Education Director
POSTED: March 3, 2021
Position Opportunity
Education Director (FT, Permanent)
Reports to: Founding Artistic Director and Managing Director
Founded in 1979, Theatre for a New Audience (TFANA), an award-winning theatre producing Shakespeare alongside a mix of diverse authors, is seeking a dynamic and committed individual to become its Education Director. The Education Director oversees TFANA’s annual Arts in Education programs and initiatives, which are integral to TFANA’s mission; the Director manages an Education Associate, along with 10-20 teaching artists who are in classrooms through school residencies.
TFANA created and runs the World Theatre Project, the largest in-depth program in the New York City Public Schools to introduce Shakespeare and classic drama; as well as New Voices, a program to introduce playwrighting. Both programs introduce theatre and promote literacy and are integrated with students’ curricula and NYS learning standards. They serve approximately 1,500 students city-wide each year, in grades four through twelve. Since they began in 1984, the programs have served 138,000 students and teachers.
The Education Director also leads a biennial Summer Institute for 25 middle- and high-school teachers nationwide (contingent upon funding from the National Endowment for the Humanities), along with other initiatives as opportunities arise.
The Education Director is a team player within TFANA’s leadership, reporting to the Artistic Director on all artistic and programmatic matters and to the Managing Director on all operations and financial matters.
In the World Theatre Project, students primarily see and study the plays of Shakespeare, but on occasion another author can be the focus. The Artistic Director chooses TFANA’s season. TFANA does not choose plays or create productions for students. Students see the same production in morning matinees at TFANA’s home, Polonsky Shakespeare Center, as general audiences see who attend4 regularly scheduled performances.
The Education Director champions the language and ideas of Shakespeare and other authors TFANA produces and the artistry of its productions; the Director also manages TFANA’s programs within the complexities of the NYC Public Schools.
Responsibilities:
· Plan, oversee and sustain all residencies for the World Theatre Project (in-school residencies to introduce Shakespeare to New York City Public School students grades 5 – 12) and the New Voices Program (in-school residencies to introduce playwriting to New York City public school students grades 4 – 12).
· Hire and oversee teaching artists for World Theatre Project and New Voices programs.
· Supervise Education Associate and Interns.
· Plan and implement training and curriculum development workshops with teaching artists.
· Write curriculum guide each year for both programs.
· Represent TFANA at workshops and conferences.
· Write reports on the TFANA Education programs for all Board Meetings; give verbal presentations at Board Meetings on occasion.
· Represent TFANA and its education programs in meetings with current and prospective funders.
· Create and oversee budget for Education Department.
· Oversee all residency scheduling and invoicing, including securing payment from the Department of Education.
· Lead talkbacks following student matinees.
· Work with Development Department to create grant proposals and reports.
Qualifications and Attributes:
· A minimum of five years’ experience in teaching and administering arts in education programs of comparable scope to TFANA’s programs;
· A commitment to TFANA’s mission; to the artists it supports; and to sustaining the quality and vitality of TFANA’s education programs in the NYC Public Schools.
· A team player who works with TFANA’s artistic and management leadership and staff as well as the NYC Public Schools.
· Knowledge and appreciation of plays of Shakespeare and other canonical authors; an appetite for expanding that knowledge to include a diverse range of authors, past and present; and an understanding of developing a student’s voice and critical thinking through playwrighting.
· Experience managing administrative staff and TFANA teaching artists in residence in the classroom.
· Experience with marketing programs to the Public Schools and cultivating partnerships;
· Strong relationships with the New York City Department of Education, individual Public Schools, teaching artists, and scholars;
· Extensive curriculum writing experience;
· Superior writing and presentation skills; experience with grant proposals a plus;
· Experience with budgeting and tracking of expense and income;
· Proven track record in leadership and mentorship of staff and teaching artists;
· Experience with leading professional development programs for teachers;
· Comprehensive knowledge of the arts education field;
· Commitment to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion.
Salary: commensurate with experience, anticipated range to $70,000. Benefits include medical, life and long-term disability insurance, PTO. PSL, and voluntary pre-tax programs for retirement, Transit and FSA.
Equal Opportunity Employer:
Theatre for a New Audience is committed to attracting, hiring and retaining employees who reflect the cultural diversity of its community. The Theatre maintains that every employee has the right to work in a respectful environment that is free from discrimination, consistent with the organization’s commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion and respect. This commitment extends to all aspects of the employment relationship.
To Apply:
Submit resume, separate cover letter describing qualifications and interest in the position, and one or two samples of curriculum or study guide writing to:
Attn: Dorothy Ryan, Managing Director
With “Education Director” in subject line.
Upon submission you will be asked to complete a quick voluntary and anonymous demographic survey. This survey is completely separate from your application submission and cannot be traced back to you. While completing the survey is not required, we appreciate responses because they help us learn which methods of outreach are most effective in reaching a diverse and qualified pool of applicants.