Author: creativestrategiesforchange

Background: Creative Strategies for Change (CSC) is a small nonprofit organization founded in 2013, in Denver, Colorado, with a mission to mobilize arts and education for social justice. Our programs include: consulting, leadership and professional development, community and youth programs, and interactive performances and workshops. 

Position Description: The Program Manager (PM) is a full time position and part of CSC’s administrative team. The PM is an administrative support role, reporting to the Co-Director of Arts and Education and Executive Director, and working with the facilitators, artists, consultants, interns, and volunteers to maintain and grow excellent programs aligned with the CSC mission, vision, and values. The PM will be responsible for managing the youth and community streams of CSC programs. This position will also support organizational efforts at generating program income, support with grant management, as well as participation in fundraising campaigns and events. 

CSC is a community partner with Denver Public Schools and works with and a wide range of schools and organizations in Denver and beyond. The PM manages coordination and promotion of programs including calendars, organizational systems, communications, electronic, print and live promotion and provides leadership in maintaining, refining, and developing efficient program related organizational systems and procedures, as well as logistical and administrative aspects of our Denver Public Schools community partnership profile and database and all paperwork required by clients. The PM will be the point person for interns, volunteers, and support team to support their scheduling, substitute, contract, and paperwork needs. 

Schedule: 40 hours / week Start Date: Aug 9, 2021 or ASAP: Training Aug 9-20 M-F 9-5 or 10-6, some flexibility. Currently all administrative staff are working in office following strict public health precautions for Covid 19. Staff are encouraged to remain responsive to changes in health metrics. 

Compensation: $40,000-$50,000 Salary (based on hours worked) 

After 60 days of employment (or the equivalent hours) employee will be eligible for health care contributions and paid time off as follows: 

– Health Care Contributions : $400/month (FTE) 

– Accrual of PTO – 2 days per month: current max total of 2 weeks per year 

Employee will maintain schedule and discuss any schedule changes with the administrative team with as much advance notice as possible. This position also requires occasional work on evenings and weekends. In that case, employees are encouraged to adjust weekly schedules to balance hours. The priority is for the PM schedule to align with the primary program schedules so they can be available and responsive to folks delivering programs. 

Skills and Qualifications | Program Manager 

● Strong commitment to the CSC mission, vision, values, and racial equity imperative*. 

● Alignment with organizational operational scope (goals, mission and vision of CSC), clear understanding of the CSC 3 Model (integrating Social Justice Frameworks, Arts Engagement, and Restorative Practices) and ability to implement it in all programs and operations. 

● Minimum 2+ years experience in an administrative role. Program management, arts and nonprofit administrative experience strongly preferred. 

● Expertise with organizational systems and database management, including Microsoft Office & Excel, Google Drive & Calendar, WordPress, Surveymonkey, Mailchimp, Social Media platforms, and now… zoom. 

● Experience with graphic design, social media, and event planning. 

● Strong leadership skills and flexibility to adjust quickly and creatively navigate multiple projects and the administrative challenges of a grassroots nonprofit organization operating in a variety of sectors. 

● Excellent, culturally responsive interpersonal, verbal, and written communication skills.

● Proactive, self-motivated and able to work independently and interdependently.

● Capacity to provide administrative leadership. 

● Work well / compatible with the diverse CSC administration, board, facilitators, artists, consultants, interns, volunteers, team, and community. 

● Critical, strategic thinking and the capacity to manage a variety of projects, priorities, and deadlines.

● Experience with managing budgets and financial components of program operations preferred. 

● Commitment to the CSC Organizational Agreements and Restorative System in principle and practice, willing to have hard conversations, give and receive critical feedback. 

● Experience as a facilitator, educator, artist, and consultant. 

Duties and Responsibilities (Deliverables): Program Manager 

● Provide leadership in the management of all CSC programs and events, and other responsibilities as needed. 

● Currently many CSC programs are being delivered virtually through the zoom platform. The program manager will provide tech support for these programs, as well as working with interns, apprentices, and volunteers in this capacity. 

● Build capacity for greater functionality, sustainability, and scalability of CSC programs. 

● Coordinate, observe, mentor, and evaluate volunteers, and interns. This may include: communications, schedules, observation & visitation, resource kits, paperwork, and other components as needed. 

● Manage organizational communications: including social media, website updates and maintenance, print and web based marketing and promotion, artists, facilitators, consultants, volunteers, admin team, board members, and others as needed. 

● Manage and maintain Denver Public Schools community partnership and contracts, maintaining an active and up to date Civic Canopy and Bidnet profile, and other systems as required. 

● Work with the admin team and board on annual organizational budget and strategic planning.

● Program client development, communications, coordination, engagement, and maintenance. 

● Work with Co-Director of Arts and Education to grow CSC youth programs toward greatest responsiveness, constituent leadership, impact and fiscal stability. 

● Support Development Director with grant writing and management to maintain sufficient funding for all programs. 

● Work with YPD to develop fully funded summer programs with a short term goal of 10 hrs / week over 2 weeks, long term goal of 20-40 hours of programming / week over 2-6 weeks. Fee based, corporate sponsors, and/or grant funded. 

● Consistent and reliable use of CSC systems including work plans, task lists, filing systems (electronic and paper), and calendars. 

● Develop, refine, update, improve, and maintain functional and efficient organizational systems, policies, and procedures including calendars, filing, operations manual, regulations and requirements, documentation, assessment, work plans, handbooks, database, etc. 

● Update work plan daily, in real time with long and short term goals, specific hours and tasks. 

● Regularly reference and update CSC Operations Manual to maintain the most relevant and effective document for step by step functionality and ongoing institutional knowledge. 

● Attend monthly CSC board meetings and support relevant committees. 

● Provide ample notification and coverage for responsibilities during time off. 

● Scan emails and publications in the field for current developments, client and community development, grant and funding opportunities, significant events, and conferences. 

● Represent CSC at community meetings, gatherings, conferences, and events. 

● Support new program opportunities, seek opportunities for greater coordination across program streams (youth & adult, school & community, etc.) 

● Support / participation with fundraising events, donor development. 

● Participate in weekly admin team meetings and update work plans for the following week. 

● Participate in leadership, professional development, consulting, assemblies, etc. as schedule and capacity allows. 

● Knowledge of the principles and methods used in community organizing, social justice and diversity education, arts and arts education, youth leadership development, restorative justice, and nonprofit administration. 

● Additional duties and responsibilities as needed. 

CSC strongly encourages applications from diverse, creative, leaders of color for all listed positions. Creative Strategies for Change is committed to a policy of equitable representation across the organization and will not discriminate on the basis of race, ability status, sex, gender identity, religion, sexual orientation, nationality, ethnicity, religion, age, socioeconomic status, or other social identities. Please send your resume and cover letter to csc@creativestrategiesforchange.com.