Two organizations that I'm personally involved with need to make important hires...so here's a quick shoutout to that effect:
- For the Geeks: Backfence is looking for a Director of Product, to be based in the company's Virginia headquarters. (Disclosure note: Omidyar Network is an investor in Backfence, and I serve on the board.) See below for the full position, go here for more company info, and if you are interested, please drop a note and resume to Mark Potts.
- For Arts-Lovers (who may also be Geeks!): Alonzo King's LINES Ballet is looking for a General Manager/Executive Director, to be based in the company's San Francisco headquarters. (Disclosure note: I am the incoming board president at LINES, so this CEO-type person will be stuck working with me directly!) See below for the full position, and if you are interested, please drop a note and resume to my LINES mailbox.
Please feel free to forward this post to folks that you think would be a good match for one of these positions! Also, if folks know good locations to post for an entrepreneurial General Manager, I'd much appreciate the references.
Director of Product, Backfence
Backfence.com is reinventing the way that local community members get their news and information, and we're looking for a talented and energetic Director of Product to help create new products and manage the rollout of products and communities around the country. Backfence is a unique new concept in online communities: a network of hyperlocal news and information Web sites whose content is created entirely by its users. The Director of Product will be responsible for managing the Backfence product and launch development schedules and for initiating and managing specific product development projects. This is a position that combines good project management and organizational skills with problem-solving abilities and strong creative product development skills. We are a fast-growing, fast-moving entrepreneurial company that is looking for team members with the same attributes. The Director of Product role includes:
- Creating, executing, launching and managing new products.
- Managing the project schedule for the technology and engineering team.
- Managing the launch schedule of Backfence sites to ensure that all launch and development criteria are met in a timely fashion.
- Contributing creative ideas to the product development pipeline.
- Managing specific product features on an ongoing basis.
- Assessing new Web technologies and finding ways to use them to enhance Backfence.
Experience:
- Strong product development and management experience, preferably in an online community setting.
- Strong project management skills and experience.
- Strong problem-solving skills.
- Strong working knowledge of Web technology, preferably Web 2.0-type applications.
- Ability to work closely as part of a team but also to make independent decisions to keep the product pipeline moving.
General Manager, Alonzo King's LINES Ballet
Alonzo King's LINES Ballet is a San Francisco-based contemporary dance company redefining classical ballet through both the company and associated arts education programs. The organization’s four major programs include:
- The dance company, which tours both domestically and internationally;
- The San Francisco Dance Center, serving the larger Bay Area community by offering over 500 classes a month in a wide variety of dance forms;
- The LINES Ballet School, offering an intensive four week program for pre-professional study in ballet to nationally auditioned students; and
- The BFA program, sponsored in partnership with Dominican University.
The organization is based in downtown San Francisco, and is a valued
community resource. Alonzo King’s LINES Ballet has helped to position
San Francisco as one of the world’s dance centers. We are looking for a
talented General Manager to provide both strategic leadership and
hands-on management.
Main Objectives:
- Direct and implement an overarching business strategy, operating plan, and budget
- Set and meet well-defined business objectives and quantified milestones
- Cultivate and manage strategic partnerships that will build visibility, accelerate fundraising and outreach, and cement LINES as a collaborative community partner
- Develop and promote a strong and compelling brand identity
- Hire, manage, and mentor a high-performance team (both line-of-business and functional)
- Oversee combined program operations, including long-term facility needs
Required Qualifications:
- Entrepreneurial leader with growth company experience
- Demonstrated business development/relationship management experience
- 5+ years of demonstrated leadership and staff management experience
- Successful development of and execution upon strategic and operating plans
- 2+ years of P&L or similar level of business line responsibility, with successful experience in business planning, project planning, execution upon growth strategies (or capacity building), operating efficiency, and delivering financial results
- A strong understanding of forecasting, capital requirements, budget management
- 3+ years of previous board management/board membership experience
- Strong outreach experience (from any of marketing, fundraising, public relations, etc.) with the ability to engage a wide range of stakeholders
- Strong written and verbal communication skills; a persuasive and passionate communicator with excellent interpersonal and multidisciplinary project skills
- Experience working with a nonprofit
Desired Qualifications:
- A sense of humor!
- Other personal characteristics: a go-getter, a capable and energetic partner who takes pride in ownership and can inspire others as he/she works to make milestones happen
- Previous experience in the arts (preferably dance/performing arts), and/or arts education
- Strong rolodex for cultivating board members and major donors
- Experience working with company/program funders (or investors)
Compensation to be determined based upon experience. Alonzo King’s LINES Ballet is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to diversity.
Tags: christine herron christine.net space jockeys backfence lines ballet jobs art technology
