Executive Director

Reports to: Board of Directors

Type: Full-Time (35 hours/week)

Compensation: $50,000 - $60,000 with extended health benefits.

Organization Overview:

Centre A was founded in 1999 and is Canada’s only public gallery devoted to contemporary Asian and Asian diasporic art. Our mission is to uplift globalized Asian experiences through contemporary art, multi-disciplinary practices, and critical engagement and dialogue. Our values are to lead with compassion, empathy, and respect in our pursuit to uplift and represent diverse voices. We pursue our mission by producing exhibitions of contemporary Asian art, developing innovative public programs, and creating ongoing learning opportunities for artists, cultural workers and organizations.

We are a unionized workplace with a collective agreement as part of the Arts and Cultural Workers Union, IATSE B-778. (Collective Agreement - document).

Position Summary:

The Executive Director will be reporting directly to the Board of Directors and work alongside the Artistic Director who develops, implements, and manages the creative programming of the organization. They will be responsible for organizational leadership, operations, planning, human resources, financial management and community relations. The successful candidate will have experience working with arts and culture / non profit organizations, labour relations experience and have strong progressive values.

Overview of Duties:

Leadership

- Manage the overall strategic direction of Centre A’s administration and programming
- Work with the Board of Directors and staff to fulfill the objectives of the Strategic Plan 2024-2027
- Collaborate with key stakeholders to advance Centre A’s mission, values, and strategic plan
- Establish a positive, inclusive, healthy and safe work environment for staff, volunteers and board members

Operations and Planning

- Work collaboratively with the Board of Directors including reporting, supporting its committees, and liaising between staff and external parties.
- Identify and evaluate risks to the organization’s people, property, finances, perception and implement measures to control risks.
- Coordinate maintenance and repairs of facilities, exhibitions, and other infrastructure.
- Maintain administrative organizational systems, archiving, and office resources.
- Responsible for reviewing, approving, and signing any notes, agreements and other instruments made and entered on behalf of Centre A.

Human Resources

- Oversee the recruitment, selection, training and termination of staff and volunteers.
- Maintain a positive, inclusive, healthy, and safe work environment for one (1) full-time staff (Artistic Director), several part-time contract staff, and student workers and volunteers.
- In collaboration with staff, develop administrative processes and forms including human resources policies, contracts, and artist agreements.
- Determine staffing requirements for organizational management and program delivery.
- Work collaboratively with the Union, staff and Board to follow and implement the collective agreement.

Financial Management

- Work with the Board to develop, implement, and oversee the operating budget, program budgets and annual audit.
- Manage day-to-day financial transactions and cash flow, including accounts payable and receivable, payroll, remittances, and reporting.
- Prepare and submit operation and project grants applications, interim reports, and final reports for public and private sources of funding.
- Ensure effective and efficient financial processes and systems with input from the auditor, bookkeeper and Finance Committee.
- Prepare, review and analyze monthly financial reports with the Board Treasurer.

Revenue Generation/Fundraising

- Work with the Board and Fundraising Committee to secure funding and investigate new sources of revenue through grants, donor cultivation and sponsorship activities.
- Ensure Centre A maintains strong and positive relationships with funders and sponsors.
- Manage fundraising and sponsorship campaigns.
- Cultivate and maintain a steady donor database.

Marketing and Community Relations

- Act as a spokesperson for Centre A
- Cultivate and steward relationships and partnership with members, community groups, peer organizations and stakeholders
- Extend Centre A’s audience reach via strategic communications and public relations
- Produce clean and professional copy, press releases, and other written materials
- Oversee the development and implementation of digital and social media strategies to enhance the profile of the organization

Role Qualifications

- Must have a Master’s Degree in Fine Arts from a Canadian institution and a Bachelor’s Degree in Fine Arts.
- Entrepreneurial experience is highly encouraged, including incorporating and setting up the legal and physical structures needed to operate a small business and institution.
- 5-7 years of:

- Management experience or equivalent combination of training and experience within the non-profit and cultural sector

- Curatorial experience or equivalent combination of training and experience within the non-profit and cultural sector

- Must have knowledge of:

- Print media, artists’ books, rare books, and art publications

- Academic libraries and archives

- The national and local Asian Canadian and Vancouver art scenes. An understanding of the history and culture of Vancouver’s Chinatown is a strong asset.

- Must have knowledge and commitment to contemporary Asian art and its concerns
- Must have experience working in progressive and grassroots cultural spaces and its intersections with equity, access, and social justice
- Demonstrated skills in financial management and control
- Demonstrated success in grant writing and knowledge of funding structures
- Superior organizational and administrative skills, detail-oriented focus and the ability to manage multiple priorities and projects
- Proven ability to effectively communicate verbally and in writing
- Excellent interpersonal, networking, public speaking skills to represent the organization
- Ability to work independently, as well as collaboratively at all levels of operation in a fast-paced environment
- Knowledge of one or more Asian languages and French is a strong asset
- Strong systems thinking and proficiency in using and leveraging software and technology to build organizational capacity and efficiency
- Flexibility to work occasional weekends and evenings
- A valid driver’s license and access to a vehicle is mandatory
- Candidate must be located in Vancouver, British Columbia
- While all qualified candidates will be considered, preference will be given to those with the cultural competency to work with the constituents that Centre A serves

Personal Skills

- Exceptional verbal and written communication, including being highly adept with service calls via phone and in person, as well as through web tools, text message, email, etc.
- Ability to handle multiple tasks, projects, and priorities effectively.
- Able to work ethically and with respect with multiple stakeholders including staff, Board members, and community members.
- Working knowledge of labour relations, experienced working in a unionized environment.
- Discretion with confidential information.

Working Conditions

- The gallery and office is located at Unit 205, 268 Keefer Street, Vancouver, BC in the Sun Wah Centre within the Chinatown / Downtown Eastside Neighbourhood
- The gallery is located on the 2nd floor of the building with access to an elevator
- There may be work hours in evenings and weekends due to board meetings and gallery events

TO APPLY:

Please send materials to the hiring committee in a single PDF with your name and the position in the title, in the following order to recruiting@centrea.org: a cover letter, CV, and three reference contacts. Optionally, you may also provide a link to your website/portfolio and any other documentation of relevant projects.

Interviews starting late November. Review of applications will begin on November 6, 2025, and will continue until the position is filled. We thank you in advance for your interest, however only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.

We are located in Vancouver’s Chinatown on the unceded and ancestral territories of the Musqueam, Squamish, and Tsleil-Waututh Nations. We are committed to equity and inclusion and encourage applications from members of underrepresented and marginalized groups, including but not limited to sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, racialization, and/or disability.

Posted 2025-10-30