Executive Director

HOUSTON CINEMA ARTS SOCIETY

POSITION ANNOUNCEMENT

March 22, 2021

Position: Executive Director

Reports To: Board of Directors

Works With: Artistic Director

Supervises: Contract staff, Administrative staff, volunteers, interns, employees

The Houston Cinema Arts Society seeks an Executive Director to lead the organization, implement  its strategic plan, and manage its day-to-day operations including its annual festival.

About the organization:  

The Houston Cinema Arts Society (HCAS) has put the nation’s fourth largest city on the map  among film industry professionals, artists, and film aficionados as a premier showcase for the  moving image. The organization celebrates and illuminates the vitality of America’s most diverse city with film, mixed media, performance and installation focused exhibition programming as well educational and film industry field building focused programming.

HCAS launched its inaugural five-day Film Festival in 2009. In addition to its now-annual Houston Cinema Arts Festival (HCAF), held in November, HCAS presents a variety of initiatives and programs, including a growing schedule of year-round screenings, events, educational and field building programming.

The Houston Cinema Arts Festival, Houston’s largest film festival, is the centerpiece of the HCAS. This multi-venue and virtual festival includes over 50 short and feature narrative and documentary films, live performance, music, installations, panel discussions, free programming, student/youth focused programming, and two filmmaker competitions. Since 2009, HCAF has brought such notable guest artists as Guillermo Arriaga, Euzhan Palcy, Tilda Swinton, Shirley MacLaine, Patricio Guzmán and Isabella Rossellini.  Other names include Elegance Bratton, Jeremiah Lemohang Mosese, Joyce Chopra, Tracy Letts, John Turturro, Amber Tamblyn, Loira Limbal, Kimberly Rivers-Roberts, Ethan Hawke, Carrie Preston, Clement Mensah, Arthur Jafa, Robert Redford, Chuko and Arie Esiri, Joseph Khan, James Ivory, Norris Wong, Julie Taymor, Lourdes Portillo, Akosua Adoma Owusu, and Adele Phan.  The festival has also hosted Texas talents like Bassam Tariq, Richard Linklater, Channing Godfrey Peoples, Ja-Tovia Gary, Patrick Wang, Gracie Chavez, Ivette Lucas, Trey Edward Shults, Jonathan Caouette, Harrison Guy, Patrick Bresnan, DJ Red, Lisa E. Harris, Stephanie St. Sanchez, Thomas Haden Church, Jefferson Pinder, Candice D’Meza, Ben DeSoto, and DJ Flash Gordon Parks.

Recent initiatives include presenting the Sundance Satellite programming in association with the 2021 Sundance Film Festival, the Black Media Story Summit-Texas, in partnership with Black Public Media and the Austin Film Society, CineSpace, a short film competition in collaboration with NASA, and Borders No Borders, a short film competition for residents of Texas, bordering states and Mexico.

Houston Cinema Arts Society (HCAS) provides equal opportunity for all qualified applicants and employees, without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, gender identity, political preference, sexual orientation, marital status, citizenship, or other status protected by law or regulation.

HCAS prohibits discrimination in any aspect of employment, including hiring, promotion, demotion, transfer, layoff or termination, rates of pay, or selection for training.

For more information, visit www.cinemahtx.org

Executive Director Responsibilities : 

The organization’s Executive Director has the responsibility of strategic planning and institution building for the 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, working with its board of directors, advisory  board and staff. The ED will work in concert with the organization’s Artistic Director. The Artistic Director reports to the Executive Director, who reports to the Board of Directors.

▪ Functioning as lead fundraiser, cultivating individual donors, soliciting gifts, and stewarding  relationships. Responsibilities will also include oversight of foundation grant writing, special  events, and pursuit of major corporate sponsorships for the Festival.

▪ Serving as ambassador for the organization along with the artistic director, developing its brand identity in collaboration with the artistic director, articulating a clear vision, securing funding support, and fostering audience engagement.

▪ Developing and implementing an organizational strategic plan, working closely with the HCAS board, as well as artistic director and staff

▪ Recruiting, retaining, and supervising the HCAS staff, including Operations Manager and  other positions to be determined.

▪ Providing rigorous fiscal oversight and budget management for HCAS and its Festival.  Overseeing and maintaining efficient bookkeeping and accounting systems and providing  regular financial reports at board meetings.

▪ Working with expert consultants and vendors on HCAS and Festival marketing and public  relations campaigns including pursuit of local, national, and international media coverage,  creating print materials and placing advertisements, and recruiting of sponsorship support.

Ideal Personal Profile  

The ideal Executive Director will possess the following characteristics:

▪ Extensive background in setting and executing specific fundraising goals including cultivating  corporate, foundation and individual giving

▪ Experience leading non-profit organizations and working with Board of directors

▪ A strong vision and philosophy about leadership and management of an arts institution  ▪ A knowledge of the fields of film, new media, and/or contemporary art, and the ability to  support the vision of the Artistic Director and programming staff

▪ Ability to set and meet goals and objectives while working in a small, collaborative team  environment

▪ Ability to manage activities at multiple venues throughout a geographic area

▪ Excellent organizational skills and able to develop detailed systems, policies and procedures  ▪ Excellent interpersonal and written communication skills including public speaking and  presentation abilities

▪ Confidence, integrity and strong ethics

▪ Multi-venue film festival experience is a plus

▪ Familiarity with the Houston arts, philanthropic, and business communities is a plus, but out of state applicants are also welcome

▪ Familiarity with national arts and film programming funding, and corporate sponsors a plus as well as an understanding of the national film and field building ecosystem landscape

Experience and Qualifications  

▪ 5-10 years of non-profit experience, preferably in an arts organization

▪ Minimum B.A., B.F.A., M.A., or M.F.A. in a related field.

▪ Working knowledge of current, commonly used business related  software, databases, and applications, including Google Docs, Word, Excel, Dropbox, Quickbooks,  Adobe Acrobat Pro, among others

How to Apply  

Email CV and references to jobs@cinemahtx.org with “Executive Director” in the subject  line. No phone calls please.

###