Job Description

About East Bay Center for the Performing Arts

For more than 56 years, East Bay Center for the Performing Arts has been a cultural beacon in Richmond, California, engaging children and youth with transformative, tuition-free arts education. Our programs are designed to create safe, rigorous, supportive spaces where young people can explore and express themselves through cross-cultural performing arts––catalyzing personal growth, community connection, and social change. Every day, our work at the Center demonstrates the power of art to unite and uplift people of diverse backgrounds and create new ways of seeing the world. East Bay Center serves 4,000+ children and youth each year from communities reflective of the city’s demographics: 95% of our students are youth of color, 80% come from low-income families, and 40% are English language learners. Through the active creation of original art, we emphasize social justice and the skill, effort, courage, and discipline needed to successfully prepare, create, and perform!

In our next 50 years, we aspire to engage thousands more youth and strengthen our role as a community hub and cultural anchor in Richmond. Despite their importance, affordable, culturally relevant, sequential musical and performing arts training opportunities for youth are scarce in Richmond. The need is clear: schools in our district face significant challenges in securing sufficient funding for the arts, and 90% of CA public schools do not meet state standards for arts education. East Bay Center fills this void through tuition-free, healing-centered performing arts programs at our main site (70+ weekly classes) and sequential arts education in 15 Richmond public schools.

The Opportunity

East Bay Center for the Performing Arts is seeking a compassionate and emotionally intelligent Student Support Services Manager to join our team. This is a unique opportunity to focus on uplifting young people through the power of the arts! Under the supervision of the Director of Student Development and Training, this position is vital to our team, identifying where students need additional support and serving as the lead connector of students and families to resources. The Student Support Services Manager supports students—primarily in our Young Artist Diploma Program—and works closely with faculty and staff in collaboration with the programs team (7-10 staff) to ensure a safe, inclusive, and inspiring environment. The ideal candidate brings relevant experience and/or education in counseling and is organized, collaborative, and passionate about arts and youth development. They will bring experience supporting mental health in creative or community settings and be excited to contribute to an innovative, mission-driven organization. This role holds the power to make a direct impact through programs that foster resilience and mental health.

Key Responsibilities

• Coordinate all student support services offered through the Young Artist Diploma Program, maintaining a caseload of 5-10 students in urgent and or critical need; regularly meet with the students, families and their support networks to counsel, problem solve, and create student/family plans
• Together with the Senior Director of Programs and Director of Student Development and Training, manage student support services for additional cohort groups such as parents’ group, MSW internship program, volunteer management, college preparation, tutoring programs, and the college scholarship program
• Lead and plan program activities and student review meetings, identifying and selecting participants, assessing students, developing individual action plans, assigning services, monitoring participant progress to retain and graduate students successfully
• Mentor students in the College Prep Program; assist students with research and support them throughout the college search process, providing critical and compassionate feedback together with the part-time College Prep Coordinator
• Organize and facilitate educational workshops for students/parents regarding the college application process, financial aid and scholarship support
• Together with the Senior Director and College Prep Coordinator, coordinate the implementation of the Center’s College Scholarship program, including student and family communication, communication with the Center’s development department, tracking progress, updating applications, and outreach to scholarship panelists
• Lead professional development for teaching artists on trauma and healing centered practices

Ideal Candidate Attributes

• Please don't hesitate to apply even if you don't meet all ideal qualifications — we value diverse perspectives and are committed to fostering growth within our team!
• A deep commitment to social justice, cultural humility, and direct experience working and communicating with diverse populations
• Master's degree (e.g. MSW, MFT, clinical psychology) with a specialization in children and families from an accredited college or university is strongly preferred
• Two or more years of relevant work experience and ability to oversee MSW interns highly desirable; candidates who are recent graduates of a master’s program without this experience will also be considered
• Direct experience working with youth, preferably in socially economically disadvantaged communities or a similar organization
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Working knowledge of social theories and practice
• Ability to navigate a computer database and learn other specialized software programs
• Experience as a practicing artist not required but highly valued
• Working proficiency in Spanish is highly desirable

Benefits and Culture

This on-site, exempt position is based in Richmond, California. The Center believes each team member is vital to the organization’s success. We serve and work in partnership with all and celebrate the diversity of our community, including people of all backgrounds, regardless of race ethnicity, gender identity, sexual orientation, and religious or spiritual affiliation or belief. Our staff and leadership demonstrate the ways in which our work is continually enhanced by a diversity of thought and perspectives. Our team prioritizes rest, restoration, and creativity as part of encouraging our teammates to live healthy, balanced lives. We celebrate the successes of our team and work collaboratively toward common goals in service of our shared commitment to social justice for youth in the face of systems of oppression.

We are offering a salary range of $93,800 -$131,300 based on qualifications, with the potential for performance-based bonuses and increases. East Bay Center also offers a comprehensive benefits package that includes:

-Health, Dental, and Life Insurance

-Vision, Short- and Long-Term Disability

-Time Off Benefits - including Paid Sick Leave, Vacation, 12 Paid Holidays, Paid Family

Leave (PFL), Bereavement Leave, Pregnancy and Pregnancy-Related Disability Leave and

Accommodations, Reproductive Loss Leave

-Retirement, 4% Employer Contribution (after one year)

How to Apply

Please submit a thoughtful cover letter and resume to: Susannah Sallin, Search Consultant to Non-Profits, apply@sallinsearch.com with East Bay Center Student Support Services Manager position in the Subject Line. We will respond to all applicants. Thank you.

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