Executive Director

About our Organization: The mission of the Aiken Center for the Arts (ACA) is to “inspire and educate by providing unique visual and performing arts experiences for all ages. Located in the heart of historic Aiken, the Center celebrates more than 50 years of service to the community. The 22,000 square-foot building is rich with history and provides an ideal space for art experiences. It welcomes nearly 50,000 guests annually and provides gracious space for a wide range of art and cultural experiences, including exhibitions, performances, and classes. Position available: The Aiken Center for the Arts Executive Director position is designed for an individual who functions strategically and has an inspired vision for the organization’s future. This individual functions at a high level and is motivated to lead the organization to its next level of success. The position reports to the President of the Board of Directors. Primary areas of responsibility include: Business Operations: Responsible for the successful operation of the business side of the Arts Center, including the Gallery Shop, relationships with the arts community through collaboration with the Aiken Artists Guild, management of the 22,000 SF physical plant with its aging infrastructure, and collaborative relationships with the city and business community. Financial Viability: Manages all aspects of the organization’s financial health, including preparation of and adherence to the annual budget, which exceeds $700k and provides monthly financials. Responsible for the generation of all funding for the organization, including memberships, grant funding, facility rentals, class registrations, corporate sponsorships, exhibition and gallery shop sales, special events, and foundation and individual proposals. Strategic planning and mission: Creates programming, exhibits, educational, and community events to mirror the Board-adopted strategic plan. Serves as the “face” of the organization and seeks opportunities to speak publicly of the Arts Center's mission. Builds relationships with professional, civic, city, and private organizations to enhance support for the organization. Oversees both on and off premise programming efforts. Fundraising: Serves as the organization’s lead fundraiser. Responsibilities include: Continuous research into new funding opportunities, including private donors. Develops and submits operations grant proposals at the state and local level. Seeks to expand existing corporate and private partnerships. Is the driving force for the major fundraiser, the "Aiken Antique Show". Works closely with a large contingent of volunteers and the staff to ensure success each year, this requires many man-hours beginning in the summer, culminating in a 4-day February event. Board relationships: Collaborates with the 25-member Board and individual committees to assure the mission of the organization is honored. Works directly with the Board to implement the organization’s strategic plan. Provides support for the individual Board meetings (10 meetings annually) and committees as requested. Personnel management: Proactively manages a small team of high-performing individuals, including full-time, part-time, and contract employees. This function includes hiring, mentoring, and evaluating team members. Contracts are also negotiated with classroom instructors and educational specialists. Exhibitions and curatorial role: The Center offers a vibrant annual exhibit schedule with new exhibits offered every six weeks. The schedule and negotiation of contracts for this series of exhibitions is prepared by the Executive Director. The exhibit subject matter is attentive to our mission and issues of interest to the community. Additionally, the Executive Director serves as the curator for each exhibit, thereby maximizing the art. Each exhibit includes an opening reception for the community to meet the artists. Marketing and Community Relations: The Executive Director prepares the implementation of a comprehensive marketing plan. They engage marketing expertise as appropriate and lead the effort to support mission objectives. Collaboration with Artist Community: The Executive Director develops relationships with area, regional, state-wide, and national artists. The goal is to bring high-quality consigned art to the Gallery Store for our community’s enjoyment and ensure the artist and the organization can financially benefit. Experience/Qualifications: Five plus years’ experience as an Executive Director or senior leadership position within a nonprofit organization—preferably arts-related management role. Bachelor’s degree minimum with an advanced degree in business or the arts preferred. Demonstrated ability to work collaboratively with a volunteer Board of Directors. Ability to effectively communicate in written and verbal form to multiple audiences. Skill in grant‑writing is critically important. Proven success in fundraising with a history of approaching corporations, individuals, foundations, and state‑wide organizations. Strong financial management skills in the nonprofit sector. This includes budget preparation, financials, analysis and projections, and preparation for the annual audit. Curatorial leadership to manage frequently changing art exhibits Work location: On‑site and in person Reports to: President, Board of Directors or the President’s designee Hours: Full time. Hours vary. Evenings/weekends required to support events Salary: Starting $70K - $80K (Commensurate with experience) Benefits: PTO, Holidays, HSA contribution for health insurance #J-18808-Ljbffr