Executive Director of Blue Sky Gallery

Title: Executive Director Status: Regular, Full time, exempt position Starting Salary: $50,000 – 60,000 DOE

Blue Sky Gallery is a volunteer and membership supported nonprofit exhibition space and community research center dedicated to the exhibition and explication of the best contemporary photography by emerging, mid-career and established artists. Blue Sky is also a place where photographers and those who love photography come to learn, share and explore.

BACKGROUND

Oregon Center for the Photographic Arts, Inc. - Blue Sky Gallery - was founded in 1975 by a group of five young photographers, one of whom, Portland photographer Christopher Rauschenberg, has remained the dedicated visionary and “heart and soul” of the organization, and currently serves as Board Chair. In 2007, Blue Sky moved to an elegant state-of-the-art, museum-quality space in the DeSoto Building at 122 NW 8th on the eastern edge of the Pearl District. In 2006-07, Blue Sky successfully completed a $2.7 million capital campaign to purchase, renovate and move into this new 3700 square foot office and gallery space.

With a small staff and many extraordinary volunteers we select and exhibit two or three world class photography shows every month, reach out to and welcome 25,000 visitors a year, and work to engage the community in dialogue about the art and the issues that we present. The Board, the staff and the volunteers create a space that is serious yet joyful.

THE POSITION

We’re seeking an Executive Director who combines a passion for the arts with the business skills necessary to keep Blue Sky sustainable and growing. If you have the following skills and characteristics, this might be the job of a lifetime for you.

• A proven leader with the business skills to run the organization efficiently and creatively • A solid financial background with the ability to read financials as well as develop and adhere to budgets • A collaborative leader with a proven ability to bring together and coordinate staff, volunteers and board members to achieve clear goals • Superb oral and written communication skills with the ability to market and sell ideas, photography and potential donors • Do you have at least 3 - 5 years of leadership experience, at least some in the nonprofit world, with increasing levels of responsibility • Are you a superb time manager who enjoys the challenge of coordinating the hundreds of disparate tasks necessary to run an organization like Blue Sky • Do you bring a great sense of humor, preferably irreverent, and joyfulness to your work • Significant successful development experience in both grants and individual donors solicitations • Undaunted by the necessity of creative solutions • Are you a believer in servant leadership – do you have a lot to offer and even more to learn

HOW WE DEFINE SUCCESS

The successful next Director for Blue Sky Gallery will:

• Raise attendance levels • Raise more money • Raise membership • Raise visibility • Increase our endowment • Continue having exceptional shows • Continue having a meaningful gallery experience • Continue to benefit the artists

To learn more about Blue Sky Gallery, please go to: www.blueskygallery.org

To Apply: Please submit a detailed and compelling letter showing your passion and fit for the mission and skill set outlined for Blue Sky Gallery and tell us why you should be the next Executive Director, as well as names and contact information of four references and a complete chronological resume to: [email protected] with “Blue Sky” in the title, by Friday, July 10th at 5:00 pm. Or by mail to: TACS, 1001 SE Water St, Suite 490, Portland, OR 97214. Attn: Bob Hazen, BSG.