (applications received after the deadline may be considered if BAS decides to expand the pool of applicants). Résumés without cover letters will not be considered. BAS seeks to hire the Executive Director in January 2012.
PLEASE DO NOT CONTACT BOWERY ARTS +SCIENCE REGARDING THIS POSITION.
Bowery Arts +Science(BAS) does not discriminate on the basis of race, ethnicity, color, religion, gender (including pregnancy, childbirth or related medical conditions), gender identity, gender expression, national origin, ancestry, age, height, weight, physical disability, mental disability, medical condition, HIV/AIDS status, family care status, veteran status, marital status, or sexual orientation. BAS also makes reasonable accommodations for disabled employees. We value a diverse staff and encourage people of color, people with disabilities, and LGBT individuals to apply.