Studio Manager

NIAD Art Center

niadart.org/pages/work-at-niad

The Studio Manager is the senior facilitation role in NIAD’s 23rd Street Studio. Working alongside up to 80

artists with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD) and a team of facilitators, this position models

excellent person-centered facilitation across media, mentors and develops the facilitation team, and helps

the Studio Director keep the daily rhythm of the studio safe, well-staffed, and creatively alive.

The Studio Manager is also the studio’s primary point of connection to NIAD’s Exhibitions & Partnerships

team, helping artists move work toward exhibitions, commissions, and sales when that is what they want.

This is a good fit for a practicing artist with real breadth across materials, a mentor’s patience with

colleagues as well as artists, and the steadiness to keep a busy, social studio running well.

Like all NIAD staff, the Studio Manager shares responsibility for running programs safely and in accordance

with the requirements of the Regional Center of the East Bay (RCEB) and California Community Care

Licensing (CCL), and for upholding NIAD’s commitments to confidentiality, accessibility, and person-centered

practice.

Responsibilities

Artist facilitation and creative practice

Studio operations and safety

Exhibitions, partnerships, and artist opportunities

Team leadership and development

Communication and coordination

Requirements

A strong studio practice of your own and substantial working knowledge of fine-art materials and

processes across painting/drawing plus additional media.

Demonstrated experience coaching, training, or supervising colleagues, including giving constructive

feedback.

Demonstrated ability to plan and facilitate productive meetings and move a group from discussion to

decisions and follow-through.

Demonstrated project-management skills: organizing multi-step work, coordinating multiple

stakeholders, managing deadlines, following up, and communicating when plans change.

Strong collaborative and cross-functional communication.
Five years of leadership experience.
Ability to balance artists’ autonomy and goals with studio safety, organizational responsibilities, and

commitments to external partners.

An MFA or BFA in a studio discipline, an accredited teaching credential with training in art and/or

disability, or equivalent professional experience in a studio or teaching environment.

Experience supporting or working alongside people with disabilities, and comfort adapting to a wide

range of communication styles.

Experience mentoring, training, or leading colleagues — formally or informally — and the patience to

do it well in a busy room.

Clear verbal and written communication, and the flexibility to adjust your approach to different people

and situations.

Strong written documentation and ability to establish consistent documentation practices among a

team.

Working knowledge of Google Workspace, and the organization to keep daily notes, supply orders,

and receipts current.

Commitment to NIAD’s mission and to a person-centered, disability-justice-informed approach to the

work.

How to Apply

Send a résumé and a brief cover letter (one page is plenty) telling us why this role and NIAD interest you,

along with a link to images of your own work, to info@niadart.org with the subject line “Studio Manager –

Your name.” We accept applications in written, audio, or video form.

We review applications on a rolling basis. Our process is typically: a screening call (20–30 minutes), an

interview with the hiring team, a paid working session in the studio for finalists, and reference checks. We

aim to let every applicant know the outcome. Please email rather than call with questions; we will respond

within five business days.

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