Cat Youth Theater Associate Program Director

Mission:

The Creative Arts Team (CAT) is an arts-in-education program at the City University of New York (CUNY), serving more than 20,000 people annually in New York City. CAT uses theatre strategies to engage, inspire and educate in a variety of settings, including schools, after-school programs, college campuses, community-based organizations, and government facilities.

CAT Youth Theatre is a free, award-winning after school program for NYC middle and high school students to create original theatre. Members meet weekly, to explore their ideas and creativity and to build their skills through theatre games and exercises, improvisations and scene work, rehearsal, critical reflection and group discussion. Each year approximately 70 middle school, high school, and early college-aged young people from across the city create socially relevant, artistically sophisticated original plays while learning vital life skills. The collaborative theatre process gives young people the opportunity to make new meanings from the material of their lives while promoting problem solving, decision-making, critical thinking and self-advocacy skills to build confidence in achieving desired outcomes.

GENERAL DESCRIPTION:

Serves as the Associate Director of the Youth Theatre Program, and reports to the Program Director.

Is responsible for planning and overseeing implementation of all JUNIOR YT projects, and other specified projects as agreed. Hires, trains and supervises artistic & production staff to implement projects and foster individual growth and insure the quality delivery of services. Assists the Program Director with the design/creation of curricula, workshop sequences, productions and to oversee implementation of all projects.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Be responsible for own on-going professional development, and take advantage of at least one agreed professional development experience annually;
• Create work and develop methodology that is demonstrably appropriate and relevant to the changing needs of the young people, parents, audiences and host institutions;
• Liaise with and supervise contracted employees as required, brief and supervise production staff and back stage staffing. Offer continuous assessment and developmental support to all staff, and share the formal annual evaluation process with the PD;
• Plan and lead weekly sessions, and rehearsals. Inform work with appropriate research;
• Oversee and assist in the creation of resource guides, staff development and other support materials;
• Liaise with young people and key adults in participants’ lives (families, teachers);
• Develop, train, co-ordinate (programmatically) and implement professional developments as required;
• Develop knowledge and understanding of Creative Arts Team & CAT Youth Theatre policies, pedagogy, procedures, personnel & youth theatre members;
• Record anecdotal evidence of effect of program on participants;
• Present at conferences etc. as appropriate;
• Reflect on the work, assess long term goals and submit assessments, reports, production needs forms, statistics, financial production completes in a timely manner;
• Work within agreed budgets;
• Instigate discussions, meetings, plans to meet needs of program and develop youth theatre policy;
• Help with the monitoring of compliance and adherence to CAT procedures; problem-solve as necessary;
• Help organize/hold auditions and/or interviews and lead training activities for contracted employees as required;
• Observe and discuss the work of other CAT programs as appropriate and agreed; Contribute to artistic/educational forums designed for senior program staff; Contribute internally to the overall development of CAT policy;
• Assist the PD to complete the development and rehearsal of projects to meet all agreed deadlines. Develop annual plans for the JUNIOR Youth Theatre, and ensure the completion of all projects to meet agreed deadlines;
• Work with the Program Director (PD) to develop annual plans. Create schedules, and be responsible for production schedules, and JUNIOR Youth Theatre schedules;
• Other duties assigned.
• Seek to develop basic knowledge of support organizations and resources available to young people;

CORE COMPETENCIES:

Ability to

• And a commitment to working in culturally diverse settings and using youth centered practices; enthusiasm for working with teenagers
• Communicate and work productively with young people;
• Identify artistic / educational and personnel problems and handle complaints, resolve conflicts, and refer issues appropriately to supervisors;
• Communicate effectively with diverse clients and staff, providing accurate and appropriate information; articulate policies and procedures in response to inquiries; draft basic-to-complex reports;
• Devise original theatre from the ideas of the participants; direct a theatrical product;
• Initiate, plan, organize, prioritize, and implement multiple projects and assignments;
• Work independently and as part of a team;
• Supervise other staff; coordinate the efforts of support staff, volunteers and young people;
• Structure curricula and learning;

QUALIFICATIONS

• Experience working with young people and/or directing theatre (experience of both preferred);
• Knowledge and understanding of the field of Applied Theatre and/or Educational Theatre;
• Demonstration of the specific competencies required at the time of hire.
• A Bachelors Degree from an accredited college and 5 years of work experience in the required fields, OR
• Experience devising original theatre
• A Masters Degree from an accredited college and a minimum of 3 years of work experience in the required fields AND

Excellent benefits package, including three weeks’ paid vacation, medical, and institutional contribution to retirement fund after one year.

If interested, please submit application, cover letter, resume, and names of three references

Open until filled.

Physical Requirements

• Ability to travel to other CUNY sites as needed.
• While performing these duties, the employee is required to perform physical activities such as, but not limited to, lifting items (up to 20 pounds), bending, reaching, sitting for prolonged periods of time.
• This position operates in a professional office environment. This role routinely uses standard office equipment such as personal computers, laptops, tablets, smart phone, photocopiers, filing cabinets and other presentation materials

We are committed to enhancing our diverse community by actively encouraging people of any race, color, religion, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetic information, disability age, or protected veteran status to apply. We take pride in our pluralistic community and seek excellence through diversity and inclusion. CUNY is an EEO/AA Employer.

The Research Foundation of The City University of New York (RFCUNY) was established as a not-for-profit educational corporation chartered by the State of New York in 1963. RFCUNY supports CUNY faculty and staff in identifying and obtaining external support (pre-award) from government and private sponsors and is responsible for the administration of all such funded programs (post-award).

RFCUNY stands between CUNY’s principal investigators (PIs) and the sponsors who support them and strives to fulfill its essential responsibilities to both groups. Working closely with individual PIs and Grants Officers on the campuses, RFCUNY oversees employment, accounting, audit, reporting, purchasing, and special responsibilities that include management of a planned giving program; liaison with governmental agencies and foundations; negotiation of agreements; facility construction and renovation; protection and commercialization of intellectual property; and compliance with applicable standards in research involving human subjects, animal care, environmental and radiological safety, and conflicts of interest.

The Research Foundation of the City University of New York is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action/Americans with Disabilities Act/E-Verify Employer. It is the policy of the Research Foundation of CUNY to provide equal employment opportunities free of discrimination based on race, color, age, religion, sex, pregnancy, childbirth, national origin, disability, marital status, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information, marital status, domestic violence victim status, arrest record, criminal conviction history, or any other protected characteristic under applicable law.