CERAMICS PROGRAM COORDINATOR

Brief Description

Position Overview:

The Ceramics Program Coordinator oversees and maintains the Ceramic Studio Spaces & the Ceramic Studio Membership Space at the ArtsQuest Creative Factory, powered by PPL. This position oversees the technical and operational aspects of ArtsQuest’s ceramics classroom spaces & the Ceramics Studio Membership Program, including day-to-day classroom operations & cleaning, kiln firings, and materials/supply management for classes and studio members. The Ceramics Program Coordinator utilizes strong communication and administrative skills to build and maintain effective relationships with students, ArtsQuest Teaching Artists, studio members and faculty to ensure an organized and cohesive working environment.

Additionally, this position oversees the development and implementation of ceramic-focused programs for the ArtsQuest Creative Factory, working closing with the Manger of Visual Arts and the Visuals Arts & Education Department. Working closely with ArtsQuest Retail Department, this position will also oversee the development of ceramic production items for ArtsQuest.

Duties are detailed below. Periodic classes and workshops will also be a possible teaching opportunity as an independent contractor.

Key Responsibilities

CLASSROOM/KILN OPERATIONS:

• Independently load and unload kilns, fire kilns (electric Skutt & Cone Art Kilns, computerized) as needed during each semester for student work & member work
• Monitor classroom & studio equipment such as kilns and wheels. Complete minor repairs and/or coordinate and oversee repairs for equipment & kilns as needed.
• Track and maintain inventory of clay, glazes, tools, and other supplies needed for the classroom space. Order materials and schedule deliveries as needed.
• Maintain clean, orderly and safe classroom spaces, including consideration of environmental health and safety, oversight of safe handling and disposal of studio materials
• Includes daily cleaning of all spaces Monday-Friday
• Gives mandatory safety orientation to all new Teaching Artists and students during the first 15-20 mins of all classes & workshops. Provides specialized, advanced or tool-specific orientations and training as requested/needed.
• Problem solving and communication in the ceramic classrooms & membership space with teaching artists and students
• Facilitate Ceramic open studio 2 times per week as part of weekly schedule.
  
  

Administration & Program Development

• Working closely with Manager of Visual Arts, creating annual ceramic program & classroom budget.
• Track spending to budget throughout the year, track revenue goals
• Develop any separate budgets or P&L’s for ceramic-focused programs as needed
• Work with ArtsQuest Retail Department & Visual Arts Manger to develop 1-2 ceramic production items for ArtsQuest.
• Act as a support for selecting ceramic artists for 1st floor retail area artist consignment program.
• Weekly Meetings with Manger of Visual Arts, attends Visual Arts & Education Team Meetings
• Oversee selection of ceramic artists for ArtsQuest Studio Membership Program, act as main liaison between members and ArtsQuest Staff.
• Coordinates with ArtsQuest Staff and Manger of Visual Arts on the creation and administration of policies and procedures that are consistent with classroom operations across the ArtsQuest Creative Factory and responsive to the needs of programs & classes, Teaching Artists, and students.
• Maintains and updates classroom policies, safety orientations, and shared classroom calendar
• Keeps ceramics documents organized and accessible
• Maintain a strong sense of community and open dialogue with students, ArtsQuest Teaching Artists, and ArtsQuest Staff
  
  

Requirements

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

Education & Professional Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree, BFA/BA from an accredited college/university; ideally with a focus in Ceramics
• 2-3 years’ working experience in an academic, non-profit, or community studio/classroom setting
• Prior teaching experience in an educational (academic, non-profit, or community studio/classroom) setting preferred
  
  

Specialized Knowledge & Skills

• Kiln Management: ability to use and understand electric kilns (programming firings, loading and unloading kilns, etc.)
• Ability to use, maintain, and instruct others in the use of studio equipment, tools, and processes, including, but not limited to: mixing commercial glazes, pugging/reclaiming clay, use of pug mill, use of wheels and slab rollers.[E
• Familiarity with different clay bodies, dry mixing glazes with various firing ranges (Glazes are typically fired to Cone 6)
• Demonstrated proficiency in safe handling of ceramic materials and equipment
• Knowledge of and commitment to health, sustainability, and safety in classroom practice and materials use, maintain diligent cleaning habits.
  
  

Administrative Skills

• Confident using independent judgment in decision making.
• Experience collaborating and working in a team setting required.
• Developed organizational and task management skills
• Prior experience working with and/or developing an operating budget or a P&L is a plus
• Computer proficiency, including email (Outlook) and Microsoft Office Suites, Microsoft One Drive.
  
  

Interpersonal Skills

• Excellent time management and organizational skills; ability to work independently and proactively
• Strong communication skills (written and verbal).
• Ability to work in a culturally competent manner with diverse groups and individuals
• Demonstrates ability to establish and maintain positive and cooperative working relationships
  
  

Other Duties

Please note this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive list of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities, and activities may change at any time with or without notice.

Physical Demands

• Regularly required to communicate, either verbally and/or in writing.
• Frequently required to stand; walk, stoop, bend, crawl, kneel; use hands to finger, handle or feel; and reach with hands and arms.
• Frequently required to lift up to 50 pounds, with or without reasonable assistance.
• When necessary for safe handling of equipment and materials, must be willing and able to wear a dust respirator and be properly fitted with half mask respirator and any other PPE required.
  
  

Frequently required to travel between our facilities, using reliable transportation. Employee may

occasionally be required to travel offsite for business meetings.

Employee should have the ability to read, write and communicate in English; bi-lingual ability in Spanish or other language is a plus.

Position Type/Expected Hours of Work

This is a full-time level position. Normal business hours for this position are Monday through Friday, 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., however the employee must be willing and able to work outside normal business hours to support our events and activities throughout the year as needed, including evenings, weekend and holidays when necessary and during events and festivals.

Travel: Travel is required between buildings, for off-site meetings and events and is expected for this position. Employees should have a reliable means of transportation to enable them to travel between our buildings, facilities and festivals.

Working Conditions

• ArtsQuest offices are smoke-free.
• Ability to work harmoniously in a diverse office environment
• Normal working environment is mostly indoors, however, the ability to work indoors and outdoors in all types of weather conditions during festivals and events is required.