POSITION ANNOUNCEMENT:
Director of Programs
Deadline to Apply: Wednesday, October 23, 2019
Title: Director of Programs
Location: Washington, DC
Reports to: Executive Director of Dance/USA
Supervises: Programs Associates(s) and Programs Intern(s)
Status: Full-time, exempt
Established in 1982, Dance/USA is the national service organization for professional dance, serving a broad cross-section of the dance field. Dance/USA is committed to honoring, nurturing and advancing dance through the lens of equity, inclusion, and equal opportunity in all aspects of its programming, services, and organization.
Our Mission: Dance/USA champions an inclusive and equitable dance field by leading, convening, advocating, and supporting individuals and organizations. Dance/USA’s core programs are focused in the areas of engagement, advocacy, research, and preservation.
Our Vision: Propelled by our belief that dance can inspire a more just and humane world, Dance/USA will amplify the power of dance to inform and inspire a nation where creativity and the field thrive.
Our Values: Dance/USA’s core values are Connectivity, Creativity, Equity, and Integrity. Read more about our core values.
Position Overview
The Programs Director is in charge of three major programs at Dance/USA:
Annual National Conference
Annual Dance Forum(s)
Institute for Leadership Training
Annual National Conference
Dance/USA’s Annual Conference brings together hundreds of administrators and artists working in the not-for-profit dance sector, and working in all regions of the United States. These artists and administrators convene to discuss timely issues, learn best practices, honor their colleagues, and benefit from peer-to-peer discussions. Dance/USA’s Annual Conference takes place in different regions of the United States each year and includes four full days of professional development programming and special events.
Dance Forum
The Dance Forum is a 3-hour convening bringing together a wide variety of individuals working in the dance industry to connect with peers and discuss immediate, field-wide issues. The Dance Forum occurs annually as a pre-Conference event at the Association of Performing Arts Presenters (APAP) Conference in New York. Regional Dance Forums are often brought to various arts and presenting conference including Western Arts Alliance, Arts Midwest, and SouthArts.
Institute for Leadership Training
Dance/USA’s Institute for Leadership Training (DILT) is a national mentorship program meant to leverage connections between industry leaders and emerging artists to bolster personal and professional development through one-on-one mentoring relationships. The program runs for nine months and all participants meet at Dance/USA’s Annual Conference to kick-off the program.
High Level Responsibilities include, but may not be limited to:
Serve as the staff liaison to the Conference Host Committee, Board Programming Committee, and the Board Awards Committee as well as report to the Board of Trustees on departmental activities;
Work within set event budgets and participate in frequent budget discussions related to programming and convenings;
Oversee logistics and relations with all event locations and vendors including site contracts and hotel master accounts in coordination with the Director of Finance and Operations;
Assemble speakers and panelists for Conference sessions, coordinate speaker agreements, A/V needs, materials for distribution;
Develop and upload content for the Annual Conference website, the Conference mobile app, and the main Dance/USA website;
Manage application processes for the Institute for Leadership Training, annual Award Nominations, and Calls for Questions and Proposals for conference programming. This includes setting priorities, outlining criteria, fielding questions, summarizing for Committees, and coordinating with accepted and rejected applicants;
Select, negotiate, and manage contracts for event vendors (mobile app, equipment rental, awards, florists, photographer/videographer, graphic designer, caterers, etc.);
Conduct conference city site-visits (meet with local government agencies, tourism institutions, local dance leaders, philanthropic institutions, corporate sponsors, etc.);
Coordinate cross departmentally with communications, development, research, and to ensure success of various programs;
Oversee all accessibility needs for programs.
Qualifications, Skills, and General Knowledge Required
Must be self-motivated, organized, and comfortable working independently.
Must have a commitment to embedding equity, inclusion, and diversity throughout all aspects of the work.
Requires exemplary attention to detail, diplomacy, interpersonal skills, ability to be multi-faceted and manage multiple tasks, strong written and communication skills, and ability to establish priorities.
Ability to work well and communicate efficiently in a fast-paced working environment with time-sensitive projects and deliverables.
Experience with planning and implementing major professional conferences and special events strongly preferred.
Requires a working knowledge of the professional not-for-profit dance field and its needs.
Basic knowledge of back-end website and mobile application programming.
Ability to collaborate with many constituencies and effectively facilitate group discussions.
Bachelor’s Degree required.
Salary and Compensation
Salary will be commensurate with experience.
Position comes with health and retirement benefits, plus paid vacation and sick leave.
To apply, please email a cover letter, resume, and references by Wednesday, October 23, 2019 to:
Casey John McEnelly
Director of Finance and Operations
Dance/USA
cmcenelly@danceusa.org
202-833-1717 ext. 110
Internships and Fellowships at Dance/USA
Dance/USA, the voice for the professional field of dance, offers internships to aspiring arts administrators based at the national office, located in Washington, DC.
Dance/USA is committed to honoring, nurturing, and advancing dance through the lens of diversity, inclusion, and equal opportunity in all aspects of its programming, services, and organization.
Internships are available in the following departments (click on the links below to view intern descriptions):
Communications
Development
Government Affairs
Programs
Membership
Research
Fellowships are available in the following departments:
To apply, interested candidates must complete our online application. Please email Dance/USA's Director of Finance and Operations Casey McEnelly with any questions.
Please find the Internship Application online here.
Internship positions may be available during the following, approximate, terms for 2019:
PLEASE NOTE not all departments offer an internship or fellowship position for each term.
Recent college graduates, current college juniors/seniors, and graduate students are eligible to apply! Those accepted will receive professional, on-the-job experience that is needed in today’s job market by working with and assisting our national office staff.
Stipends and university credit are also available.
With questions, call the Dance/USA national office at 202.833.1717.
