Programming Assistant

Department: Col of Visual and Performing Arts

Classification: GMU Worker

Job Category: Part-Time / Hourly Wage

Job Type: Part-Time

Location: Fairfax, VA

Workplace Type: Hybrid Eligible

Salary: $25/hour

Criminal Background Check: Yes

Motor Vehicles Background Check: Yes

About the Department:

The Center for the Arts programming team's focus is to support performances and residencies for the Great Performances at Mason (GPAM) and Family Series, and select programmatic initiatives for the College of Visual and Performing Arts.

About the Position:

The Programming Assistant will report to the Assistant Director, Programming and Engagement, and specifically support the programming team in the areas of onsite event management, hospitality/catering setup, logistics, travel, research, database management, and educational activities. They should be welcoming and approachable to visiting artists, companies, and staff. This position will collaborate closely with staff across all Center for the Arts and the College of Visual and Performing Arts departments.

This is an excellent opportunity for someone interested in gaining hands-on experience in performing arts management, events management, and higher education while also building communication and project management skills.

Responsibilities:

Onsite Support for Engagements:

• Greeting and welcoming artists and introducing them to George Mason University;
• Monitoring rehearsals and performances, serving as a resource for visiting artists’ needs;
• Setting up catering and hospitality, replenishing each throughout artists’ stay; and
• Coordinating Pre-Performance Discussions, including escorting artists and moderators to PPD location, providing introductions, and managing time throughout the discussion.

Administrative Support for GPAM and Family Series Performances:

• Creating transportation schedules;
• Confirming lodging details;
• Compiling hospitality lists and submitting catering orders; and
• Assisting with performance day-of schedule creation.

Administrative Support for Engagements:

• Creating event registrations in Mason360;
• Producing marketing graphics via Canva and posting fliers around campus; and
• Assisting with booking on-campus spaces via 25Live.

Assistance with Program Evaluation and Impact of CFA Engagement Activities:

• Creating and distributing post-event surveys using Qualtrics;
• Analyzing survey data and assisting with creating final residency reports;
• Compiling Post-Show Notes for each performance; and
• Updating the CFA programming budget and archival databases.

Conduct Research as Needed on Industry Trends and Other Pertinent Topics:

• Including:
  • Other performing Arts Centers programming and engagement initiatives; and
  • Identifying new campus and local community partners.

Internal Administrative Support and Participation:

• Assisting with meeting setup for A-Team and other internal meetings as needed;
• Attending and participating in CFA/CVPA meetings and external meetings with visiting artists; and
• Assistance with special CVPA and collaborative initiatives, including the Young Alumni Commissioning Project and GAMEMason.

Required Qualifications:

A successful candidate for the Programming Assistant position with the Center for the Arts Programming Team must demonstrate exceptional leadership, communication, and administrative skills in their previous experience. The successful candidate for this position will:

• Be welcoming and approachable to all visiting artists;
• Be able to work well in a team environment and independently;
• Possess the ability to work with a culturally and ethnically diverse population of artists, students, faculty, staff, patrons, and community members;
• Be able to maintain confidentiality and work with artists and staff in sensitive situations;
• Possess excellent interpersonal, written, and verbal communication skills as well as the ability to communicate with extreme professionalism;
• Possess the ability to meet deadlines, work accurately and quickly with attention to detail, and be able to manage multiple complex tasks simultaneously;
• Demonstrate a strong work ethic, resilience, and the ability to handle occasionally long hours and a fast-paced work environment with a positive attitude;
• Be available and accessible for the time commitment involved;
• Ability to work 15-30 hours per week, mostly between regular business hours of 9:00 am to 5:00 pm, with frequent weekend or evening hours as needed;
• Must have reliable personal transportation and be able to work in-person on GMU’s Fairfax campus; 
• Must hold a US driver’s license valid for at least 2 years and have a clean driving record, with no more than two at-fault accidents/moving violations or no violations for driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs/reckless driving in the past two years; and
• Must be comfortable driving a large passenger vehicle (12-15 seats).

Preferred Qualifications:

• Prior experience and/or strong interest in a wide variety of performing/visual arts genres;
• Prior experience and/or strong interest in working with a wide variety of teams and departments;
• Prior experience and/or strong interest in working at a university or with students;
• Strong interest in developing public speaking skills;
• Demonstrated ability working with a diverse population of artists, students, faculty, staff, and community members; and
• Familiarity with digital collaboration tools and applications such as 25Live, Smartsheet, Outlook, Zoom, Microsoft Teams, and Qualtrics

Instructions to Applicants: 

For full consideration, applicants must apply for the Programming Assistant at https://jobs.gmu.edu/. Complete and submit the online application to include three professional references with contact information, and provide a Cover Letter and Resume for review.

Posting Open Date: July 7, 2025

For Full Consideration, Apply by:  July 21, 2025

Open Until Filled:  Yes