The School of American Ballet (SAB) seeks a Diversity Program Manager. Founded in 1934 by George Balanchine and Lincoln Kirstein to train dancers for professional ballet careers, SAB is a constituent organization of Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts and is the official - yet independent - school of New York City Ballet. SAB has 475 school-year students, ranging in age from 6 to 18; 68 of the 100 Intermediate/Advanced students live in SAB’s Residence Hall with a full complement of Student Life support services.

The Diversity Program Manager is a new administrative position, created with funding from The Ford Foundation to enable SAB to bolster its efforts to develop talented ballet dancers of color throughout the country, and to ensure that SAB is an inclusive and supportive environment for the exceptionally talented ballet students who study here.

Reporting to the Director of Development & Planning, the Diversity Program Manager works in close collaboration with Manager of Planning and Projects and supervises a Diversity Intern. Key responsibilities include:

Collaborating with colleagues across SAB departments (Student Life, Recruiting, Faculty, Planning) to build consensus and identify strategies for recruitment, retention and student support

Building relationships locally and nationally with other ballet schools, teachers and educational organizations to develop a partnership network and pilot partnership models; communicating Diversity Initiative goals to colleagues in the ballet field; sharing challenges and best practices

Launching an Alumni Ambassadors group to help communicate SAB’s diversity outreach goals, identify issues to address, serve as mentors to current students and parents

Collecting and analyzing data to identify barriers to acceptance and retention at SAB and beyond; synthesizing data collected during preliminary research phase 2010-11

Further developing an inclusive environment where all SAB students can flourish; establishing a mentoring program for students and their parents; conducting surveys and focus group of current and former students and parents; collaborating with outside firm to provide regular cultural competency training to staff and faculty

Developing and managing new community public programming and programming for SAB students and parents

Maintaining metrics and other records of diversity performance and activities to benchmark our work and measure ongoing progress; after two years, develop a Workplan for further stages of SAB Diversity Program

Required Knowledge, Skills, Abilities: 4+ years non-profit experience in student affairs, audience development, programming or education. Must have excellent interpersonal and communication skills, verbal and written, as well as research and analytical skills. Must be able to represent the institution well to various constituencies, with the ability to work and succeed independently and as part of a team. Occasional travel required. Background or interest in dance, especially ballet, is highly desirable. Bachelor’s degree required.

Superior benefit package, including full health benefits, four weeks vacation (plus two holiday weeks in December), and generous retirement savings benefits.

Diverse candidates are encouraged to apply. The School of American Ballet is an Equal Opportunity Employer.