Mission

Our mission is three-fold: to commit to artistic accomplishment, education, and community engagement.

The Organization  https://www.brooklynballet.org/ 

Brooklyn Ballet was founded in February 2002 by Artistic Director Lynn Parkerson, the first of its kind in Brooklyn in more than 40 years. This nonprofit professional dance company brings a contemporary vision to the treasured art form of ballet, with repertory and programs that revitalize and re-imagine the classical form.

Brooklyn Ballet presents its Company in an annual performance season in Brooklyn and has a professional Dance School located in Downtown Brooklyn. We also serve the community through educational outreach projects like Take Ballet to the Streets - our outdoor performance series, Elevate and Brooklyn Ballet in the Houses - our in-school dance residencies, and by providing low-cost space rentals and performance opportunities to New York City dance artists.

Brooklyn Ballet’s dedication to the community is wide-ranging. The Company continues to create and perform new repertory bringing Brooklyn audiences the artistic excellence and innovation  they’ve come to expect. And through our Education and Community programs, Brooklyn Ballet creates opportunities for new audiences to experience an aspect of culture which they may otherwise never have had access to.

The Current Leadership Team

In addition to its 10-member volunteer Board, Brooklyn Ballet’s leadership team currently consists of the Founding Artistic Director, the Associate Director, and the Director for Community Engagement.  Finance and business operations are primarily provided through contracted bookkeeping, audit, payroll administration, and budget and financial planning support.  We are looking to expand the leadership team to include a part-time Business Manager who can provide oversight to, and ensure coordination among, these contracted external resources.

In addition to the Leadership Team, Brooklyn Ballet has a full-time School administrator; development officer; part-time administrative staff; an external fundraising consultant; and multiple dancers and educators supporting the school and the dance cCompany.  The 2025 operating Budget is $1.6 million.  Brooklyn Ballet has recently initiated the process of expanding its physical space through a proposed new campus at Sparrow Square in East Flatbush (planned to be opened in 2029).  The Leadership Team will be responsible for managing this project and transitioning to a new, expanded Brooklyn Ballet.  

The Opportunity

We anticipate the next four to five years to be an exciting challenge for the bBoard and staff of Brooklyn Ballet. We are committed to consolidating a sound financial base, developing and executing strategic plans for expansion into Sparrow Square (or elsewhere), and maintaining the highest level of artistic excellence, innovative programming, and commitment to community access.  We are seeking an additional leadership team member to coordinate financial, personnel, and business functions of the Ballet and to support this growth and development.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities 

Budget Planning, Execution, Monitoring and Multi-year Forecasting

In collaboration with senior leadership, staff and the bBoard, develop an annual operating budget for each January-December fiscal cycle.

Ensure that a three-year financial forecast is developed with each annual budget to support strategic planning and multi-year fundraising plans.

Develop cost allocation policies and procedures as appropriate to transparently show the direct and indirect cost of Brooklyn Ballet’s four major program areas: the School; the Company; Community Programs; Support and General Administration. 

Produce budget information, as needed, to support grant proposals, funder requests or other policy or fundraising activity.

Ensure the annual budget is adequately recorded in Brooklyn Ballet’s books and that the chart of accounts is consistently applied.

Prepare regular and periodic comparisons of budget to actual performance and ensure maximum lead-time if adjustments or mid-term corrections are needed.

Cash Management and Monitoring

Assume responsibility for tracking the Ballet’s checking, savings and investment accounts and ensure that the bBoard approved cash management policy is executed.  

Accounts Payable Management

Assume responsibility for the Ballet’s vendor and accounts payable system (Bill.com) and ensure bookkeepers are provided with all necessary information for vendors and contractors to be paid timely and accurately.

Payroll and Personnel Management

Prepare bi-monthly and monthly payrolls for execution by the Ballet’s external payroll provider, ADP.

Finalizing and coordinating implementation of policies in the Employee Handbook.

Tracking PTO, sick and vacation days.

Executing staff, faculty and dancer/vendor LOA and pay rate notices, as needed.

Managing unemployment claims, hearings and notices as needed.

Accounting Coordination, Quickbooks Oversight and Quality Control, and Administrative Systems Improvement

Coordinate all interactions with external bookkeepers. Ensure that monthly closes are complete and accurate. 

Provide timely response to bookkeepers’ requests for documentation and/or explanation of recorded credits  and debits.

As much as feasible, relieve artistic and program staff of administrative tasks related to financial management and payroll administration.  

Monitor QB status to ensure that accounting issues are identified and corrected in real time.

Evaluate and adjust, as necessary, current technology supporting shared documents, budgets, revenue tracking, etc.

Qualifications

The ideal candidate will have:

3+ year’s experience as a business, finance, and or personnel manager (or assistant manager) in a non-profit performing arts organization with an annual operating budget of $1 to $10 million.  Comparable non-profit experience in other fields will also be considered, although not preferred.  Finance and HR professionals for for-profit consulting firms will also be considered if their clientele has included performing arts or other non-profits similar to Brooklyn Ballet.

Demonstrated experience with accounts payable, payroll management, accounting software, and other office management and support systems. Specific experience with Bill.com, ADP payroll systems, Quickbooks for Non-profits, Google Suites, and Microsoft Office is preferable. 

Experience in budget preparation and execution; multi-year financial forecasting; cashflow forecasting and tracking; audit participation and review.

Experience with personnel management and payroll processing.

Demonstrated ability to be an effective, creative and flexible team partner.

Evidence of personal and professional commitment to the mission of Brooklyn Ballet.

A CPA or MBA is preferred, but actual work and life experience ideal for this position may compensate for this requirement.

Compensation         

$60-65,000 negotiable depending on qualifications

Brooklyn Ballet assumes ¾ time for this position. 

The Ballet does not currently provide health insurance coverage but will consider a negotiated stipend for this purpose (depending on individual circumstances).  

Complimentary participation in adult and/or company classes may also be included in a compensation package if the qualified candidate is also a dancer and would like the opportunity.

Application and Process

Interested applicants should provide a cover letter, resume, and at least three professional references to: ereveal1@brooklynballet.org.  Applications will be accepted through April 15th, 2025.  Brooklyn Ballet hopes to have this position filled by May 26, 2025.