Arts Access, Inc.
www.ArtsAccessInc.org
Position Profile: Executive Director
Raleigh, NC
Arts Access, Inc., a statewide arts service organization working to make the arts accessible to people with disabilities in North Carolina, seeks a progressive visionary and advocate to serve as its next Executive Director, providing strategic leadership to the organization and forwarding its mission.
ABOUT ARTS ACCESS
Arts Access’s mission is to enable children and adults with disabilities to have full access to and participation in the arts and cultural life of our community. Our vision is that arts organizations will operate with inclusion as a core value, provide programs and events that are barrier free and provide equal access to people with disabilities. Additionally, we envision an arts community that is welcoming to artists with disabilities, providing meaningful connections and paid work. Arts Access was founded in Raleigh, NC in 1984 by a group of volunteers and has grown to serve over 2,500 North Carolinians annually. Arts Access currently operates with a part time staff-person in addition to the ED and a network of contractors.
To learn more about Arts Access visit ArtsAccessInc.org.
THE OPPORTUNITY
The Executive Director serves as the key development, strategy and operations leader of Arts Access and is responsible for the success and health of the organization, managing the day-to-day operations of the organization and ensuring accountability to Arts Access’s vision, mission, and the community. It is the focus of the position to advocate, build consensus, and guide the team while anticipating and understanding existing and future stakeholder interests and addressing broader social, artistic, and community concerns. Sharing the organization’s values, the Executive Director will lead our efforts to remove ableist biases and promote and advance equity and inclusion in the arts.
Status and Location
Full time (35-40 hours/week) with flexible schedule and some availability to work limited nights or weekends as programming requires. Staff currently work a hybrid remote/in-person schedule; this model is expected to continue.
The Arts Access office is currently located in Raleigh, NC. and the organization receives location-based operational grant support from the City of Raleigh Arts Commission and the United Arts Council of Raleigh and Wake County. The ED must be available for periodic visits to the Raleigh office and potential events across the state.
QUALIFICATIONS
The ideal candidate will possess the following attributes, skills and experiences:
Disability Knowledge and Social Justice- Direct experience with ADA accessibility and accommodations, disability rights, arts and culture, and racial and social justice work; lived experience of disability is strongly preferred.
- Familiarity with a cross-section of the disability community, cross-disability spaces, and intersectionality, and the justice issues that individuals in this community work for and face.
- Experience with outreach to varied audiences, including historically underserved communities within disability and the arts.
- Deep understanding of, commitment to, and willingness to champion diversity, equity, inclusion, and access with demonstrated experience integrating a racial equity framework.
- Progressive leadership experience, preferably in a disability, arts, and/or nonprofit field.
- Demonstrated commitment to establishing and supporting policies and practices that foster transformative change.
- Proficiency with empowering and developing an engaged, inclusive team, with a commitment to cultivating, retaining, and promoting disabled leadership.
- Proven ability to make difficult decisions.
- Success with setting and achieving strategic goals with a data-driven, action-oriented, and adaptable approach to planning and change management.
- Adeptness with cultivating, informing, and supporting a Board of Directors to effectively carry out its governance role and duties, and energizing board members as agency ambassadors.
- Oversight of high-quality programs and service design/innovation, marketing, implementation, and evaluation. Knowledge and understanding of current best practices in ADA accommodations in community and education settings and support for disabled artists.
- Competency with budgeting and monitoring financial performance with transparency and integrity; knowledge of financial management fundamentals and controls.
- Leadership experience in a nonprofit organization that includes engaging in strategic planning, management, development and supervision of personnel, financial planning, and monitoring internal controls for a multi-funded budget.
- Proficiency in building a flexible organization with a sustainable infrastructure, policies, operations, and practices that yield desired results and are consistent with strategic priorities.
- Commitment to fostering a solid team and delegating responsibility and authority in a manner that instills ownership, partnership, achievement, and results, combined with personal and professional growth.
- Strong communication skills in interpersonal and group interactions.
- Ability to work effectively with people who have diverse backgrounds and experiences.
- Demonstrated competence resolving conflict and being appropriately supportive when addressing challenges that staff, board members or stakeholders experience.
- Capacity to understand complex social and economic issues related to disability and communicate those issues clearly and persuasively.
- Experience with fundraising and resource development including cultivation strategies, events, grant writing, donor solicitation, managing grants from multiple funders, etc.
- Ingenuity to collaboratively establish strategic goals with partners, while assessing risks, organizing activities, and operationalizing priorities to meet or exceed expectations.
- Expertise creating opportunity through collaboration, communications, and outreach.
- Skillful relationship-building and inviting stakeholder input with the ability to adapt to the diverse and complex needs of internal and external stakeholders.
COMPENSATION
The target hiring salary for this position is $70,000 - $75,000 at this time. Arts Access offers a benefits package for full-time employees and generous office closings around holidays.
Arts Access is an equal opportunity employer and is proactively seeking diverse candidates. We strive to represent our entire community. People with lived experience of disability should apply, as well as individuals who are people of color, immigrants, refugees, people with low-income, and hold other historically excluded identities. Arts Access commits to providing accommodations and adaptations to job descriptions to hire the best team member. Arts Access seeks to foster a fully inclusive work culture and expects all employees to further that as part of their commitment to our shared work.
TO APPLY
Please submit a cover letter that directly links your experience to Arts Access’s mission and work, a resume, and contact information for three to five references (including a past or present supervisor and/or Board member, a direct report, and a community partner) to:ArtsAccessED@CapabilityCompany.com.
Applications will be reviewed and processed on a rolling basis with preference given to applications received by November 1, 2021 at 5:00pm. (UPDATED DATE) Early submission is encouraged.
If accommodations or an alternative submission format is needed, please email:ArtsAccessED@CapabilityCompany.com.
COVID Precautions: Interviews will be remote.