MISSION: To promote awareness of the richness of speculative fiction as literature, art and music; further general education in the sciences and arts, support contributions–both scientific and artistic–to society and to espouse the enjoyment of speculative fiction as literature, art and music with others.
DESCRIPTION: Founded in July 1984, Parsec, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, and the premier science-fiction, fantasy, and horror organization in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Parsec has four active, fairly self-sufficient committees:
- Annual Conference: Confluence is Pittsburgh’s longest running literary, art, and music conference with a focus on science-fiction, fantasy, and horror. Award-winning authors, editors, artists and songwriters gather for three full days, offering a wide variety of activities including; writing workshops, panel presentations, music concerts, science programming, an art show, art demos, poetry readings, a dealers room and Saturday evening entertainment.
- Monthly Programs: Consisting of the monthly events, featuring guests and lectures by people in speculative fiction, publishing, science, and art fields. The monthly newsletter, Sigma, has over 800 subscribers. Each year Parsec holds an annual picnic in August, a holiday party in December, and all events are free and open to the public.
- Publishing: Parsec Ink was founded in 2003 and is a program focused on getting future editors experience in putting together an annual anthology – Triangulation. From concept, gathering a team, putting out the submission call, and fundraising, leading to the creation of a unique anthology every year.
- Workshops: The Write or Die writing and critique group was founded in 1996 and joined Parsec in 2023 as the official workshop committee. The group meets twice a month to review and critique each other’s writing, offer support and advice to authors seeking publication, and has published a previous anthology of the group’s work.
POSITION: Parsec, Inc. is a divergent organization with many interests, a long history, and a desire to continue far into the future. For that, we are looking to fill a volunteer position of Executive Director who has the energy, the stamina, and the willpower, tomaintain the organization through its many projects and programs. The organization has always been a work in progress, an experiment of the grandest order, limited only by the time, resources, and people making everything happen.
To that end, below is a list of basic duties expected of an Executive Director, but our real goal is to bring in someone with a vision and passion for what makes Parsec impactful: a celebration of creativity and our people.
DUTIES:
- Manage day-to-day activities and operations of the organization; including monitoring email inboxes, checking P.O. Box, updating websites, and scheduling/attending Zoom meetings
- Communicate the organization’s mission to stakeholders and partners
- Guidance and oversight to the organization’s program committees and board of directors (the position will be considered a member of the board and will have a voting say only in matters of breaking a tie)
- Financial Management (grants, fundraising, donations)
COMPENSATION: This is an unpaid position, with an un-set schedule. (Working hours may be between 10 to 20 hours/wk. minimum.) There are opportunities for the executive director to fundraise for the organization, which could include funds to be used as compensation.
HOW TO APPLY: Despite the title, this is not a regular job. Parsec, Inc. is not a regular organization. Therefore, we do not have a regular process. If you are interested in applying for the Executive Director position, please submit a proposal of what you see Parsec, Inc. needing, how you would lead the organization into the future, and a plan for sustainably continuing the programs currently active. Growing the programs and the organization so that it remains the premier organization promoting science-fiction, fantasy, and horror in literature, media, and music, in Pittsburgh and beyond.
You are welcome to submit a cover letter, resume, essay or presentation (video or slide), that communicates how you would be best to serve as Executive Director. Be creative, think outside the box, but be honest with what you believe you can achieve with Parsec.
Please send all submissions to: parsec@parsec-sff.org
Being a Parsec member is not a requirement of applying for this position. All potential candidates will be requested to meet and interview with the Parsec board of directors. If you have any questions about Parsec or the position, please contact the email address, above, and we will do our best to answer you.
Thank you!