Our mission: We nurture and invest in artists, culture, and the arts throughout Santa Cruz County.

The job: We’re looking for a dynamic, bilingual leader skilled at building cross-sector relationships grounded in shared values of trust and action. A person passionate about advocacy and developing artists’ leadership capacity will thrive in this role. We seek a natural connector who enjoys working with everyone from parents and artists to government and business owners. The Community Organizer will facilitate meaningful collaboration among partners to inform and forward the Arts Council’s strategic goals and work plans. Being physically out in the community is an essential part of this work. It’s an exciting time to join the Arts Council’s team to invest in artists as leaders, bring different voices/experiences into decision-making, and increase access to and participation in community wellbeing through the arts. Working closely with the Watsonville team and the Executive team, the Community Organizer will provide thought partnership and support planning by sharing field observations and identifying opportunities and areas for growth.

Schedule: 20 hours/week, Monday-Friday, flexible schedule

Salary & Benefits:

• $22-25/hour, part-time, non-exempt position
• A flexible, family-friendly schedule

Location: Hybrid in-person & in-community/remote. In-person work at our Watsonville Center for the Arts.

Reports to: Deputy Director

Supervisory Responsibilities: None

To Apply: Please email your resume and a cover letter in one PDF outlining your interest and fit for the position to Yesenia Camacho-Bautista. Please title your email and the PDF with this naming convention: Your last name – COMMUNITY ORGANIZER. In your cover letter, please don’t restate information we’ll find in your resume. Tell us why this opportunity lights your fire and why you would be a solid addition to the Arts Council Santa Cruz County team. We won’t review applications without a cover letter.

We plan to fill this position by November 15. Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis until an offer is made.

Responsibilities

• Outreach & Engagement 50%
  • Initiate and steward public relationships with stakeholders based on trust, interdependence, and action. Stakeholders include artists, non-profit partners, private and public partners, individual leaders
  • Conduct direct outreach to encourage participation in arts and cultural happenings, advocacy opportunities, and leadership roles
  • Facilitate communication and collaboration between partners
  • Participate in and facilitate committee and community meetings

• Leadership Development 35%
  • Strengthen and support the artist networks countywide
  • Support artists in developing as community leaders, advocates, influencers, and decision-makers
  • Support partners in analyzing problems, designing solutions, and implementing effective strategies for change
  • Model, support, and engage artists leaders in practicing skills such as developing meeting agendas, facilitation, note-taking, and task delegation

• Administration 15%
  • Coordinate logistics for workshops, events, advocacy efforts, and other community activities
  • Create spreadsheets and work within web-based project management systems to track workflows and ensure follow-through by team members
  • Track defined metrics, collect and share stories, and maintain detailed records
  • Collect, analyze, and make meaning of quantitative and qualitative data for reports and presentations
  • Arrange participation-related, culturally-relevant supports such as childcare, flexible scheduling, interpretation/translation, etc.
  • Communicate with team members regularly and in a timely fashion through email, text, and phone

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Cultural humility, including the linguistic and cultural context of Santa Cruz County and the broad socio-economic, systemic forces affecting our communities, especially around race and equity
• Proven ability to work with people from diverse communities and cultures, with a deep commitment to improving the lives of those most marginalized through strength-based organizing
• Sense of humor and self-care practices to stay centered in the face of adversity
• Bilingual/biliterate in English and Spanish
• 3-4 years of combined relevant work experience, education, and/or training
• Commitment to social justice and racial equity
• Creative problem-solving capacities and ability to motivate and engage others
• Growth mindset, with a desire to cultivate leadership skills in self and others
• Excellent interpersonal communication skills and ability to establish and maintain cooperative and effective working relationships
• Ability to prioritize and self-direct within the ACSCC’s still-deepening culture of a caring and supportive work environment
• Work effectively with limited direct supervision within a highly collaborative and dynamic work environment
• Strong administrative, organizational, and time management skills
• Ability to plan, coordinate and manage projects and meet deadlines
• Sound judgment with established guidelines, policies, and procedures
• Ability to travel independently within Santa Cruz County
• Regular availability for weekend and evening work (70%) and for regular meetings during “regular” business hours (30%).
• Strong computer skills with proficiency in Google Suite. Experience with Asana project management system a plus!

Who we are: For 40+ years, Arts Council Santa Cruz County has led the charge to support the unique, ever-evolving Santa Cruz County arts community. We’re passionate advocates for the arts, organizations, and people who make art happen. We believe in the power of the arts to transform our community, and our daily work of art reflects that belief.

What’s it like to work with us: We operate a highly collaborative and supportive workplace where the staff is mainly self-directed. We all have the opportunity and are expected to contribute not just to our work but also to the organization’s strategic direction. We work hard. We have fun. We take responsibility for mistakes and celebrate successes. We live and breathe by our core values: collaborative, adaptable, innovative, service-oriented, and effectively and professionally run. A sense of humor and a compassionate disposition is essential. The Arts Council is an award-winning, family-friendly workplace, and we love our work. We believe in work-life balance and are committed to keeping the workload in alignment with the actual hours worked. Most importantly, we are all here to be of service to the arts and our community.

And Now For Something Completely Different: The ideal candidate will have most of the skills outlined in this job description. If you fit most, but not all of the bill, apply anyway. Be clear in your cover letter about your strengths and interests. Arts Council Santa Cruz County is an equal opportunity employer. People of color are strongly encouraged to apply.

Arts Council Santa Cruz County is an Equal Opportunity Employer: We’re committed to providing services and making resources available to every resident of Santa Cruz County without regard to ethnicity, color, creed, religion, age, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, military status, marital status, political opinion, national origin, familial status, mental and physical disability, or source of income.