*DO NOT APPLY THROUGH INDEED*
The Alternator Centre for Contemporary Art is an artist-run centre based in Kelowna, BC, dedicated to supporting professional, emerging, and community artists through accessible and experimental contemporary art programming. For over 37 years, we have served as a vital hub for the regional creative ecosystem — a space where artistic risk-taking is not just welcomed, but actively supported.
We are a small, close-knit organization with big commitments: to our artists, our members, our funders, and the broader community we call home. Everything we do is guided by our core values of experimentation, collaboration, context, sustainability and accessibility.
The Opportunity
We are seeking an Executive Director to provide operational, financial, and strategic leadership for the Alternator. This is a hands-on role at the centre of everything we do — from grant writing and financial management to supporting artists through installation and engaging with our community of members and partners.
Much of the day-to-day work is administrative. The ideal candidate is someone who finds genuine satisfaction in the infrastructure that makes great art possible — who sees a well-managed budget or a refined workflow as an act of care for the artists and communities we serve.
The incoming ED will benefit from a structured three-month mentorship overlap with our outgoing lead, providing direct access to fifteen years of institutional knowledge, funder relationships, and community trust. Whether you are taking your first step into an executive leadership role or bringing established experience to a new context, this transition framework is designed to set you up for long-term success.
Who We're Looking For
You are a community-minded leader who is as comfortable troubleshooting a CRM as you are supporting an artist through a complex installation. You write compelling grant applications, build trust with funders and partners, and lead with empathy. You understand the unique culture of Artist-Run Centres and are committed to the professional autonomy of artists.
Core competencies we're looking for include:
Revenue & Grant Stewardship: Proven success securing and managing operating grants from federal, provincial, and municipal sources. You can translate artistic vision into clear funding proposals and have a strategic mindset for diversifying revenue.
Diplomacy & Social Capital: A clear and honest communicator who builds trust through transparency. You are comfortable representing the gallery to funders, members, artists, and community partners, keeping these relationships strong during organizational transitions.
Board Partnership & Governance: You understand the distinction between operations and governance. You are skilled at supporting the Board in its decision-making, providing the necessary data and context for fundraising and strategic planning, and effectively engaging Board members' expertise.
Values-Led Leadership: Your decisions are guided by an active commitment to collaboration, access, and sustainability. You prioritize experimentation and the professional autonomy of artists, ensuring the Alternator remains a supportive space for diverse and challenging work.
Empathetic Mentorship: A servant leader who supports part-time staff and volunteers using a coaching-based approach to encourage professional development and maintain a healthy, inclusive organizational culture.
Technical Self-Sufficiency: A "hands-on architect" who can manage the gallery's digital and physical needs independently. You are comfortable troubleshooting web infrastructure, CRMs, and office technology.
Systems Thinking & Problem Solving: You approach operational hurdles as opportunities for structural improvement. Rather than applying temporary fixes, you refine workflows and strengthen the gallery's infrastructure to prevent recurring issues.
Composure & Resilience: You maintain focus and professional diplomacy in high-pressure moments, such as tight installation windows, technical failures, or difficult interpersonal conflicts.
The Role
The Executive Director provides operational, financial, and strategic leadership for the Alternator Centre for Contemporary Art, reporting to the Board of Directors.
This position requires a deep grounding in the Canadian artistic context and the specific culture of Artist-Run Centres. Much of the daily work is administrative, focusing on grant writing, financial management, and infrastructure maintenance. While the role carries significant artistic and curatorial administration duties, exhibitions at the Alternator are selected through a democratic peer-jury process. The Executive Director coordinates and facilitates this programming committee and peer-jury selection, supports the presentation of contemporary work, and manages the technical requirements of installation. Success in this role depends on the ability to balance organizational oversight and board collaboration with a hands-on commitment to supporting the gallery's artistic program.
Key responsibilities include:
Financial Leadership & Revenue Strategy: Leading the development and submission of core operating grants at federal, provincial, and municipal levels, as well as project-specific funding. Managing the annual budget, including bookkeeping, accounts payable/receivable, and preparing all materials for the annual audit or review engagement. Ensuring full compliance with all grant reporting and society filing requirements. Exploring and implementing diverse revenue streams to support long-term organizational sustainability.
Board Relations & Governance Support: Serving as the primary liaison between the staff and the Board of Directors. Supporting the Board in its governance role by preparing monthly reports, contributing to strategic planning, and providing administrative support for board meetings. Collaborating with the Board on fundraising initiatives and effectively leveraging board members' specialized expertise to improve gallery operations.
Operations & Hands-On Management: Managing daily gallery operations, facility maintenance, organizational insurance, and security protocols. Maintaining a visible and welcoming presence in the physical gallery space, directly engaging with visitors, members, and the public. Drafting and managing artist contracts, loan agreements, and professional correspondence. Maintaining the gallery's organizational archives, ensuring both physical and digital records are preserved. Acting as the primary technical lead, managing web infrastructure, CRM databases, and office technology. Providing calm, solutions-focused problem-solving during exhibition turnovers and high-volume installation periods.
Community Engagement & Advocacy: Serving as the primary spokesperson and advocate for the Alternator, building and maintaining respectful relationships with members, artists, funders, and community partners. Navigating funder and community politics to ensure the gallery's continued presence and influence in the sector. Fostering a fiercely inclusive environment that prioritizes access and collaboration.
Personnel & Volunteer Mentorship: Supervising and mentoring part-time staff, interns, and volunteers using an empathetic, coaching-based leadership style. Ensuring a safe working environment and compliance with Occupational Health and Safety regulations. Fostering a culture of professional growth and collective care.
Compensation & Details
- Compensation: $25.00/hour during the initial three-month probationary/training period, progressing to an annual salary of $58,500 upon successful completion.
- Hours: Full-time, 37.5 hours per week.
- Location: Kelowna, BC.
- Paid Leave: Four weeks of paid annual leave, structured around the gallery's seasonal summer and winter closure periods.
- Anticipated Start Date: September 1, 2026.
How to Apply
Applications are submitted in two parts: a standardized competency questionnaire (anonymized for blind screening) and supporting documents, including a CV, cover letter, and three professional references (we will notify you before contacting your references).
To apply, please complete the questionnaire and upload your supporting documents through this link: https://www.alternatorcentre.com/hiringed
Our Commitment to a Fair and Transparent Search
The Alternator strictly adheres to our Recruitment Integrity and Affiliated Candidates Policy.
All applications are assessed anonymously in Stage 1 — affiliated candidates are neither advantaged nor disadvantaged during this phase.
Affiliated candidates are only required to step back from volunteer, governance or partnership duties upon being shortlisted for this role. Additionally, the Hiring Committee includes an independent external member to ensure selection is based solely on merit.
All applicants are assessed against the same standardized competency framework. We maintain the highest standards of professional privacy for all applicants.
The Alternator actively encourages applications from Indigenous peoples, racialized communities, persons with disabilities, members of 2SLGBTQIA+ communities, and others who have been historically underrepresented in arts leadership. We recognize that excellence in this role can be demonstrated through a wide range of lived and professional experiences.
If you require accommodations at any stage of the application or interview process, please contact us at [email protected]. All requests will be handled with confidentiality and care.
Applications close June 27, 2026.
Pay: $25.00-$30.00 per hour
Benefits:
- Casual dress
- On-site parking
- Paid time off
Work Location: In person
