Role Definition

What the Program Manager is responsible for.

The Program Manager is the operational lead for each Arts Junction activation. The role exists to ensure that every function supporting a validated program — venue logistics, marketing execution, vendor coordination, audience data collection, and financial settlement — is completed to standard so that the artistic or cultural content can be presented without operational interference.

The Program Manager does not direct the artistic, musical, theatrical, culinary, or other creative content of an activation. That responsibility belongs to the proposer. The Program Manager is responsible for everything that makes the activation function as a measurable, professionally executed public program.

Because CIS data depends on consistent execution across all Year One activations, the Program Manager role carries measurement accountability in addition to operational accountability. Errors in data collection, survey administration, or attendance tracking directly degrade the validity of Cultural Investment Index scoring.

Scope of Work

31 numbered responsibilities across three phases.

The scope is organized into three phases: Pre-Activation, Activation, and Post-Activation. All numbered responsibilities are required for each engagement unless explicitly waived in writing by the Founding Executive Director.

Phase 1 Pre-Activation No later than 21 days before activation date

Venue and Operations

01Coordinate with Old Rail Station property management to confirm venue access, load-in schedule, equipment staging areas, and any restrictions applicable to the activation date.
02Prepare and distribute a written run-of-show document to all parties no later than seven days before the activation date. The run-of-show includes arrival times, setup sequence, program schedule, vendor placement, data collection checkpoints, and load-out timeline.
03Confirm availability and operational status of all required equipment, including audio-visual systems, seating configurations, signage, and any activation-specific infrastructure. Identify and resolve gaps no later than 10 days before the activation date.
04Coordinate with Old Rail Station tenants to establish the adjacent business baseline measurement schedule for the activation night and the four designated baseline nights within the preceding 60-day window.

Marketing Execution

05Execute the marketing plan developed during the Develop stage of the CIS pipeline. The Program Manager is responsible for deployment, not strategy. Strategy is set during the Develop stage and approved by the Foundation before the activation enters the Validate stage.
06Confirm that all ticketing or pre-commitment infrastructure is operational no later than 14 days before the activation date. This includes ticket sales pages, confirmation communications, and any required payment processing.
07Coordinate distribution of promotional materials across applicable channels, including digital, print, and on-site signage at Old Rail Station. Confirm all materials accurately reflect program details, pricing, and Foundation attribution.
08Monitor pre-commitment progress against the 100% threshold and report status to the Founding Executive Director weekly during the Validate stage. Flag any shortfall that creates material risk of the activation not reaching full validation.

Data Collection Preparation

09Confirm that the ticketing platform is configured to capture purchaser ZIP code at point of sale for every ticket transaction. Test the ZIP code capture function no later than 10 days before the activation date and document the result.
10Prepare the substitution survey instrument in the format specified by the Foundation for the activation. Confirm that survey administration materials — including printed forms or digital access links — are available in sufficient quantity for the expected attendance.
11Brief all activation-night staff and volunteers on data collection responsibilities, including substitution survey administration protocol, ZIP code verification procedures, and attendance tracking method.

Phase 2 Activation Day of program

Setup and Venue Management

12Arrive at Arts Junction no later than the load-in time specified in the run-of-show. Oversee venue setup, equipment placement, and vendor arrival. Confirm that the space is configured and operational no later than 60 minutes before doors open.
13Manage all vendor and contractor check-ins according to the run-of-show. Resolve any setup conflicts or logistical issues before the program begins.
14Confirm that Foundation signage, attribution materials, and any sponsor recognition is posted and accurate before doors open.
15Serve as the primary point of contact for Old Rail Station property management, vendors, and contractors throughout the activation. The proposer is not the operational point of contact for venue or logistical matters.

Audience Management and Data Collection

16Oversee door operations, including ticket scanning or check-in, attendee flow, and capacity management. Maintain a running attendance count throughout the program.
17Administer the substitution survey to all attendees. Survey administration is a required function of every activation and is not optional. The Program Manager is responsible for achieving the highest possible response rate. A response rate below 80% of total attendance requires documentation of the reason.
18Confirm that ZIP code data is being captured at check-in for all attendees. If the primary capture method fails, implement the backup paper-based capture method and document the failure and recovery.
19Monitor program flow against the run-of-show schedule. Communicate any material schedule deviation to the proposer and to Foundation staff.
20Document and report any incidents, complaints, or operational failures that occur during the activation.

Load-Out

21Oversee load-out in accordance with the run-of-show timeline and venue requirements. Confirm that the space is returned to its baseline condition and that all vendor and contractor equipment is removed within the specified timeframe.
22Collect all physical data collection materials, including completed substitution survey forms, attendance logs, and any paper-based ZIP code records, before leaving the venue.

Phase 3 Post-Activation Within seven calendar days of activation date

23Compile the final attendance count from all data sources and reconcile against ticket sales or pre-commitment records. Document any discrepancy and the method used to resolve it.
24Compile all substitution survey responses into the Foundation's designated data format. Submit the compiled dataset to the Founding Executive Director within seven calendar days of the activation date.
25Compile all ZIP code data into the Foundation's designated format. Submit the dataset within the same seven-day window.
26Document the adjacent business lift measurement results for the activation night using the comparison data from the four baseline nights established in the Pre-Activation phase. Submit to the Founding Executive Director with the attendance and survey datasets.
27Complete and submit the Activation Debrief form, which includes: actual versus run-of-show schedule variance; any vendor, venue, or logistical failures and their resolution; an assessment of what functioned to standard and what requires adjustment for subsequent activations of the same program; and any observations relevant to CII scoring accuracy.
28Reconcile all program revenue and expenses and submit a final financial settlement to the Founding Executive Director within seven calendar days. Flag any line item that deviates from the pre-activation budget by more than 10%.

Performance Standards

How performance is evaluated.

The Program Manager's performance is evaluated against the following standards at the conclusion of each activation. Performance against these standards is documented in the Foundation's activation records and is considered in decisions regarding re-engagement for subsequent activations.

Run-of-Show Adherence Activation launched within 15 minutes of scheduled start time. Load-out completed within the specified window.

±15 min

Substitution Survey Response Rate Share of total attendees who completed the substitution survey. Rates below this threshold require written documentation of cause.

≥80%

ZIP Code Capture Rate Share of attendees for whom ZIP code was captured at point of sale or check-in.

≥95%

Post-Activation Submission Window All datasets, Activation Debrief form, and financial settlement submitted to the Founding Executive Director.

7 days

Venue Return Space returned to baseline condition with no damage claims from Old Rail Station property management.

No claims

Out of Scope

What this role does not include.

The following functions are explicitly outside the Program Manager's scope of work for each activation.

Artistic or creative direction of program content.
Audience development strategy or marketing strategy development. The Program Manager executes approved plans; strategy is set during the Develop stage of the CIS pipeline.
Proposer financial management. The Program Manager does not manage the proposer's income, ticket revenue allocation, or artist fees.
CIS pipeline decisions. Recommendations regarding a program's advancement, graduation, or sunset are the Founding Executive Director's determination, informed by CII scores and activation records.
Long-term venue or property negotiations on behalf of the Foundation.

Version Note. This scope applies to all Year One CIS activations. Modifications require written approval from the Founding Executive Director and are documented as an amendment to the applicable activation contract.