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The Pittsburgh Cultural Trust is pleased to announce that it has been selected by the American Council of Learned Societies (ACLS) as a host organization for the Mellon/ACLS Public Fellows program. The Public Fellows program promotes the visibility and value of the humanities PhD beyond the academy by offering opportunities for PhDs to take on substantive roles in the fields of policy, community development, arts and culture, media, and international affairs. In 2020, the program will place up to 21 recent PhDs from the humanities and humanistic social sciences in two-year staff positions at partnering organizations in government and the nonprofit sector. Fellows receive an annual stipend of $70,000, as well as access to employer-based health insurance through the host organization. In addition, ACLS provides funds for relocation and professional development. Fellows receive professional mentoring and participate in career development programming, both in-person and virtually. 

The application deadline is March 18, 2020. For more information, visit acls.org/programs/publicfellowscomp

The Mellon/ACLS Public Fellows program is an initiative of the American Council of Learned Societies and is made possible by a grant from The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation. Please direct all inquiries about the fellowship program to ACLS.

ORGANIZATION DESCRIPTION

The Pittsburgh Cultural Trust is a private, non-profit organization established in 1984 to assist in the growth of the Pittsburgh area’s performing and visual arts and to enhance the economic and cultural development of a 14-block downtown area known as the Cultural District. In fulfilling its mission, the Trust is involved in acquiring, restoring, and managing land and buildings within the District to create a lively mix of arts facilities, urban amenities, and educational facilities as well as commercial and residential development. With an annual budget of $70 million, the Trust manages more than 10 performance/exhibition venues, facilitates more than 2,000 performances annually, and partners with other arts organizations, foundations, governmental entities, and community groups to encourage more people to live, work, and play in the Cultural District. Learn more at trustarts.org.

POSITION DESCRIPTION

The Government Relations Specialist joins a team of 16 fundraising professionals. The Specialist reports to the Manager of Institutional Giving and collaborates with other Institutional Giving team members, Trust management, Trust Boards and Committees, and across Trust departments to coordinate and manage government giving initiatives. A new position in the Development department, the Specialist is responsible for the execution of all Trust government relations activities, including identifying new funding streams, strategizing project priorities, adhering to proposal submission and reporting deadlines, maintaining key governmental relationships, and cultivating ongoing relationships with government sources.

The Specialist will play a critical role in the growth of government funding at the federal, state, and county levels, supporting the Trust’s annual operations and its ambitious three-year capital campaign. For the first time, the Trust will have a fundraising team member entirely devoted to cultivating new and existing government funding opportunities, allowing the Trust to build deeper and more effective relationships with key officials and government agencies. Sources of potential funding include the National Endowment for the Humanities, the National Endowment for the Arts, the US Department of Homeland Security, the US Department of the Treasury, the Pennsylvania Office of the Budget, and the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development.

By the end of the fellowship term, the Government Relations Specialist will have the expertise to develop a case for support for projects based in the arts and economic development, to develop ongoing relationships with elected officials and their offices with the goal of securing new and recurring funding, and to work cross-departmentally to create in-depth proposals and reports to government agencies. The Specialist will also gain significant knowledge of arts and cultural programming with particular understanding of the transformative role of the arts as a catalyst for economic and community development through effective private, corporate, foundation and governmental partnerships.

Key duties and responsibilities:

• Execute strategies, action plans, and appropriate solicitation plans for fundraising related to government sources, including municipal, regional, state-wide, and national agencies;
• Research new funding opportunities in the government sector for economic development, arts, and other initiatives applicable to the Trust’s projects;
• Assemble, coordinate, and complete data and reporting for government grants;
• Maintain complete and accurate government contacts and records, including submission and reporting deadlines, in the Trust’s CRM and ticketing database, Tessitura;
• Support Manager of Institutional Giving in the maintenance of relationships with elected officials, supporting staff, and lobbyists;
• Perform other responsibilities as assigned; and
• Limited travel (less than 5 percent).

Physical demands: This position involves mainly office work—occasional lifting up to 20-30 lbs. may be required, though the Trust will make appropriate accommodations for a fellow with a physical disability. The individual should be able to sit and/or view a computer screen for extended periods of time.

QUALIFICATIONS

Required

• PhD in the humanities or social sciences;
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills;
• Ability to effectively manage multiple projects and priorities and meet deadlines;
• Familiarity working with large databases/data analytics for reporting and relationship management;
• Strong attention to detail, self-motivated, organized, and comfortable working independently.
• Resilience and ability to accept constructive criticism and feedback;
• Ability to function in a fast-paced environment with excellent adherence to deadlines.

Preferred

• Familiarity with federal funding sources (NEH, NEA, NIH, NSF, NMTC, etc.).

STIPEND AND BENEFITS

Each 2020 Mellon/ACLS Public Fellow receives an annual stipend of $70,000, as well as access to employer-based health insurance through the host organization. In addition, ACLS provides funds for relocation and professional development. Fellows receive professional mentoring and participate in career development programming, both in-person and virtually.

APPLICATIONS

• All applications must be submitted through the ACLS online application system (ofa.acls.org)
• Application deadline: March 18, 2020, 9 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time

Visit acls.org/programs/publicfellowscomp to learn more about the Mellon/ACLS Public Fellows program. This position is only available through this program; please do not contact the host organization directly.