Vice President, Planning & Capacity Building

Organization

Arts Consulting Group (ACG) is the leading provider of hands-on interim management, executive search, revenue enhancement, strategic planning & community engagement, facilities & program planning, and capacity building services for the arts and culture industry. Founded in 1997, ACG is a full-service firm working with a wide range of nonprofit organizations, universities, government agencies, and for-profit entities that operate in the creative industries. The firm takes a contemporary approach to client challenges and opportunities focused on growing institutions, advancing arts and culture, and enhancing communities. ACG senior team members have leadership experience in every type of artistic and cultural discipline, and they seamlessly adapt to clients’ rapidly changing strategies, business models, and operating environments.

ACG’s commitment to Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, Access, and Success (IDEAS) means that team members work closely with each client to understand the intersectionality of programs, audiences, educational activities, governance, and management with a clear focus on the communities these organizations seek to serve. Each client is unique and therefore these areas require careful discussion and consensus within the organization to ensure clarity at the launch of and throughout any consulting process. ACG also actively engaged in ongoing collective internal growth and team improvement around IDEAS principles with formal training and research focused on broader societal understanding and learning.

The firm currently has locations in Boston, Calgary, Chicago, Dallas, Los Angeles, New Orleans, New York, Portland, Raleigh, San Diego, San Francisco, St. Louis, Tampa, Toronto, Vancouver, and Washington, DC. ACG employees and consultants are embedded in communities throughout North America to invigorate clients, so that they can achieve the delicate balance between cultural impacts and business sustainability.

 

Position Summary

The Vice President, Planning & Capacity Building (VP) will lead projects in strategic planning & community engagement, facilities & program planning, cultural master planning, organizational assessments, operational & business modeling, financial review, industry benchmarking, research, and other areas. Reporting to the Senior Vice President, Planning & Capacity Building and collaborating regularly with the Vice President, Research, the VP will deliver superior results to clients primarily in the Planning & Capacity Building service area. Operating in a full service, team-based, and cross-functional environment, the VP will also actively support other practice areas of the firm, including leadership transitions and revenue enhancement, as needed. The VP will simultaneously learn from the past, live in the present, and look to the future, applying objective data and subjective practitioner experience while adapting to new circumstances and appreciating the ongoing evolution of the industry. The VP will move from analysis to dialogue to decision making and develop hands-on strategies that inspire clients to implement their goals with realistic action plans.

 

Roles and Responsibilities

Project Leadership and Support

• Lead and supervise ACG employees and independent contractor strategic partners on planning and capacity building projects that meet client goals and exceed expectations.
• Perform rigorous quantitative research through advanced data collection, including the development of surveys, and data analysis of new and existing datasets obtained from other research agencies and associations.
• Guide effective qualitative research through stakeholder engagement and consensus-building strategies, gathering essential perspectives and building relationship investment for clients through in-person and virtual individual interviews, focus groups, and town halls.
• Write clear, concise, objective, and comprehensive client reports and create effective presentations that effectively articulate data collection methodology and sources, data analysis process, key findings, and recommendations.
• Rigorously apply equity, diversity, inclusion, and access principles throughout all projects with team members and in client engagements.
• Develop strategic partnerships with service organizations, thought leaders, architects, theater and museum planners, capital cost consultants, subject matter experts, and other professional service firms as needed.
• Focus on the effective and efficient accomplishment of goals for a wide portfolio of projects, completing client and firm deliverables on time, on budget, and on scope.
• Embrace other project leadership and support responsibilities as needed.

Client Cultivation and Business Development

• Articulate ACG’s services to potential clients in written form and verbally through pitch meetings and extensive, multi-session interview processes.
• Obtain and respond to planning and capacity building requests for proposals (RFPs) in detailed written form, customizing to the specific needs of each request with intentionality and adaptability.
• Develop, write, and publish periodic Arts Insights articles on best practices, research methods, and industry benchmarking in planning and capacity building areas.
• Attend conferences and public meetings to develop strong networks with past, current, and potential clients.
• Maintain current knowledge of other ACG practice areas as appropriate to support clients in identifying other opportunities to engage ACG on multiple fronts, in coordination with other ACG employees.
• Embrace other client cultivation and business development responsibilities as needed.

Firm Capacity Building and Team Participation

• Build the brand, visibility, and presence of ACG locally, regionally, nationally, and internationally.
• Create synergy within a distributed workforce with a one firm, one team model through regular team meetings, training sessions, and summits.
• Actively seek professional growth in the areas of equity, diversity, and inclusion and collaborate with the team to advance the firm’s understanding and practices around these principles as a whole.
• Assist in the refinement of firm methodologies, policies, procedures, and project reporting.
• Share expertise with other ACG employees and consultants to build the firm’s intellectual capacity.
• Participate in ongoing educational programs, training, meetings, and other activities to maintain the highest level of knowledge within the industry.
• Develop effective service integration between practice areas and locations in business development and communication.
• Embrace other firm capacity building and team participation responsibilities as needed.

 

Traits and Characteristics

The successful VP will be an entrepreneurial and resilient self-starter with a commitment and connection to the arts and culture field at local, regional, and national levels, as well as a passion for program planning and cultural facility development in a varying and evolving marketplaces. The VP will simultaneously learn from the past, live in the present, and look to the future in seeking contemporary solutions for clients. This individual will enjoy developing new project opportunities and will exhibit initiative while prioritizing tasks and achieving desired outcomes. While balancing professional accomplishments with a drive to nurture and develop teams, the VP must be able to move from analysis to dialogue to decision making and develop hands-on strategies that inspire clients to effectively assess and implement their goals.

The VP- is not driven by their own ego but is motivated by the values that revolve around creating a more vibrant and sustainable arts and culture sector. They understand that the synergy created by an international firm serving the entire arts and culture industry far outweighs what can be achieved as a single consultant or loose affiliation of consultants in a single cultural discipline, functional area of expertise, or geographic region.

The VP values knowledge and intellectual growth while having a clear focus on the importance of the effective return on investment of time, financial, technological, and human resources in achieving both client and firm goals. They will embody the highest ethical standards in the mentorship of ACG’s clients, employees, and all those who support the field. The VP will be a flexible team player who enjoys working in collaboration with a diverse mix of national and international colleagues. As an expert in the field, the VP will embrace a learning and teaching approach, build impactful intellectual and social capacity, and value the diplomacy and tact required to move people and projects forward. With a deep understanding and motivation for effectively and efficiently achieving results, the VP will have an unwavering commitment to growing institutions, advancing arts and culture, and enhancing communities.

 

Qualifications

A bachelor’s degree (or equivalent experience) and a minimum of eight to ten years of experience in senior management and/or consulting roles in the arts and culture field are required. A demonstrable track record in strategy, program planning, business modeling, or cultural master planning is strongly preferred. Candidates who have participated in the application of equity, diversity, and inclusion initiatives in cultural, nonprofit, or creative industry organizations are needed. Additional project management or related certifications, educational accomplishments, and bilingual fluency (English/French or English/Spanish) are appreciated. Exceptional written communication and verbal presentation skills, as well as superior organizational skills, are required. Multiple accomplishments in complex environments with multifaceted computer literacy, including Office 365 (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook), are essential.

While there are many qualifications listed here, those with a combination of several but not all are encouraged to apply, as ACG is a learning, mentoring, diverse, inclusive, and growth oriented organization. The work environment is expected to be hybrid in nature, and the VP must travel for company and client activities, including in-person meetings, conferences, and other events. A base location near a major metropolitan airport in the United States or Canada, and a valid driver’s license from the appropriate state or province, is required.

 

Compensation and Benefits

ACG offers full-time employment and a competitive compensation package with an estimated salary range of $100,000 to $125,000, commensurate with experience, plus discretionary bonus plan opportunities as available. Benefits include subsidized medical, dental, vision, and life insurances; professional development reimbursement; flexible paid time off; and 401(k) / RRSP employee plan, among others. Dynamic relationships, a fluid work environment, fascinating client experiences, and a synergistic team are emblematic of ACG.

 

Applications and Inquiries

To submit a cover letter and resume with a summary of demonstrable accomplishments (electronic submissions preferred), please click here or visit artsconsulting.com/careers. For questions or general inquiries about this job opportunity, including anticipated salary range, please contact:

Adam Davis

Senior Vice President

4579 Laclede Avenue, Suite 456

St. Louis, MO 63108

Tel       (888) 234.4236 Ext. 215

Email    VP-PCB@ArtsConsulting.com

Arts Consulting Group welcomes all qualified applicants and highly values inclusion, diversity, equity, and access, which are embedded in the uniqueness of the vibrant creative industries and the culture of the firm.