MAP Fund Executive Director Search

We are excited to share the job posting for MAP Fund’s Executive Director! Read the full details below, and download the position profile here.

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THE MAP FUND

The MAP Fund (MAP) invests in performing artists and their work as the critical foundation of imagining and co–creating a more equitable and vibrant society. The MAP Fund (initially known as the Multi–Arts Production Fund) was founded in 1989 to engage a national conversation on cultural equity and formal innovation in performance practices and producing structures. It has since invested more than $36 million in 1,500+ discrete projects, representing the work of thousands of generative artists.

MAP makes flexible project grants directly to artists working across all performance disciplines and, since 2012, provides additional artist–driven strategic support through the Scaffolding for Practicing Artists (SPA) program. Both programs are designed to operate in a highly responsive manner, taking cues from the artists as to what, how, and where support will most effectively move their work forward.

Now considered a pillar of performing arts philanthropy, MAP has often supported artists early in their careers and permanently changed the face of arts and culture in the United States. In total, more than 7,000 artists have received MAP support to realize works that interrogate presumptive cultural norms, challenge entrenched ideologies, and remind us over and over again of our shared humanity.

Organizational Context, Structure, Culture, and Values

MAP‘s beloved leader of 2o years will be moving on to her next venture. She was instrumental in leading its transition from a program within the Rockefeller Foundation to the fiscal sponsor, Creative Capital, increasing grantmaking transparency, deepening MAP‘s internal practices on racial equity, and expanding its geographic reach. In 2016, seeking a higher profile platform to spotlight performing artists’ particular value and vulnerabilities, she established MAP as an independent 501(c)(3) and recruited its inaugural board.

Today, MAP is governed by a dedicated 10–member Board of Directors and has eight staff and a $4.2 million annual operating budget. MAP‘s funding has primarily come from private foundations, government entities, and, more recently, individual donors.

MAP‘s culture is defined by warm, caring, creative, collegial, and passionate people who are deeply committed to its mission and values.

MAP‘s values

• The MAP Fund honors the artist‘s imagination and believes in their unique capacity to help create a more just and vibrant society.
• The MAP Fund values racial justice and the rights of persons of all abilities and economic means to be free of harm and exclusion. They recognize that we operate in a world where inequities based on race, ability, and class are rampant, systemic, and entrenched. They commit to undoing those inequities as individual staff members and an organization.
• The MAP Fund values radical inclusion: They welcome any individual‘s engagement with the program, regardless of age, economic means, ethnicity, gender, physical abilities, race, sexual orientation, or any other element of their unique identity.
• The MAP Fund values mutual respect among staff, applicants, grantees, and all other stakeholders to the program. They believe that caring for the individuals with whom they come into contact is a non–negotiable requirement of doing their work.

MAP has been very successful and experienced substantial growth in the breadth and impact of its work over the years. It is the longest–running private funding source for performing artists in the United States and enjoys an excellent reputation and a strong following.

The Board of Directors seeks to find a strategic leader who is mission– and values–aligned to build on MAP‘s rich history and accomplishments, guide the organization through the next phase of evolution, and enable it to flourish and realize its full potential.

THE POSITION

The MAP Fund‘s Executive Director will provide strategic vision and leadership on governance, mission, programs, and operations. They will ensure the organization‘s financial stability and long–term viability, develop, lead, motivate, and retain high–performing staff and board members, and enhance the organizational culture.

The Executive Director will oversee all of MAP‘s activities and operations, raise the organization‘s profile and visibility nationally, grow and diversify its funding/sources, and build and deepen relationships with an array of stakeholders in the performing arts community and philanthropic ecosystem to advance the organization‘s mission, strategic priorities, and ability to make a more significant impact. They will also serve as an organizational spokesperson.

The ideal candidate is a creative, inspirational, and mission–driven leader with excellent organizational and relationship management capabilities, compelling communication skills, and strong fundraising, staff, and board leadership abilities.

A successful candidate must demonstrate confidence, maturity, compassion, and an understanding of the issues affecting BIPOC and other marginalized communities and the root causes of disparities and possess the cultural competence needed to work effectively with and inspire a diverse community of artists, partners, funders, and
stakeholders. They must have the courage, willingness, and appetite to tackle complex issues.

Specific Responsibilities

Organizational Leadership & Strategy

• Lead the organization, in collaboration with the board and staff, in developing and articulating a clear and compelling vision for MAP’s future and possibilities; this includes collaborative work to define the organization’s scope, future direction, work, and strategic priorities
• Assess the competitive landscape and shifting social, political, and economic climate and help MAP think creatively about how to build on its legacy, differentiate itself to attract broader audiences and philanthropic support, and ensure the organization can enact its values at the highest level

External Relations & Thought Leadership

• In partnership with staff, serve as an organizational public face, advocate for MAP and its mission, persuasively articulate the importance of MAP‘s work, and “tell the stories“ with passion and heart
• Speak to the most critical issues and opportunities affecting MAP artists and stakeholders in a compelling and impactful way to influence and drive impact
• Build MAP‘s image and reputation nationally
• Engage MAP in national conversations about arts and culture, racial justice, equity, and systemic change more broadly

Community Building & Advocacy

• Identify strategic opportunities to advance MAP’s agenda
• Build and manage relationships with philanthropic organizations and individuals, government agencies, and key influencers and decision–makers nationally
• Expand MAP‘s influence and community of stakeholders, and build strategic alliances and partnerships to overcome challenges and advance shared agendas

Fundraising

• Strengthen MAP’s fundraising capability and achieve a sustainable revenue model
• Leverage philanthropic networks and relationships and analyze trends, market conditions, and other factors to understand the strategic priorities of philanthropic organizations, institutional funders, and donors, identify areas of shared purpose and strategic alignment, and determine where there are potential partnership and funding opportunities for MAP
• Cultivate relationships to increase funding and diversify sources, and secure financial support from foundations, individuals, government agencies, and corporations
• Continue to build on essential funding priorities and connect MAP‘s work to the aspirations of donors

Organizational Management & Culture

• Continue to cultivate an organization with high levels of motivation and shared purpose
• Ensure that MAP’s programs are appropriately aligned with the resources needed to operate and serve artists, grantees, and other constituents effectively and allow the organization to develop and execute innovative programs and pursue opportunities that advance the mission
• Continue to develop the organizational infrastructure, systems, and professional practices
• Ensure the financial and overall health of the organization
• Continue to recruit, develop, lead, and retain great people for the board and staff
• Build talent management programs and ensure a high–performing organization that is constantly learning and growing
• Provide feedback, guidance, coaching, and support to the team and nurture high levels of board development and engagement

CANDIDATE QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE

Ten–plus years of progressive organizational leadership, management, and resource development expertise and experience working in a comparable nonprofit or mission–driven organization focused on arts programming, BIPOC and underrepresented artists, and grantmaking, with a sophisticated understanding of systemic inequity.

COMPETENCIES AND ATTRIBUTES

The successful candidate will be:

• Passionate about MAP’s mission and values, the performing arts, and artists
• A strategic and visionary leader with unquestionable integrity; secure and willing to listen, ask questions, comfortable not having all the answers; inclusive in decision making, able to make tough decisions, take a stand, and act appropriately
• Deeply committed to racial equity, inclusion, and justice
• Comfortable working with a wide array of diverse individuals and communities
• A capable fundraiser with a proven record of success or demonstrated aptitude
• Creative, inspirational, motivating, and supportive of staff, board, and stakeholders
• Highly credible, politically savvy, driven, innovative, and engaging
• Respectful of the fundamentals that have contributed to MAP’s successful work and outcomes while focusing on its future
• Well–organized, with the ability to prioritize what is essential, which can shift daily
• Caring, compassionate, trustworthy, authentic, and transparent
• Flexible, adaptable, and pragmatic

The successful candidate will have:

• Proven ability to lead and guide an organization through change, growth, and evolution
• Excellent leadership, relationship, and people management skills
• Financial acumen
• Confidence with humility and temperance – comfortable with and energized by being “the face” of the organization
• Demonstrated ability to hire, develop, and lead competent and high–performing talent and appropriately delegate and empower leaders and staff to fulfill their responsibilities successfully
• Ability to collaborate effectively with multiple stakeholders
• Knowledge to increase MAP’s visibility and influence to advance its mission and drive impact nationally
• Exceptional communication skills and the ability to engage and communicate with different audiences in different ways
• Emotional intelligence, maturity, and sound judgment
  

COMPENSATION

The salary range for this position is $135,000 to $150,000 annually, plus a comprehensive benefits package. We welcome candidates of all backgrounds, identities, and lived experiences. To apply for this position, please send a resume and cover letter to Lisa Fisher – posting@lafsearch.net by March 10, 2023.

LISA FISHER
Principal
www.lafsearch.net