Director of Arts + Tech

Job Description

Job Description

Position Title: Director of Arts + Tech

Position Level: Director

Reports To: Senior Director of Programs

Status: Salary, Exempt, Full-Time (40 hours per week)

Hiring Range: $60,000 - $65,000

Prepared Date: June 2026

About WMCAT

The West Michigan Center for Arts + Technology (WMCAT) provides a culture of opportunity for people to make social and economic progress in their lives and community. We fulfill our mission through visual arts and tech engagement and workforce development.

Arts + Tech at WMCAT makes space for teens to elevate their voices and build creative confidence through visual arts and technology engagement. Programs include our afterschool Teen Arts + Tech Program, which engages high school students from Grand Rapids Public Schools (GRPS) in creative, tuition-free studio experiences from September through May; Daytime Studios for middle and high school classrooms throughout West Michigan; and summer experiences for middle and high school students.

Position Summary

The Director of Arts + Tech leads WMCAT’s programming in visual arts and digital media, including program design and implementation, curriculum development, arts + tech team development, organization leadership, and progress toward the organization’s strategic goals. Both an internal and community-facing role, the Director leads and supports a team of staff and teaching artists in implementing high-quality, youth-centered creative experiences, advancing the mission of WMCAT to provide equitable access to opportunity.

The ideal candidate is a dedicated advocate of arts education with experience in youth development; enjoys building relationships with diverse stakeholders, from middle and high school students to community partners to funders; and is committed to leveraging opportunities in the arts to cultivate belonging, elevate youth voice, and build creative confidence in young people.

Program Development

• Lead and direct all aspects of Arts + Tech programs, including program design and development, implementation, recruitment, retention, promotion, evaluation, and financial sustainability.
• Lead curriculum development with program staff and teaching artists to create high-quality, engaging, and inclusive learning experiences for all students.
• Scale existing programming and pilot new studio initiatives aligned with current trends and emerging opportunities in partnership with the Senior Director of Programs.
• Align programs with nationally recognized best practices in creative youth development and community engagement.
• Develop and implement program-level plans aligned with organizational strategic goals in partnership with the Senior Director of Programs.
• Establish systems and processes to evaluate programs, including maintaining dashboards to track student progress, demographics, program outcomes, and data needed for grants and reporting.
• Build and strengthen partnerships with school districts, organizations providing holistic student supports, and project collaborators, in coordination with the Senior Director of Programs.
• Maintain intentional awareness of and engagement with:
• Best practices in community arts education programs serving teens.
• Current trends, technology, and youth interests.
• Relevant memberships, conferences, and professional development opportunities related to this role and the organization overall.

Administrative Leadership

• Prepare and manage program budgets and studio resources responsibly and effectively.
• Lead, support, and evaluate full-time staff and part-time teaching artists, conduct performance reviews as applicable to ensure standards are met and professional growth opportunities are identified.
• Ensure alignment with organizational policies and ethical business practices.
• Serve as the primary community representative for Arts + Tech, communicating effectively about programming with a variety of internal and external audiences.
• Collaborate with the communications team on program recruitment plans and communication strategies and support broader organizational communications efforts as a representative of WMCAT.
• Support fund development efforts by providing program data, teen artist stories, and donor tours as requested.
• Foster an environment of open communication within and across the organization.
• Demonstrate strong leadership by building trust with teen artists, staff, and program partners; inspire the team and provide clear direction towards the program goals.

WMCAT Mission + Systems Orientation

• Advance WMCAT's mission (see above) and vision to ensure equitable access to opportunity for all.
• Serve on WMCAT’s director team, contributing program expertise and collaborative leadership for the organization.
• Recognize your responsibility and contribution to the culture of WMCAT. Represent WMCAT at designated events throughout the year, which may occur outside of standard scheduled hours.
• Foster positive relationships with staff and students.
• Desire to align with WMCAT’s values (listed below).

Requirements

Preferred Experiences + Skills

• Demonstrated experience could include:

• Five or more years of related experience in arts education, creative youth development, K-12 education and/or nonprofit youth program management.
• Bachelor's degree in arts education, education, visual or media arts, social services, or another relevant field of study.
• Prior experience with curriculum development and instructional design.
• Familiarity with the life cycle of grant funding, from application to final reporting needs.
• Experience managing a wide range of simultaneous projects, competing priorities, and collaboration with multiple stakeholders.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Cultural competency and emotional intelligence to work with individuals from varied backgrounds and foster open communication among diverse stakeholders.
• Ability to lead a team to adapt to changing circumstances and ambiguity.
• Excellent organizational skills and desire to maximize efficiency in this role.
• Proficiency in computer skills, especially Microsoft Suite/Office 365.
• Native-level proficiency in English.
• Ability to inspire and engage others with WMCAT’s mission and work.

Physical Demands: The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to use hands to handle, or feel, and is frequently required to talk or hear. The employee regularly is required to sit, walk, stand, and reach with hands and arms. The employee is occasionally required to stoop, kneel, climb or crouch. The employee must frequently lift and/or move from 15-45 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, and ability to adjust focus.

Additional Details: Recognizing there is leadership in every community, WMCAT is seeking candidates with diverse backgrounds and lived experiences. We are dedicated to hiring employees that reflect the communities we serve across race, gender, sexual orientation, ability, and socioeconomic status. No person shall be excluded from WMCAT services, employment or volunteer participation because of ethnicity, race, national origin, age, height, weight, genetic status, gender identity, sexual orientation, marital status, economic circumstance, veteran status, physical and/or mental abilities/characteristics, philosophy/religion, or any other status that is protected by State of Michigan or federal law or by local ordinance for those jurisdictions where WMCAT operates.

WMCAT’s Values

• Design for Equity: Creating a world that works for all of us. Rooted in an understanding that systemic oppression is perpetuated by design, we center marginalized voices, consciously co-create solutions, and challenge unjust systems to provide equitable access to opportunity.
• Pursue Learning: Engaging the experiences and expertise around us. Acknowledging that we never “arrive” in our understanding, we engage each other, ourselves, and our community with curiosity and appreciation for diverse lived experiences, seeking out new ideas, more robust context, and opportunities for growth.
• Build Community: Curating belonging for collective good. Grounded in the belief that our humanity, prosperity and futures are interconnected, we intentionally create space for belonging, build authentic relationships, seek partnership in our collective work, and respect our shared context.
• Center People: Leading with empathy. Guided by the mindsets of equitable human-centered design, we seek the perspectives of and create solutions with those most affected, embracing the inherent value of each individual and prioritizing whole-person thriving.
  

Transportation: Consistent personal transportation will be necessary.

In-person, full-time at WMCAT: This position is based in Grand Rapids, Michigan. WMCAT's regular office hours are Monday - Friday, 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. In alignment with programming schedules, Director of Arts + Tech hours are Monday – Thursday, 9 a.m. – 6 p.m., and Friday, 8 a.m. – 5 p.m.

Benefits

Pay: Compensation within the listed hiring range is based on experience and nonprofit industry standards. Competitive benefits package provided, including:

• 15 days of Personal Time Off (PTO) – vacation, personal, sick
• 15 paid holidays
• Birthday day off
• Half-day Fridays during the summer
• Simple IRA with employer match of up to 3%
• Health Care Plan (Medical, Dental, and Vision), premium 65% (average) paid by employer
• Life Insurance (Basic, Voluntary, and AD&D)
• Paid Family Leave
• Professional development and opportunities for personal growth
  

Resume and cover letter are required for application. Resumes will be reviewed on a rolling basis beginning July 15, 2026 until candidates are identified. Interviews will begin July 22, 2026.