Organizational Background

Committed to advancing arts equity in NYC and beyond, for over twenty years, Opening Act has actively centered the voices of students of color through free, high-quality theater programming!

Opening Act targets and partners with the city’s highest need schools to close the access gap to exemplary arts education programming that is deeply connected and highly-responsive to meeting the unique needs of vulnerable youth. Since inception, we have grown to reach over 8,000 young people. Today, our free, year-long, after school theater program serves 55 schools throughout New York City including a dynamic partnership with the city’s alternative School District 79 where we work with young people who are pursuing a high school equivalency diploma in a formal educational environment because their education was disrupted by a life event. 

With so many of the issues Opening Act’s work addresses – social justice, education, the arts, equity – our programming is critical and relevant.

Looking Ahead

As we respond to the new educational landscape post-pandemic, we remain dedicated to creating unique, brave, and empowering spaces on and beyond the stage by providing transformational workshops and creating experiences that engage our full community of supporters in exciting ways. With this in mind, we are excited to be in year one of a new three year Strategic Plan, to further scale our impact in positive youth development with our trauma informed/healing centered practices to support our students, and make meaningful connections with our community of donor champions

Opening Act is at a pivotal and compelling moment as an organization and we are thrilled to have the opportunity to welcome a Manager of Programs to play a critical role in our next stage.

Job Description:  

Opening Act is seeking an emerging leader who excels at relationship building with multiple stakeholders (schools, institutions, & young people), is highly organized, collaborative, and ensures all interconnected programs are accessible and seamlessly integrated into Opening Act as a whole.

The Manager of Programs  will join a highly collaborative and dynamic team of professionals who are committed to living out Opening Act’s core values in our programs:

• Respecting
• Showing Up
• Listening
• YES And-ing
• Empowering
• Including

The Manager of Programs provides operational, student, and alumni support for all Opening Act programming including core after school programs, Student Leadership Company (SLC), Summer Arts and Leadership Conservatory (SALC), and Act 2.  The position offers exciting and meaningful opportunities to directly impact the strategic and programmatic growth of a growing organization.

Qualifications include:

• Passionate and demonstrated commitment to the mission of Opening Act
• Strong attention to detail
• Self-directed 
• Ability to manage multiple projects at once
• Ability to prioritize and ask for help when needed
• Demonstrates initiative and problem-solving skills
• Strong organizational skills
• Ability to communicate professionally with multiple stakeholders
• Demonstrated ability to effectively collaborate
• Comfort in a small, fast-paced, entrepreneurial non-profit environment
• Excellent verbal & written communication skills
• Strong time management with ability to prioritize responsibilities and meet deadlines
• A strong work ethic is required; must work well in a collegial team environment that is supportive of team members’ accomplishments
• A positive outlook and a sense of humor

Responsibilities include but are not limited to:

• • All School Programs (Afterschool, D79, Middle School)
    • In conjunction with the Director of Programs, work with schools to ensure OA programming is meeting the needs of each partner site
    • Collaborate in the planning and execution of program events and activities, including YESfest, Act 2 Summit Events, and trips to professional performances, and teaching artist trainings
    • Respond to school needs and requests in a timely and organized fashion
    • Organize student opportunities, vetting outside opportunities as they present themselves, and communicating those opportunities to OA’s senior leadership team, teaching artists and students.
    • Send weekly student facing emails and act as a consistent point of contact for students and parents/guardians
    • Supervise Programs Coordinator and facilitate weekly 1:1 meetings 
    • Support Program Coordinator in creation, tracking, and organization all student and program paperwork (digital/hardcopy)
    • Oversee all impact data collection and analysis by ensuring students evaluations are administered, collected, and entered into online tracking system; 
    • Support Programs Coordinator in recording student and alum data for all programmatic events 
    • Attend regular program site visits to connect with schools and students across all OA sites
    • Other duties as needed by program team

• Out of School Programs( Student Leadership Company & Act 2):

• • SLC
    • Provide support to SLC Manager/Facilitator, schedule and lead monthly check-in meetings
    • Scheduling all workshops, rehearsals, meetings/trainings in partnership with SLC Manager; Secure rehearsal and performance spaces
    • Create and provide guidance for administering student surveys to collect qualitative and quantitative metrics for SLC students’ development of leadership and advocacy skills 
    • Acting as the primary point of contact for teaching artists with anything SLC related
    • Submit invoices for monthly student payment 
    • Managing partnerships with community organizations to tour performance material, engage in community service and activism, and bring Opening Act to a wider audience.
    • Act as a liaison between Opening Act and guest artists and activists that may be brought in to lead workshops with the SLC
  • Act 2 Fellowship 
    • Planning and Strategizing
      • Collaborate with Act 2 Associate Director and Programs staff/HR in hiring and onboarding process for Act 2 Fellows
      • Development to plan for the professional development of Act 2 Fellows
        • Assist with impact data collection and analysis through student/mentor//TA/staff evaluations 
      • Support Act 2 Fellows in their responsibilities planning and managing events 
      • Collaborate with Programs Staff to support Act 2 Fellows with finding mentors and supporting those ongoing relationships

In addition: Strong proficiency in Microsoft applications (Word and Excel required); comfortable with Google Docs; support with programs specific grant applications and reporting

Please submit your cover letter and resume here.