Director of Education

Director of Education

Arden Theatre Company, Philadelphia, PA 

• Position Title: Director of Education

• Department:  Education

• Classification: Full-time Exempt /40-hour week

• Reports to:  Producing Artistic Director

• Location:  On-Site

About the Arden

Founded in 1988, Arden Theatre Company is a professional regional theatre that strives to offer the highest quality theatrical productions and educational programs to the artists, audiences, and students of Greater Philadelphia. Each year, we produce the Mainstage season as well as Arden Children’s Theatre, the city’s first resident children’s theatre. In 2013, we opened the Hamilton Family Arts Center to provide a home for our educational programming, leading to an expansion of both our programming and partnerships.  From our productions that reach over 100,000 audience members each year, to our educational outreach programs that inspire and empower 6,000 students in schools across our region, the Arden stands out as a haven for shared stories, an important incubator for the creation of new work, and a place where children are celebrated.

The Arden’s education programs include:
Arden for All (AFA), our theatre access and education program serving students in grades 3-5; Arden Drama School, our after-school, Saturday and summer camp classes for students in grades pre K-12; the Arden Professional Apprentice (APA) Program, a nationally renowned theatre management training program; The Mindy Goldberg Rose Intern program, a professional development program and Teen Arden, an immersive access program for Philadelphia-area based teenagers.

The Arden has been an important force behind the vitality of the Old City neighborhood and in the Philadelphia cultural landscape. In the 2023/24 season, the Arden is currently producing a five Mainstage and two Arden Children’s Theatre productions, resulting in 375 performances seen by more than 85,000 people.  The company is focused on returning to its previous performance levels of FY19, where we produced seven Mainstage and two Arden Children’s Theatre productions resulting in 508 performances seen by more than 106,000 people.

Position Summary

Arden Theatre Company’s Director of Education is responsible for overseeing the theatre’s extensive educational programming, robust community partnerships and engagement activities, and strong commitment to accessibility.  We seek a passionate arts administrator and arts educator who will ensure a mission-driven focus to this work and can galvanize participation and collaboration from the many partners, stakeholders and staff members who believe in the power of theatre to foster inspiration and connection.

The Director of Education reports directly to the Producing Artistic Director. The Director of Education is a member of the Executive Management team and works closely with the Managing Director and all other department heads.

Anticipated start date:  February 15, 2025

Responsibilities include:

• Oversee the direction and expansion of the Arden’s educational programming, which currently includes Arden for All (AFA), Arden Drama School, Arden Professional Apprenticeship (APA) program, Dr. Mindy Goldberg Rose Intern program and Teen Arden.
• Deepen and expand vital education partnerships with cultural and education organizations and the school districts with whom we work.
• Build and lead the education staff and team which includes Education Managers, Arden Teaching Artists, Interns and Arden Professional Apprentices. Oversee performance objectives and goals, regularly review performance, and provide professional development and training opportunities to cultivate staff skills and expertise.  Actively and positively interact with all the company’s departments creating a collaborative environment within both the department and the company.
• Further and oversee the Education Department’s accessibility initiatives, including social narratives, accessible teaching practices and accessibility tools.
• Foster and maintain local, regional, and national relationships with peers at other cultural, educational, and civic organizations.
• Teach camps, classes and workshops as needed to ensure continuity in program and classroom experience.
• Oversee educational content for all department materials to include, but not be limited to: study guides and Arden Children Theatre Stagebills. Partner with the Artistic department on audience engagement programming such as post-show discussions and pre and post-show student engagement initiatives to advance the Arden’s commitment to fostering learning and connection for audiences of all ages.
• Partner with the Development department to steward program-specific donor relationships, including the collaborative creation of proposals for institutional funders.
• Oversee the assessment of engagement and educational programming including the creation of assessment tools and the compilation and communication of data to practitioners, partners, and stakeholders.
• Collaborate with the Marketing department in the creation of all educational and engagement materials and communication.
• Working with the Managing Director and Producing Artistic Director, develop the department’s budget, expenses, reconciliation, and reporting.
• Member of Executive Management Committee

Experience and Qualifications:

Successful candidates will:

• Have five years leadership experience with a cultural organization with a track record of developing engaging educational programming and building successful organizational partnerships.  Formal, informal and cross-disciplinary experiences will be considered.
• Be a collaborative relationship-builder and a passionate advocate for theatre, youth, and education.
• Bring new ideas and perspective to our education and engagement efforts and be able to envision how the department and programming might grow with the company. Will have the ability to identify opportunities and navigate change.
• Be an exceptional leader and collaborator with an ability to engage with a wide range of people, including educators, children, care-givers, community leaders, artists, and other Arden staff members. Actively and positively interacting with all of Arden’s departments, create a collaborative environment within the department, the company and the community.
• Have advanced teaching skills, techniques and lesson plan development in creative dramatics, theatre and other related performing arts.
• Be proficient in Office 365, Dropbox, Zoom, and other cloud-based applications.
• Have budget management experience and the ability to create and monitor budgets and expenses.
• Have prior programmatic assessment experience and the ability to organize and utilize data.
• Have demonstrated an ongoing commitment to equity, diversity, inclusion, and accessibility in their past work.
• Have strong writing and communication skills. Prior fundraising experience is beneficial.
• Be willing and able to work flexible hours/days reflective of the dynamic schedule of a theatre which includes a variety of hours including evenings and weekends.
• Be someone with initiative, creativity, and a collaborative spirit. Must have the ability to work within a fast paced, dedicated management team—rolling up your sleeves must be a favored tactic.
• Express a passion for theatre and the Philadelphia cultural community with a genuine interest in becoming a driver of the Arden’s mission and vision.

Work Environment

• This position is primarily focused on children and teen activity in office spaces, onsite classrooms, public and private school classrooms throughout the region, community centers, theatre and stage
• Indoor environments, some with low light and confined spaces
• Stairs and ladders
• Public transportation

Physical Demands

• Must be able to lift and move 50 pounds
• Must be comfortable with moving furniture, supplies, set pieces
• Sit at a computer during workday
• Walk a distance from public transportation
• Teach movement and vocal games

Compensation

Compensation for this position is in the range of $72,000-$75,000

The position is full-time/exempt.

The company provides Medical and Disability Insurance, a Flexible Savings Plan, a Defined Contribution Plan, as well as paid vacation, personal, and holiday leave.

Application Process:

Applicants should submit cover letter, resume, and three professional references to:

humanresources@ardentheatre.org

Please include “Director of Education” in the subject line.

No phone calls please

Applications should be received by December 2, 2024

Arden Theatre Company is an Equal Opportunity Employer committed to providing an environment of mutual respect where equal employment opportunities are available to all applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, veteran status, and any other characteristic protected by applicable law. Applicants from historically underrepresented groups in the theatre field are strongly encouraged to apply.

Arden Theatre Company has instituted a mandatory COVID-19 vaccination policy for all employees; the successful candidate must provide proof of vaccination prior to beginning work and must agree to adhere to all Arden Theatre Company’s safety protocols.