AMP: Artists' Meeting Place and Resource Collective

from Franklin Furnace

Elders Share the Arts (ESTA), founded in 1979, is an award-winning New York City-based community arts organization whose mission is to use art to ignite the creativity of older adults and cultivate elders' role as bearers of history and culture, and generate new pathways to connect them to their communities. ESTA's residencies are a springboard for developing and researching replicable programs, and so we developed training that provides organizations with the opportunity to help serve this growing population.

Key Responsibilities

Strategic Planning & Partnership

- Develop, implement and monitor a long-term institutional plan and vision in coordination with the Board and staff.

- Develop and maintain effective communications with the Board President, Board of Directors, staff, volunteers, and artists.

- Develop a strong board of directors and work with the board to achieve the organization's strategic direction and vision.

- Actively informs and engages the board regarding operations and organizational development.

Fundraising - Develop an annual plan and budget for Board approval that includes all operations and revenue-generating activities, and implements that plan while controlling cash flow and expenditures.

- Diversify the organization's sources of income, generate unrestricted discretionary income, and increase earned revenues.

- Lead the organization's fundraising programs, including its annual gala, grant writing, special events, and project funding. Lead staff and Board in development activities; maintain strong relationships with the New York City arts and aging funding community.

- Collaborates with the Board and staff in creating a process for cultivating major donors and Board members; and supporting annual giving appeals and capital campaign initiatives.

Marketing/PR/Communication - Develop marketing and public relations programs to enhance the organization's visibility and reputation, including website and social media promotion activities. - Develop and maintain good relations with strategic partners, other arts and aging organizations, public agencies, and the media.

Program Management

- Monitors programs and ensures that they are operating within their respective business plans and ensuring progress toward strategic goals.

- Stays abreast of significant developments in the field arts and aging, and makes recommendations to continue or discontinue programming, as appropriate.

Management - Provide general oversight and work direction for the Elders Share the Art staff and other professionals employed by ESTA including some who may be volunteers or temporary hires, working on special projects.

- Oversee the daily organizational operations -- including the review and implementation of systems to ensure smooth operation.

- Direct administrative personnel relations to ensure that the organization is effectively structured and staffed with competent employees, and to ensure that Elders Share the Arts employer obligations, legally and ethically, to its staff are fully met.

- Identifies, interviews, hires and oversees staff and contractors.

- Perform other duties as apparent or assigned by the Board Chair.

Required Experience:

- Strong commitment to ESTA's mission to unlock the creativity of older adults within NYC neighborhoods.

- At least 5 years in senior level management in an arts organization.

- Experienced fundraiser for organizations with annual budgets of at least $500,000 with proven track record of building and maintaining annual fundraising efforts.

- Established network within the nonprofit funding community, with demonstrable success in cultivating and maintaining relationships with foundations, corporations, government agencies, and individuals.

- Experience preparing budgets and financial reports for Board of Directors, and funders.

- Familiarity with and knowledge of New York City, State and National funding environment.

- Strong work ethic.

- Excellent verbal and written communication skills & proficient with standard computer programs.

- Ability to handle stressful situations with professionalism, humor and flexibility is a must!

- Great public speaking and interpersonal communication skills, and feels at ease speaking in a variety of environments and in front of people from a range of backgrounds.

- Familiar with Microsoft Office, Squarespace, Various Social Media and Google Applications a plus.