Zygote Press: Executive Director

ZYGOTE PRESS
POSITION DESCRIPTION: EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Mission and Background
Zygote Press has been promoting contemporary fine art printmaking for
over 20 years by providing an affordable, professional workspace for
Cleveland artists. Zygote is a 501c3 organization with two Cleveland, Ohio
locations: a workshop and gallery space in the Arts Quarter district of the
St. Clair-Superior neighborhood and a workshop in the Waterloo Arts
District neighborhood. Zygote is member-supported and receives
additional funding from artist studio rental, private and community
foundations, and government funders including Ohio Arts Council,
Cuyahoga Arts & Culture, and the National Endowment for the Arts.
Zygote’s annual budget is approximately $350,000 and currently has a
staff of two full-time employees and four part-time employees.
Zygote initiates projects and programs in direct response to its
neighborhoods and art community needs and has a proven track record
for creating successful partnerships. As a result, Zygote’s growth has
skyrocketed over the past several years. Artists here continue to generate
work while earning revenue through sales, teaching, and contract printing
in a collaborative environment. Zygote’s community-centered programs,
classes, exhibitions, and cross-sector initiatives have expanded its initial
impact from a provider of studio space and basic printmaking facilities to
be a regular destination for international resident artists, offering hands-on
programs to youth and collaborative groups, and has become a resource
for arts organizations to create limited editions by artists.
For more information about Zygote, please visit www.zygotepress.org.

Position Summary
Reporting to the 16-member Board of Trustees, the Executive Director (ED)
will have overall strategic and operational responsibility for Zygote’s staff,
programs, and execution of its mission. The ED will develop deep
knowledge of the fine art printmaking field, core programs, operations,
and business plans.

The ED will be based primarily at Zygote’s flagship workshop and gallery at
1410 East 30th Street, Cleveland, Ohio.

Responsibilities
Leadership & Management
• Ensure ongoing consistent quality of finance and administration,
fundraising, communications, and education programs, and
recommend and allocate resources and timelines needed to
achieve strategic goals
• Exhibit strong financial leadership
• Actively engage and energize Zygote Press Board members,
volunteers, members, and funders
• Lead, coach, develop, and retain staff
• Ensure programmatic excellence and rigorous program evaluation,
the results of which can be effectively communicated to the Board,
funders, and other constituents
Fundraising, Earned Income & Communications
• Expand contributed revenue in all giving sectors (individual,
business, foundation, and government agencies)
• Maximize earned income through Ink House, Zygote’s Waterloo Arts
District facility, which is specially designated for contract fine art
printing
• Deepen and refine all aspects of communications – from web
presence and social media to external relations with the goal of
creating a stronger brand
• Use external presence and relationships to garner new revenue
opportunities

Planning
• Lead strategic planning with Board members and staff to move
Zygote into next stage of growth and accomplishment
• Study Zygote’s current facilities and identify opportunities for
reconfiguration leading to greater office productivity and earned
income (Facility assessment will be an on-going effort)
Board Development and Relations
• Maintain strong relationships with the Board to ensure that members
are well informed about organization performance and are
engaged at the appropriate level
• Assist with Board member recruitment and orientation of new
members
• Coordinate the work and serve as an ex-officio member of all
committees of the Board; work with the Executive Committee to
assure all Board committee work is completed in a timely fashion
• Assist with Board meeting preparations, including agenda
development
Other duties as assigned
Qualifications
Required Experience
• Excellence in organizational management with the ability to coach
staff, manage, and develop a high-performance team, and set
and achieve strategic objectives
• Proven fiscal management experience developing and managing
budgets with the ability to clearly communicate fiscal status to
trustees, staff, and funders
• Proven fundraising expertise in all giving sectors (individuals, business,
foundations, government agencies) and special events and the
ability to improve and develop income streams
• Success working with a Board of Trustees, including the ability to
cultivate existing board member relationships
• Strong written and verbal communication skills; a persuasive and
passionate communicator with excellent interpersonal and
multidisciplinary project skills
• Creative thinking for organizational and programming ideation
• Unwavering commitment to quality programs and data-driven
program evaluation
• Strong marketing and public relations skills, with the ability to
engage a wide range of stakeholders and cultures
• Action-oriented, entrepreneurial, adaptable, and innovative
approach to business planning
• Ability to work effectively in collaboration with diverse groups of
people
• Experience working with volunteers and interns
• Possesses passion, idealism, integrity, positive attitude and is missiondriven
and self directed
• Bachelor’s Degree in related field (art, art history, non-profit
administration, etc.)
• 3-5 years leadership experience with direct reports

Preferred Experience
• Master’s Degree in related field
• 5+ years of leadership experience with direct reports
• Printmaker or printmaking experience

Physical Requirements
Zygote is a working printmaking facility. Please ask for list of physical
requirements for this job.
Desired Candidate Characteristics
• Strong leader of people, ideas, programs, and budgets
• Visionary
• Committed to challenging the boundaries of printmaking
• Authentic respect for artists with ability to mentor artists
• Comfortable interacting with all kinds of people in all kinds of
positions and roles in the community
• Energetic advocate for Zygote

Compensation
Salary is commensurate with experience and organizational budget.

To Apply
Email cover letter and resume to S. Murray, Chair, Search Committee at:
edzygote@gmail.com. No phone calls, please. Application deadline:
September 1, 2017 or until the position is filled.