Executive Director

Young Audiences of Oregon & SW Washington is excited to announce that we are seeking candidates for the position of Executive Director. The successful candidate will lead the region’s most dynamic arts education non-profit organization, serving tens of thousands of young people annually, guided by our mission:

To Inspire Young People and Expand Their Learning Through the Arts

The Position

The Executive Director (ED) is the organization’s chief executive officer and is responsible for its leadership, vision and strategy, which they will shape in partnership with a diverse and engaged set of stakeholders. The ED reports to a dedicated board of directors, supervises a talented staff (with eight direct reports), collaborates with program partners, and represents the organization in the community. The ED synthesizes a complex and varied array of organizational activities—balancing development, financial, operational and programmatic responsibilities.

The Organization

Established in 1958, Young Audiences of Oregon and SW Washington (YAOW) has become the region’s most comprehensive arts-in-education non-profit organization, serving kids, teens, and families in partnership with artists, educators, and other community partners. YAOW provides teaching artist residencies, workshops, and performances across a dazzling variety of art forms for young people in formal and community PK-12 educational settings. We also offer training and support for artists to be more effective educators, give classroom teachers the tools to integrate the arts into their teaching practice, and bring fundraising support to schools for their art needs. Central to this service is YAOW’s fantastic roster of independent, professional teaching artists who share their creativity and talent with young people with YAOW’s support.

YAOW is an independently run affiliate of the Young Audiences Network, the nation’s largest network of arts-in-education organizations. Consisting of 29 affiliate organizations spanning the United States, the network is a dynamic platform for collaboration and exchanging of ideas and knowledge in the arts education field.

YAOW’s work culture is mission-driven, collaborative, and creative. The staff is based primarily in the Portland Metro area, with personnel serving Central Oregon based in that region. Given the pandemic, the team is currently working remotely, though YAOW has retained its offices in downtown Portland.

Please find more information, here, in our Annual Report.

Equity Commitment

YAOW has an organizational commitment to equity. We are working to become an anti-racist organization that fully reflects the diversity of our community. Candidates from all backgrounds are encouraged to apply, especially people whose experiences and perspectives are underrepresented in the arts, education, and non-profit fields.

The Opportunity

This is an exciting time for YAOW, full of potential to innovate, strengthen, and build from a position of stability. The incoming ED has a significant opportunity to set the strategy for this storied organization’s next chapter in partnership with its community of stakeholders. The objectives of the current strategic plan (adopted in 2013) have been achieved or substantially advanced. The time is right to articulate the next set of bold, equitable, student-centered goals that respond to our growing region’s changing needs. 

YAOW is well-positioned to weather the challenges posed by the pandemic. The staff has adapted to continue serving students, educators, and artists throughout this public health crisis when our services are needed more than ever. As our community emerges from this challenging time, YAOW is poised to continue to improve, refine, and focus our existing programs, brand, and systems, while also considering expansion of advocacy and services to meet the needs of additional populations in rural areas, early learning environments, and other settings.

Primary Responsibilities

• Direct the strategy for YAOW as it enters a new decade.
• Prioritize equity, accessibility, and trauma-informed practices in all aspects of our work.
• Bring the organization’s stakeholders together, and move them forward with a shared vision.
• Supervise and coordinate staff, and support them in their professional growth.
• Develop, implement, evaluate, and improve YAOW’s programs and services for youth, educators, and artists.
• Partner and collaborate in a fundraising model that centers the community.
• Construct, monitor, and adjust YAOW’s annual budget to ensure the organization’s sustainability.
• Engage YAOW’s current and potential supporters—including individuals, foundations, businesses, government, and others—to raise the contributed revenue needed to achieve and advance the organization’s mission.
• Provide high-quality programs to generate the earned revenue needed to power the organization.
• Elevate the profile and strengthen the brand of YAOW in the community.
• Align communications and marketing with strategic goals.
• Establish, sustain, and strengthen partnerships with community organizations and leaders.
• Manage YAOW’s contracting and compliance with the assistance of external legal counsel.

Qualifications & Experience

Required Minimum

• Bachelor’s degree and 5+ years of organizational leadership experience, or any combination of education and experience equivalent to 9+ years
• Understanding of the arts and culture world as well as schools and the public education system
• Financial literacy, including an understanding of complex budgets and non-profit business structures
• Proven fundraising track record
• Computer literacy and working knowledge of technology and social media
• Outstanding spoken and written communication skills
• Understanding of legal contracts

Preferred

• Knowledge of the region’s local education, arts, and culture ecosystems
• Programmatic experience as a professional artist or working with professional artists
• Entrepreneurial experience 
• Graduate degree in an applicable field
• Multilingual fluency

Compensation

• This is a full-time, exempt position that reports to the board of directors
• Salary range: $75,000-$100,000
• Benefits include:
• 100% basic health
• 50% dental coverage
• Generous personal time off

Submissions

• Resume and cover letter
• 3 professional references
• Submit applications through the online portal at https://learn.ya.org/course/view.php?id=180
• Please combine all application materials into one document with a title that includes your full name. If prompted to log in by the portal, please click “log in as guest.”
• Applications will be accepted and reviewed through 1/31/21.
• No phone calls, please. We will contact you if we are interested.

YAOW is an equal opportunity employer that celebrates diversity and does not discriminate in employment based on race, ethnicity, culture, gender, gender expression, color, military service, age, sexual orientation, religion, physical and mental ability, or any other basis covered by appropriate law.