Cultural Affairs Supervisor

City of Santa Monica; Santa Monica (CA); On-site; USD 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

City of Santa Monica seeks a cultural arts program manager to plan, develop, coordinate, and promote community arts and cultural programs. You will supervise staff and consultants, prepare budgets, and manage facilities and events, while engaging with cultural organizations and the public.

The role requires collaboration across departments, development of outreach strategies, and ensuring compliance with regulations and safety standards.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in public administration, arts management, theatrical production, or closely related field.
• Three years of arts and cultural program delivery with supervisory responsibilities or leading a team.
• Experience with budgeting and maintaining financial records.

Responsibilities

• Plan, organize, and promote cultural and community programs.
• Staff, facilities, and contract management for events and spaces.
• Coordinate grants, RFQs/RFPs, and public programs.
• Liaise with the Arts Commission and related committees.
• Develop outreach strategies and promotional materials for audiences.
• Prepare agendas, minutes, and program reports.
• Ensure compliance with laws, safety requirements and contracts.

Skills

Communication

Public outreach

Staff supervision

Budgeting basics

Contract negotiation

Event management

Customer service

Data analysis

Education

Bachelor’s degree in public administration, arts management, theatrical production, or closely related field

Bachelor’s degree

Associate degree

High school diploma or equivalent

Job description

Plans, develops, coordinates and promotes cultural arts and community programs and activities. Administers one or more cultural and community arts program areas that include City grant programs to non-profit organizations and artists, planning and coordination of cultural and community events, management of cultural and community facilities and spaces, and public art coordination. Procures, supervises, assigns and reviews the work of staff and/or consultants responsible for the implementation of assigned cultural arts programs.

Proposes, organizes, schedules, and supervises activities of one or more cultural and community program area(s), including: staffing, facility management , technical and administrative functions, relations with cultural organizations and the general public.

Acts as a resource to the Cultural Affairs Manager on issues related to assigned program area(s).

Keeps abreast of cultural trends and develops programs and activities accordingly. Identifies new programming opportunities and explores potential resources for assigned program area(s).

Develops and implements community outreach strategies for assigned program area(s). Prepares public information and promotional materials, including brochures and pamphlets, website content, social media posts, etc.

Makes outreach presentations to cultural organizations, community groups and residents to gather support and encourage community participation in the City’s arts and culture programming.

Selects, trains, schedules and supervises assigned staff as well as consultants and volunteers.

Prepares and administers program budgets and makes recommendations on budgeting needs as they relate to assigned program area(s).

Prepares and administers RFPs/RFQs, including panel reviews and developing scopes of work.

Serves as a resource for department and City staff, public and private agencies, grantees, consultants, and the community by responding to inquiries and concerns, and interpreting policies, rules, and regulations regarding the assigned program area(s).

Participates in the development, distribution, and review of participant satisfaction surveys.

Receives, researches, and resolves complaints by program participants and the public.

Serves as a liaison to the Arts Commission and other arts committees, as assigned.

Prepares agendas, gathers and distributes information, and submits minutes.

Ensures that all consultants comply with any related City, State and County rules and regulations.

Ensures that safety requirements are met and followed. Responds to and solves a variety of emergency situations related to arts and cultural programming and events.

Supervises program area(s) activities, maintains records, analyzes information and data, and formulates a variety of recommendations and reports.

Works with the staff to issue contracts and permits, obtain and review insurance documentation, and monitor contract compliance.

Prepares correspondence and completes a variety of forms and applications.

Participates in the development of long-range plans and objectives of the Cultural Affairs Division.

Performs other related duties, as assigned.

Knowledge of:

• Cultural policy, standards, practices and issues
• Principles of cultural arts program development for diverse communities
• Visual, performing, literary and design arts fields
• Supervisory principles and practices
• Community outreach and marketing strategies
• Principles and practices of budgeting, including basic bookkeeping and accounting procedures
• Principles and practices of program and event scheduling and booking
• Complaint resolution techniques
• Effective customer service techniques
• Principles of employee supervision
• Principles of report writing

Management and Programming of Cultural and Community Facilities:

• Principles of facility operations
• Principles and practices cultural and art event production of varying sizes and scopes for the community
• Sound systems and theatrical lighting systems
• Public safety and emergency response
• Laws and regulations governing public assembly

Grants/Special Events:

• Principles of applying for and managing grants programs
• Principles of grants reporting
• Principles of special event planning, production and marketing

Public Art:

• Public art project management standards and practices
• Artist selection procedures
• Collection management and conservation standards and practices

Ability to:

• Communicate effectively, both orally and in writing
• Establish and maintain effective and cooperative working relationship with a wide variety of people including cultural groups, youth, volunteers, co-workers, contractors, vendors, and the general public
• Negotiate contracts
• Analyze and solve problems independently and in a timely manner
• Work within tight, frequently changing, and multiple deadlines
• Develop, recommend, and implement policies, procedures and regulations
• Develop cultural/arts programming
• Design and develop a variety of promotional and informational materials
• Supervise and train direct-service program staff
• Prepare and maintain accurate program records
• Work independently and as a member of a team
• Perform mathematical computations
• Provide effective customer service

Skill in:

• Event facilitation
• Working effectively with a wide range of individuals and organizations, including artists and youth
• The use of personal computers and applicable software applications

Minimum Qualifications:

Option A

Education: Graduation from an accredited college or university with a bachelor’s degree in public administration, arts management, theatrical production, or a closely related field.

Experience: Three years of recent, paid work experience delivering arts and cultural programs. Experience must have included program management, application processing, and the preparation and maintenance of financial records. At least two years of the recent, paid experience must have included supervisory responsibilities OR one year of leading and coordinating the work of others and successful completion of the City of Santa Monica’s Pre-Supervisory Academy at the time of application.

Option B

Education: Graduation from an accredited college or university with a bachelor’s degree.

Experience: Four years of recent, paid work experience delivering arts and cultural programs. Experience must have included program management, application processing, and the preparation and maintenance of financial records. At least two years of the recent, paid experience must have included supervisory responsibilities OR one year of leading and coordinating the work of others and successful completion of the City of Santa Monica’s Pre-Supervisory Academy at the time of application.

Option C

Education: Graduation from an accredited college or university with an associate degree.

Experience: Six years of recent, paid work experience delivering arts and cultural programs. Experience must have included program management, application processing, and the preparation and maintenance of financial records. At least two years of the recent, paid experience must have included supervisory responsibilities OR one year of leading and coordinating the work of others and successful completion of the City of Santa Monica’s Pre-Supervisory Academy at the time of application.

Option D

Education: Graduation from high school or evidence of equivalent educational proficiency.

Experience: Eight years of recent, paid work experience delivering arts and cultural programs. Experience must have included program management, application processing, and the preparation and maintenance of financial records. At least two years of the recent, paid experience must have included supervisory responsibilities OR one year of leading and coordinating the work of others and successful completion of the City of Santa Monica’s Pre-Supervisory Academy at the time of application.

Licenses and Certificates:

Ability to obtain and maintain a valid class C driver license or the ability to utilize an alternative method of transportation when needed to carry out job-related essential functions.

Inclusion & Diversity Statement

The City of Santa Monica is a progressive, inclusive and culturally rich community. As leaders in public service, we strive to be an employer of choice by attracting and retaining a highly talented workforce where people of diverse races, religions, cultures and lifestyles thrive. Our goal is to create a welcoming and inclusive environment where our staff are empowered to perform at their highest level and where their differences make a positive impact.

The City is an equal opportunity employer and strives to build balanced teams from all walks of life without regard to race, color, ethnicity, religion, national origin, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, ancestry, disability, genetic information, veteran status, or any other status protected under federal, state and/or local law. We aim to create a workplace that celebrates and embraces the diversity of our employees. Join us!

Special assistance with the application and examination process is available, upon request, for persons with disabilities. Call [phone], TDD [phone] (Hearing Impaired Only).

Please note the request for reasonable accommodations must be made to Human Resources at least three work days prior to the examination.