Director of the Creative Incubator Job at Urban Juncture Foundation in Chicago

Description

Do you have a passion for utilizing Black culture to revitalize Black communities and a sustained record of project leadership and institution building?

Build Bronzeville seeks a business savvy creative - or a creative business person - to lead the establishment of the Creative Incubator @ The Forum as a platform for bringing people together, advancing Black creatives and creative enterprises, and continuing revitalization of The Forum. The Creative Incubator currently occupies temporary space within our 300-314 East 51st Street facility and will move into permanent space in the West Annex (the “Creative Complex”) of the historic Forum complex in Fall 2024.

The Creative Incubator will oversee the daily operations of the Creative Complex. It will also host a cafe serving the neighborhood with a selection of beverages, light food, and musical performances. It will host performance and storytelling initiatives that engage community residents and visitors and help reclaim our community’s narrative. It will serve as Build Bronzeville’s hub for collaborative partnerships with other cultural organizations seeking to advance our creative economy and will support development of further creative enterprises housed in The Forum.

We seek a full-time Director to lead this effort through (but not limited to) the following core duties and responsibilities:

• Help complete establishment of the physical and online spaces of the Creative Incubator and development of a culinary team to operate the cafe.
• Responsible for increasing Forum profitability by enhancing occupancy rates and traffic counts. Additionally, manage vendor contracts, office operations, and budgets:
  • Leads hiring, assigning, training, evaluating and terminating employees of the cafe.
  • Documents, investigates, escalates and resolves all employee and guests incidents.
  • Ensures exceptional service standards are consistently met and that activities are carried out effectively.
  • Inspects dining room and storage areas to ensure compliance with health and safety regulations.
  • Estimates front-of-house food and beverage needs, and supervises intake orders to ensure specifications.
  • Reviews financial information such as sales, inventory and costs to monitor budget.
  • Meets with cafe personnel to plan restaurant activities, special events, share information, etc.
• Curate storytelling and musical performance events and expand the pool of cultural patrons:
  • Lead the effort to develop events and other joint initiatives with other creatives and cultural institutions that advance our creative economy.
  • Identify and cultivate strategic partnerships to expand our reach and attract new customers. Negotiate sponsorships, cross-promotional opportunities, and co-branded events that align with the Forum's brand values.
  • Manage the CRM platform(s) to capture and analyze customer data, segment the customer base, and personalize marketing communications. Develop loyalty programs and incentives to encourage repeat business and foster customer loyalty.
  • Work with PR agency to support PR initiatives for the concepts and, as needed, act as point of contact for media hosting.
  • Work with marketing team and operations to develop & execute unique guest experience activations and events that elevate and differentiate the brands.
• Help recruit and establish the next set of creative enterprises within the Forum, including Metropolis Gallery and Black Box performance space.
• Support cultural programming across the Build Bronzeville ecosystem.

The Creative Incubator Director will be based initially at the Bronzeville Incubator (moving to The Forum when that space is ready) and will work closely with other Build Bronzeville leaders to advance our community revitalization objectives. A strong candidate will have several key skills and attributes:

• Minimum of 15 years professional experience across business and creative enterprises.
• Experience with Microsoft/Google Suite (Excel, Word, PowerPoint, or equivalents).
• Problem-solving, technical competence, and desire to learn.
• Deep passion for and connection to Black Chicago’s culture and creative community.
• Entrepreneurial mindset and strong management skills.
• Successful past leadership and institution building roles.
• Strong strategic thinking and communication skills.
• Strong project management skills.
• Self-starter with ability to work independently, flexibly, and collaboratively.
• Team player; sound judgment; values driven.

This is a year-round, full-time position with a salary range of $65,000 to $75,000. For full consideration, submit a resume with cover letter highlighting relevant experience and three professional references to info@urbanjuncture.com with “Creative Incubator Lead” as the subject. No phone calls or drop-ins, please.

Urban Juncture Foundation is an Equal Opportunity / Affirmative Action employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, age, national origin, disability, protected veteran status, gender identity or any other factor protected by applicable federal, state or local laws.

Salary

$65,000 - $75,000 per year