Description

Mark Morris Dance Group seeks a Dance Center Operations Manager with excellent communication, problem-solving, and interpersonal skills to support the Dance Center’s wide-ranging activities and constituencies. This position plays a hands-on role in ensuring the smooth daily operations of the Dance Center, with a focus on managing building safety and security and the visitor/constituent experience. A successful candidate will have the ability to make informed decisions with autonomy and authority. The Operations Manager works closely with the Director of Events and Venue Operations, Director of Facilities and Capital Projects, and Director of Education, who collectively oversee activities, systems, and policies at the Dance Center.

The Dance Center Operations Manager joins the organization at a pivotal moment as we reimagine how we operate, further embody our core values, and welcome back our community. The position reports to the Director of Events and Venue Operations.

The successful candidate will join a community of dedicated arts and administrative professionals who are propelled by Mark Morris's commitment to artistic excellence, access to the arts, and the impact that the arts have in connecting and engaging communities. MMDG is committed to ongoing and sustained equity and inclusion work. All staff are expected to be actively engaged and dedicated to upholding our core values of celebrating our diverse community, pursuing excellence in all that we do, advancing access, exposure, and opportunity to dance and music, and cultivating creativity. Learn more about MMDG's commitment to antiracism and our core values.

PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES include but are not limited to:

• Serve as on-site manager during peak hours (afternoons/evenings, weekends as needed).
• Work with Dance Center leadership to develop, implement and review Dance Center operational policies and procedures.
• Communicate, uphold and enforce Dance Center policies, including COVID-19-related safety requirements, MMDG’s Community Agreement, Lobby and Studio policies; document and report injuries and medical emergencies, occurrences of trespassing, theft, disruptive or violent activity and any other health or safety related issues that occur at the Dance Center; work with Director of Events and Venue Operations to respond to incident reports.

• Provide on-site technical support to studio users regarding the use of in-studio filming/streaming equipment and sound systems for daily live online and hybrid classes and rentals; orient new faculty and renters on equipment.
• Address feedback, requests and complaints from Dance Center occupants (faculty, staff, renters, students), working closely with on-site facilities and operations personnel to execute a response.

• Perform periodic building walk-throughs to observe activity in the Dance Center, address policy compliance issues.
• Serve as a Dance Center Fire Guard and assist in the event of an emergency at the Dance Center, create and maintain fire safety staffing schedule, ensure compliance with Fire Safety policies.
• Serve as on-site point of contact for Dance Center events and rentals; ensure renter compliance with contractual agreements, spaces are used safely and respectfully, and resource, set up and space requests are fulfilled; manage event capacity; work with event producers (internal and external) to ensure that special events and regular programming have the necessary support to operate simultaneously; facilitate site visits with prospective renters and participate in meetings as needed.
• Manage daily operations at the Front Desk; oversee screening and check-in process; maintain supplies and organization of the Front Desk workspace, keep training manual, forms and logs updated; approve daily cash and check finance deposit.
• Provide hands-on support to part-time Operations staff who work at the Front Desk; address on-site customer service issues in real-time; communicate regular updates to the team, participate in onboarding, and ongoing training.
• Serve as primary point of contact for long-term Wellness Center tenants regarding equipment, resources and maintenance of the space to ensure the space is fully operational, safe and welcoming; work with Director of Events and Venue Operations to respond to practitioner requests.
• Maintain a knowledgebase about all Dance Center programming to be able to support as needed, fielding inquiries about the Mark Morris Dance Group (dance company) and Dance Center programs (School, Adult, Rental, Dance for PD, Wellness Center, Community Education), serving as a liaison between students, renters and administrative staff and providing registration support for onsite classes.

 COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS:

• Annual Salary: $45,000-$55,000; commensurate with experience
• Paid vacation, sick/personal leave, holidays and bonus days
• Comprehensive benefits package includes: Employee Health and Life insurance covered 100%, Flexible Spending Plan, Voluntary vision and dental coverage, Pre-tax commuter benefit, 403(b) retirement plan, and 100% paid family leave
• Access to free and discounted classes at the Dance Center and online
• Access to special events and MMDG performances (when available)
• Invitations to cultural events extended to staff members by community partners.

 APPLICATIONS:

• Application Deadline: Ongoing
• Applications accepted through our website – mmdg.org/jobs
• Please note that all candidate interviews will be conducted by video using the Zoom (https://zoom.us/) video communications application. Please download the application in advance and have a functioning camera and speaker on your device. MMDG can also provide candidates with reasonable accommodations, if needed.

We are an Equal Opportunity Employer committed to a diverse workforce and do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, creed, religion, national or ethnic origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, disability, or veteran status. It is the policy of MMDG to comply with all the relevant and applicable provisions of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). MMDG does not discriminate against any qualified employees or job applicants with respect to any terms, privileges, or conditions of employment because of a person’s physical or mental disability. MMDG makes reasonable accommodation wherever necessary for all employees or applicants with disabilities, provided that the individual is otherwise qualified to safely perform the duties and assignments connected with the job and provided that any accommodations made do not require significant difficulty or expense.

ORGANIZATION SUMMARY

The internationally renowned Mark Morris Dance Group (MMDG) has received “highest praise for their technical aplomb, their musicality, and their sheer human authenticity.” (Bloomberg News). Founded in 1980, the Dance Group performs the repertory of choreographer Mark Morris, hailed as the “the most successful and influential choreographer alive, and indisputably the most musical” (The New York Times), whose work is acclaimed for its ingenuity, musicality, wit, and humanity. Live music and community engagement are vital components of the Dance Group. It has toured with its own musicians, the MMDG Music Ensemble, since 1996, and regularly collaborates with orchestras and opera companies around the world. In addition to 17 full-time dancers, the organization currently employs 34 full-time staff and 75 part-time staff, teaching artists, and musicians.

In the heart of the Brooklyn Cultural District, the Mark Morris Dance Center, founded in 2001, is the hub of dance and music education in Brooklyn. The nine-studio building provides affordable classes in multiple genres for people of all ages, levels, with and without disabilities, accompanied by live music. The studios, a performance space, a Wellness Center, and ancillary spaces are all available to the community and to nonprofit organizations at subsidized rates. MMDG’s Community Education Programs partner with public and private schools and community centers to provide customized classes. MMDG also offers customized dance workshops for persons with Parkinson’s disease and their caregivers.

MMDG programs in NYC and worldwide engage nearly 100,000 people annually. Propelled by core values of community, access, excellence, and creativity, MMDG is committed to ongoing equity, diversity, and inclusion work to ensure its programs are welcoming and accessible to all.

Requirements

YOU WILL BE SUCCESSFUL IN THIS ROLE IF YOU:

• Have Strong Interpersonal Skills: You love talking to people and can communicate with MMDG’s wide ranging constituency that reflects a diversity of backgrounds, ages, identities, and abilities with ease and sensitivity.
• Are Solution-Oriented: You are a flexible and creative problem solver who can find common ground when there are competing priorities for shared resources.
• Are a Team Player: You enjoy working collaboratively with multiple stakeholders to create systems and policies that ensure a welcoming, joyful, and respectful atmosphere at the Dance Center.
• Thrive in Variety: You feel energized when managing multiple projects and priorities simultaneously and like wearing different hats depending on the day’s activities.
• Love the Performing Arts and Our Work – You are inspired by dance and the performing arts, and you genuinely appreciate the ways in which we pursue excellence in all that we do, celebrate our diverse community, advance access, exposure and opportunity to dance and music, and cultivate creativity.

QUALIFICATIONS:

• 3+ years visitor services, event management, stage management or comparable experience required
• 3+ years supervisory experience required
• Creative, resourceful, entrepreneurial mindset, with roll-up-your-sleeves mentality

• Superior judgment and diplomatic skills

• Conflict de-escalation training a plus
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite; experience with scheduling software a plus

• Ability to act with diplomacy and patience
• Superb attention to detail and excellent time management skills

 PHYSICAL REQUIREMENT:

• Must be able to lift, push, pull, hold, and/or carry objects and equipment weighing up to 50 lbs.
• Must be able to climb stairs, kneel, and crouch.
• Must be able to be on your feet for up to 4 hours at a time.

  REQUIRED TRAINING:

  • First Aid Certification + refresher courses offered annually
  • CPR/AED Certification + refresher courses offered annually
  • Dance Center Floor Warden and Fire Guard Safety Training
  • FDNY Certificate of Fitness F03 (Place of assembly emergency personnel) + recertification (required every 3 years)
  • Bystander / De-escalation Training – offered annually
  • COVID-19 related: MMDG COVID19 Safety Plan and Dance Center Health and Safety policies

   SCHEDULE: 40 hours per week on-site at the Dance Center; Monday-Friday 1pm-9pm and occasional weekends; adjust hours as needed to ensure the Dance Center is adequately staffed.