This full-time senior-level position provides leadership, program development, management and administration for the DAC School and provides faculty supervision and support for a variety of classes, workshops, camps and programs.  The DAC School offers life-long arts learning for children and adults, including approximately 600 classes and workshops each year in visual arts, dance, design and media arts, photography, theatre, music, literary arts, and summer camps and intersession camps. The DAC School annually serves 4,000+ students of all ages and levels of ability and generates annual revenues of approximately $400,000. Position supervises 2 FTE department staff, and 75 contracted instructors.  The DAC School is a key program area of the Durham Arts Council which provides a broad range of local arts agency programs and services for the public and arts community.  Position reports to Durham Arts Council Executive Director. 

Education and Certifications:

Bachelor’s degree in arts administration, arts education, fine arts or related field required.  Masters degree preferred.

Experience:

The DAC School Director will be an individual with a minimum of 3 years proven track-record of developing, implementing, managing, marketing and growing successful community arts programs in response to diverse educational and community interests and needs.    Minimum three years progressive responsibility in similar job functions. The selected candidate will be an individual experienced and skilled in providing innovative team leadership in developing and implementing dynamic and engaging high quality arts programs in response to diverse educational and community interests and needs. 

Special Skills and Requirements:

• Excellent verbal, written, and interpersonal communication skills.
• The individual must be comfortable working in a team environment that is both entrepreneurial and mission driven.  Successful candidate will be a strategic thinker, comfortable with technology, and able to establish and maintain positive relationships internally and externally.
• Ability to help define and achieve annual and program specific DAC School objectives and goals.
• Ability to work as an effective team member with other DAC staff, demonstrating sound business judgment in decision making.
• Strong organization and planning skills to develop and manage complex projects and office systems.
• Budget development and budget administration skills.
• Strong computer software skills required, including Microsoft Word, Excel, Outlook, Power Point, Photoshop, illustrator, WordPress and ability to learn CivicRec program registration software.
• Knowledge and experience in arts education, curriculum planning.
• Experience in procurement and management of external vendors and suppliers.
• Supervisory skills and ability to motivate and train others – staff, faculty contractors, volunteers.
• Ability to effectively and professionally represent Durham Arts Council internally and externally in person and in writing, and to employ diplomacy and sound judgment in establishing and building relationships with current and prospective students, parents, faculty, volunteers, other DAC staff, and the community.

SALARY AND BENEFITS

This is a full-time, on-site, exempt salaried position. Salary hiring range is $55,000 – $62,000 depending on experience and qualifications. DAC offers and excellent benefits package for full time employees that includes paid holidays, paid vacation, sick time and personal time; Section 125 plan, plus health (100% employer paid), long and short-term disability, dental, and life insurances and a retirement Simple IRA plan with up to 3% employer match. Professional development opportunities for staff include workshops, conferences, webinars, and classes based on budget resources and performance.

DAC is an Equal Opportunity Employer. DAC is committed to Diversity, Equity, Access and Inclusion. Diverse candidates are encouraged to apply.

The provisions of this job description are based upon and are to be compatible with existing legislation, by-laws, goals and objectives, and personnel policies governing Durham Arts Council, Inc. Durham Arts Council serves a diverse community, and highly values a diverse staff and board. 

APPLICATION

To apply: Send resume and cover letter to sldevries@durhamarts.org. Put DAC School Director in email subject line. No phone calls please.

Hiring Timeline:

• Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis with a priority deadline of December 19, 2022. The position will remain open until filled.
• Applications whose skills and qualifications most closely match the needs of this role will be invited to interview.
• Job offers are contingent upon successful completion of reference and background check. Verification of Covid-19 vaccine series required.

Should you require any accommodation during the application process, please indicate this on your application and we will work with you to meet your accessibility needs.

More information on the Durham Arts Council is available at www.durhamarts.org  

More information about Durham, North Carolina is available at http://www.durham-nc.com/ 

Durham Arts Council * 120 Morris St.* Durham, NC 27701 

Organization Overview:

The Durham Arts Council (DAC) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit and leading local arts agency in North Carolina dedicated to supporting the arts in Durham and the entire Triangle Region. Since 1954, DAC has served the community as a catalyst in the cultural development of Durham – it leads, inspires, and promotes excellence in and access to the creation, experience and active support of the arts for all the people of our community.  We do this through:

• Serving the Public: Providing and supporting arts programs, classes, exhibits, festivals, arts integration programs in schools, and arts events for residents, students and visitors of all ages.
• Serving the Arts & Cultural Community: Providing facility space, grant support, employment, exhibition, sales and performance opportunities, training, advocacy and information services for artists and arts and cultural organizations.
• Leading Arts and Cultural Planning, Advocacy and Creative Placemaking: Providing arts and creative economy research, arts advocacy, and development of the SmART Initiative downtown arts corridor.

Each year DAC serves over 400,000 visitors and program participants, over 2,000 artists, and more than 300 arts and cultural organizations through its services.  DAC’s service to the community has grown substantially in the last ten years with 153% increase in number of people served through existing and new programs.  DAC seeks to grow support for its mission and current programs and develop support for new initiatives in a rapidly growing arts and cultural scene in Durham. 

Our home is the Durham Arts Council Building, a multi-purpose community arts center in downtown Durham, North Carolina. DAC manages and programs this -city-owned arts facility for the public art arts community.  Our signature event, CenterFest, is Durham’s annual outdoor fine arts festival on the streets of Downtown Durham.

The Durham Arts Council annual operating budget is approximately $3 million, and DAC is governed by an active and diverse Board of Trustees and managed by 12 full-time professional staff members plus part-time staff and contracted service providers.

Durham Arts Council is in downtown Durham, a vibrant, diverse and fast-growing city of approximately 280,000.  Durham is part of the larger Research Triangle region of North Carolina, with a metro population of well over 1,200,000. The area is a center for education, research, health care and technology industries that require a strong cultural, educational and entertainment base to attract qualified employees. A recent 2018 national study cites Durham as #7 in U.S. mid-size cities for arts vibrancy.

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