Job Description

The Center for Art and Advocacy seeks an entrepreneurial and collaborative Deputy Director to advance our vision, values, and mission.

About The Center for Art & Advocacy (The Center)

The Centeris a new nonprofit that supports justice-impacted artists across the United States, providing resources and visibility through funded fellowships, mentorship programs, training opportunities, and platforms for presentation and dialogue. The organization was founded in 2022 and has an annual operating budget of $2.5 million.

As the first and only, justice-impacted artist founded and led, national initiative of its kind, The Center is dedicated to artists across disciplines and at all stages of their careers, creating a self-sustaining network for the cultivation of relationships, skills, and knowledge. Soon to be operating from a flex space in Brooklyn, and will include in the future, a residency and retreat facility in rural Pennsylvania, The Center works in partnership with museums and other cultural and advocacy organizations nationwide. As an organization it will are supported and that act in itself is integral to advancing criminal and racial justice reform.

Established in 2022, The Center builds on the success of the Right of Return Fellowship, which was founded in 2017 by formerly incarcerated artists Jesse Krimes and Russell Craig.. Past Right of Return Fellows have received MacArthur Fellowships, Pulitzer Prizes, Guggenheim Fellowships, Creative Capital Awards, and Art for Justice Grants. Their work has been collected and exhibited at museums including MoMA, the Brooklyn Museum, Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art, Philadelphia Museum of Art, MoMA PS1, among numerous others.

The Center\xe2\x80\x99s work spans three core programs: the Right of Return Fellowship, the Residency, and the Academy. Programming for The Center will , include exhibitions, performances, talks, and convenings, which will be held in the hub in New York, online, and at collaborating cultural institutions around the country. Future programming will also take place at the retreat and residency space.. The Center is supported by the Art for Justice Fund, the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, Hearthland Foundation and the Arison Arts Foundation.

For more information about The Center, please visit centerforartandadvocacy.org.

The Role

The Center seeks a Deputy Director to help lead and form the institution at this critical time in its history. We are seeking a creative leader who is able to tackle new challenges and believes in the transformative power of art and its capacity to move us toward an abolitionist future.

What Will You Do?

The Deputy Director will build the organizational infrastructure of The Center.. Working closely with the Founder/Executive Director, the Deputy Director will provide strategic leadership and management to advance The Center\xe2\x80\x99s vision, values, and mission, ensuring the day-to-day running of the organization, and overseeing a small support team.

The Deputy Director reports to the Founder/Executive Director and will work closely with the Program Managers, Development Coordinator, and Assistants. They will also be the liaison for any contracted support staff, such as PR agencies, Development Consultant, design agencies, and accounting agencies.

Areas of Accountability

Organizational Leadership

• Collaborate as the primary thought partner for the Executive Director on institutional strategy and program development.
• Create the organizational and administrative infrastructure for a new organization and implement the organization\xe2\x80\x99s strategic plan to be developed with the Executive Director and the Board of Directors.
• Identify institutional opportunities and collaborations that will advance The Center\xe2\x80\x99s mission, and/or maintain existing relationships.

External Relations

• Prepare and revise institutional writing for public release.
• In coordination with the PR consultant, supervise the ongoing growth of\xe2\x80\x94The Center\xe2\x80\x99s website, and taking the lead on editorial content for publications, organizational materials, etc.
• .Initiate and deepen collegial relationships in the museum industry and the arts/cultural sector.
• Advocate for the organization and initiate creative approaches to disseminating the work of The Center in the public sphere.
• Identify opportunities for current and former Right of Return fellows.
• Act as representative from time to time with external audiences by attending events, leading tours, and being a part of associations and collaborations to promote and extend The Center\xe2\x80\x99s mission.

Administration and Operations

• Establish the organization\'s new hub in Brooklyn, NY.
• Hire and manage employees and contractors, in accordance with the Center\xe2\x80\x99s current staffing plan. Positions to be filled include Programs Assistant, Executive Assistant, Development Coordinator, Programs Manager, Residency Manager.
• Develop a performance management plan for staff and contractors, based on best practices for human resources.
• Guide all The Center\xe2\x80\x99s programs (currently the Right of Return Fellowship) and provide direction to program managers and assistants.

Finance and Fundraising

• Collaborate with the Founder/Executive Director, Board of Directors, Development Coordinator and the Development Consultanton prospecting and cultivating individual donors, initiating new partnerships and other fundraising efforts.
• Create and supervise collaborative organizational budgeting processes, working jointly with senior staff, board members and other stakeholders
• Manage the overall finances of the organization and delegate accounting and bookkeeping work, as necessary.

Who Are We Looking For?

The Deputy Director is a critical part of The Center\xe2\x80\x99s leadership team. We are seeking someone with:

• Experience in the art world
• Experience with formerly incarcerated artists or the justice reform system
• Intellectual curiosity and the ability to quickly build fluency in new subjects
• Proven leadership skills and strong planning, project management, organizational, and analytical skills.
• Strong emotional intelligence, with demonstrated ability to coach, supervise and support staff in a positive way.
• Flexibility and multitasking skills to work in a dynamic and creative setting that has competing demands on attention and often conflicting priorities and deadlines.
• Entrepreneurial skills and a self-directed way of working. A tenacious problem solving ability who can quickly adapt and innovate in the face of setbacks.
• Exceptional judgment, professionalism, and discretion in handling confidential and sensitive situations and matters.
• Experience engaging meaningfully with people across a diverse range of backgrounds, experiences, points of view, and identities.
• A team oriented approach to leadership, who celebrates wins and acknowledges the contributions of all stakeholders.
• An ability to both give and receive feedback constructively.

How much are we paying and what are the perks?

Annual Salary Range: $120,000 - $140,000, Full time and exempt.

Location: The Deputy Director will work from home, until the New York office is established in Spring 2024. As The Center is a national organization, some travel will be required, including for annual retreats and events. As the residency will be developed in Northeast PA, the ability to drive or travel mid-distances will be necessary.

Benefits & Perks:

• Healthcare plan
• Two weeks paid vacation
• Flexibility for remote work

Start Date: As soon as possible, as the new leader should experience the process of the upcoming historical moments of the organization including the opening of its offices and inaugural events.

How do I apply?

Visit to submit your application. Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis. Applications received by February 1st will receive first consideration.

We know there are great candidates who may not have all of the qualifications and experience listed above but possess intuitive knowledge or other fully transferable skills. If that\xe2\x80\x99s you, don\xe2\x80\x99t hesitate to apply and tell us about yourself.

The Centeris committed to providing an environment of mutual respect where equal employment opportunities are available to all applicants and teammates without regard to criminal legal record, race, color, religion, sex, pregnancy, national origin, age, physical and mental disability, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, military and veteran status, and any other characteristic protected by applicable law. The Center believes that diversity and inclusion among our teammates and partners is critical to our success.

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