Arts & Culture Director Jobs

This classification has been designated as a non-classified, non-merit system, at-will position.
Organization
The City of Mesa is the 37th-largest city in the United States and the third largest in Arizona, with a population of over a half million people, and an annual budget of $2.3 billion. Located within the greater Phoenix-Mesa Metropolitan area, it is a vibrant, diverse city offering an eclectic mix of museums, arts, culture, and heritage.
Mesa’s Arts and Culture Department offers a broad array of arts programs, performances, facilities, and engagement activities. Its annual budget of $18 million operates several city-owned arts and culture venues: Mesa Arts Center (MAC), Mesa Contemporary Arts Museum (MCAM, part of MAC), Arizona Museum of Natural History (AZMNH), and the i.d.e.a. Museum (imagination, design, experience, art). The Arts and Culture Department also hosts arts and culture classes, events and community engagement activities, and engages in strategic partnerships with a variety of arts and cultural community organizations. The City’s Arts and Culture Department’s total participation has grown from approximately 460,000 individuals annually in FY2010 to over 700,000 in FY2019, and is now approaching full recovery post-COVID.
Located in the heart of downtown Mesa, the Mesa Arts Center (MAC) is a seven-acre campus with 212,755 square feet that includes four performing arts theaters, 14 visual and state-of-the-art studios and classrooms, and the Mesa Contemporary Arts Museum. The MAC is widely known as a premier arts center in the region. The entire campus is “a stage,” and all assets foster a range of disciplines including visual arts, dance, acting, and festivals. Programs include: Project Lit (a spoken word/poetry after-school program advancing both traditional and social/emotional/cultural literacy), Classical Music Inside Out, Creative Aging, Arts in Service (free studio programs for veterans and active military), MABEL (Mobile Arts-Based Engagement Lab), Out to Lunch free lunchtime concerts, artist residencies and more. The Mesa Arts Center is supported by the 501(c)3 nonprofit organization Mesa Arts Center Foundation governed by a voluntary 22-member board of directors.
Position Summary
The Director reports to Mesa’s City Manager’s Office and serves on the executive team. They will provide leadership, economic and fund development, budget preparation, and advocate for arts education. The Director will be responsible for all of the department staff and ensure the strategic direction for the department aligns and builds on the City of Mesa’s educational, cultural, and economic goals.
Qualifications
Qualified candidates will have a combination of training, education, and experience equivalent to graduation from an accredited college or university with a bachelor’s degree, or a master’s degree in a related field is preferred. A minimum seven years of progressively responsible managerial, supervisory, and administrative experience is required. Experience in local government and arts institution management sufficient to integrate the activities of the department is preferred. Candidates must have excellent skills and experience in decision-making, planning, economic development, and organization in fields directly related to arts and theater administration, facility administration, event planning and support functions, live event producing, marketing, business, fund development, budget management and/or related fields.
Roles and Responsibilities
Management and Operations

• Provide strategic and management oversight of the Arts and Culture Department, its programs, and facilities to ensure that patrons and community members have a safe and high-quality experience “The Mesa Way”.
• Recruit, retain, and mentor staff, and provide thoughtful guidance to the senior leadership centered on team cohesiveness, employee growth and collaboration.
• Identify, cultivate, and assist in recruitment of board and advisory committee members.
• Nurture partnerships with the City Council, City departments, and other local entities, to align goals of the individual cultural venues and the strategic priorities of the Mesa City Council.
• Prioritize principles of equity, diversity, inclusion, and access throughout all arts and culture institutions.
• Support and advise on facility maintenance, improvements, and to assess and implement new organizational and programmatic strategies.

Strategy, Finance and Fundraising

• Support staff to ensure sound financial management and operational practices are in accordance with city policies and procedures.
• Assume a leading role in building art-based economic development in Mesa, fundraising in consultation with the foundations to maintain strong relationships with individual, corporate, foundation, and government funders to maximize contributed income.

Artistic and Programmatic Leadership

• Interact with, and stay abreast of developments in, the regional arts and culture and expand its influence regionally and nationally.
• Support innovative marketing, fundraising and economic/fund development strategies.
• Direct and provide creative and business direction of administrative and production planning support for the Arts and Culture.

Communications and Community Engagement

• Collaborate with boards and staff of arts partners to elevate the profile, image, and audiences of the City of Mesa and its cultural institutions, and to maximize community benefit and earned revenues.
• Provide oversight to lead and guide departmental and interdepartmental collaborations and ensure active and meaningful community engagement.
• Serve as Mesa’s spokesperson for the City of Mesa arts and culture programs.
• Represent the City of Mesa arts and cultural programs to the artistic, social, political, and business communities demonstrating a commitment to integrating arts, entertainment, and educational programming into Mesa.
• Listen, negotiate, and collaborate with diverse groups, representatives from public and private agencies.

Traits and Characteristics
The selected individual will have a well-rounded set of competencies that sets them apart from others in the field. As a visionary, results-oriented, collaborative, and passionate leader, they will be able to set, pursue, and reach goals for the Arts and Culture Department and the city. The individual will be or become known as a leader in arts and culture in the City of Mesa, regionally and nationally. A champion of new ideas and with a keen sense of art-based economics, this individual will exhibit the following competencies:

• Diplomacy and Flexibility: The sensitivity to handle difficult or politically sensitive issues effectively and tactfully.
• Planning, Organizing and Problem Solving: The capability to work with a team to establish courses of action, ensuring that work is completed effectively and in the best interest of the City of Mesa.
• Leadership and Customer Focus: The facility to influence and drive towards excellence to deliver customer needs, wants and expectations.
• Project Management and Accountability: The ability to empower staff while also ensuring team accountability and being answerable for personal actions.
• Teamwork and Interpersonal Skills: The adaptability to cooperate with others (internally and externally) to meet objectives by effectively communicating and listening, showing empathy, building rapport, empowering experienced staff and relating well to all kinds of people.

Compensation and Benefits
The City of Mesa provides a comprehensive benefits package that includes excellent health insurance options, life insurance, paid time off, paid holidays, participation in the Arizona State Retirement System, and professional development opportunities. The anticipated salary range for this position is $129,750 to $174,636.
Applications and Inquiries
To submit a cover letter and resume with a summary of demonstrable accomplishments (electronic submissions preferred), please click here or visit artsconsulting.com/employment.
For questions or general inquiries about this job opportunity, please contact: