Hope College
Holland, Michigan
Position Title Senior Associate Dean of Students
Classification Title Administrative Full Time (.75-1.0 FTE)
Benefits Eligibility Benefits Eligibility
Department Student Development
Job Description
The Senior Associate Dean of Students reports to the Vice President for Student Formation/Dean of Students and creates and directs a comprehensive strategic approach to student community life that is rooted in the historic Christian faith, attentive to restorative justice, and collaborative and caring within a dynamic residential learning community. The Senior Associate Dean sets direction for an exemplary approach to fostering belonging that includes excellent leadership of community through developing and leading a restorative conduct and resolution process. The Senior Associate Dean attends to a vibrant community life at Hope College by cultivating ethical and generous student leaders who are committed to their own flourishing and flourishing of others in a global society. To accomplish this work the Senior Associate Dean of Students holds primary responsibility for the conduct and care work on campus and supervises the Associate Dean of Student Life in order to provide support and collaboration in the work of first year experience, community life and student leadership.
Conduct and Care
Serves as primary student conduct officer, and collaborates with various offices to develop and maintain a robust, faith-based and culturally intelligent approach to student conduct and conflict resolution.
Directs proactive educational efforts to increase students’ awareness and demonstration of ethical community behavior, particularly relating to Hope College’s mission, Virtues of Public Discourse, Christian Aspirations, and Hope Forward Pillars.
Oversees in the administration and interpretation of policies, and procedures relevant to student conduct and conflict resolution matters for individual students (on and off campus) and student groups. Coordinate and/or direct conduct investigations regarding student organizations, including clubs, organizations, fraternities, and sororities.
Manages annual and bi-annual reporting related to student development learning outcomes and KPIs, Drug-Free Act Report, Public Record Requests, and additional reports, as needed.
Serves as the primary point of contact for all student conduct records.
Develops and manages an on-going assessment model to track and report student conduct and behavioral trends for purposes of planning.
Oversees the maintenance and updating of the Maxient database system and the processing of student conduct cases, with administrative support.
Develops, supervises and implements conduct training and presentations related to the student conduct process. Functioning within a matrixed organization, oversees the marketing, recruiting, selection, training, and ongoing development of the Student Standing and Appeals Committee members. Supports the selection, training and ongoing development of college conduct officers (including Residential Life Staff), and advisors. Supervises the conduct-related functions of the Residential Life Staff.
Coordinates the development, review, and revision of all rules, regulations, and procedures relating to student conduct, including Housing policies (in collaboration with the Associate Dean for Residential Life).
Chairs the CARE Team, with direct support from the Student Support Manager. Supervises functions within the Student Support and Retention office, Counseling and Psychological Services, and other offices pertaining to matters of student care, specifically cross-functional work of the CARE team.
Collaborates closely with Disability and Accessibility Resources, Equity and Compliance (Title IX) and other offices that support student accessibility and equity.
Serves as primary threat assessment leader, coordinating threat assessment. Maintains training and certification in threat and risk assessment.
Acts at the direct liaison to campus safety, Holland Police Department, Equity and Compliance office (Title IX) and various campus departments in matters related to student conduct, conflict resolution and campus safety. Assists with data collection for the annual Clery Report.
Represents the department on various divisional, university, state, regional and national committees.
Assists in the preparation and administration of the annual operating budget for student formation.
On behalf of the office of the dean of students, responds to critical student conduct concerns in coordination with campus entities, both internal and external to the College.
Belonging and First Year Experience
In collaboration with the Associate Dean of Student Life, who has direct oversight of orientation, ensures that the college maintains an integrated top-notch onboarding experience for students entering a liberal arts residential collegiate environment.
Collaborates with the Student Support and Retention Office on matters related to first year experience.
With the Student Formation Council, sustains a holistic vision for belonging, hospitality and welcome that is connected to the overall vision for student formation at Hope College and educates students toward the outcomes of Hope Forward.
Community Life and Student Leadership
Works closely with student life and other offices to create and cultivate opportunities for student leadership and service in a global society.
Collaborates with key campus partners to develop student formation-wide student leadership initiatives, collaborating with curricular partners and other partners such as Boerigter Center and Center for Leadership.
Collaborates with the VP/Dean of Students to advise Student Congress, including direct advisement of the Student Congress Appropriations Committee.
Oversees the staff in student life to continue to develop club and organization advising structures, and works to expand those structures to the Student Formation Division.
Supports the Associate Dean of Student Life in maintaining and developing a robust and effective fraternity and sorority life program and cultivate social traditions, student activities, and student engagement across the collegiate community.
Develops and implements tools to measure student engagement across the Student Formation Division and tell the story of the Hope student experience in light of Hope Forward.
General Duties
Act as Vice President for Student Formation/Dean of Students’ designee when needed.
Serve as a key member of the Student Formation Council.
Serve on College governance committees as assigned.
Serve in on-call capacity
Work closely with campus and community partners to ensure that all students are supported throughout their Hope College experience. Engage students personally and through presence at appropriate collegiate events.
Qualifications Requirements
Master’s Degree in Higher Education Administration, Counseling, Clinical Psychology, Social Work or related field.
7-10 years professional experience in student conduct, mediation, Title IX. Experience to include resolution of complex student issues including interfacing with families and other constituents.
Demonstrated commitment to the Christian mission of Hope College, and ability to develop and enact policies, procedures and programs that reflect Hope College’s mission, virtues of public discourse and Christian Aspirations.
Supervisory experience, to include leading and developing effective training.
Ability to cultivate relationships with a wide range of stakeholders.
Experience and knowledge in student conduct administration, policy development, ethics.
Demonstrated ability to work with a diverse campus population.
Demonstrated ability to manage multiple tasks and exercise sound judgment in complex situations.
Strong written and verbal communication skills.
Strong analytical skills.
Excellent emotional intelligence.
Ability to create contexts for belonging, understanding and grace in conduct and resolution processes.
Preferred:
Maxient, NABITA, ASCA knowledge and engagement.
Earned doctorate degree.
Physical Demands This position requires remaining in a sitting or standing position for frequent periods of time; uses office machinery such as a computers, printers, copy machines; Occasionally involves moving items over 10 pounds; frequently will move between different offices/workspaces/buildings; and requires effective communication abilities. In the case of temporary or permanent condition(s) that require(s) accommodation(s), reasonable accommodation(s) may be requested.
Pre-employment Screenings All offers of employment are contingent upon a background check. Some positions may have position specific requirements, such as education/licensure/certification verification, a physical, drug screening, credit checks and/or transportation record review.
Posting Detail Information
Posting Number 2023-208SR
Job Posting Open Date 03/05/2024
Job Posting Close Date
Open Until Filled Yes
Is this position available for sponsorship No
Special Instructions to Applicants
Position Title Senior Associate Dean of Students
Classification Title Administrative Full Time (.75-1.0 FTE)
Benefits Eligibility Benefits Eligibility
Department Student Development
Job Description
The Senior Associate Dean of Students reports to the Vice President for Student Formation/Dean of Students and creates and directs a comprehensive strategic approach to student community life that is rooted in the historic Christian faith, attentive to restorative justice, and collaborative and caring within a dynamic residential learning community. The Senior Associate Dean sets direction for an exemplary approach to fostering belonging that includes excellent leadership of community through developing and leading a restorative conduct and resolution process. The Senior Associate Dean attends to a vibrant community life at Hope College by cultivating ethical and generous student leaders who are committed to their own flourishing and flourishing of others in a global society. To accomplish this work the Senior Associate Dean of Students holds primary responsibility for the conduct and care work on campus and supervises the Associate Dean of Student Life in order to provide support and collaboration in the work of first year experience, community life and student leadership.
Conduct and Care
Serves as primary student conduct officer, and collaborates with various offices to develop and maintain a robust, faith-based and culturally intelligent approach to student conduct and conflict resolution.
Directs proactive educational efforts to increase students’ awareness and demonstration of ethical community behavior, particularly relating to Hope College’s mission, Virtues of Public Discourse, Christian Aspirations, and Hope Forward Pillars.
Oversees in the administration and interpretation of policies, and procedures relevant to student conduct and conflict resolution matters for individual students (on and off campus) and student groups. Coordinate and/or direct conduct investigations regarding student organizations, including clubs, organizations, fraternities, and sororities.
Manages annual and bi-annual reporting related to student development learning outcomes and KPIs, Drug-Free Act Report, Public Record Requests, and additional reports, as needed.
Serves as the primary point of contact for all student conduct records.
Develops and manages an on-going assessment model to track and report student conduct and behavioral trends for purposes of planning.
Oversees the maintenance and updating of the Maxient database system and the processing of student conduct cases, with administrative support.
Develops, supervises and implements conduct training and presentations related to the student conduct process. Functioning within a matrixed organization, oversees the marketing, recruiting, selection, training, and ongoing development of the Student Standing and Appeals Committee members. Supports the selection, training and ongoing development of college conduct officers (including Residential Life Staff), and advisors. Supervises the conduct-related functions of the Residential Life Staff.
Coordinates the development, review, and revision of all rules, regulations, and procedures relating to student conduct, including Housing policies (in collaboration with the Associate Dean for Residential Life).
Chairs the CARE Team, with direct support from the Student Support Manager. Supervises functions within the Student Support and Retention office, Counseling and Psychological Services, and other offices pertaining to matters of student care, specifically cross-functional work of the CARE team.
Collaborates closely with Disability and Accessibility Resources, Equity and Compliance (Title IX) and other offices that support student accessibility and equity.
Serves as primary threat assessment leader, coordinating threat assessment. Maintains training and certification in threat and risk assessment.
Acts at the direct liaison to campus safety, Holland Police Department, Equity and Compliance office (Title IX) and various campus departments in matters related to student conduct, conflict resolution and campus safety. Assists with data collection for the annual Clery Report.
Represents the department on various divisional, university, state, regional and national committees.
Assists in the preparation and administration of the annual operating budget for student formation.
On behalf of the office of the dean of students, responds to critical student conduct concerns in coordination with campus entities, both internal and external to the College.
Belonging and First Year Experience
In collaboration with the Associate Dean of Student Life, who has direct oversight of orientation, ensures that the college maintains an integrated top-notch onboarding experience for students entering a liberal arts residential collegiate environment.
Collaborates with the Student Support and Retention Office on matters related to first year experience.
With the Student Formation Council, sustains a holistic vision for belonging, hospitality and welcome that is connected to the overall vision for student formation at Hope College and educates students toward the outcomes of Hope Forward.
Community Life and Student Leadership
Works closely with student life and other offices to create and cultivate opportunities for student leadership and service in a global society.
Collaborates with key campus partners to develop student formation-wide student leadership initiatives, collaborating with curricular partners and other partners such as Boerigter Center and Center for Leadership.
Collaborates with the VP/Dean of Students to advise Student Congress, including direct advisement of the Student Congress Appropriations Committee.
Oversees the staff in student life to continue to develop club and organization advising structures, and works to expand those structures to the Student Formation Division.
Supports the Associate Dean of Student Life in maintaining and developing a robust and effective fraternity and sorority life program and cultivate social traditions, student activities, and student engagement across the collegiate community.
Develops and implements tools to measure student engagement across the Student Formation Division and tell the story of the Hope student experience in light of Hope Forward.
General Duties
Act as Vice President for Student Formation/Dean of Students’ designee when needed.
Serve as a key member of the Student Formation Council.
Serve on College governance committees as assigned.
Serve in on-call capacity
Work closely with campus and community partners to ensure that all students are supported throughout their Hope College experience. Engage students personally and through presence at appropriate collegiate events.
Qualifications Requirements
Master’s Degree in Higher Education Administration, Counseling, Clinical Psychology, Social Work or related field.
7-10 years professional experience in student conduct, mediation, Title IX. Experience to include resolution of complex student issues including interfacing with families and other constituents.
Demonstrated commitment to the Christian mission of Hope College, and ability to develop and enact policies, procedures and programs that reflect Hope College’s mission, virtues of public discourse and Christian Aspirations.
Supervisory experience, to include leading and developing effective training.
Ability to cultivate relationships with a wide range of stakeholders.
Experience and knowledge in student conduct administration, policy development, ethics.
Demonstrated ability to work with a diverse campus population.
Demonstrated ability to manage multiple tasks and exercise sound judgment in complex situations.
Strong written and verbal communication skills.
Strong analytical skills.
Excellent emotional intelligence.
Ability to create contexts for belonging, understanding and grace in conduct and resolution processes.
Preferred:
Maxient, NABITA, ASCA knowledge and engagement.
Earned doctorate degree.
Physical Demands This position requires remaining in a sitting or standing position for frequent periods of time; uses office machinery such as a computers, printers, copy machines; Occasionally involves moving items over 10 pounds; frequently will move between different offices/workspaces/buildings; and requires effective communication abilities. In the case of temporary or permanent condition(s) that require(s) accommodation(s), reasonable accommodation(s) may be requested.
Pre-employment Screenings All offers of employment are contingent upon a background check. Some positions may have position specific requirements, such as education/licensure/certification verification, a physical, drug screening, credit checks and/or transportation record review.
Posting Detail Information
Posting Number 2023-208SR
Job Posting Open Date 03/05/2024
Job Posting Close Date
Open Until Filled Yes
Is this position available for sponsorship No
Special Instructions to Applicants
Fisher Center at Bard
Annadale-on-Hudson, NY
THE POSITION
The Director of Finance and Administration will manage the financial, human resources and administrative activities of The Fisher Center. This newly created position will report to the Chief Operating Officer and work collaboratively across the senior staff and the entire organization, providing hads on management for finance, human resources, administration and information systems ensuring greater cohesion, communication and transparency between The Fisher Center’s administrative operations and programs, while maintaining close working relationships with the Bard Controller’s Office and Human Resources Office to ensure efficient and effective management.
RESPONSIBILITIES
The Director of Finance and Administration will have ongoing responsibility for the following:
Finance
Manage the day to day financial function of The Fisher Center, including but not limited to: -Work with the COO, Artistic Director/Chief Executive, and Department Heads to manage the annual budget process across; manage its assembly for review by Bard’s CFO and the Advisory Board; -Provide proactive and regular financial information to the COO and Artistic Director/Chief Executive to ensure the understanding of the financial implications of The Fisher Center’s programmatic decisions; -Manage fiscal year reconciliation with Bard’s general ledger; -Prepare P&L reports and accompanying narratives for board meetings; -Assist in creation of budgets for grant proposals and final reports; -Oversee A/P and A/R across all departments; maintain accurate and ongoing cashflow assessments to better forecast vendor/payment priorities and work with Bard Finance on check release schedule; -Oversee corporate card expense reconciliation; -Coordinate payment priorities across all departments; -In coordination with Bard Finance, monitor and manage The Fisher Center’s endowment portfolio.
Human Resources
With the support of Bard HR and in consultation with the COO, develop more streamlined HR policies and payroll systems across the organization acting as an advocate for staff and be prepared to translate Bard’s policies, when appropriate: -With the COO, develop consistent hiring procedures, performance review, and exit interview processes across The Fisher Center and maintain equitable pay scales across departments; -With Bard HR coordination and approval, oversee drafting job descriptions and finalizing hire letters; -Oversee on-boarding paperwork for casual hourly, seasonal, and full-time hires; -Support departments with trouble-shooting employee paperwork/timesheet; -With the COO, address personnel issues as they arise; liaising with Bard HR and Title IX offices as necessary.
Administration and Information Systems
Work as a conduit and facilitator for greater transparency and sharing of resources across the organization, including but not limited to the following: -Coordinate building usage/ resources between academic programs, facilities management and Fisher Center professional programs; -Contract Management: -Draft and maintain template agreements, amend as necessary, manage equitable and consistent contract execution across programs -With the ED, review contracts for non-artistic independent contractors; forward to Controller’s office as needed; -Develop outside rental policies and procedures for the FC and Spiegeltent with the COO; -Attend weekly planning, production, and staff meetings and lead supplemental operations meetings as necessary; -Coordinate annual and special events alcohol licensing; -Support ongoing efforts to strengthen and integrate information systems; working collaboratively with the organization and the IT department to assess ongoing system needs, share information, and clearly communicate recommendations; -Assist the COO and Artistic Director/Chief Executive with special projects as they arise, i.e capital needs assessment of the Fisher Center, new building planning.
IDEAL EXPERIENCE AND PERSONAL CHARACTERISTICS
The Director of Finance and Administration will have or be the following: -Substantial, relevant experience in positions of progressive responsibility with organizations of similar scope and ambition; -Financially skillful and seasoned with a strong business acumen and experience as a financial manager with exposure to all core financial functions; -Experience working with, leading, and managing personnel and providing and receiving evaluative feedback; ability to oversee the day-to-day operations while keeping larger institutional picture and priorities in mind; -Thrive in a deadline-driven environment; -Great attention to detail with a hands - on attitude; -Flexible, empathetic, collaborative, and driven by a strong sense of personal integrity and accountability; -Passion for assessing organizational structures, design, and realignment, with keen observational analysis and interest in enacting ongoing positive systems improvement; -Strong communication skills with a positive can-do approach; -Aligned with the mission and vision of The Fisher Center; -Experience in the not-for-profit sector, working in the arts, a plus; -High proficiency in Google Suite, required.
The Fisher Center is currently undergoing an organization-wide process of change toward becoming an anti-racist, multicultural institution. All on staff are expected to: -Commit to anti-racism and inclusivity at The Fisher Center. This includes participating in any trainings when scheduled, supporting departmental, company-wide, and cross-departmental collaboration in issues of diversity, equity, and inclusion, and furthering your own independent journey with anti-racism -Contribute in meaningful ways to the organizational culture.
This is a full-time, exempt position eligible for Bard College’s group benefits package, compensated at an annual salary range of $80– $85,000, depending on experience. Relocation support will be provided, if applicable. This position will require working some nights and weekends. While some duties may be performed remotely, this position will require on-site and physical presence at The Fisher Center.
More details about benefits can be found on Bard’s Benefits Resource page and Employee Handbook.
Resources Page: https://www.bard.edu/humanresources/benefits/
Employee Handbook: https://bit.ly/bc-handbook
BACKGROUND
The Fisher Center at Bard develops, produces, and presents performing arts across disciplines through new productions and context-rich programs that challenge and inspire. At once a premier professional performing arts center and a hub for research and education, The Fisher Center supports artists, students, and audiences in the development and exploration of artistic ideas and perspectives from the past, present, and future.
Designed by architect Frank Gehry and opened in 2003, The Fisher Center is the most ambitious capital project in Bard’s history, and embodies the College’s commitment to the arts as a cultural and educational necessity. The Center presents more than 200 world-class events and welcomes 50,000 visitors each year. It supports artists at all stages of their careers and employs more than 300 professional artists annually.
The Fisher Center is a powerful catalyst of art-making regionally, nationally, and worldwide, with a strong emphasis on development, research, innovation, and rediscovery. Every year, the Fisher Center produces eight to 10 major new works across disciplines, including opera, classical music, theater, dance, performance art, and cabaret. Over the past ten years, its commissioned productions have been seen in more than 100 communities and at leading arts centers around the world. In 2019, The Fisher Center won the Tony Award for Best Revival of a Musical for Daniel Fish’s production of Oklahoma! which began life in 2007 as an undergraduate production at Bard and was produced professionally in The Fisher Center’s SummerScape Festival in 2015 before transferring to New York City.
The Fisher Center houses two theaters: Sosnoff Theater, which seats approximately 800 people and features a proscenium stage with a concert shell insert that accommodates opera, music, dance, and theater; and LUMA Theater, a fully flexible venue which seats up to 200 people. The Fisher Center also comprises rehearsal studios, production facilities, offices, and alternative performance spaces. In the summer, The Fisher Center operates the Spiegeltent, a freestanding cabaret venue which has delighted SummerScape audiences for more than a decade.
In October 2022 Bard announced that Maya Lin has been chosen to design a new performing arts studio building for The Fisher Center, in partnership with architects Bialosky and Partners and theater and acoustic consultants Charcoalblue. Situated in meadows to the west of the Fisher Center and overlooking woodlands and the Catskill mountains, the building will provide a home for Fisher Center LAB, the center’s acclaimed residency and commissioning program for professional artists. It will also house rehearsal and teaching facilities for Bard’s undergraduate programs in Dance and in Theater and Performance. The 25,000-square-foot building will contain five state-of-the-art studios for artist residencies, rehearsals, informal performances, and dance and theater classes, which will be connected by gathering hubs. It will function as a laboratory for the performing arts, where students and professional artists work side by side, informing each other’s practices and sharing their discoveries and works-in-progress with audiences from the Bard community and the public. Groundbreaking for the $42 million studio building will take place in 2023, during the celebration of The Fisher Center’s 20th anniversary. Once completed, the building will expand The Fisher Center’s identity beyond the walls of Gehry’s stunning landmark, to become a cultural campus comprising both the Gehry and Lin buildings.
The Fisher Center offers outstanding programs to many communities, including the students and faculty of Bard, and audiences in the Hudson Valley, New York City, across the country, and around the world. The Center’s major professional programs include: -Bard SummerScape – One of the most ambitious and highly anticipated performing arts festivals in the country. In July and August, SummerScape comprises the annual Bard Music Festival (BMF), now in its 34th year, and seven weeks of opera, dance, music, theater, cabaret, and film. SummerScape has been acclaimed by London’s Times Literary Supplement as “the most intellectually ambitious of America’s summer music festivals” and described by the International Herald Tribune as “seven weeks of cultural delight.” -Fisher Center LAB – The Fisher Center’s artist residency and commissioning program, provides custom-made and meaningful support for innovative artists across disciplines. Since its launch in 2012, LAB has supported residencies, workshops, and performances for hundreds of artists, incubating new projects and engaging audiences, students, faculty, and staff in the process of creating contemporary performances. LAB strives to provide artists with the environment, resources, and funding they need to experiment, dream, and fully realize their artistic potential. Where possible, Fisher Center LAB builds long-term relationships for artists, powering their work by taking on administrative and producing support of their practices and companies. Productions developed by Fisher Center LAB often premiere in the annual Bard SummerScape festival and frequently tour around the country and across the world. Artists currently under commission from Fisher Center LAB include Pam Tanowitz, Suzan-Lori Parks, Lileana Blain-Cruz, SITI Company, Justin Vivian Bond and Anthony Roth Costanzo, Raja Feather Kelly, Paul Soileau, Beth Gill, Justin Peck, and Daaimah Mubashshir.
The Fisher Center is also home to the Dance and Theater and Performance Programs in Bard’s undergraduate Division of the Arts, and works closely with the Conservatory of Music, The Orchestra Now, and the Vocal Arts Program, among other excellent and diverse arts programs at Bard.
ABOUT BARD COLLEGE
Founded in 1860, Bard College is a four-year residential college of the liberal arts and sciences located 90 miles north of New York City. With the addition of the Montgomery Place Estate, Bard’s campus consists of nearly 1,000 park-like acres in the Hudson River Valley. It offers bachelor of arts, bachelor of science, and bachelor of music degrees, with majors in nearly 40 academic programs; graduate degrees in 11 programs; nine early colleges; and numerous dual-degree programs nationally and internationally. Building on its 159-year history as a competitive and innovative undergraduate institution, Bard has expanded its mission as a private institution acting in the public interest across the country and around the world to meet broader student needs and increase access to liberal education. The undergraduate program at the main campus in upstate New York has a reputation for scholarly excellence, a focus on the arts, and civic engagement. Bard is committed to enriching culture, public life, and democratic discourse by training tomorrow’s thought leaders. For more information about Bard, visit http://www.bard.edu/ .
The Fisher Center is an Equal Opportunity Employer (EOE) and does not discriminate in employment on the basis of race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy and gender identity), national origin, political affiliation, sexual orientation, marital status, disability, genetic information, age, membership, parental status, military status, or any other non-merit factor.
THE POSITION
The Director of Finance and Administration will manage the financial, human resources and administrative activities of The Fisher Center. This newly created position will report to the Chief Operating Officer and work collaboratively across the senior staff and the entire organization, providing hads on management for finance, human resources, administration and information systems ensuring greater cohesion, communication and transparency between The Fisher Center’s administrative operations and programs, while maintaining close working relationships with the Bard Controller’s Office and Human Resources Office to ensure efficient and effective management.
RESPONSIBILITIES
The Director of Finance and Administration will have ongoing responsibility for the following:
Finance
Manage the day to day financial function of The Fisher Center, including but not limited to: -Work with the COO, Artistic Director/Chief Executive, and Department Heads to manage the annual budget process across; manage its assembly for review by Bard’s CFO and the Advisory Board; -Provide proactive and regular financial information to the COO and Artistic Director/Chief Executive to ensure the understanding of the financial implications of The Fisher Center’s programmatic decisions; -Manage fiscal year reconciliation with Bard’s general ledger; -Prepare P&L reports and accompanying narratives for board meetings; -Assist in creation of budgets for grant proposals and final reports; -Oversee A/P and A/R across all departments; maintain accurate and ongoing cashflow assessments to better forecast vendor/payment priorities and work with Bard Finance on check release schedule; -Oversee corporate card expense reconciliation; -Coordinate payment priorities across all departments; -In coordination with Bard Finance, monitor and manage The Fisher Center’s endowment portfolio.
Human Resources
With the support of Bard HR and in consultation with the COO, develop more streamlined HR policies and payroll systems across the organization acting as an advocate for staff and be prepared to translate Bard’s policies, when appropriate: -With the COO, develop consistent hiring procedures, performance review, and exit interview processes across The Fisher Center and maintain equitable pay scales across departments; -With Bard HR coordination and approval, oversee drafting job descriptions and finalizing hire letters; -Oversee on-boarding paperwork for casual hourly, seasonal, and full-time hires; -Support departments with trouble-shooting employee paperwork/timesheet; -With the COO, address personnel issues as they arise; liaising with Bard HR and Title IX offices as necessary.
Administration and Information Systems
Work as a conduit and facilitator for greater transparency and sharing of resources across the organization, including but not limited to the following: -Coordinate building usage/ resources between academic programs, facilities management and Fisher Center professional programs; -Contract Management: -Draft and maintain template agreements, amend as necessary, manage equitable and consistent contract execution across programs -With the ED, review contracts for non-artistic independent contractors; forward to Controller’s office as needed; -Develop outside rental policies and procedures for the FC and Spiegeltent with the COO; -Attend weekly planning, production, and staff meetings and lead supplemental operations meetings as necessary; -Coordinate annual and special events alcohol licensing; -Support ongoing efforts to strengthen and integrate information systems; working collaboratively with the organization and the IT department to assess ongoing system needs, share information, and clearly communicate recommendations; -Assist the COO and Artistic Director/Chief Executive with special projects as they arise, i.e capital needs assessment of the Fisher Center, new building planning.
IDEAL EXPERIENCE AND PERSONAL CHARACTERISTICS
The Director of Finance and Administration will have or be the following: -Substantial, relevant experience in positions of progressive responsibility with organizations of similar scope and ambition; -Financially skillful and seasoned with a strong business acumen and experience as a financial manager with exposure to all core financial functions; -Experience working with, leading, and managing personnel and providing and receiving evaluative feedback; ability to oversee the day-to-day operations while keeping larger institutional picture and priorities in mind; -Thrive in a deadline-driven environment; -Great attention to detail with a hands - on attitude; -Flexible, empathetic, collaborative, and driven by a strong sense of personal integrity and accountability; -Passion for assessing organizational structures, design, and realignment, with keen observational analysis and interest in enacting ongoing positive systems improvement; -Strong communication skills with a positive can-do approach; -Aligned with the mission and vision of The Fisher Center; -Experience in the not-for-profit sector, working in the arts, a plus; -High proficiency in Google Suite, required.
The Fisher Center is currently undergoing an organization-wide process of change toward becoming an anti-racist, multicultural institution. All on staff are expected to: -Commit to anti-racism and inclusivity at The Fisher Center. This includes participating in any trainings when scheduled, supporting departmental, company-wide, and cross-departmental collaboration in issues of diversity, equity, and inclusion, and furthering your own independent journey with anti-racism -Contribute in meaningful ways to the organizational culture.
This is a full-time, exempt position eligible for Bard College’s group benefits package, compensated at an annual salary range of $80– $85,000, depending on experience. Relocation support will be provided, if applicable. This position will require working some nights and weekends. While some duties may be performed remotely, this position will require on-site and physical presence at The Fisher Center.
More details about benefits can be found on Bard’s Benefits Resource page and Employee Handbook.
Resources Page: https://www.bard.edu/humanresources/benefits/
Employee Handbook: https://bit.ly/bc-handbook
BACKGROUND
The Fisher Center at Bard develops, produces, and presents performing arts across disciplines through new productions and context-rich programs that challenge and inspire. At once a premier professional performing arts center and a hub for research and education, The Fisher Center supports artists, students, and audiences in the development and exploration of artistic ideas and perspectives from the past, present, and future.
Designed by architect Frank Gehry and opened in 2003, The Fisher Center is the most ambitious capital project in Bard’s history, and embodies the College’s commitment to the arts as a cultural and educational necessity. The Center presents more than 200 world-class events and welcomes 50,000 visitors each year. It supports artists at all stages of their careers and employs more than 300 professional artists annually.
The Fisher Center is a powerful catalyst of art-making regionally, nationally, and worldwide, with a strong emphasis on development, research, innovation, and rediscovery. Every year, the Fisher Center produces eight to 10 major new works across disciplines, including opera, classical music, theater, dance, performance art, and cabaret. Over the past ten years, its commissioned productions have been seen in more than 100 communities and at leading arts centers around the world. In 2019, The Fisher Center won the Tony Award for Best Revival of a Musical for Daniel Fish’s production of Oklahoma! which began life in 2007 as an undergraduate production at Bard and was produced professionally in The Fisher Center’s SummerScape Festival in 2015 before transferring to New York City.
The Fisher Center houses two theaters: Sosnoff Theater, which seats approximately 800 people and features a proscenium stage with a concert shell insert that accommodates opera, music, dance, and theater; and LUMA Theater, a fully flexible venue which seats up to 200 people. The Fisher Center also comprises rehearsal studios, production facilities, offices, and alternative performance spaces. In the summer, The Fisher Center operates the Spiegeltent, a freestanding cabaret venue which has delighted SummerScape audiences for more than a decade.
In October 2022 Bard announced that Maya Lin has been chosen to design a new performing arts studio building for The Fisher Center, in partnership with architects Bialosky and Partners and theater and acoustic consultants Charcoalblue. Situated in meadows to the west of the Fisher Center and overlooking woodlands and the Catskill mountains, the building will provide a home for Fisher Center LAB, the center’s acclaimed residency and commissioning program for professional artists. It will also house rehearsal and teaching facilities for Bard’s undergraduate programs in Dance and in Theater and Performance. The 25,000-square-foot building will contain five state-of-the-art studios for artist residencies, rehearsals, informal performances, and dance and theater classes, which will be connected by gathering hubs. It will function as a laboratory for the performing arts, where students and professional artists work side by side, informing each other’s practices and sharing their discoveries and works-in-progress with audiences from the Bard community and the public. Groundbreaking for the $42 million studio building will take place in 2023, during the celebration of The Fisher Center’s 20th anniversary. Once completed, the building will expand The Fisher Center’s identity beyond the walls of Gehry’s stunning landmark, to become a cultural campus comprising both the Gehry and Lin buildings.
The Fisher Center offers outstanding programs to many communities, including the students and faculty of Bard, and audiences in the Hudson Valley, New York City, across the country, and around the world. The Center’s major professional programs include: -Bard SummerScape – One of the most ambitious and highly anticipated performing arts festivals in the country. In July and August, SummerScape comprises the annual Bard Music Festival (BMF), now in its 34th year, and seven weeks of opera, dance, music, theater, cabaret, and film. SummerScape has been acclaimed by London’s Times Literary Supplement as “the most intellectually ambitious of America’s summer music festivals” and described by the International Herald Tribune as “seven weeks of cultural delight.” -Fisher Center LAB – The Fisher Center’s artist residency and commissioning program, provides custom-made and meaningful support for innovative artists across disciplines. Since its launch in 2012, LAB has supported residencies, workshops, and performances for hundreds of artists, incubating new projects and engaging audiences, students, faculty, and staff in the process of creating contemporary performances. LAB strives to provide artists with the environment, resources, and funding they need to experiment, dream, and fully realize their artistic potential. Where possible, Fisher Center LAB builds long-term relationships for artists, powering their work by taking on administrative and producing support of their practices and companies. Productions developed by Fisher Center LAB often premiere in the annual Bard SummerScape festival and frequently tour around the country and across the world. Artists currently under commission from Fisher Center LAB include Pam Tanowitz, Suzan-Lori Parks, Lileana Blain-Cruz, SITI Company, Justin Vivian Bond and Anthony Roth Costanzo, Raja Feather Kelly, Paul Soileau, Beth Gill, Justin Peck, and Daaimah Mubashshir.
The Fisher Center is also home to the Dance and Theater and Performance Programs in Bard’s undergraduate Division of the Arts, and works closely with the Conservatory of Music, The Orchestra Now, and the Vocal Arts Program, among other excellent and diverse arts programs at Bard.
ABOUT BARD COLLEGE
Founded in 1860, Bard College is a four-year residential college of the liberal arts and sciences located 90 miles north of New York City. With the addition of the Montgomery Place Estate, Bard’s campus consists of nearly 1,000 park-like acres in the Hudson River Valley. It offers bachelor of arts, bachelor of science, and bachelor of music degrees, with majors in nearly 40 academic programs; graduate degrees in 11 programs; nine early colleges; and numerous dual-degree programs nationally and internationally. Building on its 159-year history as a competitive and innovative undergraduate institution, Bard has expanded its mission as a private institution acting in the public interest across the country and around the world to meet broader student needs and increase access to liberal education. The undergraduate program at the main campus in upstate New York has a reputation for scholarly excellence, a focus on the arts, and civic engagement. Bard is committed to enriching culture, public life, and democratic discourse by training tomorrow’s thought leaders. For more information about Bard, visit http://www.bard.edu/ .
The Fisher Center is an Equal Opportunity Employer (EOE) and does not discriminate in employment on the basis of race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy and gender identity), national origin, political affiliation, sexual orientation, marital status, disability, genetic information, age, membership, parental status, military status, or any other non-merit factor.