About Yerba Buena Center for the Arts

For three decades, Yerba Buena Center for the Arts has served as a dynamic hub for contemporary art in San Francisco's downtown community, showcasing innovative and thought-provoking contemporary art across various disciplines, including visual arts, performing arts, film and more.

YBCA brings together artists, audiences, and perspectives under one roof. We believe it’s this synergy that makes the city what it is today and will be for years to come–a hotbed for new and emerging creativity – a place where the diversity of the Bay Area comes to life and its artists, people, and ideas thrive.

YBCA aims to be a catalyst for conversations around critical social and cultural questions, using art as a medium to engage audiences in meaningful dialogues. To do this, YBCA is committed to supporting artists who push boundaries and challenge conventions, encouraging experimentation and innovation in the arts.

YBCA’s Mission Vision, and Values

Mission: To be a gathering space for creative expression that fosters meaningful connection for all.

Vision: To be a catalyst of creative exploration, expression and innovation that empowers artists, inspires community and drives lasting social change.

Values:

• Belonging: We believe the arts are for everyone.
• Inclusive Collaboration: We are stronger together.
• Optimism: Art has the power to inspire change.
• Curiosity: We believe that learning is at the center of all artistic expression.

About the Role

YBCA is seeking a Program Manager to lead and coordinate the newly created year-round Arts Internship Program. The Program Manager will be responsible for managing all aspects of the program, ensuring seamless coordination, logistics, and overall success.

The Arts Internship invites rising high school seniors in San Francisco to a transformative summer and school year program. Interns will engage in paid work experiences at prestigious arts and cultural institutions, coupled with professional development sessions, cultural activities, and college readiness workshops.

Through the Arts Internship program, students will become familiar with workplace etiquette and improve their communication skills. By exploring cultural assets throughout San Francisco, they will also develop critical life and work skills and prepare for the transition to college. Additionally, the Arts Internship aims to ensure that participating students develop critical professional skills and prepare for the workforce.

Top Priorities, Year 1

• Program Coordination: Finalize program details, create a timeline, and manage recruitment and onboarding.
• Curriculum and Logistics: Collaborate on a dynamic curriculum and coordinate logistical aspects of the program.
• Recruitment and Outreach: Execute targeted campaigns to attract high school seniors and engage potential worksite partners.
• Intern and Worksite Matching: Implement a matching process ensuring compatibility and ongoing support.
• Evaluation and Feedback: Establish an evaluation framework and implement continuous feedback processes for interns and worksite partners.Primary Responsibilities  
• Program Coordination
  • Oversee the day-to-day coordination of the Arts Internship program.
  • Develop and maintain a detailed program schedule, including intern activities, field trips, and professional development sessions.
  • Work closely with internal and external stakeholders to ensure program objectives are met.
• Logistics Management
  • Coordinate logistics for intern placements, ensuring a diverse and immersive experience.
  • Manage relationships with worksite partners, mentors, and vendors, including safety considerations for youth and background checks.
  • Oversee the identification and onboarding of a food vendor for weekly intern lunches.
• Worksite Recruitment, Selection & Management
  • Conduct a comprehensive assessment of local arts organizations, museums, galleries, theaters, and cultural institutions in San Francisco for potential intern placement
  • Develop a compelling outreach strategy to introduce the Arts Internship Program to potential worksite partners.
  • Host information sessions to provide potential worksite partners with a deeper understanding of the program's structure, goals, the role of the worksite in interns' development, selection process and mutual benefits.
  • Conduct site visits to potential worksites to facilitate a firsthand understanding of the organizational environment, internship opportunities, and the potential impact on interns.
  • Develop a streamlined application process for worksite partners, including an online portal for submission.
  • Establish a review committee to evaluate worksite applications and ensure a fair and transparent selection process.
  • Conduct orientation sessions for matched interns and worksite partners to introduce them to each other and foster positive relationships.
• Intern Recruitment & Selection
  • Collaborate with external partners, high schools, and community organizations for intern recruitment.
  • Develop a compelling outreach strategy to introduce the YBCA Internship Program to potential high school seniors.
  • Host information sessions to provide potential interns with information about the program's structure, goals, and benefits.
  • Manage the intern application and selection process, including scheduling and conducting interviews.
  • Establish a review committee to evaluate intern applications and ensure a fair and transparent selection process.
  • Coordinate the orientation process for selected interns.
• Mentorship Recruitment, Selection & Management
  • Oversee the recruitment and coordination of college student mentors.
  • Develop a compelling outreach strategy to introduce the Arts Internship Program to potential college student mentors.
  • Manage the mentor application and selection process, including scheduling and conducting interviews.
  • Establish a review committee to evaluate mentor applications and ensure a fair and transparent selection process.
  • Coordinate the orientation process for selected mentors.
  • Monitor mentorship activities and provide support as needed.
• Curriculum & Content Delivery
  • Work closely with external educators and vendors to design and implement specialized workshops, seminars, and field trips for interns.
  • Identify, evaluate, and hire external educators and vendors specializing in college preparation, writing, and professional development.
  • Collaborate with college prep vendors to conduct specialized workshops covering portfolio building, career planning, and navigating the college application process.
  • Work with educators and industry professionals to design writing exercises tailored to the arts sector. 
  • Collaborate with contractors and consultants for resume building sessions and professional development workshops.
• Evaluation & Feedback
  • Work with internal teams to ensure we are meeting the timeline and agreements within our grant budget and agreements.
  • Implement a thorough evaluation process for interns, worksite partners, and mentors.
  • Gather feedback and make data-driven recommendations for program improvement.
  • Conduct regular check-ins with interns to address concerns and provide support.

Qualifications, Education, Training, and Certifications

• Bachelor's degree in a related field such as arts management, nonprofit management or education, or equivalent education/work experience.
• Proven experience in program management, particularly in the coordination of educational or internship programs within the arts, cultural, or nonprofit sectors.
• Proven experience in building and implementing educational curricula, ensuring alignment with program objectives.
• Previous experience working collaboratively with high schools and community organizations, understanding the dynamics of educational partnerships.
• Demonstrated leadership and team management skills, with the ability to lead and motivate diverse teams.
• Experience in designing and managing student evaluation processes, ensuring comprehensive assessments and feedback.
• Strong organizational and project management skills.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
• Ability to work collaboratively with diverse stakeholders.
• Strong problem-solving abilities and the capacity to make decisions in a dynamic environment.
• Flexibility to adapt to changing priorities and new responsibilities within a growing program; willingness to handle projects outside of standard responsibilities, as needed.
• Thrives in a highly collaborative environment that values diversity, equity, inclusion, and access, and works effectively with people of varied backgrounds, experiences, points of view, and aspirations. 

As a condition of employment, the candidate must successfully complete a criminal background check in accordance with all federal, state, and local laws.

Who Should Apply?

Research shows that candidates from groups closest to the harms of institutional racism and inequality often apply to jobs only if they meet 100% of the listed qualifications; we believe that no one meets 100% of the qualifications. We are less concerned about whether you’ve done everything within a particular job description and are more interested in cultivating a pool of candidates who want to join a connected, mission-driven, hard-working team.

Ultimately, we are seeking applicants who have a blend – in some way – of the following: 

• The ability to manage all aspects of an internship program, ensuring seamless coordination, logistics, and overall success.
•  Proven experience in program management, particularly in the coordination of educational or internship programs within the arts, cultural, or nonprofit sectors.
• Previous experience working collaboratively with high schools and community organizations, understanding the dynamics of educational partnerships.

If much of this describes you, we encourage you to apply.

Compensation and Benefits

The salary for this position is $83,000 based on full-time hours, and includes a competitive benefits package. 

Benefits include PTO, Holiday Pay, Medical, Dental, Vision, Flexible Spending Accounts, Group Life and AD&D Insurance, Long Term Disability Insurance, Voluntary Life and AD&D, Employee Assistance Program, Travel Assistance, paid time off to volunteer, and ability to participate in the 403(b) Retirement Plan with match.

Equal Opportunity Employer

Yerba Buena Center for the Arts (YBCA) is committed to diversity in its programming and in creating a work culture and environment that is reflective of San Francisco Bay Area demography. The Center encourages and actively recruits applicants representing dimensions of difference that include — but are not limited to — age, national origin, ethnicity, race, religion, ability, sexual orientation, gender or political affiliation.

YBCA will consider for employment all qualified applicants with criminal histories in a manner consistent with the requirements of the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance (SF Police Code, Article 49).

Accommodations

YBCA is committed to providing access and reasonable accommodations for individuals with disabilities in all aspects of the employment process. If a reasonable accommodation is needed, please contact accommodations@ybca.org with the subject line “Accommodations Request”.

Health and Safety

At YBCA, we continue to prioritize the health and well-being of our community. Our current COVID-19 health and safety protocols meet or exceed local, state, and federal public health requirements. We require proof of vaccination against COVID-19 as a condition of employment. Exemption from these requirements will be reviewed according to standards set forth by state and local health agencies and reasonable accommodations will be made for those providing valid exemptions.

All initial interviews will be conducted remotely via phone or video conference. Please note that this position may perform some work remotely and on site responsibilities. 

Application Status

After you apply, you will receive a confirmation email to let you know that your resume has been received. A member of our recruiting team will personally review your application and, if you are a potential match for one of our open positions, we will be in touch. If there is not a match right now, we will keep your resume on file for future opportunities.

Agencies and Recruiting Firms: Please note that we will only review applications submitted directly by candidates and do not accept resumes or pay fees to third parties. Any unsolicited resumes received will be considered the property of YBCA.