Executive Director

Executive Director - Duties & Responsibilities

CPAG’s mission is to unite artists and communities in partnership to produce high-quality public art, and to expand the tradition of collaborative, community-involved public artwork. The ED will establish and nurture relationships with external stakeholders: Chicago government officials, community representatives, funders, and other partners, and will work closely with internal stakeholders, including the CPAG board of directors (Board), staff, and artists. The ED will work to ensure CPAG’s overall good health and relevance, build on its 52-year history, raise its profile to publicize CPAG’s historical importance and current role in the public art community, and maximize the visibility and brand of CPAG.

The ED reports to the board. The ED oversees the staff, currently a Managing Director and Project Coordinator, occasional auxiliary staff, including interns and consultants.

Operational Management and Leadership Responsibilities

• Promote and facilitate community among a diverse group of artists.
• Develop, maintain, and support a strong and diverse Board and staff, implementing plans and policies authorized by the Board, including current strategic and development plans, and keeping the Board fully informed on the programmatic, fiscal, and operational health of the organization. Responsible for planning Board meetings, including preparing, coordinating, and distributing meeting materials prior to meetings. Responsible for recruiting and training Board Members, with input from Board.
• Responsible for overseeing for all projects, staff, and programming; identifies and corrects any problems, including those related to funding, expenditures, and communications.
• Responsible for financial operations. Work with accounting services providers and the Board on bookkeeping, budgets, billing, development, and cost controls to ensure sound fiscal management through compliance with financial policies, procedures, and controls.
• Create, develop, and execute a development plan annually that includes grants, events, and campaigns.
• Create, develop, and execute a marketing plan annually and oversee its implementation; oversee all marketing materials, physical and digital, including website and social media.
• Manage the customer relationship management system, including its administration and upgrades.
• Work with staff and artists to professionally document activities, submit reports, and keep records and the archive accessible and up-to-date, including records that relate to financials, and internal and external projects.
• Responsible for hiring, supervising, cultivating, reviewing, and terminating staff and services providers in consultation with Board.
• Ensure compliance with all federal, state, and local legal requirements, and sound business and nonprofit practices.

Qualifications

• A minimum of 5-7 years of experience in arts management, urban planning, community engagement, or arts education, and working knowledge of the visual arts.
• Demonstrated success working with a board of directors.
• Strong marketing, public relations, and fundraising experience, with the ability to engage a wide range of stakeholders and cultures.
• Strong understanding of the philanthropic landscape.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills; the ideal candidate would be a persuasive and passionate communicator with strong interpersonal and multidisciplinary project skills.
• An entrepreneurial, proactive, and energetic spirit.
• Ability to work collaboratively with diverse groups of people.
• Experience with program planning, budget management, and staff management.
• Commitment to building expertise in the production aspect of public art and the process of community engagement.

Compensation

This is a full-time, exempt position with some evening and weekend work required. The initial salary for this role is competitive with similarly sized nonprofit organizations.

Interested applicants should send the following to:

EDcommittee@chicagopublicartgroup.org by April 1, 2025: a cover letter, resume, and a short proposal (no more than one page) that includes three ideas about how to ensure that CPAG thrives in the years to come. CPAG is an equal opportunity employer committed to building a culturally diverse and pluralistic team.