CULTURAL AFFAIRS OFFICER

DESCRIPTION

The City of Long Beach is seeking an experienced, creative, innovative and collaborative individual who is committed to develop and lead Cultural Affairs in the Department of Library, Arts and Culture.

Appointment to this position is expected to be at or below the midpoint $129,001.72 of the salary range, however, the final amount will be carefully determined based on the candidate's knowledge, skills, qualifications, and an evaluation of internal equity within the organization.

The City is supported by a FY 2024 total budget of approximately $3.3 billion with a General Fund budget of $719 million. More than 6,000 full and part-time employees support municipal operations with the vast majority being represented by twelve employee associations. To learn more about the City of Long Beach, go to: www.longbeach.gov.

THE DEPARTMENT
The Department of Library, Arts and Culture primarily oversees the Long Beach Public Library system. The department’s mission has recently expanded to include Cultural Affairs for the City.

The Long Beach Public Library is made up of 12 libraries, including two signature flagship libraries that were built within the past 15 years. LBPL operates with a fiscal year 2025 budget of approximately $21 million and 200 dedicated staff, and is one of 15 departments administered by the City Manager. Since 1986, LBPL has provided free and equal access to information, education, and community, enabling access to hundreds of thousands of titles and an impressive selection of digital content, books, movies, music, audio books, and more. It supports lifelong learning and academic and career success and works to close the digital divide, support childhood literacy, provide various health services, and create transformative community experiences. The LBPL system has received accolades attesting to its innovation and continued success, particularly at the Billie Jean King Main Library, Michelle Obama Neighborhood Library, and Mark Twain Neighborhood Library. In 2017, the system received the National Medal for Museum and Library Service - the highest honor for institutions that make significant and exceptional contributions to their communities.

The City of Long Beach and LBPL are committed to creating a workplace where every employee is valued for who they are, and for the unique skills they bring to their role. Having a workforce that reflects the diversity of the community at various levels of the organization is a continuous goal embraced by City departments, management staff, and policymakers. To support efforts of fairness and diversity, City Leadership is committed to incorporating equity and inclusion into its work by supporting staff and community partners. The City is committed to promoting transparency by publishing updated demographic information for employees, including workforce diversity data and pay by race and gender.

THE POSITION
Under the direction of the Library Director, the Cultural Affairs Officer is an at-will employee who manages the City-wide Cultural Affairs engagement and programmatic efforts as part of the Department of Library, Arts and Culture. The Cultural Affairs Officer will make connections with City and community leaders, build relationships with cultural center and Long Beach Arts Council leadership, research the relationship of the City with community cultural centers, cultural districts, and the Long Beach Arts Council, and supports cultural programs and activities within the Department of Library, Arts and Culture. The position oversees one Clerk-Typist III.

This is a new position, and we anticipate growth in this Division in forthcoming years, expanding the role of library services in support of the growth of arts and culture sector in Long Beach and ensuring equitable access to arts and culture throughout the city.

EXAMPLES OF DUTIES

• Build relationships with Cultural Center and Arts Council leadership, community arts and cultural leadership, government agencies, and other stakeholders to facilitate the growth of cultural centers and cultural districts within Long Beach;
• Establish, nurture and maintain strategic partnerships and relationships with leadership of other City departments to bolster and benefit City cultural affairs activities;
• Research and advance partnership framework between Cultural Centers and the City to guide short and long-term development and facility use, including maintenance responsibilities between parties;
• Provide expert advice and guidance on cultural matters to stakeholders, including government bodies and community groups;
• Explore fund development to support cultural initiatives including public and private grant opportunities;
• Liaise with the Office of Equity and the Department Racial Equity Champions;
• Oversee the Department Racial Equity Committee;
• Oversee eight Library Cultural Celebration Committees and all Library cultural events, programs and activities;
• Track, monitor, and report on library cultural program attendance, leveraging information to constantly improve and enhance cultural offerings;
• Train and develop staff on DEI issues on a regular basis;
• Maintain and update the DEI training section in the Department bi-weekly newsletter;
• May develop, implement, and lead arts and cultural programs;
• Perform other duties as assigned.

REQUIREMENTS TO FILE

• Three (3) years of progressively responsible full-time experience managing and/or administering arts and/or cultural affairs programs and events, including one (1) year at a lead or supervisory level. Experience managing and/or administering diversity, equity and inclusion programs and events is highly desirable.

• Bachelor's degree in Cultural Studies, World Arts and Culture, Arts and Cultural Management, Arts Education, or a closely related field is required.
  • Candidates may substitute experience offering specific and substantial preparation for the duties of the position for the required education on a year-for-year basis.

• Experience working with data management and/or content management systems (CMS) is desirable.
• Knowledge of regional arts and/or cultural affairs community is desirable.
• A Master’s degree is desirable.
• Bilingual English/Spanish is desirable.

• Exceptional political acumen and the ability to foster and maintain positive relationships
• Superb conflict management and negotiation skills
• Personable and participative listening, communicative, and collaborative skills
• Proactive and creative problem-solving ability
• Passion for serving the community through their work
• Outstanding cultural competency and emotional intelligence
• The ability to maintain confidentiality
• Self-motivated drive to implement long-range strategies for improving services
• High level of ethics and strong sense of integrity
• Comfortability with public speaking
• Ability to motivate, energize, and support staff
• Ability to effectively deliver programs to audiences of all demographics
• Eagerness to learn about public libraries and their services

SELECTION PROCEDURE