Creative Arts Manager

The Mather, a luxury Life Plan Community in Tysons, Virginia, is seeking a compassionate and creative Creative Arts Manager who delivers creative arts and art therapy services to support the psychosocial wellness needs of the community, including robust Independent Living creative arts programming, Creating My Possibilities creative strengths-based dementia care, and creative support for resident and community needs across the continuum. Supports wellbeing via creative arts and arts therapy interventions addressing autonomy, achievement, and affiliation within individuals and the community system. Supports Culture of Creativity within Life Center, ensuring that “residents are creators, not just consumers of culture – participants in the human experience, not just recipients of care.”

This full-time, salaried, on-site role that requires schedule flexibility, including availability for weekends, evenings, and special events.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

• Facilitates creative arts programs across the continuum, utilizing person-centered, strengths-based counseling techniques and high-quality interactions with diverse materials and media. Fosters creative engagement through multi-modal approach incorporating open studio model, storytelling, inquiry-based art-viewing, creative writing, improv, music, movement, and intergenerational experiences. Facilitates Mather signature creative arts portfolio in Independent Living.
  
• Identifies teaching artists/other creative modalities as independent contractors across the continuum. Collaborates with Engagement Manager on non-visual modalities in Independent Living including supporting music/improv/creative writing/dance engagement.
• Maintains safe and inviting art studios, programs, and exhibition spaces, maintains work areas and amenity spaces in line with Mather standards for presentation and safety. Maintains cleanliness, supplies, and welcoming atmosphere of community art studio, independent artist studio, and gallery spaces. Supports therapeutic environment in Life Center.
• Oversees Life Center art therapy/music therapy/storylab program delivery, including documentation protocols, clinical processes, and program development. Oversees creative arts therapies referrals, assessments, care plans, progress notes, consent forms, policies, and individual/group creative arts therapy design. Manages, trains, and performance reviews art therapy, music therapy, and counseling team members to address key areas of focus including physical and cognitive impairments, legacy/end-of-life care, life transitions, support of resident mental health.
• Fosters high levels of resident engagement: via programs that inspire genuine curiosity and peer inspiration, encourage community discourse, highlight resident experience and creativity, and inspire the socioemotional safety needed for residents to try new things and connect authentically. Facilitates opportunities for intergenerational and civic engagement. Supports family and employee connection with residents.
• Provides clinical supervision for graduate counseling interns. Maintains relationships with art therapy/counseling graduate program partners to maintain internship program.
• Participates in community Creating My Possibilities (CMP) Champions Team and Implements CMP programs: Co-leads CMP workshops for employees, residents, and families, oversees delivery of CMP signature programs in memory support settings and in any venue in which residents living with dementia may seek engagement. Supports creative engagement and psychoeducation for residents/caregivers/family members impacted by dementia across the continuum.
• Supports Culture of Creativity in Life Center via collaboration with engagement team and support of program development. Provides therapeutic input, modeling of therapeutic techniques, and strategic program co-design to Life Center engagement team to support best practices for group and 1:1 engagement and calendar flow.
• Assists with development of multi-media event(s) and art exhibits that support resident and community wellness, family/employee engagement, positioning the Senior Living setting as places of creative encounter and inspiration.
• Maintain on site an adequate supply of art supplies for planned creative arts experiences within approved budget.
• Assists Resident Engagement Director and Engagement Manager in developing and utilizing key external partnerships that support resident engagement, with an emphasis on creative intergenerational engagement, inquiry-based museum experiences, arts & culture organizations, etc.
• Supports resident-led creative initiatives as possible, including attending Art Committee meetings, assisting with resident-led art exhibits and events, etc.
• Collaborates with colleagues to deliver resident volunteer program.
• Creates relationships based on respect, using a customer-focused approach to problem solving, maintaining a courteous and professional manner through interactions with others. Communicates with key staff, residents and families in a timely manner.
• Supports family engagement opportunities.
• Supports employee wellbeing as directed through creative opportunities, creative team-building, and in-service opportunities.
• Attends in-services, care plan/transition meetings and committees as needed.
• Complies with Mather Code of Conduct, Policies, Compliance Program, and all applicable laws and regulations in performance of one’s job duties; reports all known and suspected violations to his/her supervisor or manager, Mather Compliance officer, a Human Resources representative, or the confidential employee helpline.
• Demonstrates understanding of and commitment to the company Mission, Core Values, and IRBI philosophy.
• Uses discretion in handling confidential information, incorporating all Federal, State and local privacy and confidentiality requirements. Ensures Mather consent protocols are followed across continuum for resident content.
• Follows established safety and infection control policies and procedures and participates in all required in-service training including life safety, disaster preparedness, infection control and safety regulations in accordance with IDPH regulations.
• Maintains work areas in a sanitary and safe manner.
• Establishes, operationalizes, engages team members in, and sustains a Quality Assurance Improvement process.

QUALIFICATIONS AND SKILLS

Required:

• Master’s degree in art therapy, working towards or holds LPC or LCPC and ATR-BC.
• Masters’ fieldwork experience with older adults.
• Exhibits extensive knowledge of diverse art materials and their applications with older across full Life Plan continuum (independent and care venue).
• Comfortable with diverse forms of expression, including visual art, creative writing/poetry, music, movement, and improv.
• Strong written and verbal communication.
• Self-initiator requiring minimum.
• Ability to use or learn a variety of tech-based services and platforms, i.e. Microsoft Outlook, Zoom, YouTube, resident facing portals, and A/V set-ups.

Preferred:

• 1+ years of experience working with individuals living with dementia, long term care setting experience, demonstration of extensive knowledge of person-centered care, knowledge of state and federal regulations pertaining to Medicare/LTC.
• Experience with care plan and MDS documentation relating to resident activity program.
• Experience and skills related to Health and Wellness, Lifelong Learning, and Arts and Culture, comfortable utilizing and facilitating diverse forms of expression.

Benefits

Mather offers a competitive benefits package.*

Team members are eligible for:

• A generous paid time off (PTO) program including vacation days/personal days, sick days, and holidays. This is an “earn-as-you-go” plan that rolls over year to year, offering long- and short-term flexibility.
• A 401(k) program with per pay-period employer match and annual employer contribution (available to those age 21 or better)
• Convenient, subsidized parking (or public transportation for certain locations)
• Wellness Spending Account: up to $300 available annually for Wellness related expenses such as gym memberships, financial planning, etc. 

Benefits-eligible team members can take advantage of:

• Medical, dental, and vision plans
• Paid Parental Leave
• Adoption Assistance Reimbursement
• Tuition reimbursement for continuing education
• Extended illness benefits
• Employee wellness programs
• Short- and long-term disability insurance
• Life insurance is available to benefit eligible team members.

*Benefits are subject to change without notice. Benefits details dependent on employment status.

About The Mather:

The Mather is a Life Plan Community in Tysons, Virginia, for those 62 and better that defies expectations of what senior living is supposed to be. More than a luxury residence, The Mather is in an enviable walkable, urban neighborhood, close to the Metro and all the DC area has to offer. Opened in March 2024, The Mather includes 293 independent living apartment homes, as well as assisted living, memory support, and skilled nursing, along with multiple restaurants, a fitness center, art studio, gardens and more. 

The Mather is located at 7929 Westpark Drive, Tysons.

About Mather

Based in Evanston, Illinois, Mather is a unique, non-denominational, not-for-profit organization founded in 1941. Dedicated to developing and implementing Ways to Age Well^SM, we create programs, places, and residences for today’s young-at-heart older adults. Mather has received a national certification as a Great Place to Work^®, and has been selected as a Nation’s Best and Brightest in Wellness Award recipient four years in a row.

Mather is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer committed to an inclusive workforce. Candidates will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, marital status, veteran status, sexual orientation, genetic information, or any other protected characteristic under applicable law.