Half-Time Program Director

Job Summary

The Program Director works closely with the Executive Director to achieve organizational health and strategic partnerships.  This position reports to the Executive Director. This is an exempt half-time position.

An expert in visual art education, the Bluff Strokes Art Center program director will lead the development and execution of annual programming for art learners. They will collaborate with other administrators and staff within the organization to ensure that programming and student/artist recruitment and engagement are in alignment with our mission.

The Program Director must be comfortable communicating with all learners, including those who have been historically excluded from the arts. They will contribute to a positive environment for visitors, learners, art makers, and colleagues.

Duties

Always use our mission, vision, and values to guide each day.

Programming Duties

1.  Instruct art at introductory through advanced levels. (Our facilities can best support 2D artmaking.)
2. Develop and maintain an appropriate schedule of offerings/curriculum for art learners. This includes assessing for programming continuation, improvement, or termination.
3. Oversee the development of learning standards for classes.
4. Ensure safe, positive, and functioning art making and learning spaces.
5. Under the direction of the executive director: hire, supervise, and support the youth coordinator and contract instructors.
6. Assess youth coordinator and instructors’ adherence to our mission, our work procedures, and curriculum standards.
7. Collaborate with the executive director to:

• recruit and retain models for life drawing sessions.
• develop best use of gallery space.
• provide programming for artist members.
• develop professional development opportunities for area art educators.
• recruit workshop experts.
• mentor emerging art makers.

General Administration

1. Demonstrate leadership practices that foster a positive work culture.
2. Collaborate with the executive director to:

• achieve strategic plan and organizational sustainability.
• track retention of art learners and art makers.
• develop annual operation budget and monitor spending.
• create and assess personnel policies.
• listen to and then create programming for artist members.
• recommend and/or provide professional development opportunities for Bluff Strokes employees.
• identify staffing needs and support the hiring process.
• ensure and document compliance with granting agencies, contractual arrangements with external partners, etc.
• raise funds and provide content for grant writing.

Required Qualifications

• At least five years’ demonstrated expertise in directly instructing (at the beginner through advanced levels) conceptual and technical aspects of art making.
• At least five years’ experience leading art curriculum development including assessment of art education programming.
• Evidence of successful recruitment and retention of art students including those historically excluded from the arts.
• Demonstrated significant experience supporting emerging art makers navigating their professional goals.
• Demonstrated successful collaboration with other organizations.

Preferred Qualifications

• Gallery management experience.
• Experience supporting qualifying art education majors and/or providing CEUs for art teachers.
• Experience hiring and supervising.
• Experience offering workshops for art makers.
• Higher education, advanced atelier experience, apprenticeships, etc. within your areas of instruction/art making expertise.
• Art making excellence.
• Professional experience working within a nonprofit organization (including educational organizations).

Hours: Hours will vary with the average working hours being 20 hours per week. There will be day, evening, and Saturday classes/events.

Half-time salary range: $30,000-$40,000 annually

Benefits: PTO and paid holidays

How to Apply

Please send a letter of application, your resume, and a link to a portfolio, social media account, and/or any other format of supporting evidence to: director@bluffstrokes.org. Please type Program Director Application in the subject line.

Rachel Daack

Executive Director

Bluff Strokes Art Center

1201 Locust Street

Dubuque, Iowa 52003

www.bluffstrokes.org