Director of Community Engagement
Reports to: Senior Artistic Producer
Compensation: $60,500-$80,500 annually plus benefits
THE ORGANIZATION
The Guthrie Theater engages exceptional theater artists in the exploration of both classic and contemporary plays connecting the community we serve to one another and to the world. Through its extraordinary artists, staff and facility, the Guthrie is committed to the people of Minnesota, and from its place, rooted deeply in the Twin Cities, influences the field as a leading 21st century arts organization.
Every year more than 500 people, both on stage and off, help ensure our success in creating and supporting the highest level of theater. As an organization, we are committed to our values of Artistic Excellence; Community; Equity, Diversity and Inclusion; and Fiscal Responsibility.
LAND ACKNOWLEDGMENT
The Guthrie Theater would like to acknowledge that we gather on the traditional land of the Dakota People and honor with gratitude the land itself and the people who have stewarded it throughout the generations, including the Ojibwe and other Indigenous nations.
THE POSITION
The Director of Community Engagement is responsible for the designing, planning, staffing, budgeting and managing of community and audience engagement programs, as well as evaluating their effectiveness. The Director of Community Engagement is charged with bringing the theater closer to wider populations and expanding community relationships. They will collaborate closely with the Guthrie community, including staff in the areas of artistic, education, production, producing, marketing, front of house, box office, and development. This position will represent the Guthrie to external constituents in the region, as well as in government, philanthropy and national professional organizations. All employees are expected to center, model and champion the Guthrie’s core values of Artistic Excellence; Community; Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility; and Fiscal Responsibility.
This position is full-time, exempt and benefits-eligible. Compensation for this position is $60,500-$80,500 annually plus benefits. The typical schedule for this role will vary based on the dynamic schedule of a theater but will primarily be Monday - Friday, daytime hours. Must occasionally be willing and able to work flexible hours/days, including evenings and weekends.
The Guthrie is dedicated to building an equitable environment that is mixed across lines of difference and strongly encourages applications from Black, Indigenous, People of Color, women, transgender and non-binary candidates. This position will remain open until filled and until a diverse and qualified pool of candidates is identified. Applicants from populations underrepresented in the theater field are strongly encouraged to apply.
PRIMARY DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
1. Community Engagement and Producing
- Develop meaningful, ongoing, and mutually beneficial relationships with communities in the Twin Cities and Greater Minnesota.
- Identify and steward community partnerships with individuals and groups not historically reflected at the Guthrie to foster an environment of welcoming and belonging.
- Advocate for and develop work that meets the needs of the Guthrie and various communities.
- Represent the Guthrie within the broader community, serving as a bridge builder between the Guthrie and various communities, including but not limited to:
- Supports and collaborates with the Native Advisory Council
- Curates and co-produces the BIPOC Night series
- Produces and manages the Director’s Talk series
- Supports the collaboration with the Minnesota Black Theater Circle
- Supports the Illuminate Campaign and Public Space Initiative Project
- Contracts and finds most cultural consultants
- Organizes comp tickets for community partners
- Contracts and supports Community Engagement teaching artists and community guests at various events
- Advocate within programming and season planning to inflect the process with potential connections and the communities that programming will serve.
- Co-create and produce programming related to productions and develop ongoing programs or one-off events.
- Develop and manage new and dynamic internal programming to create a greater sense of community around and within the work of the theater.
- Develop and oversee post-show discussions and other audience engagement initiatives for all stages.
2. Leadership and Supervision
- Actively participate in team building, fostering a work environment of artistic excellence, community, equity, diversity, inclusion, and accessibility, and financial responsibility.
- Hire and mentor staff members to ensure quality work and engagement, including regular check-ins to provide constructive feedback and completing annual performance evaluations.
- Attend and/or run department meetings to communicate pertinent information along to the employees.
- Supports adherence to legal and organizational policies and procedures.
- Maintain and approve direct report timesheets; reviews and approves time off requests.
3. Administration
- Develop, manage, and be accountable for departmental budget and any grant-funded budgets.
- Collaborate in leading the Community Engagement Board Committee.
- Work closely with the Development department to communicate Community Engagement mission to donors and funders.
- In concert with staff grant-writers, actively seek and pursue grant funding for new initiatives.
- Communicate Community Engagement strategies to the entirety of the organization.
- Attend Operations Committee and other committees as needed or requested.
ESSENTIAL KNOWLEDGE AND QUALIFICATIONS
- Significant prior experience in collaborative theater-making, producing, community organizing and/or training combination required.
- A rich and innovative vision for how a major theater institution can engage in exciting, nimble and meaningful ways with the widest community.
- Can foster and maintain positive relationships with a wide variety of constituencies.
- Demonstrated leadership ability, as well as excellent artistic, management, organizational, and communication skills.
- Communicates effectively and persuasively in oral and written communication on an interpersonal or group level.
- Can develop programs that deliver model arts-engagement programming to the Twin Cities within available resources.
- Extensive experience in producing programing in conversation with multiple organizational departments.
- Can travel off-site as needed.
- Demonstrated experience with managing organizational budgets.
- Strong proficiency with the Microsoft Office Suite or similar software.
- Exercises professional discretion and confidentiality.
- Must occasionally be willing and able to work flexible hours/days, including evenings and weekends, reflective of the dynamic schedule of the theater.
- Experience with and commitment to working with individuals and teams of diverse identity, experience, and thought, including but not limited to, race, gender-identity, sexual orientation, religion, ability, age, class and immigrant status.
A NOTE FROM HUMAN RESOURCES
For the safety of our guests and staff, the Guthrie Theater requires employees to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19. Documentation of vaccination status must be provided if an offer of employment is made.
Applicants must submit a resume and cover letter to be considered for the position.