Operations Director

POSITION SUMMARY

The Operations Director oversees all operations of Blank Forms and its publishing imprint Blank Forms Editions. Joining the non-profit in its ninth year, the Operations Director will help clarify the systems and processes that underlie programming and administration, and will build operational structures to carry Blank Forms into its second decade. The ideal candidate will bring experience and a strong career interest in arts administration, along with a desire to grow with an emerging organization transitioning into a new stage and level of capacity. The position reports to the Executive & Artistic Director and the Deputy Director of Advancement and plays a leadership role within a small team of staff and consultants, working closely with the organization’s external bookkeeper and accountant.

RESPONSIBILITIES

• Strategy: Collaborate with leadership to develop short and long-term operational plans that align with the organization’s mission and strategic goals; manage risk to promote sustainability and drive growth.
• Program Operations: Develop centralized structures for tracking program production across all program types; liaise with artists, venues, partners, and vendors; coordinate staff to ensure timelines are moving forward; lead program administration, including contracting participants, booking travel, securing visas, and related tasks; implement program production work, identify gaps, hire and schedule support staff, and provide training/coaching as needed
• Finances: Oversee program budgets and forecasts; translate plans into broader organizational budgets and cash flows; ensure all financial processes are efficient, accurate, punctual and include appropriate internal controls; oversee record keeping and contribute to the annual audit; collaborate with leadership to set financial benchmarks for success; identify risk and recommend mitigation strategies.
• Efficiency: Develop efficient workflows and effective systems that support data-informed decision-making, strong internal communication, and cross-departmental collaboration.
• Constituent Experience: Ensure a fluid experience for artists, audiences, and customers engaging with the organization; develop artist itineraries, provide customer service, oversee order fulfillment; attend to guest experience at events, exhibitions, and programs; build strong relationships with a network of vendors, contractors, partners, and support staff appropriately scaled to the organization’s needs.
• HR: Collaborate with Executive and Deputy Directors to maintain appropriate employee policies; onboard new employees, interns, and board members; manage benefits; help foster a positive workplace culture.
• Analytics: Ensure precise collection of program metrics (attendance, sales, etc); work with leadership to determine indicators of success; provide reports to inform strategic review of programs and operational models.
• Organization: Ensure IT systems (server, website, etc) operate smoothly; oversee inventory and data management; orchestrate resources and team to ensure office, program, and storage spaces are functional, organized, clean, and stocked.

QUALIFICATIONS

• Minimum 3 years of progressive experience in arts administration, nonprofit operations, or other related areas.
• Experience in financial management, including budgeting, financial reporting, and compliance.
• Demonstrated ability to take initiative and maintain accountability for outcomes.
• Strong organizational skills with the ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously and meet deadlines.
• Ability to prioritize, clearly communicate, and influence across different departments.
• Ability to lead, train and manage supporting staff, and work collaboratively in a team environment.
• Strong problem-solving skills and the ability to adapt to changing circumstances.
• Seeks ownership of projects and thrives in an environment that values leadership over task-based direction.
• Proficiency with inventory management software, Finale, Shopify, ShipStation, networked servers, and website CMS maintenance is a plus
• Familiarity with IT and cloud storage systems, Dropbox, and file management.

ABOUT BLANK FORMS

Founded in 2016, Blank Forms is a Brooklyn-based nonprofit supporting emerging and historically significant artists who produce work across disciplines, often rooted in traditions of experimental and creative music. We aim to establish new frameworks to preserve, nurture, and present these artists’ work and to build platforms for practices underrepresented in art’s commercial, institutional, and historical fields. Blank Forms collaborates with artists on commissions, exhibitions, publications, as well as archival and estate projects within contemporary cultural ecosystems and in perpetuity. In presenting and documenting this work, Blank Forms seeks to foster an artistic community founded upon engaged and equitable conversations across continents, media and generations.

Blank Forms is an Equal Opportunity Employer that does not discriminate on the basis of actual or perceived race, religion, creed, color, age, national origin, alienage or citizenship status, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, disability, pregnancy or pregnancy related condition, marital and partnership status, familial status, arrest or conviction record, union membership, status as a victim of domestic violence, stalking or sex offense, unemployment status, caregiver status, credit history, salary history, military or protected veteran status, predisposing genetic characteristics, an employee's or an employee's dependent's sexual and reproductive health decisions, as well as all other classifications protected by applicable laws. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including but not limited to hiring, placement, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, promotions, benefits, leaves of absence.