EXECUTIVE PRODUCER
Location: Hybrid; one day a week in office + full-time on-site during production
Reports to: Artistic Director for first 6 months**, Board of Directors after the first 6 months
Position: ¾ time (option to work 30 hours/week or 9 months/year)
Compensation: $65,000
Benefits: Health stipend, generous leave & vacation options
Job summary:
The Executive Producer (EP) of Colt Coeur will be part of a co-leadership model alongside the Artistic Director (AD) and will report to the Board of Directors.
The Executive Producer takes a leading role in development, finance, communications, and general management responsibilities.
ABOUT COLT COEUR
Artistic Director and Founder Adrienne Campbell-Holt leads a 21-member ensemble of actors, playwrights, directors, and designers committed to nurturing the next generation of theater artists through the development and production of new plays and by providing arts education and mentorship to students from under-resourced NYC public schools. Over 12 years, Colt Coeur has produced 14 world premieres + 1 east coast premiere; developed 48 plays; and provided free arts education for over 180 students. Through our commissions and residency program, we are a pipeline for mounting new plays and developing new work from scratch.
Colt Coeur has a distinct place in the ecosystem of the New York and American theatrical field. We serve as an artistic incubator for the most exciting emerging playwrights, actors, directors, and designers, launching artists who have not yet been produced. We take seriously our artistic and social responsibility to serve as a resource to youth through engaged, exemplary theater education, mentorship, and internships.
At Colt Coeur, we welcome and embrace all human beings and safeguard and embolden our differences. Our company does not tolerate racism, sexism, queerphobia, ableism, entitlement or any other conduct that threatens to destroy the fabric of the socially equitable industry we are creating. We acknowledge the variety of visible and invisible access needs of our community of artistic collaborators and audience members and make a commitment to supporting those needs to the best of our abilities. We recognize the delicacy of theatrical performance and of the social aspects affiliated with theater – but we place the health and well-being of our company and community as paramount. We nurture and prioritize personal investment in our artists, students, community and all we come in contact with. It’s essential the Executive Producer shares our ongoing commitment to individual and collective learning and unlearning.
SPECIFIC DUTIES & COMPETENCIES
Administration & Production
At Colt Coeur, we aim to produce two theatrical productions per “season.” Typically, our performances run 4-5 weeks and past venues include HERE Arts Center, Walkerspace at SoHo Rep, the Wild Project, NYTW Next Door, co-productions with WP Theater and Rattlestick Playwrights Theater. We are committed to increasing accessibility through continued digital/virtual offerings, when possible.
Act as Virtual and/or Mainstage productions’ Executive Producer. Oversee the production’s line producer in all aspects of show production, including fundraising, budget management, payroll, hiring, contracts, company management, venue liaison, marketing, ticketing, and house management.
In collaboration with the AD and creative teams, produce and facilitate talkbacks, panels and other community engagement activities connected to CoCo’s annual Parity Plays Festival, Instagram Live conversations, Play Hotel developmental readings, and all Mainstage programming (2 productions/year), develop relationships with appropriate panelists, moderators, partner organizations, etc., document this programming.
Work closely with the AD on season planning, including reading and scouting for new talent and artist development.
Along with AD, set weekly and monthly priorities and goals for the organization.
Fiscal Management
Colt Coeur has historically operated with two part-time employees at ~20 hours a week - the Artistic Director and the Managing Director. This position will assume the former Managing Director’s responsibilities as detailed below. Ideal candidate has experience with Quickbooks online and CRM systems. Additional training can be provided in these areas. Most of our organizational systems are built in GoogleDrive and Dropbox.
Responsible for tracking and reporting all finances for the company in Quickbooks, including fees for artists, bills and utilities on a monthly basis, insurance, donations, box office income, etc. EP will provide a monthly reconciliation to the Board Treasurer and help to consult with AD and Board on creation of yearly budget. EP will prepare 1099s and W2s in January of each year and complete the Form 990 and CHAR-500 with the Board Treasurer.
EP will actively research and apply for funding opportunities including grants, foundations and special opportunities and work with AD and the Board’s Development task force to build relationships with funders and individual donors. EP (with support of AD) will complete all grant applications, and EP will complete all Interim and Final Reports, as well as any additional reporting required.
Responsible for processing donations, including drafting donor communication emails and weekly donor acknowledgement letters, ensuring the Little Green Light donor database is up-to-date, and attending monthly Development meetings with AD and Devo task force. Leads the year-end campaign.
Engagement with Colt Coeur’s community both in person and virtually, and generate quarterly Community Updates newsletter.
Attend all community meetings (every other month), Board meetings (quarterly), and ½ of all Committee meetings (split with AD).
With AD plan and attend annual Benefit, Holiday party, and company retreat.
Community Facilitation
Colt Coeur is committed to upholding transformative and anti-racist work as a company and expects all who collaborate with us to join us in this work. We consistently seek opportunities to grow and to learn how we participate in antiquated, problematic systems. We dedicate our time together to not only champion the arts but also to reflect and assess how we can DO better and BE better for our POC artistic community.
Lead operations and human resources for a full-time staff of 2, contractors, and freelance artists.
Collaborate on our ongoing anti-racist training commitments for company members and associated artists.
Navigate and actively engage in complex investigations, mediations, and restorative processes between community members, using and uplifting Colt Coeur’s Code of Community and Collective Values.
Nurture Colt Coeur’s culture, and lead the organization in evolving that culture as the organization’s structure and operations evolve.
Serve as a thought partner to the AD in identifying and implementing ways in which Colt Coeur can be a more sustainable, ethical, inclusive, anti-racist company that is accessible to all.
Responsibilities may shift as needed to align with organizational needs.
ABOUT YOU
You hold a sophisticated and nuanced understanding of Anti-Racism and Anti-Oppression principles and practices, and a commitment to ongoing work in this area;
You have experience and talent in building relationships with people from varying cultural and socio-economic backgrounds. This experience could be through community organizing, producing, etc;
You are a confident fundraiser.
You have a passion for connecting with new people and engaging in person;
You have experience building budgets through a values-first lens.
You have exceptional organizational, written and social communication skills and love keeping your collaborators in the loop;
You possess a relentless curiosity: the ability to productively question the status quo and engage in creative problem-solving and change-making;
You have the skills to both conceive and take the lead on projects;
You thrive in both group settings and independently;
You are imaginative and resourceful.
You have an aptitude for long-term planning.
You have expertise and/or proficiency with financial management.
You have familiarity with non-profits and ideally with New York’s theater community.
BONUS IF:
You have experience working in a performing arts organization with an operating budget between 100k and 1 million.
You have experience producing ‘downtown’ theater.
You have a particular knack (and patience!) for storytelling within the confines of character counts and word restrictions i.e., grantwriting.
Colt Coeur’s studio/office is located at 20 Jay Street, Suite 208 in DUMBO, Brooklyn. It is not necessary for the person in this position to report to the office everyday and can choose to work from home, if desired. At least 1 day/week the EP and AD will work together in the office. At least 1x/week this person will collect the mail, deposit checks, and ensure best practices are maintained for recordkeeping.
Benefits include a health care stipend, flexible paid time off, 12 weeks of paid family leave, and free and discounted theater tickets, when available.
Responsibilities may shift as needed to align with organizational needs.
**6 month probationary period: Continued employment is subject to a 6 month probationary period. This 6 month period will allow the Executive Producer time to learn more about the job requirements and the expectations to perform the job successfully. Please note that the probationary period can be extended in exceptional circumstances. During this period your employment can be terminated by either party with a 2 week notice period. Examples of probationary terminations included poor performance, poor attendance, and unsatisfactory references. Immediate employment termination can be caused by gross misconduct regardless of probationary period.
Please note, here is a rough timeline of the first 6 months:
Month 1 - onboarding
Month 2 - preproduction #1
Months 3-4 production #1, post-production, and EOY Appeal
Months 5-6 pre-production #2
We are committed to diverse and inclusive hiring practices and we strongly encourage individuals that have historically been under-represented in the arts administration/leadership sector to apply. At Colt Coeur, we aim to provide an anti-oppressive environment for people from all backgrounds. Applicants, employees, community members, and artists will not be discriminated against based on race, ethnicity, nationality, citizen status, hair texture, hair style, sex, sexual orientation, gender(s), age, religion, disability, socioeconomic status, educational background, class, nor immigration status.
TO APPLY:
Please submit a resume plus an expression of interest in any format (video, audio, written), addressing the following: interest in the position, specific relevant skills, and relevant success stories. Please also include your access needs, if any, and contact information for two references. Email coltcoeurEP@gmail.com. Feel free to ask any questions as well.
Applications will be accepted until June 1st, 2023, however we will be reviewing applicants on a rolling basis. Interviews will be held with a panel of Colt Coeur community members the week of June 12th (zoom), and 2nd round interviews between June 20 and 22 (in-person).