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Executive Director - Creative Alliance

Summary

Reporting to the board, the Executive Director will serve as the chief executive officer and organizational innovator for the Creative Alliance. This visionary and dynamic community leader will be a bridge builder, active listener, skilled collaborator, and champion for the critical role of the arts in a vibrant, forward-thinking, and intersectional community. The Executive Director will partner with the board in ensuring governance models that engage a diversity of people and perspectives. This individual will develope motivate and lead an experienced team in external relations, fund development, marketing, strategic planning, artistic planning, and educational programming, as well as provide overall operational, financial, and administrative oversight.

Roles and Responsibilities

Strategic Direction and Leadership

  • Recommend vision and strategy to accomplish the mission for an innovative, forward-thinking organization that inspires and engages the board, staff, and community members.
  • Serve as the champion for the organization’s strategic plan and the successful achievement of longer-term goals.
  • Inspire interest in the organization and nurture and sustain a culture of respect and inclusiveness that values the power of diversity with a firm commitment to equity and access.
  • Identify and create partnerships with other organizations that further the mission.
  • Lead a positive learning organization that creates a climate of respectful inquiry in which Creative Alliance and its partners are encouraged to take risks, diversify, and innovate for social change.
  • Stay abreast of external environmental trends and make recommendations to manage their impact or influence on the organization.
  • Facilitate inter-dependency between programs to cultivate shared responsibility and inspiration for achieving the organization’s mission.
  • Inspire opportunities to support program development and management, identifying and creating partnerships with other organizations that further the mission.
  • Oversee the short- and long-range planning and evaluation of artistic and educational programs that strive to deepen equity, inclusion, and social action for increased audience participation, appreciation, and community engagement.
  • Address systemic racism with thoughtful programmatic vision, embedded governance structures, dynamic staffing, equitable vendor interactions, and intentional audience experiences.

Board Engagement and Support

  • Serve as primary point person for the board of trustees, ensuring it members understand the organization’s mission and their role in supporting its achievement.
  • Report on the organization’s finances, partner with the board in its policy-making role, and ensure its members have timely access to accurate and updated information on finances, policies, key performance indicators, cultural trends, and relevant issues to help them reach decisions that advance the organization’s mission.
  • Represent the staff’s perspective on key issues being considered by the board, advocating in their interests.
  • Coordinate annual activities involving the board and staff, such as strategic planning and retreats.
  • Assign staff to support board committees as needed.
  • Supports board members in carrying out the board’s duties.

Revenue Enhancement and Partnerships

  • Communicate the organization’s mission to the funders and support engagement with individual donors, foundations, and corporate sponsors.
  • Provide oversight to all fundraising and resource development activities, including accurate and timely reports to funders.
  • Support fundraising efforts and identify and prepare grant applications in partnership with the Director of Development.
  • Provide leadership for financial management and the creation of the organizational budget.
  • Engage and cultivate new donors and ensure appropriate, accurate acknowledgement for contributions.
  • Collaborate with the board and staff to implement a robust portfolio of contributed revenue, cultivate current and future individual and foundation donors, and identify and secure gifts, grants, and sponsorships from businesses.
  • Pursue public funding opportunities; establish and strengthen relationships with local, state, and federal officials; and ensure quality applications to public sources.
  • Bring an entrepreneurial approach to marketing and communication strategies, identifying new revenue opportunities to maximize earned revenue through ticket sales, concessions, program fees, rentals, and other areas.
  • Anticipate the possible financial and organizational effects of change management, effectively assess crises and conflicts, and honor multiple opinions, values, and points of view.
  • Actively engage as the public face of the organization with existing and potential artistic and community partners in holistic approaches to community initiatives and programs.
  • Develop creative partnerships with Baltimore social action agencies, resident companies, regional arts and cultural organizations, and others that produce and present programs at Creative Alliance.
  • Communicate Creative Alliance’s mission to multiple audiences and develop and guide the implementation of effective strategies to expand participation.
  • Advocate for artists, arts education, and arts access throughout the community and Maryland.

Administration and Organizational Management

  • Provide oversight and leadership for all areas of the organization and ensure staff members have what they need to do their jobs.
  • Create and oversee structure to support effective programming and achievement of goals while respecting the life/work balance of the organization’s talented and hardworking staff.
  • Foster collaboration and amplify teamwork by serving as an active listener and communicator.
  • Create an environment in which employees are empowered to express their opinions and concerns to staff leadership and staff leadership are empowered to express their opinions and concerns to the Executive Director.
  • Embrace innovation and change management activities with an inclusive decision-making process.
  • Build an efficient organization with a sustainable infrastructure based on available resources, defining new positions and integrating them into the organizational structure.
  • Look for and implement opportunities to bring good management practices into the organization, including process coordination for staff performance reviews and procurement for high-quality consultants.
  • Define the process for developing and maintaining an accurate database to drive marketing and event management.
  • Develop, motivate, mentor, uplift, and lead an experienced staff while recognizing the incredible efforts of the entire team that delivers on Creative Alliance’s mission, vision, and values.
  • Manage financial resources with integrity and transparency, establish and monitor financial controls, and oversee audit standards and money management policies.

Traits and Characteristics

The Executive Director will be an innovative and strategic leader who can bring together multiple constituencies to achieve a common vision. This individual will exhibit trust, integrity, and transparency and will lead by example with empathy and a vision that inspires others. The Executive Director will value frequent interaction and collaboration with the internal team and external community partnerships and will have an innate ability to build rapport with a wide range of stakeholders. They will demonstrate accountability and adaptability to various situations and be comfortable with change. An inclusive leader, the Executive Director will be responsive to new ideas, opportunities, and innovation while effectively leveraging organizational, human, financial, and digital resources. This individual will have the capacity to discern competing priorities, embracing equitable opportunities in a timely manner while quickly adapting during periods of uncertainty.

Other key competencies of the role include:

  • Diplomacy and Teamwork – The capacity to deeply respect others, effectively and tactfully handle difficult or sensitive issues, build consensus, and guide the team in support of their values and those of the organization.
  • Personal Accountability – The ability to self-evaluate and take responsibility for personal actions and decisions, accept setbacks, look for ways to progress, and understand how obstacles impact results.
  • Leadership – The aptitude to organize, inspire, and influence people to believe in a vision, creating a sense of common purpose centered on creativity, artistry, and diversity.
  • Interpersonal Skills – The drive to instill a customer-centric approach throughout the organization, anticipating and understanding existing and future audience interests and addressing broader social, artistic, and community concerns.
  • Conflict Management – The ability to understand, address, and resolve conflict constructively and effectively manage difficulties.

Qualifications

Seven to 10 years of leadership experience in an innovative arts-based, cultural, educational, or similar community-focused or socially-oriented nonprofit organization is required. A demonstrated commitment to workplace equity, diversity, inclusion, and access are required, as well as experience navigating change and inspiring a high-achieving, seasoned team of creative professionals and administrators. In addition to a history of personal involvement in the performing and visual arts, qualified candidates will possess or will develop a deep knowledge of the performing and visual arts, trends, and best practices in arts and arts education. Experience leading and inspiring positive change with community-centric work and advocating for change at a local and national level are needed. Proven results in fundraising and comprehensive contributed and earned revenue skills are highly desirable, along with an outstanding proven track record of development and community relations. A bachelor’s degree in the arts, business, nonprofit management, or related field (or equivalent experience) is preferred. A broad range of life experience is welcomed.

Compensation and Benefits

Creative Alliance offers competitive compensation, with a salary range between $100,000 and $120,000 and a benefits package that includes medical, dental, and vision insurance; a SIMPLE IRA with employer matching; and paid time off and holidays.

Applications and Inquiries

To submit a cover letter and resume with a summary of demonstrable accomplishments (electronic submissions preferred), please click here or visit artsconsulting.com/employment. For questions or general inquiries about this job opportunity, including the anticipated salary range, please contact:

Wyona Lynch-McWhite

Senior Vice President

292 Newbury Street, Suite 315

Boston, MA 02115-2801

Tel: (888) 234-4236, Ext. 225

Email: [email protected]

As an inclusive community that works toward being an anti-racist organization,

Creative Alliance encourages applicants of all ages, races, classes, gender identities,

sexual orientations, religions, and physical abilities.

Salary Range
$100,000 +
Categories:
Administration
Employer Name:
Creative Alliance
Job Title:
Executive Director
Job Submission Requirements:
To submit a cover letter and resume with a summary of demonstrable accomplishments (electronic submissions preferred), please click here or visit artsconsulting.com/employment. For questions or general inquiries about this job opportunity, including the anticipated salary range, please contact: Wyona Lynch-McWhite Senior Vice President 292 Newbury Street, Suite 315 Boston, MA 02115-2801 Tel:       (888) 234-4236, Ext. 225 Email:   [email protected]
Benefit Package
Creative Alliance offers competitive compensation, with a salary range between $100,000 and $120,000 and a benefits package that includes medical, dental, and vision insurance; a SIMPLE IRA with employer matching; and paid time off and holidays.

Become a Member

As a member of GBCA, you will not only gain access to wonderful benefits, but you will also become an active participant in a broader cultural community. Your organization and employees will directly benefit from opportunities to collaborate, connect, learn, network and share with your colleagues in the cultural community. Join our growing constituency of over 300 individual artists and organizations representing the region's extraordinary range of arts, culture, history, heritage, humanities, and attractions.

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