Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for Cultural Engagement Manager

🎯 Role Definition

The Cultural Engagement Manager leads strategy and hands-on delivery of community- and public-facing cultural programs that increase access, participation, and relevance for diverse audiences. This role combines partnership development, program design, operations, and evaluation — coordinating artists, community leaders, funders, and marketing to deliver inclusive, high-impact cultural initiatives. The ideal candidate brings demonstrated experience in audience development, community outreach, and program analytics, plus strong interpersonal and project management skills.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

Community Engagement Coordinator / Specialist
Program or Events Coordinator in arts, culture or non-profit
Arts Producer / Outreach Officer

Advancement To:

Director of Cultural Engagement
Head of Community Partnerships or Public Programs
Senior Director of Audience Development or Chief Engagement Officer

Lateral Moves:

Community Partnerships Manager
Public Programs Manager
Arts Education Manager

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

Design and implement a year-round portfolio of culturally responsive public programs, workshops, exhibitions, and participatory events that align with institutional strategy and audience development goals.
Build and maintain strategic partnerships with local community organizations, cultural institutions, artists, schools, and civic leaders to co-create programming and extend institutional reach.
Lead stakeholder engagement activities, including listening sessions, advisory councils, and community consultations to ensure programs reflect community priorities and diverse perspectives.
Develop and manage program budgets, forecasting expenses, tracking invoices, and ensuring financial accountability for multiple concurrent initiatives.
Draft, pursue, and steward grant proposals, sponsorship agreements, and publicly funded contracts in collaboration with development teams to secure revenue for cultural programming.
Oversee end-to-end event production logistics: site planning, risk assessment, permitting, vendor coordination, artist contracts, and on-site management to deliver high-quality experiences.
Create detailed project plans and timelines, assign responsibilities, and coordinate cross-functional teams (marketing, education, operations, curatorial) to meet milestones and launch dates.
Establish measurable goals and KPIs for engagement programs (attendance, demographic reach, retention, satisfaction) and produce regular reports that inform strategy and funder requirements.
Develop audience development strategies and targeted outreach plans (including community ambassadors, email segmentation, and local partnerships) to grow and diversify participation.
Manage artist and community participant contracts, honoraria, and relationship agreements ensuring transparent, equitable compensation and clear expectations.
Facilitate inclusive public-facing experiences, panels, and workshops that center accessibility, cultural competency, and participatory formats.
Implement evaluation frameworks and mixed-methods research (surveys, interviews, observation, qualitative narratives) to collect participant feedback and measure cultural impact.
Serve as the primary point of contact for community members, responding to inquiries, troubleshooting issues, and escalating matters appropriately within leadership.
Curate and commission place-based or community-led projects that integrate cultural heritage, contemporary practice, and social relevance.
Collaborate with marketing and communications to craft messaging, digital promotion, and content strategies that reach prioritized communities and reflect authentic storytelling.
Lead recruitment, training, and supervision of program staff, volunteers, and community facilitators — fostering an inclusive culture and high-quality public engagement.
Advise senior leadership on policy, access, and equity implications of programming decisions and help operationalize institutional commitments to diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging (DEIB).
Manage data systems and CRM entries for participant records, partner contacts, and program metrics to support reporting, relationship management, and fundraising.
Negotiate and manage contracts with vendors, rental services, technical crews, and production partners to ensure contractual compliance and cost-effectiveness.
Pilot and scale innovative engagement models (digital programming, hybrid events, pop-up activations, participatory research) to respond to community needs and emerging trends.
Represent the organization at external meetings, public forums, and stakeholder panels to raise visibility, forge new partnerships, and advocate for the institution’s role in the cultural ecosystem.
Ensure all programming adheres to health, safety, accessibility, and legal requirements, including ADA compliance, safeguarding for minors, and community consent practices.

Secondary Functions

Support grant reporting by compiling program narratives, impact metrics, participant stories, and financial summaries to meet funder deliverables.
Identify and recommend opportunities for earned revenue, ticketing strategies, and merchandising aligned with engagement goals and audience capacity.
Maintain and improve community-facing documentation, toolkits, and guides that support partner-led or peer-led programming replication.
Pilot small-scale research or participatory evaluation projects to build evidence for long-term investment in community programs.
Contribute to organizational planning sessions, strategic retreats, and cross-departmental initiatives to align community engagement with institutional priorities.
Provide recommendations for improving internal processes (scheduling, contracting, payment workflows) to reduce barriers for community collaborators and artists.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

Program design and project management (Gantt charts, timeline management, milestone tracking).
Budget development, financial oversight, and basic accounting for program budgets.
Grant writing and funder reporting, including building narratives and measurable outcomes.
Partnership development and stakeholder management, including MOUs and partnership agreements.
Event production and logistics (permits, vendor contracting, onsite operations, risk management).
Data collection and program evaluation (surveys, qualitative interviewing, KPI tracking, impact reporting).
CRM and database management (e.g., Salesforce, Tessitura, Neon, or similar donor/participant systems).
Digital engagement tools and platforms (virtual event platforms, social media promotion, email marketing).
Familiarity with accessibility standards (ADA compliance, captioning, sensory-friendly programming).
Contract negotiation and vendor management.
Experience with community-based participatory methods and culturally responsive facilitation.
Multilingual communication preferred (e.g., Spanish, Mandarin, or other community languages where applicable).

Soft Skills

Exceptional relationship-building and cross-cultural communication skills.
Strategic thinking with an outcomes-driven, data-informed mindset.
Strong facilitation and public speaking ability in both small-group and large-event settings.
Empathy, cultural sensitivity, and commitment to community-centered practice.
Adaptability and resilience in fast-paced, changing environments.
Collaborative leadership, team development, and mentorship skills.
Problem-solving aptitude with attention to detail and organizational follow-through.
Proven ability to manage competing priorities and deliver high-quality programs on deadline.
Negotiation skills and diplomatic conflict resolution when working with diverse stakeholders.
Storytelling and persuasive writing for community narratives, funding asks, and marketing purposes.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

Bachelor’s degree in Arts Administration, Cultural Studies, Public Administration, Nonprofit Management, Anthropology, Communications, or related field.

Preferred Education:

Master’s degree in Arts Management, Cultural Policy, Social Practice, Public Administration, or related graduate-level credential.

Relevant Fields of Study:

Arts administration and cultural management
Community development or social practice
Anthropology, sociology, or cultural studies
Public administration, nonprofit management, or communications

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range:

4–8 years of relevant experience in cultural institutions, community engagement roles, arts organizations, or nonprofit program management.

Preferred:

6–10+ years with proven track record of leading large-scale community-facing initiatives, demonstrated success in partnership-building, fundraising/grant management, and measurable audience development outcomes.