Asheville Music School announces opening for Executive Director

PRESS RELEASE:

Job Opening at Asheville Music School
AMS is currently accepting applicants for the Executive Director position.

Send resume, cover letter, and references by March 4, 2016 to ryan@ashevillemusicschool.org

Organization

AMS believes in the inherent power of music to transform lives and believes that connecting individuals from diverse age groups and socio-economic backgrounds through the universal language of music heals, builds, and strengthens community. Our mission: Strengthening Western NC communities through music education and outreach. AMS serves a diverse constituency, providing affordable and accessible music lessons, workshops, tutoring, mentoring, coaching and outreach music performances to youth, families, seniors and people with disabilities in need of financial and social assistance.

Position

Reporting to the Board of Directors, the Executive Director (ED) will have overall strategic and operational responsibility for Asheville Music School’s staff, programs, funding, expansion, and execution of its mission. S/he will develop a deep knowledge of core programs, operations, and business plans.

Compensation

Full-time salary position. Salary commensurate with experience and qualifications

Responsibilities

Leadership & Management:

• Ensure ongoing overall excellence of AMS through consistent evaluation of the school and its programs, finances, administration, fundraising, and communications.

• Manage and develop new programs to continue to grow the school.

• Actively engage and energize AMS’ staff, faculty, volunteers, board members, event committees, alumni, partnering organizations, and funders.

• Develop, maintain, and support a strong Board of Directors. Serve as ex-officio of the board. Seek and help build board involvement.

• Lead, coach, develop, and retain AMS’ staff, and regularly evaluate program components, so as to measure successes that can be effectively communicated to the board, funders, and other constituents.

Fundraising & Communications:

• Expand revenue generating and fundraising activities to support existing program operations.

• Work with Assistant Director to deepen and refine all aspects of communications—from web presence to external relations with the goal of creating a stronger brand.

• Use external presence and relationships to garner new opportunities.

Planning & New Business:

• Work with the Board of Directors to develop a strategic plan, establish a timeline and necessary resources, that involve financial growth for AMS.

• Build new partnerships and establish relationships with funders, and political and community leaders.

Qualifications

The ED will be thoroughly committed to AMS’ mission. All candidates should have proven leadership, coaching, and relationship management experience. Qualifications include:

• Advanced degree, with at least 5 years of senior management experience; track record of effectively leading an arts nonprofit organization and staff; ability to point to specific examples of having developed and operationalized strategies that have taken an organization to the next stage of growth

• Unwavering commitment to quality programs and data-driven program evaluation

• Excellence in organizational management with the ability to coach staff, manage, and develop high-performance teams, set and achieve strategic objectives, and manage a budget

• Past success working with a Board of Directors with the ability to cultivate existing board member relationships

• Strong marketing, public relations, and fundraising experience with the ability to engage a wide range of stakeholders and cultures

• Strong written and verbal communication skills; a persuasive and passionate communicator with excellent interpersonal and multidisciplinary project skills

• Action-oriented, entrepreneurial, adaptable, and innovative approach to business planning

• Ability to work effectively in collaboration with diverse groups of people

• Passion, idealism, integrity, positive attitude, mission-driven, and self-directed