Director, PEN America Los Angeles

PEN America, a nonprofit organization working at the intersection of literature and human rights, seeks a forward-thinking, innovative director to lead the PEN America office in Los Angeles. The director will build the programming, public profile, partnerships and funding to advance PEN America’s mission in the greater Los Angeles area and throughout California, drawing on PEN America’s established expertise and national staff. This exciting role requires an entrepreneurial approach, the ability to engage and serve a wide range of writers and screenwriters, as well as members of the larger literary and publishing community, and the film and television industry. The director will execute programming and other initiatives that amplify PEN America’s core mission of celebrating literature and defending free expression advocacy and literary activism, and represent PEN America in a wide range of settings. This is a full-time position based in Los Angeles and reports to the Interim Co-CEOs.

Founded in 1922, PEN America works to ensure that people everywhere have the freedom to create literature, to convey information and ideas, to express their views, and to access the views, ideas, and literatures of others. In 2018, PEN America and PEN Center USA, based in Los Angeles, unified under PEN America with the goal of bringing writers coast to coast together in a national organization. Since then, the Los Angeles team has built support for PEN America’s work in the L.A. area and throughout California, inaugurated new programs and initiatives, elevated free expression advocacy, and forged important partnerships with California art institutions.

The director will draw on PEN America’s national programming, world-class research, advocacy campaigns, and connections to the literary, entertainment, publishing, and human rights communities to represent and advance the organization’s work and priorities in Los Angeles and throughout California. These priorities include celebrating literature and supporting the literary community; fostering and safeguarding a culture of free expression; and mobilizing and defending writers, readers, and educators. The role offers the opportunity to build a prominent, vibrant hub that supports and engages writers in the L.A. area and strengthens PEN America’s membership base across California, and grows the funding base to support organizational fundraising efforts. The director will coordinate closely with PEN America’s literary programming and free expression departments, especially with the membership team and those working on the World Voices Festival. The role will also collaborate with and be supported by PEN America’s Communications, Development, and Finance departments. Initially, the director will oversee one to two consultants; added staff is anticipated, dependent on progress in fundraising.

The director will bring a combination of skills ideally including public programming, fundraising, partnership-building, and advocacy. A network of relevant literary, film industry, philanthropic and community contacts in Los Angeles is essential; a network that extends statewide would be an advantage. The director will have a general understanding of and interest in contemporary free expression issues, particularly as they relate to the creative, literary, educational, and/or journalism spheres. The director should be able to represent PEN America positions in various settings; engage and steward donors; plan and execute public events featuring writers and literary professionals, PEN America experts, and partners; and build relationships with media, peer advocacy, literary and cultural organizations, and community groups. A natural relationship-builder, the director will have excellent interpersonal and communication skills as well as the ability to formulate strategies independently, conceptualize and execute multiple initiatives simultaneously, and problem-solve proactively.

In alignment with PEN America’s current policy, all applicants should be available to report to the office at least three days per week. This policy is subject to change.

RESPONSIBILITIES

• Develop and execute a strategy to advance and elevate PEN America’s presence in Los Angeles, including through public programming; membership and community outreach, engagement, and cultivation; advocacy; fundraising; and media outreach
• Collaborate with the Development team to identify and cultivate individual donors and foundation funders to support organizational fundraising efforts

• Serve as the primary spokesperson and representative of PEN America and its priorities in Los Angeles, effectively communicating its mission and vision to a wide variety of community partners and constituents
• Oversee the creation and development of innovative initiatives including advocacy campaigns and public programs that will build PEN America’s profile in Los Angeles and throughout California
• Coordinate with the Literary Programs department to conduct public programming and support and engage with the literary community in Los Angeles
• Collaborate with the U.S. Free Expression Programs department to ensure our free expression advocacy work is informed by perspectives of our constituents in Los Angeles and California, and to ensure our work reaches and serves those constituents.
• Coordinate with the Membership team to expand and serve PEN America’s membership in Los Angeles and throughout California, particularly to ensure that it encompasses a diversity of literary, film industry, academic, and other writing communities.
• Build partnerships with counterpart organizations, including academic, literary and cultural institutions, film and television industry stakeholders, advocacy groups, and community leaders
• Build PEN America Los Angeles’ profile through partnerships, dynamic programming, media coverage, outreach efforts, and being a presence at key events and in prominent settings
• Oversee and develop, as appropriate, the operational structure of the PEN America office in Los Angeles, liaising with PEN America’s operational departments including Human Resources and Finance

All PEN America staff are considered to be stakeholders in the development of our shared organization. As such, staff play a role in varied activities within the workplace as part of their job responsibilities. These may include committees or task forces to work on office issues, diversity and inclusion, strategy projects, training or other initiatives.

QUALIFICATIONS:

• Demonstrated success as a leader with a track record of developing initiatives through vision and drive and with measurable results

• Established network of relevant relationships in Los Angeles including with the literary community, counterpart organizations, community and academic leaders, policymakers, and/or philanthropists
• Experience in fundraising, including with major donors and foundations, and stewarding relationships with supporters
• Comfort in outward facing role, with willingness to deftly and energetically represent PEN America at public events and social gatherings, on panels, and in the media
• Exceptional verbal and written communication skills that eloquently motivate support for PEN America and its mission and activities
• Capacity to strategize, operate, and problem solve independently, while developing collaborative relationships with colleagues across a national organization
• A prodigious work ethic that relishes challenges, accountability, and putting in the work to drive forward multiple initiatives simultaneously, troubleshoot challenges, and reach goals
• Must be able to provide valid proof of U.S. work authorization
• Commitment to PEN America’s mission, centered on the celebration and defense of free expression for all. Willingness to defend the right to engage in speech that may be offensive and discomfiting and that reflects a wide range of political opinions and ideologies. PEN America promotes open and respectful dialogue across difference, and we work to allow a diversity of perspectives to flourish.
• Commitment to PEN America’s advocacy and support for writers, artists and their allies around the world, without regard to the ideology or actions of their country's government

Salary and Benefits: PEN America offers competitive compensation and full benefits. The salary range for this position is $130k-160k, commensurate with experience. Candidates whose expectations are outside this range are welcome to apply, as PEN America is open to considering talented individuals at varying stages of their careers. PEN America's benefits package includes medical, dental, and vision health insurance, paid time off, 10 paid holidays, pre-tax commuter benefits and a 403b retirement plan.

TO APPLY:

Please submit a complete application (including a cover letter, resume, and unedited writing sample) via BambooHR. Only complete applications will be reviewed, and only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.

PEN America is an equal opportunity employer that does not discriminate in its hiring practices and is committed to having a workforce that reflects the population that it serves at all levels within the organization.

No phone calls, please.

ABOUT PEN AMERICA:

PEN America stands at the intersection of literature and human rights to protect free expression in the United States and worldwide. We champion the freedom to write, recognizing the power of the word to transform the world. Our mission is to unite writers and their allies to celebrate creative expression and defend the liberties that make it possible.