Vice President, Programs

About The Zeiterion
The Zeiterion (The Z) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to stewarding its historic theater as a welcoming gathering place for performing arts experiences where learning, connection, and creative expression thrive. Located in the heart of downtown New Bedford, The Z plays a vital role in the cultural and civic life of the region, serving as both a presenting venue and a community anchor.

Following a major restoration, The Z reopened in January 2026 and is reimagining how a historic performing arts center can serve its community today. The organization presents a wide range of performances across music, theater, dance, comedy, film, and family programming, while also prioritizing education, access, and community partnership. Programming is designed to engage audiences of all ages, backgrounds, and levels of familiarity with the arts, with a strong emphasis on relevance, quality, and impact.

Learning and education are core to The Z’s mission. Through school partnerships, student matinees, artist residencies, workshops, and community-based learning opportunities, The Z uses the performing arts as a tool for exploration, expression, and lifelong learning. These programs are designed to complement classroom learning, spark curiosity, and create meaningful access to the arts for young people and families across the region.

Equity is central and the organization is committed to reducing barriers to participation, amplifying underrepresented voices, and ensuring that its programs, partnerships, and workplace practices reflect and serve the diversity of the Greater New Bedford community. This commitment to equity inclusion, and anti-racism shapes decisions across programming, education, audience engagement, hiring, and governance. The Z’s work is guided by five core values:
Imagination, Connection, Equity, Transparency, and Discovery. These values inform not only how the organization delivers on its mission, but also how its team works together day to day.

The Z is a hybrid organization, with staff in the office a minimum of 2-3 days per week. This role will also include hours outside of 9:00am–5:00pm, reflecting the unique needs of a vibrant performing arts center.

The Opportunity

The Vice President, Programs will play a central leadership role at The Zeiterion, shaping and overseeing the programmatic vision of the organization at a pivotal moment in its evolution. Reporting to the President/CEO, this role is responsible for leading the development and delivery of dynamic, values-aligned programming that reflects The Z’s mission, centers community voice and perspective, and strengthens its identity as a vibrant, inclusive cultural hub.

This is a highly creative and strategic role, grounded equally in vision and execution. The Vice President, Programs will deliver our mission, steward a cohesive programmatic ecosystem that brings together performances, education, community engagement, and production, ensuring these functions operate in concert to deliver high-quality, mission-aligned experiences. With a strong curatorial eye and a clear set of values, the VP will broaden artistic perspectives, diversify talent and audiences, and deepen The Z’s connection to the communities it serves.

The organization is intentionally shifting toward programming that is more by and for the community. This role will lead that cultural change, inviting a broader and more diverse set of artists, partners, educators, and community members to the table. The Vice President, Programs will approach programming entrepreneurially, with curiosity and a willingness to experiment, balancing respect for tradition with a future-forward mindset.

As the next chapter at The Z continues to take shape, this leader will help imagine and build new possibilities for serving our broader community.

The Vice President, Programs will join a deeply committed, passionate team with a strong mix of long-tenured staff and newer leaders who are invested in building something lasting together. This is a hands-on leadership role for someone who is eager to jump in, manage and support a team, and work collaboratively across the…