Managing Director, Jess Curtis/Gravity  
Location: San Francisco/Bay Area
Position type: Independent Contractor 25-35 hours/week
Compensation: $30-45/hr depending on experience
Reports to: Executive/Artistic Director
Application Reviewed: beginning January 31, 2022
Start Date: Immediately

About Jess Curtis/Gravity
Gravity is an international Dance/Performance company based in San Francisco and Berlin. Founded in 2000 by choreographer-director Jess Curtis, Gravity creates exceptionally engaging body-based art that physically explores and addresses issues and ideas of substance and relevance to anyone with a body. In addition to creating, producing, and touring original performance works instigated by Artistic Director Jess Curtis, Gravity serves emerging artists and  helps make the performing arts more accessible to people with disabilities through Gravity Access Services, and Artist Services Programs. Gravity has evolved out of DIY Anarcho-Punk collectivist sensibilities of SF in the 80’s and keeps those values close at hand while continuing to thrive into the 21st century.

Managing Director
Gravity’s activities, programs and budgets had expanded significantly in the three years before the pandemic. In the last two years we have had to scale back, retrench and improvise, but have also enjoyed surprising growth, particularly in our Access Services and Artist Services programs. This position will work closely to support Executive/Artistic Director Jess Curtis to resume ‘normal’ operations, will be responsible for  implementing administrative and fundraising systems and working with Access Services Manager Jeshua Aveno growing the company’s Audio Description and Artist Support programs. The position will be hired as an independent contractor.

Initial Position Summary – 25-35 hr/week, $30-45/hr depending on experience.

Areas of Attention Responsibilities

Administration [20%]

• Communications: managing company email, snail mail and voicemail. Responding to inquiries or forwarding them to the appropriate team members in a timely way. Scheduling, facilitating and documenting meetings with staff and consultants.
• Database & Information Management: managing and maintaining company records, audience lists in MailChimp and Salesforce for audiences, donors, community partners, clients and presenters; managing and executing bulk email sends, working with Gravity’s Web Designer to maintain and update company websites.
• Board Support: providing logistical support and note taking at quarterly Board Meetings; answering Board inquiries between meetings and supporting Board-led efforts like Gravity’s annual fundraiser.
• Virtual Office Management: Maintaining all company files, both digital and physical; official registrations, licenses and memberships.

Fundraising [30%]

• Grants Management: keeping our organizational grants calendar up to date and our writing processes on time; researching new grant opportunities; submitting grant applications and reports; preparing and drafting grant proposals in collaboration with Gravity’s Artistic Director, Finance Manager and grant writing consultant. Communication with Gravity’s Berlin staff on international fundraising efforts.
• Individual Donor Management: Tracking donor and prospective relationships with individuals; creating and implementing fundraising campaigns through the use of SalesForce and other tools. 

Program Management [25%]

• Program Coordination: Working with Access Services Manager, Financial Manager and our Berlin office  to maintain systems, intra-team communication and performance goals to further develop our Access Services/Audio Description Program and our  Artist Services Programs. Managing these programs requires consistent and timely coordination and regular meetings and conversations with Artists, Clients and Community Partners.

Production Coordination [25%]

• Working closely with the Artistic Director to plan and oversee Gravity projects including our annual SF Home season, creation and touring projects. Includes planning, budgeting, coordinating the hiring of appropriate creative and production staff, space rental, travel booking, Interfacing with PR and Marketing consultants and managing relationships with collaborators and community partners. Working with our bookkeeper to track and manage project financials, coordinate outreach to inter/national presenters and organize documentation and archiving.

How we work

• Our team is made up of part-time staff and contractors. Our work is rooted in collaboration and improvisation. We value flexibility, creativity and initiative in both our studio and our administrative work.
• Currently we mostly work remotely. We hope soon to return to meeting weekly for a half-day of co-working at our downtown San Francisco shared office space.
• Other than these meetings, the timing and location of work is up to the individual. Although timely responses to team communications require significant daily attention.
• Several times a year the Artistic Director works from our Berlin offices or is on tour, so the ability to work across Time Zones is essential.
• We believe in work life balance and are committed to keeping the workload aligned with the true hours worked. 

What we’re really looking for:

• The ability to work with diverse groups of artists and audiences. The ideal candidate will be politically aware and sensitive to the plurality of thought and culture within the many communities Gravity serves, including: people with disabilities and diverse sensory modalities; BIPOC communities; and the LGBTQ+ community. A commitment to, literacy in, and experience of fostering, diversity and equity is essential.
• Project management skills, with strong time management, organizational skills and attention to detail.
• Ability to analyze priorities and manage workflow.
• Ability to work both independently and on projects with others.
• Strong troubleshooting capabilities, with a flexible and innovative approach to problem solving.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills and an ability to work with varied communication styles.
• Proficiency in computer applications, especially Google Suite, Excel, Word and MailChimp  immediately necessary. An ability to get up to speed on  SalesForce CRM quickly , online databases, and social media desired.  Extra points for basic video editing and graphic design skills.
• An interest in becoming an actively engaged member of a diverse team of artists, doing work we experience as vital, beautiful and important. 

Application & Hiring Process: 

Please email a resume and a detailed cover letter explaining your interest in the position and our organization, along with the names and contact information for three or more references, to info@jesscurtisgravity.org subject line: Managing Director

Please make sure that references are from current and/or former supervisors and that information includes names, phone numbers, emails and the name of the organization where you worked with each person. 

Applications will be reviewed beginning January 31, 2022 and the position will remain open until filled. Early submissions are encouraged. No phone calls or packets by regular mail, please.

Jess Curtis/Gravity provides equal employment opportunities (EEO) to all employees, contractors and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, sexual orientation, disability, gender or gender presentation.

More About Gravity

Gravity has premiered 13 full-evening productions and numerous shorter works with co-producers in the U.S. and Europe, performing in over 60 cities in 17 countries. These works consistently engage with issues of embodied diversity including gender, sexuality, and disability, making compelling cases for the value that different bodies contribute to society. Curtis is a recipient of the prestigious Alpert Award for Choreography, the Homer Avila Award for Excellence in Physically Diverse Choreography, and six Isadora Duncan Dance Awards (Izzies.) Since 2005 the company has received annual organizational support from San Francisco Grants for the Arts, and we recently completed a three-year strategic plan with the support of a three-year Kenneth Rainin Foundation Impact grant. The company regularly receives project support from the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA), the California Arts Council (CAC), and the San Francisco Arts Commission (SFAC), in addition to other important funders such as the NEFA/National Dance Project, the MAP fund, the Ford Foundation, the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation, the National Performance Network, the Wallace Alexander Gerbode Foundation, the James Irvine Foundation, and the Zellerbach Family Foundation.

www.jesscurtisgravity.org