Interim Co-Executive Director of Operations & Development: The Center for Emerging Visual Arts

The Center for Emerging Visual Artists (CFEVA) seeks an arts management professional with strong business acumen and experience; excellent communications skills; deep, successful fundraising experience, and a keen interest in Philadelphia’s vibrant visual artist community to lead the organization’s Operations and Development strategies. The Interim Co-Executive Director of Operations & Development (“CDOD”) will be part of a two-person organizational leadership team, working alongside the Executive Artistic Director to achieve CFEVA’s mission and strategic goals.

With a mission to cultivate, nurture, and advance the careers of emerging visual artists, while simultaneously expanding opportunities for the public to discover and connect with all artists and their work, CFEVA’s services raise the profile of Philadelphia’s professional artists, foster artistic experimentation and innovation, and showcase how vibrant artistic communities boost civic engagement. Through fellowships, residencies, educational outreach, regional exhibitions, professional development, and citywide events, CFEVA provides artists with the tangible resources needed to develop viable and sustainable careers. CFEVA was founded by the late Felicity R. “Bebe” Benoliel in 1983 as the Creative Artists Network and over the last 35 years has developed into one of the region’s most respected service providers for artists and presenters of art to the region’s communities.

Position Overview

The CDOD provides the leadership, strategic direction, management and coordination of CFEVA’s Operations and Development functions. This position works in close collaboration with the Executive Artistic Director and Program staff and reports directly to the Board of Directors. As CFEVA’s Chief Fundraiser, the CDOD will spearhead all Development efforts, including cultivating and stewarding individual, corporate, government and foundation relationships, with the goal of securing diverse streams of contributed revenue. This position also helps to raise the visibility of CFEVA’s mission with external constituents while balancing CFEVA’s business operations.

Roles and Responsibilities:

• Craft and execute an annual Development plan that includes identifying, cultivating, soliciting, and stewarding individual and institutional relationships.

• Manage individual donor campaigns, including growing the Collector’s Circle leadership annual giving program, driving Annual Fund efforts, and securing major gifts through special appeals.

• Spearhead foundation and government grant-seeking efforts, including research, strategy development, proposal preparation, budgeting and reporting.

• Identify and secure corporate relationships through CFEVA’s custom exhibition program and for exhibition and event sponsorship.

• In partnership with the Special Events Committee, plan and implement CFEVA’s annual fundraising benefit—the CFEVA Art Party—including crafting the event theme, securing sponsorship and individual Host Committee support, managing vendor relationships, and coordinating logistical details.

• Coordinate other special events, including Collector’s Circle events, POST fundraisers, and cultivation activities, and engage donors and supporters at all CFEVA events.

• In partnership with the Executive Artistic Director, craft a vision for CFEVA’s Marketing and Public Relations platform. Guide program staff in executing digital marketing and social media efforts, draft and distribute press releases and media advisories, and track media impressions.

• Move the organization from our current headquarters to a temporary space, and ultimately to a new permanent home.

• Actively prepare for and participate in all Board meetings and serve as the primary liaison to the Finance, Development and Executive Committees. Maintain positive Board relationships. Support the Board recruitment process.

• Supervise a part-time bookkeeper and co-manage interns.

• Working with the Board Treasurer, Finance Committee, and part-time Bookkeeper, manage CFEVA’s financial systems, with a keen eye on A/R, A/P, and cash flow projections. Gather materials in preparation for the annual audit, distribute 1099’s and W-2’s. Prepare the organization’s annual operating budget consistent with business plans and strategic goals.

• Manage CFEVA’s benefits program, including serving as primary contact for the organization’s healthcare, dental, Simple IRA, and payroll providers. Document internal policies and procedures and ensure the CFEVA Handbook for Employees is followed. Annually renew CFEVA’s insurance policies.

The Ideal Candidate:

CFEVA is a dynamic, fast-moving organization that values creativity and innovative thinking while fostering strong teamwork and mutual respect among its staff and Board. The ideal candidate possesses outstanding interpersonal skills, is enthusiastic, detail-oriented and a quick learner, and is able to tackle many projects at one time. The candidate must have a passion for the arts, credibility in the community and the savvy to build rapport with many different kinds of constituents. The candidate is adaptable and

flexible, is able to effectively work under pressure, uses good judgment, and is willing to take a fresh approach to produce quality work.

Skills and Qualifications:

• Demonstrated success working with individual donors, foundations, corporations, and government agencies, and a proven track record of securing major gifts.

• Strong business and financial acumen with the ability to understand and work with budgets, adhere to non-profit funding requirements, assess financial management issues and interpret the organization’s fiscal health for the Board and key stakeholders.

• Strong communication skills with the ability to craft persuasive oral and written presentations.

• Experience developing and implementing effective strategies.

• Exhibited leadership, including the ability clearly and fairly to set expectations, inspire confidence and commitment, and address challenges head-on.

• Strong negotiation and advocacy skills.

This position requires a BA (MA preferable) and a minimum of five years of experience in managing and building a fundraising program in a nonprofit environment, preferably in a cultural arts organization.

• A track record of following through on commitments.

• Exceptional organizational skills with strong attention to detail.

• Proficiency with Donor Perfect or similar CRM and Microsoft Office Professional Suite. Knowledge of QuickBooks a plus.

Competitive salary commensurate with experience, and full benefits package. EOE

PROFESSIONAL LEVEL Managerial

To apply, please submit a cover letter and CV or resume, three writing samples, and references togenevieve@cfeva.org

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