Director of Education and Civic Alliances

About Perelman Performing Arts Center (PAC NYC)

Following 9/11, the community and civic planning process that resulted in the World Trade Center master plan in 2003 envisioned a new performing arts center as one of the anchors of the site. The Perelman Performing Arts Center (PAC NYC) opened in the Fall of 2023. Within its three flexible and intimate performance spaces, PAC NYC produces and presents multiple projects in theatre, dance, music and chamber opera. Across each season, we seek to celebrate life and to affirm community in our location at the World Trade Center.  

Our mission

PAC NYC’s mission is to create connections by cultivating bonds between extraordinary artists and communities, with exemplary performances in active dialogue across the arts, and in our flexible, intimate spaces, inviting conversation and new relationships. Our art and our audiences reflect the dynamic energy of all five boroughs of New York City. We invite everyone to join us as we celebrate creative expression from around the world. PAC NYC is where the world trades ideas.

The role

The Director of Education and Civic Alliances provides strategic leadership and creative direction for the Education and Civic Alliances programs at PAC NYC. A skilled bridge-builder experienced in developing educational outreach and community engagement programs, the Director will oversee initiatives that bring diverse communities to PAC NYC.

The role will focus on building PAC NYC’s education program, developing a devised theater program for high school students which will nurture creativity, build critical thinking, and connect young people with professional artists and productions presented by PAC NYC.

The Director is also responsible for managing PAC NYC’s civic alliance work to engage diverse communities and bring them to our space. They will oversee PAC NYC’s relationship with four anchor alliance partners: Borough of Manhattan Community College, Center for the Independence of the Disabled New York, Interfaith Center of New York, and New York Immigration Coalition, and our foundational alliance with the Lenape Center, in additional to other diverse community and governmental organizations.  

The Director is part of PAC NYC’s senior leadership team and will work with departments across the organization to align our education and civic alliances work with PAC NYC’s organizational mission and values.

Your key responsibilities

Education Program

• Develop and implement a comprehensive education strategy focused on high school engagement, aligned with PAC NYC’s mission and values, and providing a unifying vision for our community-based work.
• Develop a Devised Theater program that will serve upwards of 600 NYC public high schools per year providing students the opportunity to learn about theater, writing and performance, with the goal of devising and performing a piece of theater based on their own stories.
• Manage the Devised Theater Program which will include in-school teaching artists, weekly after-school sessions, field trips to PAC NYC, and on-site performances.
• Build and maintain strong partnerships with school districts, educators, and community organizations to enhance program reach and impact.
• Oversee PAC NYC’s established internship and student engagement programs and identified ways to grow and develop these initiatives.
• Ensure all elements of developed programs reflect best practices in arts education, align with learning standards, and promote equity, inclusion, and accessibility.
• Recruit, train, schedule and supervise teaching artists.
• Evaluate program effectiveness and continuously refine curriculum and delivery models.
• Collaborate with the Producing team to create educational opportunities connected to PAC NYC’s artistic season.
• Create opportunities for meaningful interaction between artists, students, and educators.
• Collaborate with PAC NYC’s Marketing and Communications teams to promote education programs and highlight program successes.

Civic Alliances

• Oversee PAC NYC’s Civic Alliances program, ensuring strategic alignment with the organization’s mission and values and providing a unifying vision for our community-based work.
• Responsible for identifying, building and strengthening relationships with community-based organizations throughout all five boroughs of New York City, and beyond.
• Oversee PAC NYC’s relationship with our four anchor alliance partners: Borough of Manhattan Community College, Center for the Independence of the Disabled New York, Interfaith Center of New York, and New York Immigration Coalition, and our foundational alliance with the Lenape Center.
• Identify and engage project specific civic alliances to strengthen programming and meaningfully engage with identified community and audience groups.
• Support, performance manage and motivate the Associate Director of Civic Alliances.
• Identify, build and strengthen relationships with stakeholders including elected officials and government representatives, local residents, and 9/11 Memorial and Museum constituents and visitors.
• Identify opportunities for direct participation of community artists in select PAC NYC projects.
• In collaboration with the Producing team, develop programming (including workshops, panels and conversations) that surround select performances, both in our building and in community spaces.
• Create select programs and opportunities that are responsive to the self-identified needs of community organizations and anchor alliances.
• Facilitating community-specific audience building opportunities as part of PAC NYC’s core commitment to welcome people of all backgrounds to our space.

General Administration & Budgeting

• Develop and manage the department’s budget, ensuring fiscal responsibility and strategic allocation of resources.
• Work with the development team to identify and pursue grants, sponsorships, and donor opportunities supporting Education and Civic Alliances initiatives.
• Prepare data, reports, and impact summaries for funders, leadership, and stakeholders.
• Represent PAC NYC at educational and community events, conferences, and partner meetings. 

What it takes to be successful in the role:

• 7+ years of professional experience in community engagement and/or education program building for an arts organization, as well as a passion for community building and empowering youth through access to the arts.
• A track record of building new initiatives; an ability to improvise and be open-minded is a must.
• A creative program designer and strategic thinker with excellent organizational skills.
• An exceptional relationship builder with the ability to communicate with a diverse range of people and communities.
• Extensive professional experience in New York City, with knowledge of the diverse communities from all five boroughs.
• Strong understanding of the NYC secondary education landscape and experience collaborating with schools, districts, and teachers, with deep relationships across the education sector.
• Demonstrate the ability to conceive, strategize, manage and prioritize between multiple projects.
• Have flexibility to work outside typical business hours, including occasional evenings and weekends.

Compensation and benefits

Annual salary will range between $125,000 - $145,000 plus full benefits. Our benefits package includes health, dental, vision, life, and disability benefits. Full time employees are eligible for paid time off and 401K enrollment with employer match, and an annual professional development stipend and support through Carrot Fertility.

We encourage you to apply

At PAC NYC, we are committed to building a diverse and inclusive workplace. If you’re excited by this role and the job description aligns with you and the work you are passionate about doing, please apply to the position. We encourage all applicants who are committed to contributing to an equitable and inclusive work environment to submit an application for a role with us without feeling like they need to meet every single qualification of the position, specifically people from traditionally excluded/marginalized groups. You might be the right candidate for this role, or for others that we’re adding to our team. 

Our commitment to creating a diverse and equitable workplace

Equal employment opportunity and a commitment to a diverse staff are fundamental principles at PAC NYC, where employment opportunities are based upon individual capabilities and qualifications without regard to race, color, religion, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, national origin, citizenship, disability, veteran status or any other protected characteristic as established under law.