Division Manager, Arts, Culture, Music & Entertainment (ACME-Cultural Education & Programs)

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Working under minimal direction, this position serves as a key departmental leader, translating policy into action, strengthening community and stakeholder partnerships, and ensuring compliance, accountability, and high-quality outcomes across all division activities. This role is critical to stewarding culturally significant spaces and requires a deep understanding of the histories, identities, and communities associated with each facility.

Job Description:

Division Manager, Arts, Culture, Music & Entertainment (ACME-Cultural Education & Programs)

Purpose:

Under minimal direction, this position organizes, develops, and manages core programs within a division of Arts, Culture, Music & Entertainment.

Duties, Functions and Responsibilities:

Essential duties and functions, pursuant to the Americans with Disabilities Act, may include the following. Other related duties may be assigned.

• Provides leadership, strategic direction, and management for a division/unit within Arts, Culture, Music & Entertainment.
  
• Sets division policy and ensures division is aligned with department goals.
  
• Responsible for overseeing the management of all aspects of the development and implementation of existing and new programs under their direction.
  
• Recommends, develops, or modifies program procedures, guidelines, standards, and policies to achieve program goals and objectives, and determines changes that need to be made in program policies and procedures based on feedback from customers, officials, service providers, and community groups.
  
• Prepares and monitors division/section budget.
  
• Performs economic forecasting and evaluation of division/section-related programs.
  
• Prepares financial summaries/reports for management review. Develops and establishes goals and priorities for departmental programs. Performs short- and long-term planning.
  
• Builds strategic alliances among community-based organizations (public, private and/or not-for-profit).
  
• Conducts needs assessment studies.
  
• Evaluates program operations for effectiveness and efficiency.
  
• Ensures compliance with Federal, State, and City codes, ordinances, and regulations.
  
• Enforces quality assurance/quality control initiatives.
  
• Attends meetings and conducts presentations to City Council, Boards, and Commissions.
  

Responsibilities - Supervisor and/or Leadership Exercised:

Responsible for the full range of supervisory activities including selection, training, evaluation, counseling, and recommendation for dismissal.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

Must possess required knowledge, skills, abilities, and experience and be able to explain and demonstrate, with or without reasonable accommodations, that the essential functions of the job can be performed.

• Knowledge of Federal, State, and Local laws.
  
• Knowledge of City practice, policy, and procedures.
  
• Knowledge of supervisory and managerial techniques and methods.
  
• Knowledge of fiscal planning and budget preparation.
  
• Knowledge of community resources available and how to use them effectively.
  
• Knowledge of municipal government operations and applicable regulations.
  
• Knowledge of contract writing, negotiating techniques, contract law, bid evaluation and cost/price/value analysis.
  
• Skill in oral and written communication.
  
• Skill in handling multiple tasks and prioritizing.
  
• Skill in using computers and related software.
  
• Skill in data analysis and problem-solving.
  
• Skill in planning and organizing.
  
• Ability to establish and maintain good working relationships with other City employees and the public.
  
• Ability to negotiate, making independent judgments.
  
• Ability to resolve contractual or purchasing issues.
  
• Ability to work with frequent interruptions and changes in priorities.
  
• Ability to exercise good judgment, tact, and diplomacy in all dealings and maintain confidentiality as required.
  

Minimum Qualifications:

Graduation with a Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university with major course work in a field related to the job plus five (5) years of related experience, including three (3) years which were in a leadership or supervisory capacity.

Licenses and Certifications Required:

Valid Texas Class C Driver License.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Progressively responsible leadership experience in arts, culture, music, entertainment, or community-centered public sector environments
  
• Demonstrated experience managing multi-site cultural facilities or programs with diverse community audiences
  
• Proven ability to design and lead culturally responsive programming that reflects community identity, heritage, and artistic expression
  
• Strong experience translating policy and strategic priorities into effective operations, programs, and services
  
• Background in facility operations, including maintenance coordination, capital improvement planning, and space activation
  
• Experience developing and managing operating and capital budgets in a complex organizational environment
  
• Proven success supervising and developing staff, fostering a culture of accountability, inclusion, and high performance
  
• Demonstrated ability to build and sustain partnerships with artists, cultural organizations, community stakeholders, and cross-sector partners
  
• Experience leading high-visibility initiatives and using data, performance metrics, and community feedback to drive decision-making and improve access and participation
  

Notes to Candidate:

About Us!

Austin Arts, Culture, Music, and Entertainment (ACME) is your hub for the City of Austin’s diverse cultural initiatives.

We are committed to fostering a vibrant, creative ecosystem that celebrates and supports Austin's artists, musicians, entertainment venues, and cultural institutions. ACME is a centralized hub offering resources, funding opportunities, and strategic programs that promote local talent and drive economic growth.

About the Position!

The Division Manager for Arts, Culture, Music & Entertainment provides strategic, administrative, and programmatic leadership for a major division overseeing the City’s cultural facilities, including the Asian American Resource Center (AARC), Emma S. Barrientos Mexican American Cultural Center (MACC), Millennium Youth Entertainment Complex (MYEC), George Washington Carver Museum, Genealogy and Cultural Center, African American Cultural & Heritage Facility (AACHF), and the Dedrick-Hamilton House.

The ACME Division Manager ensures that operations, programming, and partnerships are culturally responsive, community-informed, and aligned with the City’s commitment to access, preservation, and activation of arts, culture, and heritage spaces. The ideal candidate brings demonstrated experience activating cultural facilities, museums, and public spaces through inclusive programming, partnerships, and engagement strategies.

Pay Range:

$91,080.00- $117,000.00 annually

Location:

City of Austin Permitting and Development Center

6310 Wilhelmina Delco Dr. Austin, TX 78752

Days and Hours:

Monday-Friday, 8 am- 5 pm, with some nights and weekends. (Hours may vary based on business needs.)

When completing the City of Austin employment application:

• A detailed, complete employment application is required. It helps us to better evaluate your qualifications and will be used to determine salary if you are selected for this position.
  
• Provide each job title and accurate employment dates for all jobs included on the application.
  
• Your work history should include the duties you performed, any supervisory or lead responsibilities, and any equipment and computer software used.
  
• The City of Austin employment application is an official document; incomplete applications will not be considered.
  
• A résumé is required but will not substitute for a complete employment application. Incomplete applications will not be considered.
  
• A cover letter is also required. In the cover letter, candidates should describe, in concise detail, their interest in this position and highlight any prior experience that is relevant to this position.
  

Assessment:

• An assessment may be used to evaluate your skills and competencies for this job.
  

If you are selected as a top candidate:

• Verification of your education (including high school graduation or a GED, and undergraduate and/or graduate degrees) will be required. You must provide proof of education from an accredited institution or organization, as well as proof of your professional licenses or certifications.
  
• If you are in the military or a veteran, you will need to provide a copy of your DD-214.
  
• A Criminal Background Investigation (CBI) is required.
  

Driving Requirement:

• This position requires a valid Texas Class C Driver's License or the ability to acquire one by your hire date. External New Hires must meet the City of Austin’s Driver Record Evaluation (DRE) requirements. To be considered for a driving position, applicants cannot have more than three moving violations or a total of six Driver Record Evaluation points within a period of thirty-six (36) months.
  

Travel:

• If you are selected for this position and meet the Driver Safety Standards in the City of Austin Driver Safety Program, you may drive when necessary to multiple locations as part of your regular job duties. Otherwise, you are responsible for getting to and from these locations.
  

90-day Provision:

This posting may be used to fill additional vacancies that occur within the department

Applicants are encouraged to apply immediately. Please note that the Department may close the job posting after 7 days.

Important Note to Applicants:
Please be aware that the Job Posting Close Date reflects the final day to apply, but the posting will close at 11:59 PM the day before that date. All application steps, including attachments and submission, must be fully completed before that time.

We also recommend that you save or print a copy of the job posting for your records. Once a posting has closed, it will no longer be viewable in the system.

EEO Statement for City of Austin:

The City of Austin will not discriminate against any applicant or employee based on race, creed, color, national origin, sex, gender identity, age, religion, veteran status, disability, or sexual orientation. In addition, the City will not discriminate in employment decisions on the basis of an individual's AIDS, AIDS Related Complex, or HIV status; nor will the City discriminate against individuals who are perceived to be at risk of HIV infection, or who associate with individuals who are believed to be at risk.

City of Austin is committed to compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act. If you require reasonable accommodation during the application process or have a question regarding an essential job function, please call (512) 974-3210 or Texas Relay by dialing 7-1-1.

Closing Date/Time: 2026-04-16

• 

• City of Austin

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