JOB OPPORTUNITY / DIRECTOR
Term: Full-time, permanent
Deadline: Applications will be reviewed on an ongoing basis until the appropriate candidate has been found.
The New Gallery (TNG) is seeking a thoughtful and dedicated individual to lead our highly collaborative team in the role of Director.
The Director reports to and works closely with the Board of Directors as their primary advisor, and is the direct report for TNG’s staff. The Director also has working relationships with artists, committee members, partner organizations, funders, and other community members. The Director develops and leads the vision and strategic direction of the organization collaboratively with the Board of Directors, and guides the staff in TNG’s day-to-day operations.
The successful candidate will have a passion for contemporary art and artist-run culture, and be excited to serve and work with diverse communities. They will lead TNG’s ongoing efforts to be an equitable, accessible, and inclusive organization, and bring these values into their daily work and vision for the organization. TNG is looking for applicants who are community and values-driven, exceptional communicators and collaborators, motivated and passionate about their work, and highly organized. Additional skills sets include: a history of successful grant and proposal-writing; fund development and donor engagement experience; financial literacy, including budgeting and understanding financial statements; bookkeeping; program development; and a familiarity with Adobe Creative Suite, Microsoft Office Suite, and Google Workspace; and experience in program development. Additional language skills, in particular any Chinese dialects, French, or Indigenous languages from Treaty 7, and a valid driver’s license are considered assets. The willingness to work evenings and weekends is required.
Specific duties include:
LEADERSHIP
- Participate in developing a vision and strategic plan to guide the organization in conjunction with the Board of Directors
- Identify, assess, and inform the Board of Directors of internal and sector issues that affect the organization
- Act as a professional advisor to the Board of Directors on all aspects of the organization’s activities
- Foster effective teamwork between the Board and the Director and between the Director and staff
- In addition to the Chair of the Board, act as a spokesperson for the organization
- Conduct official correspondence on behalf of the Board as appropriate and jointly with the Board when appropriate
- Act as primary liaison between the gallery and the community-at-large, enhancing the organization’s community profile. This may include, but is not limited to, attendance at openings held by other galleries, public lectures, panel discussions and other public forums.
- Establish good working relationships and collaborative arrangements with community groups, funders, politicians, and other organizations to help achieve the goals of the organization
- Ensure that the operation of the organization meets the expectations of its community, Board and Funders
OPERATIONAL PLANNING & MANAGEMENT
- Implement current policies and procedures which incorporate goals and objectives that work towards the strategic direction of the organization.
- Draft policies for the approval of the Board and approve procedures to implement the organizational policies; review existing policies on an annual basis and recommend changes to the Board as appropriate
- Oversee the efficient and effective day-to-day operation of the organization
- Attend Board meetings, vision meetings, committee meetings and workshops as required.
- Attend occasional meetings with the President, HR Committee and/or Treasurer, as required.
- Provide the BOD with accurate and timely monthly reports concerning the Director’s activities particularly with regard to the day-to-day operation of the gallery.
- Assist committees established by the BOD where possible.
- Oversee the opening, closing, and security of the facility.
PROGRAM PLANNING & MANAGEMENT
- Oversee the planning, implementation and evaluation of the organization’s programs and services
- Ensure that the programs and services offered by the organization contribute to the organization’s mission and reflect the priorities of the Board
- Monitor the day-to-day delivery of the programs and services of the organization to maintain or improve quality
- Oversee the planning, implementation, execution and evaluation of special projects in cooperation with the Programming Coordinator and Programming Committee.
PUBLIC RELATIONS
- Conceptualize and develop new ways of promoting the Gallery locally, nationally, and internationally.
- Attend regular and special events presented by the Gallery.
- Oversee the execution of eNewsletters, press releases & media awareness in cooperation with the Communications & Outreach Coordinator and Communications Committee, paying particular attention to representing & publicizing the gallery’s programming in a timely manner.
FINANCIAL AND FUND DEVELOPMENT
- Practice responsible fiscal management at all times.
- Research and pursue all new and existing grant opportunities.
- Write, edit and submit required operational, project, equipment and wage subsidy grants. Conduct on-going research into funding sources. The Gallery’s primary sources of funding are: the Canada Council for the Arts, the Alberta Foundation for the Arts, and Calgary Arts Development.
- Develop and revise the annual budget in conjunction with the Treasurer with input from staff.
- Ensure that all bills are paid on time and that all invoices are sent out in a timely manner.
- Work with a Chartered Accountant and the Board of Directors (BOD) to prepare the year-end financial statements and relevant annual filings, and as required.
- Work with the Fundraising Committee to implement and develop fundraising activities and donor development
- Ensure that sound bookkeeping and accounting procedures are followed
- Administer the funds of the organization according to the approved budget and monitor the cash flow of the organization
PERSONNEL
- Determine staffing requirements for organizational management and program delivery
- Hire, train, supervise, evaluate, and terminate all temporary staff.
- Hire, evaluate, and terminate, all permanent staff in conjunction with the HR Committee.
- Train and supervise all permanent staff.
- Supervise the organization of volunteers and interns for various activities.
- Coach and mentor staff as appropriate
This is a full-time (35 hours/week) permanent position. Compensation for this position includes a salary range of $45,000 to $50,000 per annum, commensurate with experience, 3 weeks paid vacation, health care benefits, and professional development days off with a corresponding spending account.
Application Guidelines:
Applicants can submit a letter outlining their interest and qualifications for this position to hr[at]thenewgallery[dot]org with the subject line “Application: Director 2021.” Oral and video submissions are also accepted, links to these files are preferred but other delivery methods are also accepted. CVs/resumes are not required, but applicants may supplement their letter of interest with this document if preferred. Contact information for professional references will be required if you are selected for an interview.
TNG is dedicated to equitable access, and encourages Black, Indigenous, People of Colour, newcomer, 2SLGBTQ+ artists, d/Deaf and disabled artists, emerging artists, as well as artists from poor and working-class backgrounds to apply to this opportunity.
TNG is committed to working individually with applicants facing barriers when applying to this opportunity. If you require support or accommodations during this process, or have any questions in general about the position, please contact us at 403-233-2399 or email hr[at]thenewgallery[dot]org
About Us:
TNG is an artist-run centre located in Mohkinstsis/Calgary on the ancestral and traditional territories of the people of the Treaty 7 region in Southern Alberta. This charitable centre for contemporary art was established in 1975 as the Clouds & Water Gallery and Visual Production Society.
Currently, TNG operates:
- Main Space — an exhibition venue in a storefront of the historic Canton Block in Calgary Chinatown
- Billboard 208 — a programming site situated on the exterior of TNG’s storefront
- Resource Centre — a combined library/archive and flexible meeting space
- Main Frame — an online platform for web-based projects
These venues support the research, creation, and exhibition of socially relevant and politically informed creative practices from artists at all junctures of their careers, while enabling a public engagement with artist-run culture and contemporary art. TNG’s programming comprises a broad range of art and educational activities, including exhibitions, publications, residencies, offsite projects, and community collaborations that serve to invigorate audiences’ experience of contemporary art and culture.
TNG gratefully acknowledges its home on the traditional territories of the people of the Treaty 7 region, including the Blackfoot Confederacy (Kainai, Piikani and Siksika), Tsuu T’ina First Nation, Stoney Nakoda First Nation (Chiniki, Bearspaw, and Wesley), and Métis Nation of Alberta Region III. TNG would also like to acknowledge the many other First Nations, Métis and Inuit who call this land home.
For more information about TNG, please visit www.thenewgallery.org/
