Executive Director | Waco, TX

Austin, TX, United States

As a mid-sized city with an MSA of nearly 250,000 residents situated on the I-35 corridor between Dallas and Austin in the heart of one of the fastest growing areas in the country, Waco has the most desirable and competitive environments available to the entrepreneur of the future – inexpensive, high quality of life coupled with the most welcoming and connected set of world-class resources and lifestyle. The Art Center of Waco, a public, nonprofit institution, enriches lives by deepening understanding, exploration, and appreciation through engagement with programs, exhibitions, collections, and collaborations. Art Center of Waco works to be an innovative curator and presenter of First-Class exhibitions, both at the Center and in our mobile gallery, that inspire ideas, artistic contributions and endeavors, as well as conversations that are important and relevant to our world today.

The Executive Director (ED) has overall strategic and operational responsibility for all aspects of Art Center of Waco and reports to the Art Center of Waco Board of Directors. The ED works with Art Center of Waco’s Board to refine and implement the vision, values and strategic and annual plans established by the Board. The job includes oversight of Art Center of Waco’s new physical space, opening in Fall of 2021. The ED will ensure there is a constant and smooth flow of communication among external partners, stakeholders, board members, corporate partners, Art Center of Waco members and donors, and will act as a liaison among these various constituencies. The ED will cultivate existing relationships with strategic partners and public and private funders, including key relationships with economic development groups, city councils and new potential partners. The ED is responsible for creating a pipeline for bringing new talent and strategic relationships into the art community. This person will support the culture and growth of the strong creative and art sector in Waco, and their success will depend significantly on their ability to work effectively with a broad array of partners and populations.

Responsibilities:

The ultimate success of Art Center of Waco will be measured by the ED’s ability to successfully collaborate, fundraise, lead staff, and facilitate long-term sustainability of the organization.

Leadership: Promote a culture of collaboration, inclusivity and diversity. Be actively involved in programs, events, expansions, member activities and all operational services. Develop a broad and deep knowledge of all programs to ensure impact of mission. Act as a key resource and educator regarding the current state of Waco’s art sector and ecosystem among many constituencies. Publicly represent Art Center of Waco with external constituency groups, including community, governmental and private organizations, and build awareness around Art Center of Waco’s brand and mission. This includes media opportunities, public speaking engagements, etc.

Programs: Identify, develop and recruit leading artists, exhibits, educational programs, speakers, mentors, capital resources and public media opportunities. Manage the Art Center of Waco space.

Finance and Fundraising: Manage all aspects of the organization’s business, including accounting, corporate records and tax filings. Prepare and manage an annual operational budget, manage effectively within this budget and report accurately on progress made and challenges encountered. Cultivate and secure sponsors. Maintain existing relationships with funders, donors and sponsors to secure and expand recurring revenue streams. Track all sponsors and obligations, cultivate a close relationship with sponsors, develop a sponsorship pipeline, etc.

The ED will also be expected to:

o Develop and implement a staffing plan for the organization and will recruit, hire, develop and coach all Art Center of Waco employees.

o Facilitate the meetings and work of the Board.

o Promote a culture of high performance and continuous improvement that values learning and a commitment to quality.

o Provide leadership of our continuing capital campaign

o Assure our accreditation with AAM as soon as practicable

o Travel occasionally and coordinate trips for the Board and key constituencies to attend conferences and site visits.

REQUIRED SKILLS/EXPERIENCE/TRAINING:

Required Qualifications

A minimum of five years of senior level management or art program organization experience is required. Previous executive leadership of two years is preferred.

Successful resource development, fundraising, grant-writing, and other philanthropy experience.

A solid knowledge of accounting, budgeting, financial management and marketing.

Extensive experience in leading the process of ongoing strategic planning.

Extensive experience in public speaking/public relations.

An entrepreneurial spirit, preferably including experience developing and implementing public-private partnerships to achieve community-wide social and economic goals.

Preferred Qualifications:

Advanced degree in related field

Experience working with a Board of Trustees

Connections to the local community

Demonstrated commitment to equity and inclusion in past experiences preferred, commitment to future equity in Waco required.

Significant experience in a major public-private partnership.

Experience managing a physical space.

Past experience as an artist or in the arts community.

Salary is competitive with organizations of similar size and market, at $90,000. Schedule:

Desired start date: August 1, 2021 First set of resumes to be reviewed May 31, 2021. Initial interviews will be scheduled for late May.

Interested applicants should a send resume, cover letter and salary requirements to [email protected]. Candidates selected for final interviews will be asked to complete one or more talent assessments and submit a salary history.

TAM is for Museums, art centers, historic houses and sites, children's museums, community cultural centers, zoos, science centers, university galleries, any institution, especially in Texas, that exist to exhibit and interpret the historic, cultural, artistic, ethnic, or scientific heritage of humankind.

#J-18808-Ljbffr