Program Associate, Public Art

About the New England Foundation for the Arts:
The New England Foundation for the Arts (NEFA) is a 501©3 organization with an annual budget of $11.25 million. NEFA invests in artists and communities and fosters equitable access to the arts, enriching the cultural landscape in New England and the nation.

As an organization, NEFA values an equitable, diverse, and inclusive world, which we interpret as all people having fair access to the tools and resources they need to realize creative and community endeavors. We acknowledge structural inequities that have excluded individuals and communities from opportunities based on race, gender, disability, sexual orientation, class, age, and geography and strive to counter those inequities in our work.

NEFA is proud to be an equal opportunity employer, and is invested in creating an equitable and inclusive working environment and organizational culture. We are committed to hiring individuals who share, value, and support these goals, and who reflect the diversity of the communities we serve. NEFA does not discriminate on the basis of race, ethnicity, religion, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, disability, age, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.

About the Position:
NEFA’s Public Art programs support the field of public art through grantmaking and field-building collaborations that are fostering a more vibrant and equitable public art ecosystem. The Public Art team will expand to a three-person team with this position supporting the continued growth of NEFA’s public art programs. The Program Associate will be the department’s primary administrative role, supporting the full grantmaking process from application design and launch to grant payouts. This is a critical role supporting constituents, applicants, and grantees as they navigate the grant process and providing logistical support for department activities and events.

This is an entry-level position which reports to the Program Director for Public Art and works in close coordination with the Program Coordinator. They will work closely with NEFA’s Technology and Data team to design, launch, and facilitate the grant application and review process and will provide technical assistance to applicants and grantees as they navigate NEFA’s grants portal and process. The position requires excellent detail-oriented organization, communication, compassion and patience when working with constituents, a commitment to advancing equity and justice in the public realm, and an interest in art as a lever for public discourse.

This is a new position, which may evolve over time. NEFA is currently working as a hybrid remote/in-person organization as we continue to manage the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on our staff. While training, onboarding, and initial months may occur virtually, due to the requirements of the role and geography of the Public Art program portfolio, we envision the person in this role working primarily on-site at our Boston office.

Essential Functions - % of Time

Grant Administration –35%
• Process and maintain grant files in Salesforce CRM; e.g. online applications, grantee reports, and grant payments;
• Perform regular data cleaning and maintenance in Salesforce; work in partnership with the technology and data staff to ensure data integrity;
• Review grant applications and grantee reports for required materials; manage archive of images submitted by grant recipients and track and process grantee payments;
• Prepare and distribute batches of grant notifications, grantee award letters, agreements and required financial documentation - creating templates, utilizing mail merges;
• Prepare reviewer portal materials for a panel review process;
• Support notetaking during panel review process.

Program Coordination –30%
• Coordinate meeting and event logistics for public art programs, including securing meeting/event location, catering, tracking participant attendance, technical needs, and day-of-event support;
• Assist cross-program collaborations within NEFA to further support artists in their creative process, knowledge sharing and network building in New England and beyond;
• Assist project coordination with external collaborators and consultants that are supporting public art programming at NEFA; e.g. scheduling meetings and processing honoraria payments and tracking receipt of required documents.

Constituent Support –25%
• Provide technical assistance, information, and other support to grant applicants regarding reporting, crediting, evaluation, and payment requirements;
• Set up Calendly to support scheduling of office hours, grantee check ins and applicant feedback;
• Maintain Public Art mailing list in Salesforce, grantee testimonials, and website updates;
• Provide grantee data and testimonials to development staff for funder reports;
• Contribute to program efforts to reach new applicants and build relationships and opportunities with stakeholders across multiple communities.

Connecting and Learning – 10%
• Represent the program and organization at conferences, meetings, performances, and other events; report on learning and outcomes;
• Participate in organization-wide convenings and events, planning sessions, and working groups.

Scope

Does this position supervise others? No

Internal/External Contacts:

Work closely with all members of the NEFA staff, especially with the Public Art and technology and data teams. Maintain and support positive relationships with a variety of external stakeholders and constituents including grant applicants, grantees, program advisors, and partners.

The person in this position may be asked to represent the team organization at grantee or other events that occur beyond or outside “traditional” business hours.

Financial/Operational Resources Impacted: $ 0

Decision Making/Problem Solving:
Support all public art grantmaking processes from design to payment; communicate effectively with internal and external program partners, advisors, and constituents; provide superior constituent support services and technical assistance to all program applicants and participants; contribute to program and departmental planning.

Starting Salary: $ 45,000

Requirements

Required:

• 1 - 2 years of work experience (max), preferably in an office setting; past work in front-facing customer/constituent support;
• Ability to work, grow, and thrive within a team-based environment and comfort working with and navigating the dynamics of multiple teams;
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills; fluency in languages beyond English a significant plus;
• Detail oriented with strong organizational and planning skills; familiarity with balancing and advancing multiple processes concurrently;
• Familiarity with Microsoft Office suite; experience with project management tools, particularly Asana, a plus;
• Comfort with and interest in working in a primarily administrative role; interest in building knowledge and skill working with data and in database a significant plus;
• Ability to compassionately communicate with constituents, applicants, partners, and other stakeholders;
• Appreciation for and identification with NEFA’s mission, vision, and values and interest in engaging in work to advance NEFA’s organizational goals, including those centering equity, diversity, intersectionality, and accessibility.

Preferred:
• Interest in/awareness of the experiences of working artists and communities across Greater Boston and Massachusetts; additional knowledge about artists in communities across New England, a plus

Workplace Requirements:
The NEFA workplace is an evolving and dynamic environment with a mix of in-person and remote staff in different areas. This position is best suited to individuals currently in and planning to remain in the Greater Boston area.

Physical/Mental Demands:

Stationary position, occasional lifting (up to 15 lbs.), regular travel (local, including to events during hours outside 9-5 work hours), reasoning, decision-making, detailed work, communication, organization skills, reading, processing.

Application Instructions:
All candidates will apply using the application form at nefa.org/about/employment. We ask all candidates to submit a current resume and a cover letter describing their interest in and preparedness for the role, and to respond to a limited set of questions about relevant skills. The deadline to apply for this position is Monday, September 6, however, please note applications will be reviewed as they are received, and we encourage interested candidates to apply prior to the deadline. Applications received after the deadline may not be reviewed if the existing candidate pool is deemed sufficient.