Executive Director, American Shakespeare Center
- Employer
- American Shakespeare Center
- Location
- Virginia, United States
- Salary
- Salary Not specified
- Posted Date
- Jun 9, 2023
View more categoriesView less categories
- Position Type
- Executive, Fundraising, Fundraising Administration, Major Gifts, Other Fundraising, Administrative, Accounting and Finance, Arts Administration, Human Resources, Office Administration, Other Administrative
- Fields
- Arts
- Employment Type
- Full Time
American Shakespeare Center - EXECUTIVE
DIRECTOR
See the full position description at
americanshakespearecenter.com
ABOUT THE AMERICAN SHAKESPEARE CENTER
Located in the beautiful Shenandoah Valley, Virginia’s Blackfriars
Playhouse is at once intimate in scale and epic in
imagination—creating vital, sophisticated, and accessible seasons
built around a company of versatile actors performing in repertory
all year round. We are a center for shared discovery by audiences,
scholars, and artists of Shakespeare, his contemporaries, and
classics old and new.
The American Shakespeare Center (ASC) began in 1988 when Jim
Warren and Ralph Alan Cohen formed the Shenandoah Shakespeare
Express, a traveling troupe that used Shakespeare’s staging
conditions to perform his plays. By 2000, we had performed in 47
states, one U.S. territory, and six foreign countries. In 2001,
partnering with the City of Staunton and aided by private donors
and generous help from Augusta County and the Commonwealth of
Virginia, we built the world’s only re-creation of the Blackfriars,
Shakespeare’s indoor playhouse. With one troupe at home and one on
the road, we expanded our educational offerings and created
America’s first MFA program in Shakespeare and Performance at Mary
Baldwin University, a Founding Educational Partner. That same year
we established an international biennial conference for scholars.
In 2005 (to reflect our reach and purpose), we changed our name to
the American Shakespeare Center. In 2009, to honor our achievement
of turning Staunton into a world Shakespeare destination, the
Commonwealth recognized us with the Governor’s Arts Award.
As of our 35th year, in 2023, we have played to approximately 2.1
million people with a grand total of 6,262 performances in 231
different productions.
ASC strives to become a company that mirrors our global audience
and invites the top classical theatre makers to come craft their
best work. ASC’s future is dedicated to becoming a premier
classical company for the 21st century, mining the relevance of
Shakespeare and early modern drama while we challenge it with the
voices of the moment.
MISSION
American Shakespeare Center illuminates the plays of Shakespeare
and his contemporaries, classic and new, refreshing the individual,
fostering civil discourse, and creating community in the
Blackfriars Playhouse and beyond.
JOB OVERVIEW
The Executive Director is responsible for overall management and
strategic direction in advancing the success and sustainability of
ASC. The Executive Director reports to the Board of Trustees,
supervises staff, and will play a pivotal role in ensuring ASC’s
financial sustainability. The Executive Director will establish
strategic priorities in collaboration with the board, company
members, and staff, aligning with the needs of the diverse
stakeholders that ASC serves. This individual possesses a strong
passion for the arts and deep commitment to the mission of the
ASC.
This position involves guiding ASC programs and services,
facilitating organizational excellence, and ensuring that the ASC
is a forum for artistic expression and audience engagement. This
includes fostering an environment where diversity is actively
encouraged and deliberately sought. The Executive Director will
embody and promote anti-racist policies. The Executive Director
will value the organization’s past and craft new initiatives that
build on the ASC’s commitment to reinvigorate the canon with
stories from underrepresented communities. They will
enthusiastically represent the organization to multiple
constituencies as an ambassador, advancing partnerships
(educational and corporate) and deepening engagement with the many
communities across the Shenandoah Valley and beyond.
ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
Leadership and Strategy
● Work with the Board of Trustees and key
stakeholders to update and implement the strategic plan
● Create goals and objectives that align with
ASC’s mission, vision, and strategic direction
● Collaborate with the Artistic Director to
ensure company stability and artistic vision
● Oversee all administrative functions of the
ASC
Fundraising and Communications
● Represent the ASC to the general public,
donors, and key stakeholders
● Provide oversight of fundraising strategies,
soliciting major gifts, developing and implementing a capital
campaign
● Expand local revenue-generating and fundraising
activities to support existing program operations and ensure
long-term financial sustainability
● Deepen and refine all aspects of
communications, from web presence to external relations
● Develop community connections and use external
presence and relationships to garner new opportunities for brand
identity
● Establish and maintain relationships with
educational partners to fulfill the mission of the ASC
Fiscal Responsibility
● Manage the ASC’s budget and financial
resources
● Provide fiscal accountability
● Work with the administrative team and board to
set the annual budget
● Oversee the management of leases and other
agreements
Administration and Management
● Provide strategic leadership, support,
supervision, and evaluation of staff
● Set the hiring and onboarding process of
incoming staff
● Provide caring and creative leadership to staff
and company members
● Ensure compliance with legal and regulatory
statutes
● Support the board in identifying and recruiting
diverse and qualified trustees
KEY TRAITS
Community Builder
● The ability to build relationships amongst the
staff and within the community that supports the ASC
Collaborator
● Passion and ability for developing and
maintaining long-term relationships that will enhance the artistic,
educational, and financial goals of the organization.
Time and Priority management
● The aptitude to ascertain competing priorities,
resolve difficulties and overcome obstacles, and maximize the use
of time and resources to attain the desired outcomes.
● A strong organizational style to inform key
priorities
Forward Thinking
● The foresight to champion cutting-edge ideas
and concepts and foster an environment of creative thinking
● A strong innovative and entrepreneurial spirit
that responds to the artistic community’s needs
QUALIFICATIONS
● Bachelor's degree required
● Master’s degree preferred
● 5-10 years of experience in nonprofit
management
● Experience in budgeting skills, organizational
management, strategic planning, fundraising, donor
cultivation
● Demonstrated strong communication skills and
ability to engage with diverse stakeholders
● Strong passion for the arts
COMPENSATION
The Executive Director is a full-time, benefits eligible, salaried
position. Benefits include health insurance, paid leave, as well as
access to vision, dental, and life insurance.
The American Shakespeare Center is an equal opportunity employer
and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion,
sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, marital status,
pregnancy, childbirth or related medical conditions, age, veteran
status, national origin, or disability.
The American Shakespeare Center values and supports collaboration,
inclusion, and work/life balance. Our home in Staunton, Virginia,
supports these values with a livable, walkable downtown; low cost
of living; diverse arts opportunities; easy access to cities like
Richmond, Charlottesville, and Washington, DC; and abundant outdoor
activities in the surrounding Blue Ridge and Allegheny Mountains.
Learn more about ASC’s mission, vision, beliefs, and staging
practices here.
For immediate consideration, send resume, 3 references, cover
letter with leadership philosophy to
boardlogistics@americanshakespearecenter.com by June 23.
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