TO APPLY : https://fordfoundation.wd1.myworkdayjobs.com/en-US/FordFoundationCareerPage/job/New-York-USA/Convening-Assistant_R765

APPLICATION DEADLINE: January 22, 2021

THIS POSITION IS A 7-MONTH TEMPORARY POSITION.

DISABILITY FUTURES SUMMARY

The Disability Futures initiative seeks to increase the visibility of disabled creative producers (artists, filmmakers, and journalists) across disciplines and geography, and elevate their voices individually and collectively. In 2020, the initiative made 20 awards of $50,000 to disabled creatives to support their lives and work. The program also includes communications and publicity support, and opportunities to convene with one another and the field-at-large.

BACKGROUND

When the initiative launched, the Ford Foundation was planning to host a two-day convening in July 2020. The first day was to be held at the Ford Foundation Center for Social Justice and connect the awarded Fellows to each other and their creative practice, highlight their work, share resources, and surface needs and opportunities to guide future activity. The Public Day was to be held off-site at an accessible location and meant to connect the Fellows to a broader constituency and include other artists’ presentations, panels, breakouts, and performances. The priority was for the grantee artists and creatives to share and highlight their work.

With the rise of the COVID-19 pandemic, many of these creatives’ lives have been so fundamentally disrupted that they are unable to commit to any kind of gathering or event, let alone access many of the basic services they require on a daily basis. This has not only altered the way the grants have been distributed and accepted, but also our communications with them and the way we hope to convene and share their work more broadly

Next July, Ford Foundation, in partnership with United States Artists and the Mellon Foundation, plans to host an event featuring a mix of pre-recorded and live content over the course of two half-days. We will work with each fellow to brainstorm the best way to creatively showcase their work. It could be that they perform via Zoom or we hire an artist to commission work on their behalf. We could feature a video of an artist creating work or they could be in live conversation with another fellow. The programming will be co-designed with the Fellows so all 20 can be editors of their own content and story and will not feature external artists. The event may include fellows-specific conversations and CFE may offer disability training to its wider grantee pool leading up to this event.

SUMMARY DESCRIPTION

The Convening Assistant (CA) is a temporary member of the Creativity and Free Expression (CFE) team, based out of Ford’s New York City office but working remotely. The CA will provide administrative support to the CFE team, the Event, Strategy and Production teams, and work alongside United States Artists, throughout the full event planning process.

RESPONSIBILTIES

Logistics

Schedule all planning meetings and briefing calls
Participate in planning calls and circulate post-meeting notes to planning team
Support recruitment of and liaise with training consultant for Ford grantees, as needed
Collect and organize speaker and attendee information
Collect information and paperwork needed for attendee and speaker honoraria / reimbursements and coordinate contracts with Department Coordinator
Assist with event invite list management, RSVPs, and conduct follow-up phone calls and emails with event invitees
Modeling radical hospitality, ensure collective access as well as individual speaker and attendee access prior to, during, and following the event
Assist with day-of event staffing needs
Assist planning team, as needed
Responsible for processing and tracking honoraria and contract payments; will consult department coordinator as required
Work with ESP team to maintain and manage budget
Work with Purchasing Team to order event materials, as needed

Event Design and Accessibility

Co-designs the agenda, help select participants and determine formats, in line with accessibility and virtual events best practices and guidelines
Work with the Ford Foundation to ensure event meets the highest standards of accessibility including but not limited to advising on services including: 

CART
ASL
Printed Materials and pre-reads
Website accessibility
Event logistics
In-room accessibility considerations

Assist planning team to design a highly accessible and inclusive agenda for the day
Assist planning team in vetting streaming platforms, pre-event collateral, helping to upload content pre and post event

QUALIFICATIONS

Experience and expertise in disability-specific contexts and the practice of radical hospitality
Knowledge of disability justice principles and the landscape of disability arts
Proven skill and comfort in prioritizing, multi-tasking and efficiently delivering high-quality work product required
Excellent verbal, written communication and interpersonal skills
PC skills, with proficiency with Zoom, Gmail, Google Calendar, Google Drive, Word, Excel and PowerPoint
1-2 years’ experience in project management or event coordination
Ability to work independently, offsite through the majority of the project

REASONABLE ACCOMMODATION

The Ford Foundation is committed to providing access, equal opportunity and reasonable accommodation for individuals with disabilities in employment, its programs, and operations. As part of this commitment, the Foundation will ensure that persons with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodations. If a reasonable accommodation is needed to participate in the job application process, please contact talentacquisitionhr@fordfoundation.org or call (212) 573-4627.

Alignment to Culture and Values

Commitment to the Foundation’s mission and core values of equity, openness, collaboration, trust, accountability and urgency
Personal qualities of humility, capacity for self-reflection, and a sense of humor
Discretion and ability to handle confidential issues
Action-orientated and entrepreneurial self-starter who can work well independently and in teams

Benefits

Medical and dental benefits for employee and immediate family on first day of work
Retirement savings account with matching company contributions of up to 13%
Three weeks’ paid vacation in first year of work; four weeks in subsequent years 
Tuition Reimbursement
Office closed the week between Christmas and New Year’s Day
Professional development initiatives for growth
Generous parental leave (maternal and paternal) during new child’s first year (born into family or adopted)

FOR REFERENCE: Temporary Employees are not eligible for matching company contributions of up to 13% to the retirement savings account, only employee contributions.

Equal employment opportunity and having a diverse staff are fundamental principles at The Ford Foundation, where employment and promotional opportunities are based upon individual capabilities and qualifications without regard to race, color, religion, gender, pregnancy, sexual orientation/affectional preference, age, national origin, marital status, citizenship, disability, veteran status or any other protected characteristic as established under law.