Learning Through Drama Program Director

RFCUNY Research Foundation of the City University of New York•New York, NY

13d•Onsite

About The Position

The Creative Arts Team (CAT) is an arts-in-education program at the City University of New York (CUNY), serving more than 9,000 people annually in New York City. CAT uses theatre strategies to engage, inspire, and educate in a variety of settings, including schools, after-school programs, college campuses, community-based organizations, and government facilities. CAT’s Learning Through Drama (LTD) team uses theme-based, interactive drama and skill–building strategies to address social issues and behaviors that create challenges in everyday lives. The LTD team delivers programs to grades 6-12, college students, and parents and adults. SEED programs address college readiness and retention, social-emotional learning, conflict resolution, and skills for success in school and life. SEED programs provide a safe environment for participants to examine choices, decisions, and consequences. This process provides an opportunity to discover underlying motives, raise awareness, and provide solutions while promoting problem-solving, decision-making, critical thinking, and self-advocacy skills to build confidence in achieving desired outcomes. The Program Director reports to the Executive Director and provides strategic leadership, management, and oversight for a portfolio of programs. The Program Director develops curriculum; designs and delivers professional development training for teaching artists; and supervises project teams that may include full-time staff, part-time teaching artists, interns, and specialized consultants as needed. The position is responsible for understanding and ensuring compliance with all grants, contract, and award requirements, and for creating systems that support high-quality program implementation in middle schools, high schools, and community settings. The Program Director oversees all aspects of program planning, implementation, staffing, partnerships, budgeting, evaluation, and reporting. The portfolio may include DYCD Crisis Management System and City Council-funded initiatives, education programs, social-emotional learning (SEL) professional development, grant-funded workshops, and other strategic initiatives that advance the mission of the Creative Arts Team.

Requirements

Bachelor’s Degree from an accredited college and three years of work experience in the required fields
Master’s Degree from an accredited college and a minimum of two years of work experience in the required fields.

Nice To Haves

5+ years’ experience in applied theatre and/or arts-in-education programs
Transparent and high-integrity leadership
Strong organizational abilities including planning, delegating, program development and task facilitation
Collaborative and nurturing leadership style
Strong written and oral communication skills
5+ years’ experience working with young people and/or as a teaching artist
Ability to interface and engage diverse partners and stakeholders, including funders
Excellent project management skills

Responsibilities

Develop annual program structure and oversee implementation of all projects
Directly supervise 6-12 Actor Teachers, Associate Program director/s, and Program Manager/s
Develop and maintain relationships with school partners, including school administration, classroom teachers, and others as necessary
Manage relationships with funders in collaboration with Development and Executive Director.
Hire program staff, including organizing and hosting auditions and interviews as necessary, as well as onboarding paperwork in collaboration with colleagues at K-16
Train program staff in artistic and educational practices, including the pedagogical underpinnings of drama education and CAT work
Interview, select, and orient MSW candidates to their work with CAT as part of the DYCD contract.
Lead autumn training with about 18 MSW candidates to develop a healthy, high-functioning, supportive group dynamic.
Provide (or delegate to Associate Program Director/s) ongoing task supervision for MSW candidates throughout the year to ensure they are having a meaningful internship, providing valuable services to the school community, and have the support they need.
Develop relationships with organizations that specialize in violence interruption to provide Safe Passages as required by DYCD.
Provide (or delegate to Associate Program Director/s) ongoing supervision for Safe Passages providers throughout the year to ensure healthy relationships with school communities, effective programming, and added safety of students.
Maintain and develop program vision, purpose, and direction, collaborating with program staff and Executive Director.
Train program staff in administrative systems
Structure the regular collaborative creation of drama-education curriculum with Actor Teachers
Work with Executive Director to create annual program budget at the start of the fiscal year and manage the budget throughout the year
Work with Development (and external evaluators when applicable) to design and implement program evaluations, including but not limited to student reflection surveys, teacher reflection surveys, and CAT staff reflection.
Collaborate with development and program staff to ensure grant compliance, overseeing systems for reporting, deadlines, and documentation.
Review emails and respond in a timely manner to partners/staff/others.
Report on program work, in writing, upon agreed timelines.
Develop written materials for funders, partners, and others that represent the work of the program
Facilitate the orientation of staff on CUNY/CAT protocols, including sick and annual leave, benefits, timesheets, office systems and norms, access to email and Drive, equipment use, fingerprinting, CUNY ID, etc.
Comply with all RF CUNY Policies as documented on the RFCUNY website
Comply with all CAT policies and contribute to development or revision of new CAT policies as needed.
Maintain a respectful, professional relationship with fellow CAT and CUNY staff, including attendance of mandated CUNY and CAT trainings that help to support a respectful and healthy work environment.
Delegate appropriate tasks to program staff as necessary.
Other duties as assigned.