West Louisville Arts Collaborative
Introduction and Job Posting for
The Alfred F. Gerriets Hope Fellow
The West Louisville Arts Collaborative is a new initiative developed by four well-known, highly innovative arts groups based in the West End of Louisville:
- La ‘Nita Rocknette School of Dance
- River City Drum Corps
- West Louisville Talent Education Center
- West Louisville Performing Arts Academy
These groups provide a range of educational, leadership development and social service programs to school-aged children, in some of our community’s most at-risk neighborhoods, using the arts as a vehicle to deliver these programs.
With help from the Fund for the Arts, Louisville Metro and the Center for Nonprofit Excellence, the founders and key leaders of these organizations have developed the West Louisville Arts Collaborative to continue the impact of their missions and ensure their sustainability going forward.
The Collaborative is envisioned to create shared administrative infrastructure, capacity and expertise to promote the sustainability of these organizations for years to come. The organizations determined the most promising way to obtain this expertise and capacity is through a collective effort, developing these “back office” functions together and sharing them. While the organizations desire to collaborate in this manner, each is clear that each must maintain its autonomy in several important ways—at least at this stage in the collaboration:
- Each organization would continue to have its own vision for its work and how to live into it.
- Each organization would continue to have its own schedule of concerts and performances.
- Each organization must continue to pursue funding on its own for its own programming, in addition to any fundraising the collaborative would do as a whole.
- Each organization would continue to have its own brand.
The Role of the Fund for the Arts
The Fund for the Arts will serve as the fiscal agent and incubator for the West Louisville Arts Collaborative for three years to help develop a sustainable administrative infrastructure to support the four participating organizations into the future.
Working with the participating organizations, the Fund for the Arts has raised the funds needed to hire one full-time employee to serve as the Project Director for the West Louisville Arts Collaborative, for three fiscal years. Working with the four arts group directors, with daily support from the Fund for the Arts, the Project Director will develop a business plan for the West Louisville Arts Collaborative that may include the following:
- Financial management / bookkeeping
- Fundraising
- Marketing and public relations
- Human resource management
- General clerical and data management
- Program outcome identification and measurement
- Develop an MOU with the groups with timelines and expectations for all parties by the end of the first three months.
The West Louisville Arts Collaborative will be incubated at the Fund for the Arts for three years, with the goal to be independent and self-sustaining at the end of that period. The Fund for the Arts and the Collaborative Directors will recruit an Advisory Committee of community partners and experts to help guide and advise the Collaborative’s short and long-term success.
Position Announcement:
Alfred F. Gerriets Hope Fellow, Project Manager to West Louisville Arts Collaborative
Level: Contract position, 20-25 hours per week
Accountability: Reporting to the four Directors of the West Louisville Arts Collaborative with daily supervision under the Fund for the Arts President & CEO; and supervision of a contract grant writer.
Summary of the Job Description:
Responsible for: To develop and manage collaborative operational functions, including but not limited to, all administrative duties, as well as, planning and coordination of fundraising activities for the West Louisville Arts Collaborative, including:
- La ‘Nita Rocknette School of Dance
- River City Drum Corps
- West Louisville Talent Education Center
- West Louisville Performing Arts Academy
This is an entrepreneurial position. We are looking for someone to help develop a new collaborative, creating the framework, organizational structure and policies and procedures that will support and sustain the long-term success of the West Louisville Arts Collaborative, and the transformative impact of its member groups in this community.
Physical Requirement and Work Condition:
Meets regular and punctual attendance standards and any special needs of the position as determined by Collaborative management.
Essential Job Functions:
Administration
- Develop, establish and continuously streamline collaborative administrative activities and processes;
- Increase impacts by offering high quality shared support and services for the four groups;
- Organize and manage documentation and records;
- Develop, prepare and communicate impact and status reports;
o Work with La ‘Nita Rocknette School of Dance to obtain 501C3 designation as a nonprofit; - Improve efficiency by reducing wastes and redundancies and pursue efficiencies of resources and personnel.
Fund Raising
- Develop and establish collaborative fund raising process and policies to maintain and sustaining fund raising process and programs;
- Work with a contract Grant Writer to identify, pursue and steward grant opportunities;
- Develop and manage fund raising activities for the Collaborative.
Financial
- Prepare monthly financial reports for the four arts groups;
- Prepare tax statements for West Louisville Art groups;
- Provide support in various accounting tasks and activities.
Other Job Functions:
- Identify implement and manage development trainings for Board and Staff;
- Participate and provide support in marketing and public relationship activities;
- Develop, implement and manage collective policies and procedures;
- Manage and prioritize collective capital and programmatic needs;
- Other duties as assigned.
Qualifications:
- Strong Project Management skills to manage diverse projects and multiple deadlines;
- Highly organized and self-motivated with excellent oral and written communication skills;
- Familiar with Collaborative Managed Service Organization structure;
- Experience in working within diverse cultural communities;
- Strong understanding of organizational operation, administration, marketing and other supporting functions;
- Collaborative working style with strong interpersonal skills;
- Ability to work with a team and display a positive attitude;
- Experienced in grant-writing and business plan development;
- Problem solving expertise to continuously improve daily works and processes;
Minimum Requirements:
Bachelor’s Degree
5+ years of Project Management experience managing and executing mid-size to large projects as per project scope and requirements.
Compensation:
Contract position – 20-25 hours per week, up to $35,000 annually. The Project Manager’s office will be initially provided at the Fund for the Arts offices, 623 West Main Street, Louisville, KY.
How to Apply:
If you are interested in applying, please email a current resume a one-page proposal letter outlining why you are a good fit for this opportunity to Tenoramentae Young at tyoung@fundforthearts.com by August 31, 2015. Include the subject line “Collaborative Project Manager” when submitting your materials.
The launch of the West Louisville Arts Collaborative will honor the values and legacy of Alfred F. Gerriets. Because of the generosity of AFG II, the Alfred F. Gerriets Hope Fellow will work to strengthen four highly innovative arts groups in the West End of Louisville who are transforming lives and impacting our community every single day.
