Program Manager, Regional Grants and Initiatives

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 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
The Program Manager, Regional Grants and Initiatives, manages and implements all aspects of NEFA’s suite of programs, services, and initiatives that build the capacity of New England artists and arts organizations through grantmaking, professional development, partnerships, and network building.

These initiatives include grant programs, New England States Touring (NEST) and New England Presenter Travel Fund, the Idea Swap, an annual convening of artists and presenters from across the region, and other special or one-time projects. In addition, the Program Manager will lead the launch and implementation of two new multi-year initiatives in collaboration with the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA), The Wallace Foundation, and NEFA’s fellow Regional Arts Organizations (RAOs). These new grant programs will support arts organizations founded by and for communities of color to achieve greater organizational resilience in the face of strategic challenges through investment of funding, network building, and technical assistance.

The Program Manager is a skilled and effective communicator and is able and willing to work effectively and compassionately with a wide variety of people and communities. The Program Manager manages, develops, and implements program processes in alignment with NEFA’s core values and will be a leader in promoting, evaluating, and enhancing NEFA’s commitments to equity, diversity, inclusion, and accessibility in program and grantmaking practices.

The Program Manager reports to and partners with the Senior Program Director and will collaborate with the Program Coordinator, New England Presenting & Touring. The Program Manager will help recruit for a new role to support their work coordinating New England partnerships and initiatives. They will also work closely with NEFA’s communications staff to develop program messaging and content for print and digital materials.

This is a new role which may evolve over time. For a complete job description including essential duties, scope, compensation and other information, please see: https://www.nefa.org/program-manager-regional-grants-and-initiatives

Requirements

Required
8 – 10 years of work experience preferably within an arts organization, partnering closely with arts organizations, and/or developing and coordinating networks;

Knowledge of/familiarity with management and operations of nonprofit arts organizations;
Personal and/or professional familiarity with New England’s geographic and social communities, especially organizations embedded in, deeply connected to, and serving communities of color in the region;
Understanding of systems of oppression in the arts and beyond, and a strong commitment to implementing anti-racist practices;
Strong project management, organizational, and planning skills with the ability to anticipate, initiate, and advance multiple priorities and projects concurrently;
Ability to work both independently and collaboratively with demonstrated experience in building relationships and partnerships;
Experience with planning and executing events and meetings;
Excellent written and verbal communication skills; fluency in languages beyond English a plus;
Adaptability to new software and virtual workflows; Familiarity with Microsoft Office suite; experience with Salesforces CRM is a significant plus;
Ability to work, grow, and thrive within a team-based environment and comfort working with and navigating the dynamics of multiple teams;
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.
Ability to represent NEFA at events and meetings, some of which occur at night, on the weekends, and throughout New England; must have the interest and ability to travel multiple times per year, including to rural communities
Valid driver’s license required.

Preferred
Experience contributing to, creating, or editing content for publication, and social media;
Past work as a team lead or supervisor;
Comfort with public speaking and meeting facilitation.
Familiarity with current discourse around trust-based and other models of grantmaking and philanthropic relationships a significant plus.

Workplace Requirements
NEFA is a multi-state organization and an evolving and dynamic workplace. NEFA staff work in a variety of contexts, including in-person in Boston and remotely across New England and New York. For this position we welcome applications from individuals who are interested in working in-person or hybrid schedules who currently, or will, reside in any of the six New England states upon hire. The selected candidate will be expected to work in person at the NEFA office at least one (1) day per month to attend in-person team meetings.

Physical/Mental Demands
Stationary position, occasional lifting (up to 15 lbs.), frequent travel (local/regional, including to events during hours outside 9-5 work hours), reasoning, decision-making, detailed work, communication, organization skills, reading, processing, synthesizing, analyzing.

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. Contact information to request accessibility accommodations to participate in the application or hiring process is listed on the webpage above.

The deadline to apply for this position is Friday, March 10, 2023. 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. Requests for initial phone interviews will go out approximately one week after the application deadline.