Team Lead, Cultural Arts & Facilities Program (CAFE)

Job Summary

This position is responsible for shaping, overseeing and marketing the Authority’s Cultural Arts & Facilities Program (CAFÉ) tax credit program to support broad scale arts and cultural venues in the state of New Jersey. The program was established by the Economic Recovery Act of 2020 as amended by S4011 (P.L. 2023, c.197 to be codified at N.J.S.A. 34:1B-383 to N.J.S.A. 34:1B-393).   

The goals of the CAFÉ program include:

• Elevating arts and culture as a key sector of the state’s economy;
• Attracting visitors to the state and local communities;
• Increasing the number of first-rate art and cultural experiences for residents and visitors; and
• Promoting equitable engagement with the arts for underrepresented groups and underserved communities.

The program will be a primary vehicle to create new arts & cultural venues and to expand and modernize existing ones. Eligible projects include but are not limited to a historical society, library, museum, gallery, and performing arts center. The job will serve as EDA’s program expert, developing and leading a portfolio of eligible projects.  The role will support the Tax Credit Director in establishing program rules, launching and managing competitive application rounds, and overseeing a portfolio of eligible projects to leverage this robust segment of the Authority’s tax credit tools.  The individual filling this position will be a subject matter expert for the CAFÉ program and assure its utmost fiscal stewardship.

$85,680 - $107,100

Note: The NJEDA currently offers a hybrid work schedule for up to 2 days of telecommute work from home. To participate, you will be required to have high speed home internet access and a manager's approval. This program does not supersede the "New Jersey First Act", which requires newly hired NJEDA employees to establish and then maintain, principal residence in the State of New Jersey.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

Team Development and Leadership

• Helps oversees, direct and organize the work of the team and or team members
• Assists Director in consistent and timely reporting, statistics, memorandums, reports, lead generation, and other adhoc requests
• Identify outreach plan and partners to ensure program is marketed properly to ensure success
• Develops and maintains working relationships with industry sector partners and groups, such as; Council on the Arts, CIANJ, and various COIs
• Ability track, monitor, and analyze program performance and recommends changes needed to senior leadership to ensure its effectiveness.
• Provides input and recommendations for program improvement based on market and customer needs.  Reviews legislation and provides feedback and makes policy recommendations
• Coordinates the writing of new regulations, when applicable
• Supports a culture of high performance, collaborative cross-functional teams and continuous improvement that values learning and a commitment to quality
• Supports teamwork and communication to encourage an interactive, cooperative, collaborative, and customer focused work environment among department, EDA staff and external customers and partners including federal, state and local agencies, with a focus on furthering the EDA mission
• Ensures staff members receive timely and appropriate training and development
• Assists the Director in establishing and monitoring staff performance and development goals, assign accountabilities, set objectives, and establish priorities.
• Ensures division practices and processes are in compliance with EDA policies and guidelines and are consistently applied
• Contributes to the development of the EDA’s strategic goals and objectives, as well as the overall management of the organization
• Must complete annual and semiannual self-assessment as required.
• Performs other duties and special projects, as assigned.

Serve as the EDA expert on CAFE program

• Serves as an expert resource within EDA on the CAFÉ program
• Provides industry-related policy inputs and guidance to the leadership teams of EDA and the Administration, serving as the “go to” resource for the Authority’s Executive Committee and the EDA Board on policy and advocacy matters .
• Serves as NJEDA’s Senior Representative on applicable panels and represents the EDA at various meetings, including board, interagency, advisory and task forces. Make presentations at forums and events within the financial and business communities to communicate and promote the program
• Supports the development and accuracy of all marketing and web materials
• Identifies key issues, frames problems, and develops solutions

Fosters Partnerships

• Cultivates, maintains, and strengthens relationships with arts & cultural sector partners, industry associations, and relevant academic and government stakeholders – including but not limited to the New Jersey State Council on the Arts.
• Works collaboratively with Public Affairs/Marketing, Communications, Governor’s policy office, counsel and stakeholders to ensure effective messaging to key policy makers and communities
• Works collaboratively with the Legal and Strategic Affairs department to assure existing program performance metrics are being adequately assessed and reviewed relative to organizational and state goals

Skills and Abilities

• Demonstrated knowledge of financing, fundraising and incentives in arts & cultural projects as well as economic and community development
• Demonstrates a thorough knowledge and understanding of similar programs and services
• Knowledge of lending and underwriting principles
• Ability to engage credibly and thoughtfully in conversations with industry and government leaders
• Ability to draft clearly and concisely, including the ability to make presentations to executive leadership
• Ability to lead a team of one or more professionals through complex and challenging work
• Ability to build strong relationships and contacts within the industry (strong preference for individuals who have an existing network within the industry both in New Jersey)
• Ability to analyze risk, understand the EDA’s risk tolerance and propose mitigants to identified risks
• Ability to prioritize workload, must be highly organized, detail-oriented, handle various tasks simultaneously and work independently within limited time constraints with little or no supervision
• Excellent customer service skills
• Experience in managing and cultivating a team and track record of successfully being able to multi-task and prioritize workflow
• Demonstrated successful track record of crafting comprehensive outreach plans and working cross organizationally to achieve alignment, integration and successful implementation of programs
• Demonstrated ability to motivate and lead own team planning and execution with a strong results orientation
• Ability to communicate effectively both verbally and in writing; proficient in grammar, spelling and editing; and foster communications with business professionals and EDA staff
• Demonstrates respectful behavior and promotes teamwork and communication to encourage an interactive, cooperative, collaborative and customer focused work environment among division, EDA staff and external customers
• Must be able to maintain confidentiality and deal effectively and diplomatically with business professionals and EDA staff
• NJEDA utilizes Microsoft as the core application platform and proficiency in the Microsoft Office Suite is preferred.

Preferred Qualifications

Education and Experience Requirements

• Bachelor’s Degree in arts or cultural-related field, urban planning, public administration, business administration or another related field with emphasis in and/or equivalent professional experience
• Seven years of program management or financing or develop arts & cultural or similar type of projects.
• Experience working with financing tools that support arts & cultural projects as well as economic and community development
• A strong track record of professional success
• Experience in program development, public policy development and basic financial principles
• Minimum of seven years experience in a client-oriented work environment that required development and engagement with a broad professional network
• A proven track record of understanding and analyzing projects and the capacity of arts organizations and real estate developers..

Advanced degree or industry specific certification may be substituted for 1 year of experience

 Physical Demands

• Minimal
• Ability to work outside normal business hours, as needed

Travel

• As necessary to events, meetings, businesses, etc.

Certificates and Licenses Required

• License: Staff are required to possess a driver's license valid in New Jersey only if the operation of a vehicle, rather than employee mobility, is necessary to perform the essentials duties of the position.

Note

The examples of work for this title are for illustrative purposes only. A particular position using this title may not perform all duties listed in this job description. Conversely, all duties performed on the job may not be listed. This job description is intended to convey information essential to understanding the scope, general nature and level of work performed by job holders within this job.  This job description is not intended to be an exhaustive list of qualifications, skills, efforts, duties, responsibilities or working conditions associated with the position.

Your employment at NJEDA is voluntary and subject to termination by you or NJEDA at will, with or without cause, or with or without notice, at any time.  Nothing in this job description shall be interpreted to conflict, eliminate or modify the employment-at-will status of NJEDA employees. 

This position is considered exempt and is excluded from minimum wage, overtime regulations, and other rights and protections afforded nonexempt workers under the FLSA.

NJEDA reserves the right to amend/revise this job description as necessary to meet current and changing business needs.

NJ SAME Program

 In accordance with P.L. 2021, c. 465 and P.L. 2021, 466, the SAME program was established to enable New Jersey State agencies to hire, promote, retain, and advance qualified individuals whose physical or mental impairments impact their abilities to participate in the hiring and promotion process for non-competitive and unclassified titles within the State workforce.

The SAME program allows candidates, who identify as having a significant disability, to apply for non-competitive and unclassified positions through a fast track hiring process. This program uses a fast-track process that permits people who are eligible for the program to request that the State appointing authority schedule with them a good faith interview. For more information about the SAME program and the Fast Track Hiring program, please Click Here. If you have any questions, please email, or call the contact as indicated on the job vacancy announcement.

This posting open to eligible applicants regardless of SAME eligibility.

Authorization to Work: Selected candidates must be authorized to work in the United States per the Department of Homeland Security, United States Citizenship and Immigration Services regulations. Note: The State of New Jersey does not provide sponsorship for citizenship to the United States.

Equal Opportunity Employer

Position Requirements

• Foreign degrees/transcripts must be evaluated by a reputable evaluation service at your own expense and must be submitted prior to a start date. If this cannot be provided within 21 days of an offer the offer will be rescinded.
• Must comply with the “New Jersey First Act” which requires employees hired after September 1, 2011, to reside in New Jersey. Non-New Jersey resident employees must relocate to New Jersey within one year of their date of hire and provide proof of residency to Human Resources.
• Must complete an Outside Activity Questionnaire (disclosure of outside office or employment) on an annual basis.
• Must review the required NJ State Ethics Guidelines found on the state website.

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