Program Director, Dance; NEFA

Position Type: Exempt, Full-time (based in Boston, MA)

About the New England Foundation for the Arts:

The New England Foundation for the Arts (NEFA) is a 501(c)3 organization with an annual budget of $7.5 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, 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 Director, Dance reports to the Deputy Director, works in direct partnership with the Executive Director, supervises and works in close collaboration with two program staff, and partners with other NEFA staff to advance cross-program and organization-wide planning and initiatives.

NEFA’s Program Director, Dance is a strategic, knowledgeable, inclusive, and highly collaborative leader who partners with NEFA staff and board to direct, deliver, and guide NEFA’s dance programs , including the National Dance Project (NDP) , one of the nation’s major grantmaking programs for dance, which annually awards over $2 million to more than 50 artists and 100+ cultural organizations around the country.

The Program Director, Dance joins a dynamic, skilled team and is responsible for spearheading program development, execution, and assessment to support the creation and touring of dance in the United States. NEFA’s strategic plan for 2018 – 2021 states organizational values: artists and the creative process; equity, diversity, inclusion and accessibility; knowledge building and sharing; leadership; partnership; and public funding for the arts.

Entering its third decade, NEFA’s dance programs and the National Dance Project, specifically, are evolving with these values firmly at their core. The National Dance Project is actively investing in expanding its reach and impact in support of artists from all communities, geographies, and dance forms. The Program Director will play a significant role in creating a more expansive view of dance in the United States.

As a key leader in the organization and field, the Program Director, Dance represents NEFA at conferences, festivals, and meetings; oversees all aspects of grantmaking and program services; and works in close partnership with NEFA staff and a wide range of stakeholders, including artists, presenters, curators, residency directors, agents, managers, funders, and more.

Essential Functions

% of time

Program Management & Planning

· Oversee multiple dance grant making processes, including revisions to program design, funding criteria, applications, voting procedures, program policies, and approval of grantee reports; approximately 200 grants made annually;

· Facilitate two in-person grant review meetings to award what is currently $1.1 million in production and touring grants to 20 projects annually;

· Develop strategies to maximize long-term program success and create synergy between programs;

· Partner with program staff to expand and diversify the pool of applicants to all dance related programs and services;

· Identify, recruit, and provide orientation to program advisors from a broad national network and diverse backgrounds;

· Continually assess external feedback to identify trends and new opportunities for NEFA to serve the dance field and to enhance…