Program Associate

Position Description – Program Associate

Hybrid - Chicago, IL | Full time, exempt

Annual salary range: $44,000-$48,000

About Snow City Arts 

Snow City Arts (SCA) inspires and educates children and youth in hospitals through the arts. SCA provides one-on-one and small group instruction in the visual arts, creative writing, poetry, theater, music, and media arts to patients at Rush University Children’s Hospital, Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago, Children’s Hospital University of Illinois (UIC), and Cook County Health. 

Snow City Arts’ curricula are steeped in studio practices and benchmarked by the National Core Arts Standards and Common Core State Standards. SCA works in partnership with Chicago Public Schools and suburban school districts. With permission, students’ learning outcomes and portfolios are sent to schools in order to be considered for credit for the work completed with SCA. The Snow City Arts team includes an administrative staff of 5 and an artistic staff of 7 part-time, professional Teaching Artists, as well as numerous interns, work study students, and volunteers. As a small, yet mighty organization, our team values an “all hands-on-deck” approach balanced with a commitment to wellness. Snow City Arts is committed to generating a work environment that centers on learning, equity, and inclusivity. 

Summary of position 

SCA seeks an insightful, developing leader committed to cultivating spaces for student-centered learning that privilege the abilities of all young people. The Program Associate reports to the Program Director and provides support to SCA’s Teaching Artists. The ideal candidate employs inquiry-based approaches and embraces a generative culture of learning, collaborative development of projects, and independent implementation. The Program Associate will train as a Teaching Artist at SCA to then support onboarding, development, and assessment of teaching  practices; ensure quality documentation practices; fill in teaching gaps from time-to-time; and support the evolution of Teaching Artists’ curricula. The Program Associate co-leads the Curatorial Committee and facilitates the development of internal and public exhibitions of student artwork. The Program Associate will also provide direct support to SCA’s Youth Leadership Council alongside the Program Director. The Program Associate will intentionally deepen existing partnerships while cultivating new relationships with the Chicago Public Schools, as well as arts and cultural institutions. The Program Associate holds a strong understanding of trauma-informed practices and utilizes an asset-based framework that supports developing leadership and a shared vision.

Responsibilities

Programming 40%

• Develop a Teaching practice at SCA to support Teaching Artists and the evolution of Best Practices.
• Collaborate with the Program Director to further develop and shape SCA’s Youth Leadership Council.  
• Support the strategic design and evolution of overall programming and assessment 
• Collaborate on curricula benchmarked to state and national learning standards
• Review student assessments and learning outcomes and provide feedback to achieve quality assurance 
• Provide support to further  refinement of HIPAA-compliant student database
• Engage and manage contractors and Interns that support programmatic initiatives

Curatorial & Public Events 35% 

• In collaboration with Program Director, provide strategic vision for SCA’s public exhibitions
• Co-lead budgeting, artwork preparation, invoicing, and installation support of student exhibitions and events 
• Manage SCA’s digital art archive
• Set standards for and lead efforts to ensure high-quality documentation and use of student artwork
• Edit and/or print diverse range of digital artwork files as well as provide training to other SCA staff

Administrative 15%

• Produce and analyze monthly programmatic data to support quality control of SCA’s programmatic processes and procedures and develop any needed action plans with the Program Director 
• Coordinate assembly and distribution of art kits that accompany curricula
• Oversee record keeping of consent and release forms in SCA student database
• Ensure all artwork is handled and distributed in accordance with permissions granted
• Provide data reports for the Development and Communications team as requested
• Support staff interactions with the Governing Board and Board Committees
• Collaborate on planning and documentation for new programs

Partnerships & Relationships 10%

• Manage SCA’s evolving student, family, and stakeholder engagement initiatives 
• Oversee contractual and volunteer translators, media editors, copyeditors and graphic designers
• Advocate for the assignment of academic credit for SCA students
• Lead the production and distribution of quarterly school reports 
• Participate in the Governing Board’s Partnership Committee in order to meet goals of SCA’s strategic plan
• Collaborate with the Program Director to build and deepen strong partnerships with cultural institutions

Priority Skills and Experience 

The ideal candidate will have a combination of the following professional and personal qualities, skills, and  characteristics. Snow City Arts will consider candidates who do not meet every single requirement.  

• 2 years of program management experience, especially in arts education or youth development
• 3 years of experience working directly with youth and families, especially youth and families who identify as ALAANA***, LGBTQIA , first-generation immigrants, and people with disabilities 
• Ability to work closely with people from various artistic and administrative backgrounds.
• Exceptional organization and planning skills with the ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously, respond to shifting priorities, and support multiple aspects of program development and operational sustainability.  
• Experience in curatorial decision making, exhibition preparation, and gallery installation procedures.
• Skilled in Adobe Illustrator, Adobe Photoshop, Google Drive and ASANA.
• Strong verbal communication skills and the ability to adjust communication style to accommodate multiple audiences. Bonus for Spanish speakers and writers. 
• Working or developing knowledge of curriculum development benchmarked on state/national learning standards with an in-depth understanding of current education trends, assessment, documentation, evaluation, and differentiated learning.
• Strong arts education and/or youth development background and a deep understanding of trauma-informed practices. 
• Self-motivation, accuracy, attention to detail, and ability to meet deadlines.
• Active listener with the ability to synthesize information and translate into strategy or action plans.  
• Ability to navigate tense or challenging interpersonal dynamics in a manner that is centered on trust, respect.
• Demonstrates a commitment to continue to grow their critical analysis of anti-racist frameworks and practices.
• Developing practice in teaching artistry and/or maintenance of a personal artistic practice.
• Experience in fostering a culture of collaboration, cooperation, and accountability.
• Utilizes an asset-based framework that supports developing a shared vision of the team. 

Desired Skills and Experience

• Strong understanding of e-learning and cyber pedagogy.
• Experience managing databases.
• Familiarity with the public school and arts education landscape of Chicago.
• Access to reliable transportation that allows for commuting throughout Chicago, as well as ability to transport artwork and supplies up to 50lbs.
• Skilled in Adobe Premiere, Adobe Audition, and Final Cut.

Compensation and Benefits

This is a full-time, exempt position with some evening and weekend work required. The salary for this role is $44,000 - 48,000 annually. Snow City Arts offers health insurance (HMO and PPO options) with Snow City Arts covering $5,000 of the insurance package annually (all or the majority of the cost depending upon the chosen plan). A Flexible Spending Account with healthcare and commuter options  is also available. There are currently 25 paid days off annually split among vacation, sick, and holidays and we offer a flexible, hybrid work environment. Office days flex from week to week from 0 in-office days to a full 5 days, depending upon projects; the Administrative Team aims to coordinate so that there is some overlap on in-office days. Employee retirement account, SIMPLE or Roth IRA, is available with a 3% match from Snow City Arts. 

Background Check and Health Records

A criminal background will not automatically eliminate you from consideration though a criminal history background check will be conducted with the final candidate prior to beginning employment. A variety of documentation (typically related to vaccines, annual tests, and a 10-panel drug screen, which are paid for by Snow City Arts) is required to meet the health documentation requirements of our hospital partners. Covid-19 vaccines, including documentation, are required prior to or within the first two weeks of employment.

Snow City Arts is an equal opportunity employer. Snow City Arts is committed to building a culturally diverse and pluralistic team. BIPOC-identified individuals, trans and gender nonconforming people, people from poor and working-class backgrounds, and individuals with disabilities are encouraged to apply. 

Interested candidates should send a resume to employment@snowcityarts.org. Applications will be reviewed and candidates will be contacted for a Zoom interview on a rolling basis. The position will be open until filled and priority will be given to candidates who apply by February 21, 2025.

Please visit https://snowcityarts.org/opportunities/ for the PDF description.