About Our Job
With competitive pay, great benefits, and endless opportunities, working for the City and County of Denver means seeing yourself working with purpose — for you, and those who benefit from your passion, skills and expertise. Join our diverse, inclusive and talented workforce of more than 11,000 team members who are at the heart of what makes Denver, Denver.
What We Offer
The City and County of Denver offers a competitive salary commensurate with education and experience. The salary range for this position is $103,977 - $171,552, with a hiring range between $120,000- $150,000. We also offer generous benefits for full-time employees which include but are not limited to:
- A guaranteed life-long monthly pension, once vested after 5 years of service
- 457B Retirement Plan
- 140 hours of PTO earned within first year + 11 paid holidays, 1 personal holiday and 1 volunteer day per year
- Competitive medical, dental and vision plans effective within 1 month of start date
Location
The City and County of Denver supports a hybrid workplace model. Employees work where needed, at a job site several days a week and off-site as needed. In this position you can expect to work on site at least three days per week. Office is located at 1245 Champa Street, Denver.
What You’ll Do
Denver Arts & Venues (DAV) is the City and County of Denver agency responsible for operating some of the region’s most renowned facilities, including Red Rocks Amphitheatre, Denver Performing Arts Complex, Colorado Convention Center, Denver Coliseum, Loretto Heights and McNichols Civic Center Building. We also oversee the Denver Public Art Program, funding opportunities like Urban Arts Fund, P.S. You Are Here and EDI Arts & Culture Fund, implementation of Denver’s Cultural Plan and other entertainment and cultural events such as the Five Points Jazz Festival. Funds generated by the agency are put back into the community through grants for artists and arts organizations, free and low-cost cultural events, art in public spaces, venue operation and maintenance and arts education.
Denver Arts & Venues is deeply committed to an equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI) practice that closes access gaps in arts and culture with urgency and accountability. We believe long term impact requires changing traditional processes, creating new systems, and developing authentic relationships and transformative work. Our work stands at the intersection of arts, culture and community.
The City and County of Denver is looking for a Director of Grants & Cultural Programs for Arts & Venues (DAV). The Director will report to the Deputy Director overseeing the Cultural Affairs Division. The Director will be responsible for the operational management of core agency functional areas and initiatives including the multiple grants and cultural programs, events and venue activations. The Director will also be supporting the implementation of Denver’s updated Cultural Plan, the agency’s EDI (equity, diversity and inclusion) work, and the implementation of the strategic goals of the Cultural Affairs Division ensuring coordination across agencies, departments and divisions.
The Director of Grants & Cultural Programs is a strategic and creative individual with excellent management, interpersonal, organizational, and strategic skills. In a directorship capacity, this position is centered in Arts & Venues’ mission to advance arts and culture in the City and County of Denver. Some of the grant programs and cultural events under the director’s scope include but are not limited to the EDI Arts & Culture Fund, PS You Are Here, Denver’s Cultural Commitment Fund, the Mayor’s Awards for Excellence in Arts & Culture, Chance to Dance, Red Rocks Plaza Activation and the Five Points Jazz Festival.
Specifically, as the Director of Grants & Cultural Programs the selected candidate will:
- Establish and implement goals for DAV’s grants and cultural programs, including department’s standards, processes, systems and guidelines related to all funding opportunities and cultural programs
- Provide expertise and guidance to numerous internal and external stakeholders as assigned, which may include City staff, business and philanthropic partners, members of the arts and cultural sector and the community at large
- Work with Deputy Director and team to recommend goals for grants and cultural programs and once approved, work to implement them ensuring coordination with appropriate departments and that resources are utilized appropriately. In addition to implementation, the selected candidate will track and report on key performance indicators
- Oversee activities related to the implementation and evaluation of all grant programs and initiatives, cultural activations and Cultural Plan events
- Direct the effective management of cultural events for the agency ensuring community engagement, customer service and effective budget management. Examples of cultural events may include the Five Points Jazz Festival, the Mayor’s Awards for Excellence in Arts & Culture, Chance to Dance, Red Rocks Plaza Activation, and more
- Responsible for ensuring the inclusive and efficient implementation of multiple grant programs establishing annual timelines and evaluation mechanisms, with responsibility for achieving program goals and objectives and organizing equitable processes and guidelines
- Monitor budgets for programs to ensure expenditures remain at or below established targets
- Supervise, coach, mentor, and develop at least two FTE employees including the Manager of Grants & Cultural Programs: Develop goals, document performance, provide guidance and performance feedback and formally evaluate their work, recognizing proper and efficient performance and devising opportunities for training and development
- In partnership with Deputy Director, participate in the agency’s EDI committee. Support the implementation and tracking of the equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI) goals for DAV. Facilitate EDI training for DAV staff as well as tracking agency’s ability to meet yearly goals
- Seek strategic opportunities for event development and collaboration working closely with the community and numerous stakeholders including but not limited to artists, cultural organizations, creative businesses, city agencies, neighborhood associations, and non-profit organizations
- Work with Denver Arts & Venues marketing team to develop relationships with event partners and sponsors, and to coordinate related marketing and communications for cultural events
Required Minimum Qualifications
- Education requirement: Bachelor's Degree in a related field
- Experience Requirement: Five (5) years of experience at the type and level of functional or operational management, which must have included management of manager level leaders and staff
- Education/Experience Equivalency: Two (2) years of the appropriate type and level of experience may be substituted for each required year of post-high school education
- Additional appropriate education may be substituted for the minimum experience requirements
- License/Certifications: Requires a valid Driver's License at the time of application
- Must obtain Criminal Justice Information Services (CJIS) clearance within the probationary period
- Licenses and certifications must be kept current as a condition of employment