Director of Operations and Programming

Director of Operations: executive level role with responsibilities to include leading negotiations, budgeting, purchasing, and putting efficient workflows in place to maximize an organization’s productivity and performance; develops and communicates production plans to meet organizational goals; works directly with senior management to meet organizational objectives

Role/Title: Director of Operations & Programming

The Director of Operations & Programming aims to ensure consistent, sustainable, effective, and efficient functioning of the KCAF, as we materialize our mission, vision, and core values through our strategic plan. Supporting and reporting directly to the Executive Director, the Director of Operations and Programming leads in the development and implementation of systems, structures, and protocols, while upholding the values, culture, and ethos of the KCAF, both internally and externally.  The Director of Operations and Programming functions in a strategic direction that supports the organization, executive director, coordinator of allyship and programming, and the operations/programming team, while enacting prudence and transparency.  The Director of Operations and Programming will work toward the delivery of service toward a mission that catalyzes holistic community transformation across the Austin Community, the Greater West Side of Chicago, and Beyond.

Objectives of this Role:

Collaborates with executive director and stakeholders in the development of performance goals and long term plans
Maximizes efficiency and productivity through extensive process analysis and cross functional collaboration
Enhances Functionality of the KCAF and its Executive Director
Sets strategic goals for operational efficiency and valued productivity and appropriately communicates and fosters the realization of those goals across the team
Works vertically and horizontally to set and meet financial and budgetary goals
Analyzes current operational and programmatic processes and performance, recommending solutions for improvement where necessary

Areas of Responsibility:

Develops, implements, and monitors day-to-day operational systems and processes to provide visibility into the goals, progress, and obstacles of key initiatives
Directs and supports the coordinator of allyship and programming, as well as operational and programmatic team members
Draws on relationships with organizational leadership, external partners, and vendors to make decisions regarding operational activity and strategic goals
Plans, monitors, and analyzes key metrics for day-to-day operations to ensure efficient and timely completion of tasks
Collaborates to develop and implement strategies for programmatic growth and processes to improve and maximize outputs while minimizing costs
Leads the team with integrity and establishes and maintains a loving, trusting, inclusive, and productive environment
Tracks, analyzes, and reports out on relevant data points in ways that spur continued strategic organizational  and operational success
Serves as a conduit through which information flows and resources abound
Recognizes and promotes the KCAF’s core values, rooted in community edification, entrepreneurial sustainability, human expression, and education incubation, which includes uplifting and inspiring the Black community and uprooting racism and injustice toward equity, inclusion, and accessibility
Internally and externally upholds the culture of the KCAF, which is rooted in love as exhibited by way of transparency, integrity, collaboration, equanimity, reflective process, accountability, and responsibility, and a healthy presence to and awareness toward power, control, and entitlement, modeling the standard amongst colleagues in the broader NPO context

Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, Belonging, Allyship & Anti-Racist Practices

Cultivates a culture of diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging that promotes anti-racism and equity for all
Engages in continuous improvement at the intersection of diversity, equity, inclusion, belonging, and allyship practices
Aligns all organizational engagements and interactions to accommodate diversity, equity, inclusion, belonging, and allyship, both across the campus and externally
Engages consistent capacity building opportunities in DEIB and allyship
Inspires an organizational culture that promotes health, balance, self care, and compassion individually, interpersonally, institutionally, and systemically

Qualifications:

Leadership Skills and Experience

Senior management experience in a dynamic setting
Outstanding organizational, communication, and leadership skills
Initiates the development of innovative solutions that drive progress
Strategizes to develop long term plans that usher in new levels of productivity and sustainability
Carries complex/thorough, on-the-ground understanding of what it takes for a nonprofit organization to succeed financially, and from an infrastructure perspective
Significant and notable leadership skills that include the capacity to leverage various leadership styles to accommodate diverse circumstances
Outstanding collaborator and connector of human resources
Excellent communicator and motivator
At least 3 years in mid- to senior-level roles
Bachelor’s degree or 5+ years of executive level managerial/leadership experience required; master’s degree preferred
Strong capacity in holistic resource planning and management

(Priority consideration provided to those with experience as an executive director or program director/manager, particularly of a smaller or start-up cultural/arts entity; priority consideration provided to those with experience working in Austin and/or on the Greater West Side and with familiarity with the ACT QLP)

Personal Attributes:

Cultural competency regarding the uniqueness and nuances of developing a creative endeavor in Chicago’s Austin community
Passion for the arts across genres and expressions
Open mind and open heart in relation to the historical racial biases and other inequities that have adversely affected Chicago’s West side and Black communities
Willingness to listen to and learn from community voices, regardless of individual (including the job candidate’s own) subjectivity
Ability to embody and emanate servant leadership
Capacity to articulate and manage one’s own need for self care and balance and practice agency toward one’s own “healthfullness” and respite
Capacity to advocate for the self care and balance of other staff and team members toward collective “healthfullness” and respite

Organizations’ Commitment:

The KCAF community is committed to the success of the KCAF and its stakeholders, which includes KCAF leadership.  As such, the KCAF executive director has delineated the following assertions in terms of how the KCAF will support its team members:

Support. Foster and support the vision and strategy of the team in ways that increase ingenuity, creativity, and innovation from a diverse, equitable, and inclusive perspective
Communication. Provide a clear, consistent, and effective communication by establishing a direct line for reporting and seeking insight from the ED
DEIB. Manifested commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, belonging, and anti-racist practices for all through its leadership, policy development and fiscal responsibilities
Policy. Maintain consistent upkeep and ensure relevance of organizational policies
Organizational Recruitment. Recruit and invite talented team members who continue to uphold the culture, tenets, mission, vision, and values of the organization and possess a passion for the arts in community
Governance. Commit to a cohesive governance structure to minimize triangulation or uncertainty pertaining to roles and responsibilities between the board and the executive director
Learning. Exhibit a collective learning orientation that allows the executive director to provide training and capacity building toward growth and development in ways that are aligned to the mission, vision, and values of the organization
Accountability. Create explicit and direct accountability measures for the team  to experience clarity around boundaries and expectations in ways that promote flourishing and vitality for the KCA team and other campus partners
Presence. Shows up physically and zealously to the work of leading and representing the mission, vision, and values of the organization in ways that undergird the efforts of the KCA organizational stakeholders
Wellness. Collective embodiment of a strong commitment to the health, wellness, and balance of the KCA team toward sustainability and thriving for all

Equal Opportunity Employer:

Please note that the KCAF is an equal opportunity employer.  The KCAF does not permit, and will not tolerate the unlawful discrimination against or harassment of any employees, consultants, or related third parties, on the basis of sex, race, color, religion, age, national origin or ancestry, marital or domestic partner status, veteran status, mental or physical disability or medical condition, sexual orientation, pregnancy, childbirth or related medical condition, or any other status protected by applicable law.