Program Manager
Organization: National Arts Strategies (NAS)
Location: Washington, DC Metro Area or U.S.-based Remote; 4-day workweek (32 hour model)
Date Posted: July 15, 2023
Application Deadline: Expressions of Interest will be accepted until at least Wednesday, July 31 at 11:59 PM ET. Priority review given to those received that time.
NAS is seeking a Program Manager. We are a small, highly collaborative organization, looking for a Program Manager: an organized problem-solver who will support our full range of logistics and project management activities. This position reports to the Vice President, Programs and Partnerships. The Program Manager is an integral part of our overall program delivery and mission achievement.
This position will support a vibrant network of changemakers. The Program Manager will manage The Project and Change Network and act as the assistant secretary to the board.
This position is phenomenal for someone who:
- Is passionate about supporting changemakers and the work they do to promote community well-being
- Loves to plan in-person and online events and pays attention to the nitty gritty details to ensure participants are well cared for and always in the know
- Thrives on tracking and organizing all the moving pieces of a project to keep a team on time and focused
- Loves to create and implement systems for managing information, especially using platforms like Salesforce and Asana
- Communicates effectively with everyone from our amazing arts leader community to our faculty and facilitation partners
About NAS
The NAS mission is to build and support a diverse community of arts and culture leaders who drive inspiring change for the future. Our vision is a world in which everyone working in arts and culture is empowered with equitable access to resources and connected within thriving networks that benefit all people and our planet. We offer professional development opportunities, coaching, and a powerful network to arts and culture leaders at every stage of their careers. Founded in 1983, NAS has trained and supported more than 5,000 arts and culture leaders through its programs and offerings, establishing it as the preeminent trainer for practicing leaders in the field. We are a staff of ten with a current annual operating budget of $3.3 million.
Our Values
Integrity: To us, this means being honest, thoughtful, and transparent. It means keeping our promises and always doing the right thing.
Equity: Within our field of arts and culture, we call out systems of oppression, reject structural racism and discrimination, and fight to remove all barriers to access because we believe deeply in equal opportunities for all.
Collaboration: We work in teams and partnerships, build with communities, and engage in collective action, because we know that working in this way yields the most meaningful results.
Learning: We lead with curiosity, evaluate consistently, listen actively, invite dissent, and seek out others looking to grow and challenge themselves.
Our Design Principles
Our programs provide access to academia and opportunities. They mix skillsets and mindsets, broaden perspectives and networks. They remove silos and open doors, pushing boundaries and what’s possible.
Equitable Access: If we don’t work to dismantle inequity, we become complicit in it. That’s why we design our programs to be accessible to all, actively engage partners and participants in marginalized communities, and bring equity work into all of our programs.
Courageous Conversations: Tough dialogue is an essential part of meaningful change, and the force that drives action. We offer visionary leaders of today and tomorrow the tools and support to have the important and sometimes challenging discussions that enable more potent strategic decisions.
Critical Thinking: With new strategies and skills, leaders can more effectively challenge existing processes and methods. We develop and deliver programming in partnership with leading thinkers and academics, chosen for their relevance, rigor and reputation.
Building Bridges: Bringing together unlike leaders from a diverse range of disciplines, geographies and roles yields powerful results: wide-ranging networks and unexpected partnerships that spark transformative change.
Strategic Transformation: In times of social, political, and economic uncertainty, there is greater opportunity for change. We give leaders the tools, support, and space to critically reimagine their business models, impact, and roles in their communities.
Sustainability: We provide space for reflection, self-care, joy, and fun and incorporate environmentally sustainable practices to ensure arts and culture leaders have the long-term support they need to achieve their vision.
Key Responsibilities for the Role
- Support the overall design, delivery and evaluation of NAS programs, specifically The Project and Change Network
- Set realistic planning timelines and organize meetings with staff team and external partners
- Monitor timelines and budgets to keep programs on track
- Manage and track regranting activities
- Run meetings with team members and program partners
- Serve as the front line of communication with program participants, informing them of key program updates and answering questions
- Work with events planners to research and book venues, catering and A/V for events
- Work with Operations Associate to manage contracts and payment timelines
- Produce learning materials (e.g. slides, notebooks, handouts, nametags)
- Serve as Assistant Secretary to the Board and provide board support, including but not limited to meeting logistics and advance document prep and delivery, meeting minutes, and recruitment support
- Additional duties, as assigned
Who Should Apply?
Research shows that folx from groups closest to the harms of institutional racism and inequality often apply to jobs only if they meet 100% of the qualifications. We believe that no one meets 100% of the listed qualifications. We are less concerned about whether you’ve done everything on a laundry list of specific things and more interested in cultivating a pool of candidates who want to join a connected, mission-driven, hard-working team of practitioners driven by creativity, curiosity, justice, and equity.
Ultimately, we are seeking applicants who have a blend – in some way – of the following:
- Experience in project coordination and event management. About 2 to 4 years’ experience, regardless of the sector of work (hospitality, arts, education, etc.)
- Skills in effectively communicating to groups. Demonstrated ability to write in a clear, concise, compelling manner. Comfort and ability to organize lots of different kinds of people and keep things running well at gatherings.
- Project management skills. Organized, consistent and on time.
- Experience with or interest in the arts and culture sector preferred.
If much of this describes you, we encourage you to apply.
Compensation & Benefits
This position pays $60,000/annually. Benefits include health, dental, and vision insurance, short- and long-term disability, retirement benefits, sick/vacation leave, and flexible work hours. NAS is a hybrid office and has adopted a four-day work week. The team generally works Monday through Thursday. This position can be based anywhere in the United States. Travel (domestic and possibly international) is required to attend programs, board meetings, NAS team retreats, conferences, and other meetings (approximately 25 days per year).
Application & Hiring Process
- PHASE ONE: Apply. Interested individuals are encouraged to submit a resume and cover letter: click here.
- PHASE TWO: Asynchronous Interviews. Finalists will be sent a link to record video responses to our first-round interview questions.
- PHASE THREE: Zoom Interviews. One to two rounds of interviews via Zoom are anticipated. Contact information for three references (phone numbers and email addresses) who know you and your work will be requested at this phase. References will not be contacted without your prior consent.
If you need accommodations to make this application process happen, please connect with us by reaching out to Operations Associate Michael Tune at mtune@artstrategies.org
Search Committee
Expressions of interest and formal applications will be reviewed by the NAS search committee. Search committee members include: Mariah Cesena, Jade Cintrón Báez, Gail Crider, Deryn Dudley, Neo Gcabo, Kyle Jillson, Teddy Rodger, Michael Tune, and Sunny Widmann (VP, Programs and Partnerships) who will make the final decision on the successful candidate.
We are an equal opportunity employer and value diversity within our organization. We do not discriminate on the basis of race or ethnicity, religion, national origin, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, age, marital or parental status, military or veteran status, or health/disability status.
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