Administrative Program Manager: Creative Arts Team - Theatre for Learning

Thank you for considering a career with the Research Foundation of The City University of New York (RFCUNY).

The team at RFCUNY is made up of dedicated, talented professionals committed to providing the services that allow CUNY researchers, faculty, and staff to focus on their intellectual curiosity and scientific discoveries.

We are pleased that you are interested in exploring opportunities to join RFCUNY.

Primary Location:

Bargaining Unit:

No

Seeking a highly organized, detail-oriented administrator and team player who believes in supporting youth-driven spaces to serve as a full-time Program Manager/Administrator for the Theatre for Learning program.

The Creative Arts Team (CAT) is an arts-in-education program at the City University of New York (CUNY) within the K16 unit, serving more than 20,000 people annually in New York City. CAT uses theatre strategies to engage, inspire, and educate in a variety of settings, including schools, after-school programs, college campuses, community-based organizations, and government facilities. 

There are two main strands to the work: Participatory Drama and Theatre-Making.

The Theatre-Making Programs focus on creating original theatre from the ideas of young people. The collaborative process offers opportunities for young people to learn vital life skills, enabling them to become self-confident, compassionate, and accountable; develop relationships across differences; build community; and be prepared to act as contributing citizens.

The Theatre-Making Programs are

• The CAT Youth Theatre, a free, award-winning after-school program that invests in young people and inspires them to thrive– on stage and in life. Each year, approximately 70 middle school, high school, and early college-aged young people from across the city create socially relevant, artistically sophisticated original plays to make new meanings from the material of their lives

and

• The Theatre for Learning (TFL) program, which brings a youth-driven, student-centered approach to hundreds of students in dozens of schools each year through programs that support NYS Arts Standards and NYC Blueprint theatre learning standards, while fostering social-emotional and academic growth. Students create their own theatre, which may or may not have a public sharing.

Currently in the Theatre for Learning (TFL) portfolio:

• CASA (Cultural After-School Adventures) programs throughout NYC offer elementary and middle school students the opportunity to build creative communities, identify and share their interests and opinions about the world around them, and devise original theatre that is performed for an audience.

• Cultural Immigrant Initiative, which focuses on the theme of immigration and celebrating cultural identity through theatre and performance

• Early Learning Initiatives, such as Interactive Storytelling

This position will work across the Theatre-Making Programs, with the main focus on the Theatre for Learning portfolio.

DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES

·         Develop knowledge and understanding of RFCUNY, Creative Arts Team & CAT Theatre-Making Program policies, pedagogy, & procedures; help develop and/or revise when needed;

·         Work with the PD to develop annual plans for the TFL Program;

·         Build relationships and liaise with school administrators, City Council/ Government employees, CAT & K16 Staff, and the young people we serve. Stay tuned to the changing needs of our partners and all stakeholders;

·         Responsible for the long-term and day-to-day oversight of all administrative matters for TFL; this includes managing start-up, delivery, and close-out of programs

·         Create & maintain accurate calendars, manage project deadlines, book rehearsal spaces for training and events;

·         Schedule residencies;

·         Orient TFL staff on CUNY/CAT protocols –timesheets, office protocols and space, email, equipment use, health benefits orientation, sick-leave, fingerprinting, CUNY ID, space ID

·         Be a presence in Actor-Teacher Trainings, and be familiar with the curriculum

·         Help with the monitoring of compliance and adherence to CAT procedures; problem-solve as necessary; generate, distribute, and collect all necessary paperwork, flyers etc;

·         Order supplies as needed. Keep financial records relating to program expenditure;

·         Liaise with Teaching Artists to ensure they have agreed materials, supplies, and flyers;

·         Collaborate with the CAT Development Team on reporting, data entry, City Council, and funding application needs

·         Be a Program Representative at public-facing events. Support culminating work and any final sharings in schools and communities; invite and track key stakeholders; be a visible presence at sites

·         Record and/or collate anecdotal evidence of the effect of the program on participants, ensure appropriate evaluations are designed and collated;

·         Reflect on the work, assess long-term goals, and submit reports, assessments, and statistics in a timely manner;

·         Instigate discussions, meetings, and plans to meet the needs of the program; support PD in advocacy of the program; identify and fulfill key priorities;

·         Work with CAT Staff to expand opportunities for programming/to grow the program;

·         Support additional cross-program needs at CAT, which might include

o   Supporting the CAT Youth Theatre specifically around productions & events: February Mainstage show (February DOE Winter Break) & Junior Youth Theatre Rehearsals and Productions throughout the year

o   Help with Sound Thinking NYC gatherings and the 4-week Summer Intensive during July/August;

·         Be responsible for own ongoing professional development, and take advantage of at least one agreed professional development experience annually;

·         Other duties as assigned.

CORE COMPETENCIES/QUALIFICATIONS

·         3+ years relevant work experience in administration or applied theatre or arts-in-education or

·         Bachelor’s Degree from an accredited college and 2 years of relevant work experience in the required fields, or

·         Master’s Degree from an accredited college and a minimum of a year’s work experience in the required fields.

·         Must be a detail-oriented, motivated self-starter, with excellent project management skills and the ability to think creatively while working both independently and as part of a team

·         Commitment to working in culturally diverse settings and using youth-centered practices; enthusiasm for working with young people; ability to interface and engage diverse partners and stakeholders, including funders

·         Strong organizational, written, and communication skills; able to keep accurate, detailed, and well-organized records

·         Ability to adapt to changing situations/priorities, multitask, and develop new skills

·         Proficient in Google Suite, Microsoft Office Suite- Word, Excel, Publisher, Access, Adobe, social media platforms and metrics, and the Internet. Some basic web design (Canva) and graphic design experience preferred.

·         Experience or familiarity with applied theatre and/or arts-in-education programming preferred.

Pay Range:

Salary Range: $54,000-$57,000

Hours: 10am-6pm, Monday through Friday, with occasional weekend and evening hours around performances and events

This is mostly an in-person position, with at least 3 days minimum in the office or at school sites, and often more, depending on the time of year and workload priorities.

RFCUNY Benefits
RFCUNY Employee Benefits and Accruals

Equal Employment Opportunity Statement
The Research Foundation of the City University of New York is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action/Americans with Disabilities Act/E-Verify Employer. It is the policy of the Research Foundation of CUNY to provide equal employment opportunities free of discrimination based on race, color, age, religion, sex, pregnancy, childbirth, national origin, disability, marital status, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information, marital status, domestic violence victim status, arrest record, criminal conviction history, or any other protected characteristic under applicable law.