Center Director

Destiny-Arts-Center; Oakland (CA); On-site; USD 120,000 - 150,000; Full time

Job summary

Destiny Arts Center is seeking a Director of Center Programs to lead strategic, artistic, and operational aspects of our Arts Center programs in Oakland. You will shape programming from youth classes to performance companies, while building an inclusive, engaging learning community and advancing equity and access.

The role requires strong arts education background, staff leadership, budgeting, and collaboration with cross‑functional teams.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in arts administration, education, social work, youth development, nonprofit management, or related field (or equivalent).
• 5+ years in arts education, youth development, nonprofit management, or community programming.
• 5+ years supervising teams and developing staff (experience supervising managers/directors preferred).
• Experience managing multiple programs, budgets, and operations with strategic planning and evaluation.
• Experience with enrollment, recruitment, or retention strategies.
• Strong understanding of creative youth development and inclusive arts education.
• Excellent leadership, communication, and relationship-building skills; commitment to equity and youth voice.
• Proficiency with databases, spreadsheets, and program management software; occasional evenings/weekends.

Responsibilities

• Set strategic direction, annual goals, budgets, and work plans aligned with Destiny’s mission.
• Build a continuum connecting classes, training, performance companies, mentorship, and youth leadership.
• Oversee program evaluation, enrollment, and access improvements.
• Strengthen curriculum and instructional quality with opportunities for innovation.
• Supervise DAYPC and DJC directors; align artistic and educational goals.
• Ensure high-quality, culturally rooted, youth-centered experiences and pathways from classes to performance.
• Oversee center operations: logistics, scheduling, facilities, supplies, admin systems.
• Oversee Camp Destiny, showcases, orientations, day programs, resident companies, and merchandise.
• Maintain safe, welcoming, inclusive policies and center environment.
• Oversee budget, staffing, production schedules; support major events like Gala and fundraising.
• Set enrollment/retention goals; address barriers for historically marginalized communities.
• Partner with CARE Team to integrate wraparound support for families.
• Coach and develop staff; promote a collaborative, values-driven culture.
• Ensure compliance with laws, policies, and youth safety; report incidents.
• Collaborate across teams and represent Destiny externally.

Skills

Leadership

Strategic planning

Community engagement

Staff development

Budgeting & finance

Education

Bachelor's degree in arts administration / nonprofit management

Master's degree preferred

Tools

Databases

Spreadsheet software

Job description

About Destiny Arts Center

Destiny Arts Center (DAC) is a nationally recognized leader in creative youth development and a vital cultural institution in Oakland. For nearly four decades, Destiny has been an artistic home for thousands of Bay Area youth and families, a place where young people find their voices, build their talents and relationships, and experience belonging.

Our mission is to inspire and ignite social change through the arts. Through dance, martial arts, theater, and other movement arts, we support young people in becoming peaceful, powerful, and creative individuals who contribute to stronger, healthier communities.

Position Summary

Destiny seeks an experienced, visionary, and collaborative Director of Center Programs to provide strategic, artistic, and operational leadership for our center-based programming: community classes, Performance Companies, summer camps, and family and community engagement.

As a senior member of the program leadership team, the Director will shape the Arts Center into a vibrant, welcoming, inclusive community hub. The Director will build a cohesive continuum of opportunities so young people can progress from introductory classes to advanced training, Performance Companies, mentorship, and leadership roles.

The Director is responsible for program quality, enrollment and retention, staff development, community engagement, and continuous improvement, working closely with the Deputy Director and other organizational leaders. The ideal candidate is a people-centered leader who combines a strong grounding in arts education and youth development with operational expertise, financial acumen, and a collaborative spirit.

Key Responsibilities

Strategy & Program Development

• Set strategic direction, annual goals, budgets, and work plans aligned with Destiny’s mission and strategic plan.
• Build a continuum connecting community classes, advanced training, Performance Companies, mentorship, and youth leadership.
• Oversee planning, evaluation, and improvement of all Arts Center programs, including classes, camps, Performance Companies, and family programming.
• Strengthen curriculum and instructional quality, and identify opportunities for innovation and expanded access.

Performance Companies

• Supervise and support the Directors of the Destiny Arts Youth Performance Company (DAYPC) and Destiny Junior Company (DJC), setting shared artistic, educational, and youth development goals.
• Ensure the Performance Companies offer high-quality, culturally rooted, youth-centered experiences and are integrated into other Destiny programming.
• Strengthen recruitment, retention, family engagement, and pathways from classes into the Performance Companies.

Operations & Program Management

• Supervise the Arts Center Manager, Arts Center Coordinator, and Production Manager; oversee logistics, scheduling, facilities, supplies, and administrative systems.
• Oversee Camp Destiny, showcases, orientations, daytime programming, resident companies, and merchandise operations.
• Maintain policies and systems that keep the Center safe, welcoming, and inclusive.
• Oversee the Center budget, staffing, and production schedules, and support major events (Gala, Love in Action, Moving for Peace).

Enrollment, Retention & Community Engagement

• Set and meet enrollment, retention, and family engagement goals, using attendance and capacity data to guide planning.
• Identify and address barriers to participation, particularly for youth and families from historically marginalized communities.
• Ensure timely, welcoming communication with parents and caregivers, and oversee orientations and open houses.
• Build partnerships with schools, community organizations, and artists, and coordinate outreach with the Communications team.
• Partner with Destiny’s CARE Team, including the Youth and Family Support Specialist and the Academic & Career Coordinator, to integrate wraparound support into Arts Center programs so every young person and family has the resources they need to thrive.

Staff Leadership & Development

• Coach and manage direct reports with clear expectations, annual goals, and regular feedback.
• Build an accountable, collaborative team culture rooted in Destiny’s values and the Warrior’s Code.
• Ensure training and support for teaching artists, teaching assistants, and camp counselors; partner with HR on hiring and personnel matters.

Finance, Evaluation & Compliance

• Work with the Deputy Director and Director of Finance to develop and manage budgets and earned revenue, balancing sustainability with equity and access for every family through Destiny’s pay-what-you-can model.
• Use enrollment, retention, satisfaction, and outcome data to evaluate programs and drive continuous improvement; supply impact data to Development and support proposals and reports as needed.
• Ensure compliance with laws, policies, and youth safety requirements, including safety protocols and incident reporting.
• Collaborate across the Deputy Director, School & Community Programs, Development, Communications, and Finance/HR teams, and represent Destiny externally.

Qualifications

Required

• Bachelor’s degree in arts administration, education, social work, youth development, nonprofit management, or a related field, or equivalent experience.
• 5+ years in arts education, creative youth development, nonprofit management, or community programming.
• 5+ years supervising teams and developing staff (experience supervising managers or directors strongly preferred).
• Experience managing multiple programs, budgets, and complex operations, plus strategic planning and evaluation.
• Experience with enrollment, recruitment, or retention strategies.
• Strong understanding of creative youth development and culturally responsive, inclusive arts education.
• Excellent leadership, communication, and relationship-building skills; commitment to racial equity, social justice, and youth voice.
• Proficiency with databases, spreadsheets, and program management software; availability for occasional evenings and weekends.

Preferred

• Master’s degree; experience leading a community arts center or youth performance program.
• Familiarity with movement arts such as dance, martial arts, or theater; experience with earned-revenue program models.
• Knowledge of Oakland and East Bay communities; Spanish-language proficiency

Work Environment & Schedule

• This role is based on-site at Destiny Arts Center in Oakland, working alongside teaching artists and programming rather than in a school or county office. As an exempt, salaried position, the schedule may require some evenings or weekends for workshops, performances, or family events, with flexibility to manage time and workload accordingly. This role is not eligible for overtime compensation under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA).