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Exciting New Search! Executive Director of Southern Vermont Arts Center

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Pillar Search & HR Consulting is honored to be working on behalf of Manchester, VT-based Southern Vermont Arts Center on their search for a new Executive Director!

About Southern Vermont Arts Center

The mission statement of the Southern Vermont Arts Center is to promote and nurture the arts.

They do so by providing a meeting place in an inviting environment for their community to enjoy and participate in the arts – the community involves the children, young adults, full-time residents, summer residents, visitors, donors and artists. They do so by providing quality programming which reaches the many segments of the community at the Southern Vermont Arts Center campus and through the workshops and summer camps, and by providing their artist members an opportunity to grow in their artist endeavors by providing instruction, a place to exhibit their work, and the opportunity to sell their work.

Southern Vermont Arts Center is a steward of their assets – their endowment, their permanent collection, their campus and their legacy

Established in 1922, the Southern Vermont Arts Center provides cultural, educational, and creative opportunities for all ages, located within a four-hour drive of Boston, Montreal, and New York City.

Situated amid over one-hundred acres of pristine forest in the heart of the Green Mountains, SVAC offers a first-class experience in a traditional New England setting. With a rotating calendar of member and guest exhibitions, the largest sculpture park in Vermont, and a busy schedule of dynamic classes for all ages, the Southern Vermont Arts Center has something for everyone.

The drive into Southern Vermont Arts Center winds through a spectacular sculpture park.  Visitors can explore the twenty-eight room Yester House Gallery, built in 1917, home to diverse exhibitions featuring many mediums by member artists.  Across the courtyard, the contemporary Elizabeth de C. Wilson Museum offers one of the East Coast’s finest exhibition spaces outside a major city and boasts over 800 pieces of 19th and 20th-century art, including the world’s largest collection of works by Luigi Lucioni.

A wide range of workshops and ongoing programs are offered year-round on campus in the Hay Madeira Education Center Studios. Programming is created for all ages and all skill levels.  In the summer, the 400 seat Arkell Pavilion is regularly filled with audiences entertained by a variety of performing arts encompassing everything from dance and classical music to theater.  The Center is also home to Café Sora, which features family-style Japanese cuisine, and has multiple venues available for private events.

More information about Southern Vermont Arts Center may be found at http://svac.org.

 

The Manchester, VT Community*

The Southern Vermont Arts Center is located near the center of Manchester, VT.  Manchester offers a unique blend of New England charm, and is a popular four-season destination.  Manchester is the perfect place for adventure-seekers and those looking to relax and unwind. Tucked between the Taconic and Green Mountain ranges, Manchester is a quaint, charming, four-season town with all the big city perks; world-class historic sites, award-winning cuisine at over forty eateries ranging from casual to fine dining, incredible galleries and museums, award-winning cultural venues, sophisticated shops, boutique accommodations,
and outdoor adventures for every skill level and taste.

Three acclaimed ski resorts are within easy distance – Bromley, Magic, and Stratton – and the area is well-known for its spectacular fall foliage.  Those who come to Vermont for the outdoors enjoy Southern Vermont Arts Center’s connection to the Equinox Preservation trails, as well as the many acres of woodland hiking. Even during the coldest months, you can find visitors snow-shoeing or cross-country skiing in the Southern Vermont Art Center’s renowned Sculpture Park.

Manchester is part of Bennington County.  As of the 2010 census, Manchester’s population was 4,391. The neighboring town of Dorset’s population is 2031. During the summer, the population expands dramatically with full-time summer residents.

 

Position Overview

This is a unique and exciting opportunity to create and execute a strategic vision for a historic multidisciplinary arts center!

Reporting to and working closely with the board of directors, the Executive Director will be responsible for the overall success and growth of Southern Vermont Arts Center. A visionary and entrepreneur, the Executive Director will enhance and elevate the vitality of the Center’s programs, engage and grow its member base, build a strong brand in Vermont and beyond, strengthen financial support through strategic partnerships, provide fiscal management, and oversee operations and marketing. As well, the Executive Director will lead and mentor the staff of 7 and a growing number of part-time and volunteers.

The Executive Director will oversee an annual budget of approximately $750,000 and an endowment of $3 million. The organization will, under the direction of the new Executive Director, launch a capital campaign in the near future.

As Southern Vermont Arts Center is a pillar of the rich cultural fabric in the area, the Executive Director will maintain an active presence in Manchester, working collaboratively with key stakeholders and leaders of other organizations in the arts and cultural community.

 

Key Responsibilities

Strategic Thought-Leader

  • The new Executive Director will create and implement a strategic plan that honors the Center’s history and existing success and builds on those to expand the program offerings and reach
  • Conduct an assessment of existing programs, membership feedback, and best practices of similar organizations

Leadership & Management

  • Provide leadership and management of all aspects of the organization
  • Mentor and coach team members, providing opportunities for personal and professional development
  • Model professional behavior, building a positive and inspiring organizational work culture

Fundraising & Financial Management

  • Provide the vision for and execute a comprehensive plan for fundraising initiatives
  • Oversee the administration of key fundraising activities
  • Deepen the engagement of existing donors and expand donor base
  • Assess and, as needed, implement fiscal controls to maintain the Center’s commitment to sound financial management and transparency

Brand-Building

  • Oversee the Center’s marketing efforts, ensuring that the messaging and materials are consistent and highlight the mission and programs in an exciting, positive, and consistent manner
  • Oversee the enhancement of the Center’s social media presence
  • Represent Southern Vermont Arts Center at community events and arts/cultural forums
  • Serve as the organization’s spokesperson in the media

Programming

  • Enhance and expand the Center’s world-class offerings, including exhibits, programs, and educational pursuits

Board Relations

  • Report to the Board of Directors, and builds a positive relationship with the Board
  • Support the Board’s ability to function properly, providing updates and information on a regular basis
  • Partner with the Board President to recruit new Board members as needed
  • Work with various Board committees as needed in support of the strategic plan

 

Qualifications & Characteristics of the Ideal Candidate

The Executive Director will be a dynamic, charismatic, strategic, entrepreneurial, diplomatic, and resilient leader who can articulate a vision and plan of action for Southern Vermont Arts Center. A natural-born leader, the ideal candidate will be collaborative, encouraging engagement and fostering a sense of belonging among staff and volunteers. The Executive Director will be motivated, energetic, and comfortable affecting change and fostering a growth-mindset in an arts organization.

This leader will be a deeply committed champion of the arts, and passionate about the possibilities that exist for outstanding organizations like the Center.

To be considered, applicants must have a bachelor’s degree (master’s degree preferred) plus a minimum of ten to fifteen years of increasing responsibility in a senior management role. In addition, qualified candidates will possess:

  • Extensive hands-on experience working in the arts, whether at a museum, arts center or similar multi-disciplinary arts organization
  • Managing, mentoring and motivating a staff
  • Success creating and implementing a strategic plan
  • A track record of securing significant funding through stewardship of individuals, foundations, and corporations
  • Demonstrated success in building partnerships within a local community as well as with other arts organizations
  • Able to articulate strong business acumen
  • Experience partnering with a board of directors

 

Compensation and Benefits

Southern Vermont Arts Center provides a competitive total compensation plan.

 

Applications and Inquiries

Please submit an electronic version of your letter of interest and resume to:

Cindy Joyce

CEO

Pillar Search & HR Consulting

(617) 529-7708

cindy@pillarsearch.com

 

Our Commitment

Southern Vermont Arts Center and Pillar Search & HR Consulting do not discriminate on the basis of an applicant’s race, color, religion, gender, national origin, ancestry, sexual orientation, age, or any other characteristic protected by law.

 

*Sources: svac.org / manchestervermont.com / Vermont.com

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Pillar’s Article, 10 Things Nobody Ever Tells You about Working from Home, Appears on Thrive Global!

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This article was posted on Thrive Global on April 30, 2018.  To read the article on Thrive Global, click here!

When I started Pillar Search & HR Consulting, I went from working in the office 5 days a week to working from home 3-4 days a week. I have loved every minute of working from home. It has been a total game changer. There have been some surprises, though. If you are considering a role that allows you to work from home almost exclusively, here were a few of my “aha” moments:

  • I miss coworkers. Sometimes. Granted, I no longer have to listen to Ned from Accounting complain about the quality of coffee or Mabel from Client Services go on and on about her cats, but I miss the comradery and the ability to bounce ideas off of people. I try to do client or candidate lunches once or twice a week. Some days I will sneak out to the gym just to see another person during the day, because once in a while it feels isolating.
  • Be prepared to redecorate. Believe me, this was on of my biggest surprises. Spending hours on end in your abode will make you realize that cannot stand the paint color in your immediate work area. It started to feel too dark, so I painted it. And then the bedroom looked too dark. And then the guestroom. If the dog stands still long enough, he may get a coat of paint.
  • My dry cleaner misses me. We used to be on a first-name basis. Now I am just some person who brings in her “fancy” clothes every few weeks since the days of suits and dresses are few and far between. Now I work in yoga pants. You know it’s bad when I justify that they are my “dressy” ones, though on the plus side I am saving a considerable amount of money.
  • I now regret the money spent on shoes (okay, not really…) It’s just a wee bit challenging to justify what I spent on my shoe obsession when I now spend most days in gym socks. Same for the suits and dresses that now collect dust. If you believe that working from home will be your reality for the foreseeable future, consider paying it forward by donating some of your former work wardrobe to an organization like Dress For Success.
  • Maintain a Network: If you work remotely, you can still have a relationship with colleagues, albeit virtually. However, having people you see live and in person can be crucial to your sanity. Join a networking or professional group to ensure that you maintain much-needed, real, live contact with others in your profession or industry.
  • Those appointments that I used to schedule way in advance are a breeze. Those annoying four hour windows from the cable company? No problem! I’ll be here! Doctor has nothing in the evenings or Saturday for months? I’ll take that random Tuesday afternoon time slot!
  • Toilet paper. Not to be indelicate, but you never think about that when in an office. Ditto for water, pens, post-its, and coffee/tea. In an office, those things somehow magically appear. You will be amazed at how quickly you run through them. Be sure to stock up.
  • Time Management. Without the normal office cues to indicate time, it is so easy to get sucked down the rabbit hole of a project, look up, and realize the day is gone. You do not see people coming and going, or have the same number of meetings to break up the day – it is great because it keeps me focused, but sometimes I need to set a timer so that I remind myself to take a breather.
  • Family and friends think I am free to play. Set boundaries if you start to work from home. People assume that it means that you can chat on the phone at any time or meet them for downtime when they have a day off. That is not the case. I am working from home, with a big emphasis on the w-o-r-k.
  • MOVE! Living in the city, I often walked a mile to and from the office, and clocked thousands of steps while there going to meetings or to grab lunch. Now I need to remind myself to move. One thing that helped my waistline is the lack of the office candy bowl and endless birthday cake and leftovers from catered lunches, and if I ended a conference call in the office and started doing pushups, I would have been looked at funny. At home, it is a judgment-free zone.

There are a million perks to working from home, and if you can work around the very few challenges, you may just find your professional utopia. Good luck with it!

Hire the best! With personalized service and proven results, Pillar Search & HR Consulting provides retained executive search services and human resources consulting for exceptional non-profits and socially responsible for-profit firms. A woman-owned business, Pillar is based in Boston, MA, and works on the national level. To learn more about how Pillar can assist with your hiring and human resources needs, please contact Cindy Joyce at cindy@pillarsearch.com.

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From a Whisper to a Roar: Handling Workplace Sexual Harassment in 2018

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Note: This article was a collaboration with my former colleague and favorite “sisterpreneur”, Tamara Gardner, Founder of Becoming Boldacious and Tamara Gardner Coaching & Consulting, and was recently published in the Northeast Human Resources Association (NEHRA) publication “Insights”.
 
It is an understatement that the last year has been one of radical change in the United States. For Human Resources practitioners, perhaps the most impactful and talked about was the “Weinstein effect”. When media outlets reported on numerous sexual abuse allegations against film producer Harvey Weinstein, it was described as a “tipping point“, and precipitated a “national reckoning” against sexual harassment.
 
It was a shocking transition from what had become the norm – victims feeling worse for having reported incidents due to how they were handled, overt and subtle retaliation, or simply because the victim did not see a clear path to address the behavior, and was left feeling exposed and vulnerable. That being said, even prior to Weinstein’s “outing” and the #metoo movement, sexual harassment was evolving right in front of us.
 
For example, it became more than a two-gender problem. Today, there are a whole host of genders in the mix, including but not limited to woman, man, trans-woman, trans-man, gender-fluid, questioning, and unsure. Any and all of these genders can harass or be harassed. Historically, it was men who were viewed as the more likely perpetrators of harassment and as having less of a stake in helping to solve the problem. However, with the recent explosion of high-profile cases, more and more men are asking questions, expressing genuine concern, and inquiring about how they can play a role in eradicating this behavior in the workplace. We are witnessing a seismic shift in how sexual harassment is being discussed. Inclusion, equality, and diversity have started to mean something different, and the words have become more prevailing than ever.
 
So, what does this mean for HR practitioners in 2018? Simply said, we have an opportunity to change the narrative and elevate the way it’s being addressed. Discussing sexual harassment is no longer an obligatory training, it is an imperative discussion. HR has been presented with an opportunity to demonstrate strategic leadership, to partner and have meaningful dialogue with colleagues, and together, truly affect the change needed to ensure every employee is supported and treated with respect.
 
We’d like to offer that it’s time to be innovative and engaging about how we address this issue, and get downright strategic about how we prevent it. It’s time to toss out the standard annual sexual harassment PowerPoint presentation and/or email reminder of what not to do. After all, how much personal understanding and commitment is someone demonstrating by clicking a box to indicate they have read and agreed?
 
While there is no one-size-fits-all approach to navigate this new landscape, perhaps the resources have been right in front of us all along. Maybe it’s time to actively engage employees in becoming part of the solution. What we’ve found is that when employees have a safe forum to share their thoughts and learn from each other, it becomes a powerful and educational conversation. Furthermore, when you engage someone not associated with your organization to facilitate, the dialogue becomes much more fluid and enlightening. As a result, you receive an honest assessment of what your employees are dealing with, which can be invaluable and inform how you can better address the issue going forward.
 
It is also time to galvanize your employee resource groups and supercharge your efforts around making them impactful. Typically, employees with passion for (or at least a strong interest in) equality and inclusion self-select to join an ERG. If you have ERG’s that are established, there is likely already trust and open communication. Talk to them. Learn more about their personal perspective, pilot your new and improved anti-harassment education approach with them first to get their feedback, and remind the entire population that these ERG’s exist, and why. You may find that you have an uptick in new members given all that is going on. On the other hand, if you do not currently have employee resource groups, the timing may be right to create them.
 
No matter what approach you choose, getting a realistic understanding of what your employees concerns are and what may be impacting their performance and engagement can be crucial in creating an inclusive environment. It’s high time that we let the whispers to turn into a roar, and to let that roar inspire positive actions that result in actively preventing sexual harassment in the workplace instead of merely addressing it. 

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Pro Bono Posting: Director of Institutional Partnerships Job with Ms. Women’s Foundation

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About Ms. Foundation for Women:

The Ms. Foundation for Women fights to keep women’s rights intact, to keep lawmakers in check, to protect and fortify our fragile successes, and to secure the same rights and opportunities for all women in the US — especially those whose voices are muted because of their economic realities and everyday challenges.

We fight to eliminate barriers for all women. Because to secure a better future for ourselves, our families, our communities, this is a fight we can’t afford to lose.

Position Summary

The Director, Institutional Partnerships strengthens and expands institutional fundraising efforts to increase revenue. This position works with outside foundations, corporations, the CEO, the VP of Development and program staff internally to manage and implement a strategy for development of new and sustained revenue in all program and operational areas.  This position reports to the Vice President of Development.

Key Areas of Responsibility

  • Maintain and expand support for the Ms. Foundation’s programs and initiatives, including prospecting, proposal and report writing, relationship management, and tracking
  • Conduct strategic planning, in partnership with senior leadership, in order to grow new foundation and corporate funding sources as well as sustaining existing ones
  • Work closely with program, communications and advocacy staff to strategize on, develop content for, and execute development strategies and proposals for foundations
  • Manage the prospect portfolio and ensure that cultivation and solicitation strategies are carried through by relevant staff and board
  • Track proposal and reporting deadlines and departmental performance against goals
  • Identify, research and pursue new funding sources and supervise research staff towards this goal
  • Develop annual foundation fundraising strategies and forecasting in assigned program areas, including the development of new initiatives as needed
  • Supervise and/or execute relevant grants administration, including participation in tracking grant financials, narrative and financial report preparation, as well as developing budgets, timelines and project deliverables
  • Participate in the maintenance of strong donor database records
  • Work with department Directors on individual prospects for foundation or corporate gifts
  • Work with program and executive staff to communicate Development needs for proposals and work with the other departments to develop effective programs that will be attractive to funders
  • Develop a deep understanding of program content and organizational priorities to ensure integrity and quality of proposal writing
  • Manage an institutional funding calendar that includes an expanded slate of institutional funder opportunities
  • Supervise staff to meet department goals
  • Develop briefings on the progress of the Ms. Foundation’s programmatic initiatives for institutional funder updates and ongoing communications
  • Develop prospect lists and briefings for senior staff trips to new cities
  • Manage and strategize on institutional communications and mailings
  • Travel for program and development-related activities as needed

Qualifications and Requirements

The ideal candidate will be a feminist with a passion and commitment to the Foundation’s mission. While no one person will embody all the qualities enumerated below, the ideal candidate will possess many of the following professional abilities, attributes and experiences:

  • Minimum of 5-8 years of experience in foundations/institutional grant writing and development for a non-profit organization or charitable foundation
  • Proven systematic experience in prospecting and growing new sources of revenue from foundations
  • College degree required, advanced degree preferred
  • Ability to forecast revenue accurately and maintain an expense budget
  • Excellent interpersonal and communications skills
  • Ability to educate other staff on what specific elements are needed to deliver programmatic outcomes
  • Extensive experience working with or for a grant-making foundation, and existing relationships in the New York foundation funding community
  • Demonstrated superior writing and organizational skills
  • A keen ability to synthesize large amounts of information from leadership team members and program staff into a cohesive, compelling and executable funding proposal
  • Experience in managing, developing and revising budgets for grant proposals
  • Superior Excel, Word and PowerPoint skills
  • Intellectual curiosity and the ability to learn quickly, ask probing questions and synthesize information from an array of sources in order to determine next steps
  • Ability to successfully execute multiple, simultaneous projects on time and with quality results
  • Ability to thrive in a fast-paced, dynamic environment and to work collaboratively
  • A commitment to the mission and values of the Ms. Foundation for Women
  • People of color are strongly encouraged to apply.

To learn more about the Ms. Foundation for Women, and to apply for this position, please submit a detailed cover letter and resume: www.forwomen.org

The Ms. Foundation is an equal opportunity employer and considers all applications without regard to race, color, religion, creed, gender, gender identity, gender expression, national origin, age, disability, socio-economic status, marital or veteran status, or sexual orientation.

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Executive Search Success! Announcing the New President of Yestermorrow Design/Build School

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Pillar's Search Success

Pillar Search is proud to have successfully partnered with Yestermorrow Design/Build School on the search for their new President.

Yestermorrow Design/Build School welcomes Mike Crowley as its new President. Yestermorrow Design/Build School is a 501(c)3 non-profit educational organization located in the Mad River Valley of Vermont offering workshops, certificate programs and semester programs for adult students from around the country. Yestermorrow’s mission is to inspire people to create a better, more sustainable world by providing hands-on education that integrates design and craft as a creative, interactive process.  The intensive and experiential curriculum includes a wide variety of topics related to sustainable design, green building, architectural craft, and furniture making.

As President, Mike will be responsible for the fiscal, programmatic and functional health of the Yestermorrow, in addition to serving as the primary advocate for its mission and steward of its reputation.  As a school known for innovation, Mike will foster a culture of thinking outside the box and creative experimentation to help Yestermorrow continue to be a place of cutting-edge design education.

Mike joins Yestermorrow from the Institute for Sustainable Communities, where he held the role of Program Director, Resilient Regions Initiative. Prior roles included Climate and Sustainability Manager with Environmental Health & Engineering and Assistant Director of Harvard University’s Office for Sustainability. In addition, Mike was a professor of Planning for Carbon Neutrality at Harvard University Extension School. Mike holds a graduate degree in Environmental Science from Schumacher College/University of Plymouthand an undergraduate degree in Environmental Studies from University of Vermont.

With personalized service and proven results, Pillar is your partner in executive search and human resources consulting. With over 20 years of experience, Pillar provides national retained search services for exceptional non-profits and foundations and early-stage or rapid growth for-profit firms. All share the characteristic of desiring top talent who want an occupassion, not just an occupation.     In addition, Pillar offers human resources consulting services, which was born of clients requesting help on projects beyond executive search, and includes human resources audits, creating a handbook, assessing organizational design, training, team building, and employee communications.    A woman-owned business, Pillar is based in Boston, MA, and works on retained searches both a local and national level. To learn more about how Pillar can assist with your search needs, email cindy@pillarsearch.com.