Community Engagement Manager

Organizational Overview

Located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, Global Arts Live is a vibrant nonprofit arts presenter dedicated to celebrating the world's music and dance. Since its founding in 1990, the organization has been a cultural anchor in the Greater Boston area, presenting more than 60 performances annually in venues ranging from intimate 250-seat clubs to major theaters seating up to 3,500. Known for its adventurous spirit and deep commitment to cultural exchange, Global Arts Live connects local audiences with renowned and emerging artists from more than 70 countries. The organization's programs engage audiences with performances that span traditions, genres, and geographies, and each season brings a rich mix of global artistry to venues in Boston, Cambridge, and Somerville. Under the leadership of Chief Executive Officer Connie Chin and Founder Maure Aronson, Global Arts Live is entering a period of significant growth with the fall 2026 opening of The Platform, a new performing arts center in Kendall Square, Cambridge. The center will feature a 400-seat state-of-the-art theater designed for dance, music, theater, film, and other genres; a professional rehearsal studio; and a 125-seat cabaret-style stage within a ground-floor commons designed as an urban living room for the public. With its mission to bring "art to life and people together," The Platform offers a space for artists to create and perform, invites audiences to explore, and welcomes community to connect. In the strategic plan approved in 2024, community engagement is a newly strengthened priority, including developing new and supporting existing local partnerships, expanding engagement programs, and increasing educational and audience development efforts. The Platform offers meaningful opportunities to deepen the organization's commitment to community engagement, including building relationships with immigrant communities, especially those reflecting the global artists that we present, and creating collaborations with neighborhood organizations, cultural groups, and civic partners.

Role Overview

You will create new programs and partnerships, grow existing and planned initiatives, and identify opportunities and connections. For Global Arts Live, these programs are primarily adjacent to the art we present; for The Platform, these programs aim to help build community relationships. For both organizations, our community engagement work is based on our organizational values: Live art transforms; We center art and artists; Global is local and local is global; We build community; Everybody belongs. This position is intrinsically cross-departmental, and you will collaborate proactively with other departments. This position reports to the Director of Artistic Programs and also works very closely with The Platform's General Manager. This newly created role will evolve in response to the needs of a growing organization entering a new chapter.

Responsibilities

Community Relationships and New Partnerships

We seek to deepen relationships with artistic communities, immigrant communities, historically underserved groups, and neighbors throughout Cambridge, while strengthening connections with current Global Arts Live audiences and people who work in Kendall Square's biotechnology sector and broader economy. As a new venue, The Platform offers an opportunity to build reciprocal community relationships from the ground up. In this role, you will:

• Build and facilitate authentic, reciprocal relationships and partnerships for both Global Arts Live and The Platform in communities, listening and responding to how The Platform can best connect to and serve our constituents
• Bring new partnership and program ideas to authentically engage and build audiences for Global Arts Live and The Platform, working closely with marketing and development departments to secure funding and promote events
• Coordinate the distribution of 25 free venue rentals annually to community partners
• Manage The Platform Arts Advisory Circle, a group of artists from the community that provides input and advice
• Manage the Global Arts Live CONNECT program that distributes deeply discounted tickets to constituents of partner organizations who face economic barriers to attending our concerts

Programming

Working collaboratively with the Director of Artistic Programs (DAP), you will facilitate activities that strengthen and express Global Arts Live + The Platform's commitment to community; including engagement activities connected to Global Arts Live programs presented both at the Platform and external venues, such as master classes and workshops with artists, post-show discussions, and artist meet-and-greet events. With DAP, create engaging and public events on the Tempo Stage for a variety of interests and audiences. Facilitate use of The Platform – as rentals or collaborative projects – by selected community-based organizations and individuals.

Qualifications

• Minimum three years track record of developing community relationships and live performance cultural programs. Combinations of formal education and practical work experience will also be considered.
• Experience in the Greater Boston area, and Cambridge specifically, is a plus.
• Experience working with artistic communities, immigrant communities, historically underserved groups, and local neighborhoods, including developing relationships and implementing programs that address their needs.
• Proven ability to drive results when working collaboratively with a wide range of people, cultures, ideas and priorities
• Strong communication skills, both written and oral, with demonstrated capability for relationship-building.
• Robust project management and organizational skills.
• Experience taking projects from vision to reality.
• High level of independence, initiative, and ability to manage varying priorities.
• Effective in a fast-paced environment.

Other Requirements

• Ability to work nights and weekends for events and activities
• Ability to move 30 lb objects
• Conversational language abilities and familiarity with cultures that are represented in our programming would be helpful.

Compensation

This is a full-time, exempt position with an annual salary range of $70,000 to $80,000, commensurate with experience. Benefits include health, dental, disability and life insurance; SIMPLE Cafeteria flexible spending account; paid vacation, sick, and personal days; and 10 paid holidays.

Hours

Some M-F weekday hours, with time expected to be spent outside the office in the community, with evening, weekend and night hours at events. While our office is hybrid, with in-office hours dependent on the needs of the position and the organization, being present in person is important in this role.