AMP: Artists' Meeting Place and Resource Collective

We would like to let you all know there is an opening for an Arts Associate position at DCA, in the Grants Administration Division. This is a full-time position in Downtown Los Angeles, with annual salary ranging from $49,130 - $61,011, depending on candidate's qualifications. Please see the attached job description and forward to eligible candidates. With any questions, call (213) 202-5566. Thank you.

Emergency Appointment Opportunity Notice

Title: Arts Associate (Code 2454) (entry-level class in the City of Los Angeles' Arts Management series)

Employer: City of Los Angeles

Department: Department of Cultural Affairs (DCA), Grants Administration Division

Job Location: Los Angeles Civic Center

Type: Full-time (40 hours per week, primarily Monday through Friday, with occasional weekend hours)

Annual Salary: $49,130-61,011 (the class has five steps and the starting step depends on candidate's qualifications)

Benefits: Benefits for civil service employees may be previewed at http://www.ci.la.ca.us/PER/whycity.htm

Start Date: February/March 2013

Training/Probation: Six months

Appointment Notice: An emergency appointment is not a regular appointment. It is a temporary appointment not exceedingone year (City Charter Section 1013) which does not require that you successfully compete in the civilservice examination process. Emergency appointments are subject to the approval of the PersonnelDepartment. To qualify for a regular appointment, a candidate must pass a civil service examination andreceive a score that is high enough to be reachable (see attached for additional information).

Eligibility:

The Grants Administration Division is seeking a self-motivated, energetic, highly-organized office worker with excellentcommunication skills and a passion for supporting the work of artists and arts organizations in providing free or low-cost, socially relevantcultural programs for broad interest groups of all ages. Qualified applicants will possess the following attributes:

- A bachelors degree or higher education in any field of the humanities or business administration and/or relevant full-timework experience of three or more years in some aspect of arts, business or public administration

- Geographic and demographic knowledge of the City of Los Angeles and its residents, workforce and tourists

- In-depth knowledge of the Los Angeles creative sector including the region's non-profit arts and cultural community

- A desire to serve the public indirectly by investing tax-dollars in public-benefit projects that are selected by democratic interests and objective criteria

Department Mission:

The Mission of DCA is to provide leadership and support to Los Angeles f cultural institutions, artists and neighborhood-based arts organizations in animating, strengthening, and sustaining a cultural ecosystem to the benefit of the City's 4.1 million residents and 25.1 million annual visitors; and to concurrently position the City as a cultural crossroads and leader in the nation and the world.

Section Overview:

The DCA Grants Program was formed in 1990 in response to the need for municipal investments in public-benefit art projects to serve target audiences. The Grants Program guides a set of four or more annual application processes (open competitions) for artists, creative entrepreneurs, artist ensembles, arts organizations and business partnerships to propose and receive tax-support for activities that will have determined effects on target audiences.

In 2012 the Grants Program office directed $2.1 million to 278 artists, organizations and partnerships resulting in more than 825 enjoyable, educational, free or accessible activities, serving audiences in most geographic areas of the City. DCA grant-contracts range from $1,000 to $65,000, depending upon funding available for the size and scope of each applicant's project. Organization grants require a one-to-one match, which may be a combination of cash and in-kind/donated services or materials. In the last seven years the grants program has instituted multiple administrative efficiencies to keep pace with an increasing volume of competitive requests and incorporation of new City of LA systems and regulations.

The goals of the division are achieved when it: 1) supports a diverse spectrum of impactful projects, 2) maintains the integrity of a public grant process including fairness and equity, 3) remains responsive to the changing needs of audiences and the creative sector, and 4) communicates significant impressions to the general public, department leaders, commissioners, council staff, councilpersons, the mayor, and other city departments.

With strategic planning, friendly customer service, and ongoing assessment, the Grants Division strives for maximum efficiency in administering more than 275 contracts, processing 650 invoice-reports, auditing more than 400 applications with 4,000 pieces of related correspondence, reviewing 50 hours of artistic samples, and fulfilling 200 hours of community workshops, networking events and site visit evaluations annually.

Position Responsibilities:

Under the supervision of Managers or Directors, Arts Associates perform the following duties:

- Proposal/Contract Procurement and Processing (40% of time) Develop on-line and supporting materials for independent contractor opportunities soliciting qualified applicants in the arts/cultural sector to submit proposals to receive civic monies to perform their proposed services. Receive, audit, and process proposals. Engage community expert panels in scoring and ranking proposals. Notify applicants of results and provide objective feedback (if provided by the community experts). Prepare contracts and provide technical assistance on City contracting requirements and compliance. Conduct site visits for a sampling of projects f benchmarks for compliance. Coordinate special, community advancement contracts, as needed.

- Clerical and Database Administration (30% of time) Perform routine office tasks (answer phones; assess and respond to public e-mails; maintain a complex filing system; track paperwork; and use basic office equipment). Design, maintain and update appropriate data sets with detailed information for public records. Produce status reports for elected officials, supervisors and/or independent researchers as requested.

- Facilitation and Networking (10% of time) Coordinate meetings, events, and public education workshops. Represent the department at regional arts/cultural events. Develop numerous contacts for professional and amateur artists, cultural workers, community leaders and arts/entertainment patrons to establish and maintain a birds-eye view of LA's vibrant creative sector.

- Staff Meetings and Training (10% of time) Update supervisors on the status of weekly tasks and responsibilities. Initiate and/or fulfill professional development opportunities such as: job training, conference attendance/participation or career planning.

- Program Evaluation and Other Duties as Assigned (10% of time) Research/propose program improvements or new practices. Perform above duties for one-time projects or pilot programs.

Specific annual metrics include:

- Publishing four grant guideline/application booklets online

- Coordinating more than twenty grant-writing workshops to educate potential applicants

- Soliciting and enrolling more than 130 community members to fulfill 70 peer review positions

- Auditing of more than 400 proposals each year

- Facilitating more than one dozen category-specific proposal reviews meetings

- Generating and tracking more than 270 annual contracts

- Reviewing and processing more than 600 reports and invoices

Applicants are encouraged to seek more information on the agency's website: www.culturela.org

Method of Evaluating Candidates:

Depending on the number of candidates who apply, all City applications will be reviewed in order to identify candidates whose past and present work experience is most closely related to the position's duties and requirements. Final selection will be based on an oral interview, where candidates will be evaluated for their skills, knowledge, abilities and personal qualifications in the position.

In addition, the interviewers may contact present and former supervisors and may review candidates' personnel folders (where applicable) as part of the selection process. All candidates will be notified of the final results of the selection process.

Submission:

Interested candidates must submit the following to the Personnel Department (contact information follows):

- Completed City of Los Angeles application (available on-line at http://agency.governmentjobs.com/lacity/default.cfm)

- A one to two-page cover letter explaining the applicant's general qualifications, critical skills or expertise, current or most recent full-time employment salary, and specific interests in this position

- Professional resume of no more than two pages

- A list of three business references including no less than two direct supervisors

Personnel Department
Attention: Nora Fain, Personnel Services Section
700 E. Temple Street, Ste. #380
Los Angeles, CA 90012, Mail Stop: 391
Phone: (213) 473-9056 FAX (213) 473-9113
E-mail: nora.fain@lacity.org

All applications and resumes will be accepted until a sufficient number have been received.

EMERGENCY APPOINTMENT INFORMATION SHEET

Prior to accepting an emergency appointment, you should be aware of the following information: An emergency appointment is not a regular appointment. It is a temporary appointment which does not require that you successfully compete in the Civil Service examination process. The appointment may not exceed one year and must be terminated immediately when a regular appointment can be made from an eligible list. No emergency appointment can exceed one year. (City Charter Section 1013).

In order to receive an emergency appointment, you must submit a completed, signed City application form which will be provided to the Personnel Department along with the Emergency Nomination Form completed by the employing department. If you meet the minimum qualifications for the examination for the class to which you have been nominated for an emergency appointment, you will be automatically scheduled for the next administration of that examination. You will be required to complete and submit a new application to the Personnel Department, which will be used to determine if you meet the minimum requirements to take the examination. In either case, it is your responsibility to update your application and contact information with the employing department and the Personnel Department as needed.

If you are a City employee (received a regular appointment) and you accept an emergency appointment within your current department, you will automatically be on protective leave. This means you may automatically return to your former position at the end of the emergency appointment.

If you accept an emergency appointment with another department, your initial employing department must notify you in writing within 10 calendar days that they either will or will not grant you protective leave to the former position. If protective leave is denied and you wish to return to your former position, you will then have 15 calendar days from the initial new appointment to notify the General Manager of the Personnel Department and your initial employing department that you wish to return to yourformer position (CSC Rule 7.7). If protective leave to another City Department is denied and you are unsuccessful in obtaininganother City appointment prior to the expiration of your emergency appointment, you will not be able to exercise protective leave rights and may be terminated from City employment.

If you are not currently a regular employee of the City of Los Angeles when you accept the emergency appointment and you cannot be appointed from an eligible list at the termination of your emergency appointment (one year or establishment of an eligible list, whichever comes first), you will be terminated from City employment. The reason an emergency appointment is a promising opportunity is that it offers the employee one year of on-the-job training which can result in a higher score on the civil service exam.

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Department of Cultural Affairs
Grants Administration Division
tel - (213) 202-5566

from LA Culture Net