Director of Creative and Artistic Administration

Job Description:

The Director of Creative and Artistic Administration serves as the primary arts and production administrator of the Department of Africana Studies / Rites and Reason Theatre, one of the oldest research theatres in the United States dedicated to the development, study, and presentation of Black performance traditions. This position is for someone who understands that the stage is a site of scholarship, that the making of new work in collaboration with artists is itself an intellectual act, and that a developmental theatre's most important contribution is not the work it presents but the work it helps bring into existence.

Rites and Reason Theatre is a space where plays are born, devised works take shape, and artists are given the room and the rigor to discover what they are actually trying to make. The Director of Creative and Artistic Administration is the person who connects the creative and developmental space — who knows how to find the resources to support a playwright whose second act isn't working yet, with a choreographer building movement vocabulary for a story that has never been told in quite this way before or with an ensemble finding a devised piece through process rather than from a finished page.

Working in close collaboration with the Department Chair, the Director leads the development and administration of the Theatre's annual season, which spans full theatrical productions and world premieres, staged readings of works in development, devised and collaborative projects, symposia, guest artist engagements, and signature events such as the Black Lavender Experience. The Director is responsible for the arts administration that connects these individual events into a coherent body of work — one that reflects the scholarly commitments of the Department, advances the Theatre's identity as a site of creation and not only presentation, and cultivates enduring relationships with artists and communities across the African Diaspora. They lead artist identification and recruitment, administratively shepherd productions from earliest concept through opening night, and work to build the audiences and institutional partnerships that give this work its reach and its meaning.

The Director of Creative and Artistic Administration also works in close collaboration with the Academic Department Manager (ADM) on the planning and scheduling of events and with budget planning.

Education and Experience

•         Bachelor's Degree with 5–7 years of related experience, Master’s degree preferred.

•         Substantive professional experience in theatrical production, new play or devised work development, performing arts programming, or a related field — either as a practicing artist (director, dramaturg, choreographer, playwright, or interdisciplinary practitioner) or in a leadership role that required deep, ongoing creative collaboration with artists at all stages of the developmental process.

•         Demonstrated experience with new work development and devised theatre processes, including the ability to provide meaningful dramaturgical and artistic feedback and to support artists through the uncertainty and iteration that developmental work requires.

•         Productive and wide-ranging professional relationships in the arts world, preferably with Black theatre, dance, and/or music artists and scholars based in the U.S., the Caribbean, Africa, or other parts of the African Diaspora.

•         Deep working knowledge of professional theatre, dance, or related performance practices — including the specific tools, processes, and professional norms of new play development and devised work — with fluency in the dramaturgical and creative conversations that happen at each stage of a work's evolution.

•         Demonstrated curatorial and artistic vision with experience developing programming that is both intellectually substantive and community-responsive, including work that is still being made.

•         The capacity to be a genuine creative partner to artists: to enter a developmental process, understand what a work is trying to become, and offer feedback and support that serves the artist's vision rather than substituting another one.

•         Supervisory experience and strong collaborative leadership skills — the ability to mobilize faculty, staff, students, and artists around a shared creative vision while maintaining clear organizational accountability.

•         Experience with project planning, production management, and the management of concurrent projects at different stages of development.

•         Excellent written and oral communication skills, including the ability to articulate an artistic vision compellingly to diverse audiences — from grant committees to community members.

•         Familiarity with audience development strategies and marketing for performing arts or cultural programming.

•         Extensive knowledge of Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, Powerpoint), Google Suite (Docs, Sheets, Slides, Forms, Calendars, etc.) Canva, Zoom, and Workday or a willingness to learn.

•         Ability to work both independently and as a deeply engaged member of a collaborative team; capacity to listen well, inspire others, and lead by example.

Additional physical demands and working conditions:    

• Some travel throughout the US may be required for artist scouting, conferences, and institutional partnerships.

• The incumbent will be expected to work evenings and weekends as required by the production and events calendar.

Why Brown?

Brown University is a leading research university that is distinct for its student-centered learning and deep sense of purpose. Our students, faculty, and staff are driven by the idea that their work will impact the world.

Brown University offers flexible work/life balance; summer hours, winter break, and a comprehensive Benefits package including time off, annual paid holidays; benefits offerings including health, dental, vision, tuition assistance, retirement, wellness, employee discounts, and more. Read more about the benefits of working at Brown here.

All offers of employment are contingent upon a criminal background check and education verification satisfactory to Brown University.

* Applicants must submit a cover letter and CV/resume.*

Benefits of Working at Brown:

Please review additional information on the Benefits of Working at Brown.

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Submission Guidelines:

The designated Position Work Location for each position determines the approved modality of work. Positions are classified based on the operational and business needs of the department and may be designated as on-site, hybrid, or remote.

Employees with a designated position work location as remote must reside and perform their work in a state where Brown University is registered to do business. Brown University is a registered employer in the following states: Rhode Island, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Maryland, Massachusetts, New York, New Hampshire, New Jersey, North Carolina, Washington, D.C.

Please note that to be considered for a staff position at Brown University, you must submit a separate application for each position you wish to be considered for. Applications are reviewed only for the specific position to which they are submitted and are not automatically considered for future openings.  

This position is not eligible for visa sponsorship.

Still Have Questions?

If you have any questions you may contact [email protected].

Brown is an E-Verify Employer.

EEO Statement:

Brown University provides equal opportunity and prohibits discrimination, harassment and retaliation based upon a person’s race, color, religion, sex, age, national or ethnic origin, disability, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, or any other characteristic protected under applicable law, in the administration of its policies, programs, and activities. The University recognizes and rewards individuals on the basis of qualifications and performance. The University maintains certain affirmative action programs in compliance with applicable law.