Director of Strategic Programming - Grace Farms Foundation

Role: Director of Strategic Programming

Reports To: Chief Strategy Officer & Founding Creative Director

FSLA Status: Salaried, Exempt, Full Time (40 hours)

Location: On-site in New Canaan minimum 4 days a week

In 2025, Grace Farms Foundation will celebrate its milestone 10th anniversary, after opening in October 2015 as a new kind of publicly available place. Across just nine years, the Foundation has brought forth grace and peace into the local and global community through the intentional environment at Grace Farms-with 77 acres of preserved landscape and internationally award-winning buildings by the Pritzker Prize-winning firm SANAA- and our distinct programmatic offerings. These offerings span focus areas of nature, arts, justice, community, and faith, delivered in many different formats and venues and for varying audiences. Programming at and beyond Grace Farms advances the Foundation's work and key initiatives, creating a community around the work. As such, strategic programming is elemental to experiencing the brand of Grace Farms and serves as the wellspring for future outcomes.

Responsibilities:

• Communicates the creative direction and programmatic theme for each year set by the CEO & Founder and the Chief Strategic Officer & Founding Creative Director Foundation-wide, providing training and guidance to all departments. Serve as a resource for internal programmers and advisors to assist them with translating that vision and how it could be reflected in their particular areas of programming expertise.
• Collaborates with Executive Team Leadership to identify, determine and implement foundation-wide programmatic goals. Serves as the connective tissue and channel for communication between internal/external program leads and the Executive Team.
• Manages the relationships with all external arts & architecture programmatic Advisors, identifying deliverables and ensuring their timely completion in accordance with the standards of the Foundation.
• Works with internal teams to identify opportunities for new programming that engage a wide range of stakeholders, program participants, and thought leaders across fields, disciplines, and areas of concern. Serves as a resource for internal Programmers and Advisors to design programming concepts with an eye toward a rounded experience on site at Grace Farms, connecting physically with the seasons, landscape, and buildings and with other offerings on site and our notable hospitality. Encourages the integration of new fundraising levers into the annual programming cycle, incorporating membership, Grace Farms teas & coffees, and more.
• Serves as a strategic reviewer of newsletters, seasonal program booklets and annual report to ensure they appropriately reflect the annual programmatic goals and storylines. Provides a high-level overview of the annual program calendar, making suggestions for additions, deletions, and combinations as internal and external conditions require and with an eye toward being planful and nimble simultaneously.
• Constantly assesses past and current programming to identify opportunities of growth and evolution which might involve new ways of collaboration, or new systems to better assess impact or program evaluation.
• Assembles, analyzes and constructively shares staff insight and program guest feedback to the Foundation's programmatic team as part of the cycle of continuous improvement to incorporate important lessons learned, areas to improve, and aspects to leverage in future programming.
• Works with internal team members to identify important local, national and international notable dates in the upcoming programmatic year that could thematically impact or enhance Grace Farms programming decisions.
• Advises the Executive Team in regards to programmatic details such as pricing, expenses and calendaring recommendations.
• Assists in the research and editing of Grace Farms publications. Collaboratively curates publications for the Grace Farms Library and Artists in Residence Program library collection.
• Serves as one of the point of contacts for certain Arts related Talent/Artists in Residence during their on-site visits, coordinating and facilitating the exceptional hospitality so that the Talent can best experience Grace Farms and connect them with the Mission of the Foundation.
• Facilitates and owns important event preparation conversations with the Artist/Talent directly and/or with their agents (as applicable), marshals on-staff talent, and coordinates with Grace Farms event-management colleagues.
• Conducts directed research on select artists and their works identified as potential partners for the Foundation. Develops and stewards relationships with select artists over time.
• Provides support to the Chief Strategy Officer & Founding Creative Director for all 10 Year Anniversary efforts.
• Manages other Special Projects/Initiatives for the Chief Strategic Officer & Founding Creative Director.
• Other professional duties as required.

Required Skills, Qualifications & Education:

• A minimum of ten (10) years of program and management experience.
• Advanced degree or equivalent record of continuing professional development preferred; Bachelor's degree required.
• Track record of successful supervision of professionals, consultants and/or contractors.
• Experience with developing programming and/or experiences for diverse audiences, particularly in an informal educational setting.
• Demonstrated success with creating, executing, and assessing a variety of institutional programs.
• Some exposure and experience with developing and managing program related budgets - both expenses and entrepreneurial revenue streams for program/institution sustainability.
• Ability to participate in media appearances about Grace Farms programming/serving as a spokesperson for Grace Farms programming overall.
• Voracious intellectual curiosity: an eagerness to learn about new areas, coupled with an orientation of constant improvement.
• Ability to operate as an effective tactical partner as well as a creative strategic thinker.
• Excellent analytical skills and the ability to develop appropriate success metrics across all departments; a high level of comfort with complexity and nuance.
• Sophisticated personal presence, superior interpersonal skills, and a high level of emotional intelligence, with a proven ability to successfully engage with a variety of stakeholders.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills and an inclusive, transparent communication style that fosters cooperation, trust, and teamwork.
• A proven track record of leading with diplomacy, integrity, and sound judgment, as well as a sense of humor and humility.
• Skilled at identifying opportunities for synergy, and able to effectively manage multiple workstreams and projects.
• A positive attitude and self-directed and entrepreneurial work style.
• Ability to work evenings and weekends (with notice, generally speaking) to attend public programming events.

Benefits

Grace Farms offers a competitive benefit package that includes a choice of medical plans, a dental and vision plan, 100% employer-paid basic life insurance and short-term disability and a 403(b)-retirement benefit with an organization match. We encourage our staff to take time-off to rest and recharge and provide PTO, sick, and personal days as well as 11 paid holidays. All staff are welcome to explore the beautiful 80-acres of our preserved land and may take part in any of the numerous public events on-site.

About Grace Farms

Grace Farms is a center for culture and collaboration in New Canaan, Connecticut. We bring together people across sectors to explore nature, arts, justice, community, and faith at the SANAA-designed River building, situated on 80 acres of natural landscapes. Our humanitarian work to end modern slavery and foster more grace and peace in our local and global communities includes leading the Design for Freedom movement to eliminate forced labor in the building materials supply chain.

Grace Farms is an equal opportunity employer. We evaluate qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, veteran status, and other legally protected characteristics.