Job Opportunity at Penland

Penland School of Crafts
Penland, NC

Iron Studio Coordinator

Position Summary

The Iron Studio Coordinator reports to the Studio Manager and is responsible for keeping the studio in good working order and preparing for each class or activity scheduled in the space. The Coordinator works with Instructors, Studio Manager, Program Director, Studio Assistants, Studio Technician, Director of Facilities and Grounds, Deputy Director, Director of Finance, Accounts Manager, Store Manager and Registrar to insure smoothly running sessions. This is a full-time position, and will average 30 hours a week over the course of the year with more hours during the school’s summer season and fewer hours/week in the winter. Fall and spring hours will depend on concentration courses offered in the studio. This is a technical, administrative, and services-oriented position. Adaptability, analysis, attention to detail, collaboration, personal impact, dependability, safety awareness, organizational sensitivity and teamwork are characteristics central to this position. Personnel policies for all Penland employees apply.

Primary Responsibilities

Programming
• Supports the programming of classes and events in their studios by providing the Program Director with information on potential instructors, possible course topics, the studio’s capacity for class size, and the ability of the studio to support various types of activities.
• Assists with programming calls and represents Penland periodically at national conferences.
• Other duties as assigned.

Studio Usage
• Makes recommendations to the Studio Manager on usage of the space throughout the year (including summer classes, concentrations, winter rentals, demonstrations, lectures, special events, and individual usage of the space or equipment).
• Adheres to and enforces the no drugs, no alcohol policy in the studios.

Studio Maintenance
• Works with the Studio Manager and Studio Technician to create maintenance schedules and systems.
• Prepares the studio for use at the beginning of each season and maintains it throughout the course of each season. Prepares and closes studio if it is not to be used for one or more seasons.
• Insures that all equipment, materials and the studio itself are prepared for all scheduled uses throughout the year.

Instructor Support
• Calls the instructors six weeks before each class to confirm travel arrangements and is responsible for passing on the information to the appropriate office staff.
• Supports the needs of instructors, attends to equipment availability and set-up, configures space as needed, stocks supplies and materials requested for the session and compiles information on local resources as needed for the class.
• Meets with new instructors the day they arrive to familiarize them with the school and the studio, determines class requirements and insures that they are settled and have what they need to run their class.
• Checks in frequently with instructors to find out if there are any problems that need to be resolved. Lets instructors know their established hours for the session and when and how they can be reached after those hours or in the case of emergency. Reminds instructors at the halfway point of the class that they should conduct an informal class evaluation with their students.
• Assists instructors with plans for visiting artists and field trips.

Studio Assistant Support
• Works closely with Studio Assistants and/or studio work/study students before each session starts to review studio set up, safety issues, material costs, studio supplies and class needs. (See Changeover weekend). Checks routinely with Studio Assistants to address problems with equipment or supplies and to determine the overall interpersonal atmosphere in the studio.
• Determines studio fee in sessions when one is to be charged and conveys fee information to the studio assistant. Lets the Studio Assistant know when and how they can be reached in case of emergency.

Changeover Weekend
• Works with Studio Assistants all of the first day of changeover weekend. Directs the Assistants’ activities in setting safety standards, procedures, and equipment usage and covers how to charge for any materials for resale. If a studio fee is to be charged, the Coordinator will show the Assistant how to keep track of charges that will be included. The Coordinator will also meet with the class instructor the day they arrive to review class requirements. Coordinators will let Studio Assistants know when they have completed changeover duties.

Safety
• Works with Director of Facilities and Grounds and Studio Technician to create studio safety systems, including equipment and material handling.
• Reviews all safety issues in their studios including labeling, handling, & disposal of hazardous materials, equipment instructions & warnings, appropriate procedures for their studios, and reviews all relevant information with the studio assistant before the beginning of each session.
• Coordinator checks first aid kits periodically during each session to assure that the kits are available and up to date. The Director of Facilities and Grounds should be notified if medical supplies are needed.
• Explains the school’s policy of no drugs/no alcohol in the studio and helps enforce and reinforce this rule.
• Responsible for bringing it to the administration’s attention if people are not following the rules set for the studio.
• Conducts safety walkthrough each session and provides reports to the Studio Manager each session.
• Provides emergency on-call services to ensure safe handling and use of equipment. Emergency on-call response will only apply to situations that prove to be detrimental to staff, students, instructors and the studio.

Budgeting/Ordering/Accounting
• Makes proposals for each annual budget in the areas of materials for resale, studio supplies, studio equipment purchases, studio maintenance, equipment maintenance and studio improvements.
• Follows established procedures for requesting purchase authorizations, placing orders for materials, supplies, equipment and repairs for their studios and for submitting packing slips, invoices, and bills as soon as possible. Insures that all orders are placed, received, and accounted for properly.
• Monitors the availability of requested supplies in the store, and notifies instructors of changes or problems with requested materials and supplies.
• Monitors his or her own progress in remaining within budget and gets authorization ordering supplies or spending over budget.
• Works cooperatively with the Studio Manager when adjustments to the budget are necessary.

Supplies
• Stocks all studio supplies needed for proper maintenance of the space and for specific classes as requested by instructors. Establishes budget estimates, communicates with instructors about needed supplies, places timely orders as needed, receives shipments, prices all items, maintains stocks and informs studio assistants about record keeping when studio fees are to be calculated. Monitors usage of supplies by each class to insure that budget guidelines are met.

Materials for Resale
• Maintains stocks of materials that are sold through the studio. This includes budgeting for material purchases, estimating studio sales, communicating with instructors about materials needed for each class, placing and receiving orders, pricing materials, training studio assistants in selling studio materials and monitoring the collection of material and hazardous waste disposal fees. Works with the Director of Facilities and Grounds and Studio Technician to maintain hazardous waste handling and disposal systems. Inventories all studio materials for resale at the end of the calendar year and submits the inventory to the Director of Finance in a timely manner. Works with the Store Manager on suggested store inventory.

Studio Maintenance
• Works closely with the Director of Facilities and Grounds and Studio Technician to keep the studio in good working condition. Submits requests for studio maintenance to the Director of Facilities and Grounds for inclusion in the facility maintenance budget or provides researched estimates to the Studio Manager and Deputy Director for inclusion in the studio budget for maintenance activities that do not fall within the scope of Facilities and Grounds.

Equipment Maintenance
• Works with Studio Manager and Studio Technician to create and manage equipment maintenance systems. Insures proper maintenance of all equipment, either by performing the maintenance themselves, submitting maintenance requests, or contracting with outside service providers. For subcontracted repairs or maintenance, Coordinator will secure proper purchase authorizations and will follow established procedures for submitting bills to be paid.

Facilities Improvements
• Discusses requests for facility improvements with Director of Facilities and Grounds. Provides cost estimates, if requested, in a timely manner for the annual budget process. Requested facility improvements will be prioritized by the Director and the Director of Facilities and Grounds.

New Equipment
• Works with the Studio Manager to plan equipment purchases.
• Writes purchase authorizations and waits for approval before equipment is purchased.

Communication
• Attends regularly scheduled meetings with the Studio Manager and is responsible for any information relayed. Communicates clearly with Studio Assistants concerning studio needs and schedules. Provides clear and timely information to all other staff as necessary for issues and concerns involving their studios. Passes on any relevant information pertaining to transportation requests or housing/family needs to the appropriate office staff. Summarizes studio questionnaire information in a timely manner. Reads and evaluates course descriptions and communicates with instructors if the course descriptions exceed studio capabilities or suggests a conflict between classes to the Director of Programming.
• Serves as an advocate with the community to seek input, to keep them informed of relevant activities, improvements, etc., and to involve them in some meaningful and productive way.

Qualifications
Bachelor’s degree is preferred with at least 5 years of studio experience but will consider an equivalent combination of education and experience. In-depth technical knowledge of the equipment and processes to be used in the studios, general knowledge of the field of crafts, and the ability to perform basic equipment maintenance and repairs are required. Must possess good organizational skills, the ability to manage a varied workload, good people skills, and the ability to plan and manage a budget. Knowledge of computer applications, including word processing, spreadsheet and database management is preferred.

Physical Requirements
While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to sit and to work at a computer. The employee is frequently required to use hands to finger, handle or touch objects, tools or controls and to talk fluently and to hear. The employee is frequently required to stand, to walk, and to bend and to handle hazardous materials. The employee must regularly lift and/or move objects weighing up to 50 pounds or more. Specific vision required by this job includes close vision.

Compensation
Compensation discussions are a part of the interviewing process.
Anticipated Start Date
October 1, 2008
To Apply
The position will remain open until filled, however the initial review of applications will consist of applications received by August 29, 2008. Send resume and cover letter addressing relevant experience and interest in the position and contact information for at least 3 references to Simone Travisano, Studio Manager, Penland School of Crafts, PO Box 37, Penland, NC 28765 or simonetravisano@penland.org.
Penland School of Crafts is a national center for craft education offering residential workshops, residencies, community education programs, and exhibitions. Located on 400 acres in the NC Mountains, Penland has 15 teaching studios and a total of 49 historic and contemporary buildings. Penland School of Crafts is an equal opportunity employer with a staff of 62. Penland operates with a $7 million endowment and an annual operating budget of $4.2 million. Penland School of Crafts is an equal opportunity employer.

Revised: 7/29/08