PROGRAM ASSOCIATE - ARTSPARKS FOUNDATION

JOB DESCRIPTION

Role: Program Associate (Full-Time)

Purpose: The primary purpose of this role is to provide important administrative, logistical, and field support for ArtSparks Foundation’s programs.

Key Responsibilities:

(Include but are not limited to)

• Regularly track, collect, store, and update, on an ongoing basis and in a timely manner, all program-related data throughout the school year according to guidelines and standard operating procedures
• Collect and maintain permissions from educational departments and officials
• Contact vendors and place orders. Maintain basic accounts and keep careful records of all bills and
other records
• Book transportation and coordinate deliveries, etc. Plan for, prepare, pack, and distribute all materials to send to Creative Learning Labs and other sites
• Verify and update facilitator timesheets
• Support and conduct outreach efforts to identify new schools to partner with
• Conduct community outreach for Creative Learning Lab facilitator recruitment
• Contact and book venues, collecting and maintaining associated bills
• Provide logistical support for events, trainings, etc.
• Liaising with management and staff regarding administrative matters.
• Other tasks as assigned

Education & Experience:
• Bachelor’s degree in any appropriate field
• 1-2 years prior work experience in a similar role of providing administrative, logistical, and field support in an NGO, foundation, or other sector

Competencies:
• Possess excellent planning and organizational, with deep knowledge of effective record-keeping practices
• Possess excellent attention to detail, and be skilled at following up
• Possess excellent multi-tasking skills, showing the ability to efficiently handle multiple projects and priorities in a timely manner
• High proficiency in using Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and filing systems
• Must be able to speak Kannada proficiently. Reading and writing Kannada, while not necessary, is an advantage
• Fluent in English. Proficiency in writing in English is an advantage
• Demonstrate a high work ethic, integrity, as well as personal responsibility and commitment towards work
• Be self-motivated and proactive in taking initiative
• Be a team player
• Be resilient with a can do attitude, possessing the ability to flexibly adapt to changing situations and contexts
• Possess an interest in the field of education

Location
Bangalore. Travel to different school sites and communities within Bangalore (urban and rural) is necessary.

Compensation:
Salary will be commensurate with current market standards.

Application:
We’re looking for a dynamic and passionate individual to be part of our core team. Someone capable of rolling up their sleeves and actively managing, developing, and strengthen programming at our school sites. If this is you, and you’re passionate about serving children, believing that they deserve an education that unlocks their creative potential, this is the place for you. We believe that great people with shared enthusiasm, commitment, and hard work, can achieve wonderful things.

To apply please visit https://forms.gle/Pr1ivHuydHjGfNA89 and fill out the Job Application Form. Incomplete application forms will not be considered.

ArtSparks Foundation is an educational not-for-profit organization that works to support the development of 21st century learning and life skills in children, particularly children from under-served communities. ArtSparks also supports the professional development of teachers/facilitators, encouraging them to reflect on their teaching practice, and explore new ways to enrich their students learning.

What We Do?
At ArtSparks, we believe that a great education should equip children with skills to handle life’s complexities—skills such as problem solving, flexible thinking, creative risk-taking, perseverance, collaboration, communication, and so much more. We believe that creativity is a critically important skill for the future with far reaching benefits. And, that visual art & design provide rich and diverse opportunities to help foster meaningful learning. Through our programs, we create vibrant opportunities for learning, through the arts, that help develop essential 21st century learning and life skills in children, Grades 1-8. And, we help build the capacity of teachers/facilitators to create more enriched learning environments for their students.

Why 21st Century Learning & Life Skills?
“21st century learning skills are increasingly being recognized as the skills that separate students who are prepared for increasingly complex life and work environments in the 21st century, and those who are not” (Partnership for 21st Century Learning). In an age where change is the only constant, understanding and applying 21st century learning skills allows children to be adaptive and innovative in responding to new demands and changing circumstances. Life skills on the other hand form the core of children’s social and emotional wellbeing. And, the extent to which children are able to apply them can determine how well they adjust and respond to life’s myriad experiences. These skills must be nurtured within students.

Why Creativity?
Creativity is recognized as one of the most important skills for the next generation. Its value reaches well beyond the arts to affect every discipline and numerous industries. The ability to dream, take chances, and create the things we imagine. These are the skills of entrepreneurs, innovators, and changemakers. Children are born with these exceptional abilities, but research shows that over time they begin to lose them. We must offer rich opportunities that keep children’s natural creativity alive.

Why Visual Art & Design?
Research indicates that robust art & design education contributes to the development of valuable thinking skills and attitudes whose benefits extend well beyond the art room (Harvard University; Wallace Foundation). The ability to pose questions, test ideas, take creative risks, solve problems, think flexibly, deal with ambiguity, collaborate effectively, are just some of the many skills and attitudes that are developed and strengthened through engagements with art. Involvement in the arts is also associated with gains in critical thinking and communication skills. Beyond this arts learning helps improve motivation, concentration, confidence, and teamwork. In fact, studies show that students with high involvement in the arts, particularly those from low-income communities, stay longer and perform better in schools in comparison to those that receive no arts education.

To learn more about ArtSparks, please visit: www.art-sparks.org | https://www.instagram.com/artsparksfoundation/