JOB DESCRIPTION: EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR (ABILENE PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRA)
About the Abilene Philharmonic Orchestra
The Abilene Philharmonic Orchestra (APO), led by our Music Director Maestro David Itkin, is a professional orchestra serving musicians and music lovers in and around Abilene with seven concerts (4 Masterworks and 3 Pops) per season. Beginning in the fall, the APO celebrates its 73rd season of music-making in West Texas. We seek an innovative Executive Director to help fulfill our mission of unleashing the power of music to entertain, educate and inspire through live symphonic music and community engagement.
About Abilene, Texas and the Surrounding Area
Abilene (population: 127,385) is experiencing substantial growth, with an eclectic mix of industries, four universities, and two colleges. Regular partnerships with Dyess Air Force Base, Hendrick Health, and generous local foundations have helped make the APO a vital presence in the community.
The cultural landscape of the community includes a number of nationally-recognized museums (The Grace Museum, National Center for Children’s Illustrated Literature, 12th Armored Division Museum, the Center for Contemporary Arts, and Frontier Texas) and a beautifully-restored 1930s “atmospheric” movie palace (the Historic Paramount Theatre).
Live theatrical productions (Paramount Productions, Abilene Community Theatre, touring shows, and three university theatre programs) grace Abilene stages throughout the year. Abilene also boasts a thriving live music scene, including two summer concert series (Open Road at The Grace Museum’s rooftop and Rock and Roar at our award-winning zoological park), a country music festival (Outlaws and Legends), and regular performances at venues throughout the city and county.
Additionally, Abilene has a local NPR affiliate station broadcasting news and classical music (KACU), and a number of performing arts organizations (Chorus Abilene, the Abilene Community Band, and the collegiate Civic Orchestra of Abilene) with whom the APO occasionally partners.
Abilene is the commercial and cultural anchor of a 19-county region known as “The Big Country.” For outdoor enthusiasts, three state parks and several lakes lie within an hour’s drive. Two hours to the east, the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex is home to five professional sports teams, a NASCAR Cup Series race, two annual PGA Tour events, nine universities, multiple art museums, and the Van Cliburn International Piano Competition.
The APO Annual Budget
Approaching $1M, our budget supports a subscription series of concerts at the Abilene Convention Center, Zoo Concerts, and cabaret-style shows at the Historic Paramount Theatre. Thanks to the work of an active, engaged, and visionary Board, the APO enjoys a uniquely firm financial standing. In 2021, the orchestra launched the Music Director’s Endowment Campaign to help secure finances into the future. Far exceeding their initial goal, the Board announced the public phase of the campaign with a more aggressive $3M goal, having already raised over two-thirds of the total.
Executive Director
The APO’s Executive Director (ED) reports to the Board of Directors and will have overall responsibility for the APO’s concert logistics, musician and volunteer coordination, community partnerships, fundraising, grant writing, and community- based marketing. The ideal candidate will demonstrate a passion for innovatively connecting the community with classical and popular music programming. APO is an Equal Opportunity Employer and actively seeks a diverse pool of candidates.
Executive Director Responsibilities
Leadership, Operations, & Concert Execution
- Plan, execute and oversee logistics for all concerts, including working with Music Director, staff, Board members and volunteers.
- Coordinate educational, outreach, and other off-stage activities.
- Work with APO Personnel Manager and Music Director to manage musician matters, including auditions, scheduling, and recurring paid engagements.
- Oversee volunteer development, planning, and deployment in collaboration with staff.
- Develop and implement policies and procedures to promote organizational governance.
- Coordinate the operation of APO board committees.
- Attend all Board meetings to deliver ED report; coordinate with Executive Committee; synchronize board involvement with ongoing efforts; attend certain committee meetings where ED participation is required, including Executive Committee and Finance Committee.
- Track operational and leadership considerations as necessary for grants.
- Produce annual celebratory meeting for all APO musicians, Board, volunteers, and other stakeholders.
Fundraising, Marketing, Finance, & Communications
- In collaboration with Treasurer and Finance/Fund Development Committees, set, monitor, and manage fundraising and budgetary goals.
- Source current, and create new, opportunities to generate ongoing sponsorship and donor relationships, including Abilene Gives Day.
- Organize and develop donor thank you messages, database, manage Bloomerang account for donor management and cultivation, and other ongoing donor maintenance efforts.
- Coordinate grant-writing efforts and timely preparation of all required reports, from significant funders, and new granting relationships.
- Develop fundraising special events and initiatives in collaboration with the Fund Development Committee.
Qualifications
Preference will be given for candidates with backgrounds in music, arts administration, fundraising, and/or marketing. Regardless of prior background, the characteristics we prize most are the leadership skills and collegiality required to lead our dedicated staff and collaborate with our talented Music Director and orchestra members.
The ED position reports to the Board of Directors, working alongside the Music Director, and partnering with musicians and staff, including the Operations and Orchestra Personnel Manager and Box Office Manager.
The ED is supported by part-time support staff members: Orchestra Librarian and Director of Community Engagement and Education Programs, with interns drawn from the university community. Prior experience working with a Board of Directors and staff members is required.
Required Skills & Qualifications
- Commitment to attend and oversee the successful operation of concerts and
other APO activities, which mostly take place at night - Strong project management skills
- Ability to manage multiple organizational priorities on time and within
budget - Ability to work independently
- Ability to adapt, innovate, and take a practical-visionary approach to a small
organization’s big goals - Desire to promote classical music, professionalism, and pragmatism
- Strong written and verbal communication skills; a persuasive and passionate
speaker and communicator who can tell the APO’s story to new audiences - Compassionate, clear management skills when working with personnel and
volunteers - Proficiency with Microsoft Office suite of programs
- Ability to use Google Docs, Sheets, and other tools for collaborative work
- Experience with or ability to learn event ticketing software and the
Bloomerang donor management/fundraising site
Preferred Skills & Qualifications
- Financial and budgeting acumen
- Marketing experience
- Comprehensive fundraising strategy awareness and experience
- Experience with operating a nonprofit arts organization (ideally orchestra)
Compensation, Benefits, Hours, and Location - $55,000 – $70,000 annually (Salary is commensurate with experience,
within the framework of the organization’s annual operating budget). - Additional potential for compensation to be determined based on
fundraising success. - Benefits include: health insurance, paid vacation, holiday and sick leave.
How To Apply
Submit resume, cover letter, and three professional references to: edsearch@abilenephilharmonic.org and be sure to include “Executive Director” in the subject line.
Include in the cover letter the following information:
• Salary history and requirements
• How you learned of the position
• Description of how your qualifications and experience match Abilene Philharmonic’s needs.
Application Time Line:
- For full consideration, please send materials by July 1, 2023.
- Anticipated Start date: August 1-15, 2023.
- Only electronic submissions will be considered. All nominations and expressions of interest will be held in the strictest confidence.
