Executive Director Job Announcement
July 7, 2015
CVNL - The San Francisco Contemporary Music Players (SFCMP) is seeking a dynamic Executive
Director (ED) who will be committed to advancing its mission and moving the organization to the next
level.
Led by Artistic Director, Steven Schick, the San Francisco Contemporary Music Players is about to launch
its 45th concert season. As the longest-lived, continually performing new music ensemble on the West
coast, SFCMP’s audiences and participants discover the vast and vital musical language of living
composers. Through its annual concert series, collaborative projects, commissions, education and
outreach activities, SFCMP crosses cultural and stylistic boundaries. Consisting of a core of some of the
Bay Area’s leading musicians and music educators, SF Contemporary Music Players’ Artistic Director and
musicians have active solo performance and chamber music careers, and lead dynamic performance
groups in California and beyond.
Working in collaboration with the Board and Artistic Director, the Executive Director will develop and
implement a new strategic plan designed to increase SFCMP’s impact as a leader in the Bay Area music
community. The ED will formulate practical and achievable steps for the strategic plan to sustain and
grow the organization’s audience and financial support by partnering with other Arts, education and
community organizations.
As the executive leader and the ‘’face” of SFCMP in the extended new music community, the ED will
actively cultivate relationships with the Board, Artistic Director, member musicians, staff of the San
Francisco Center for New Music, representatives of the American Federation of Musicians Local 6,
donors, volunteers, educators, audience members, and other existing stakeholders. The ED will
collaborate with the Board, Artistic Director, and musicians to maximize the impact of SFCMP,
researching, planning and overseeing the execution of concerts and implementing outreach programs
that build on SFCMP’s unique history as a Bay Area leader in new music. The ED will seek to diversify
income streams through concert ticket sales, special events, fee concerts, grant opportunities, major gifts,
and outreach programs.
The ED is responsible for all aspects of the organization and will assume oversight of existing contract
relationships, including with the American Federation of Musicians Local No. 6 (AF of M), and with the
Center for New Music, which manages concert production, marketing, ongoing maintenance of SFCMP’s
digital presence (website and social media), and financial transaction processing. The ED will actively
develop new relationships while enhancing current interactions with all stakeholders.
Responsibilities:
Leadership
 Support the continuing efforts of the Board and Artistic Director to develop SFCMP’s vision, designing
strategies and tactics that will advance SFCMP’s mission while building on the organization’s legacy
of concerts and programs and strengthening its position as a leader and valued asset of the Bay Area
contemporary music scene.
 Inspire and motivate a network of supporters to promote and fulfill the vision.
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Work collaboratively with the Artistic Director to oversee the strategy, research, design and
implementation of annual concerts, and programs that advance SFCMP’s mission in keeping with
available resources.
Develop and oversee operational policies and procedures that will enable SFCMP to achieve its
short- and long-term goals.
Fund/Resource Development
 Work with the Board, Artistic Director, and musicians to identify and develop diverse sources of
income that will sustain and grow the organization and advance the mission and vision.
 Create and implement a comprehensive fundraising plan to maximize revenue from contributions
including grants, annual appeals, major individual gifts, bequests, and planned giving. Develop
annual growth goals to identify, cultivate, solicit, and steward individual, foundation, and corporate
donors.
 Formulate and execute targeted marketing and outreach strategies that are current with industry
standards and ensuring strong earned income through concert ticket sales, fee concerts, and
program fees.
 Oversee audience and donor databases (including Salesforce and Eventbrite) to ensure current and
accurate information.
Financial & Operations Management
 Ensure accurate financial reporting systems, including developing and tracking annual budgets,
proper monthly reconciliations of bank accounts, and timely and accurate reporting at Board
meetings.
 Analyze financials using historical information and current trends to develop 2-3 year budget
forecasts, providing recommendations. Maintain current financial and program planning and reporting
requirements.
 Maintain official organizational records and documents, assuring compliance with all relevant legal
and fiscal practices (federal, state, and local regulations) of a non-profit corporation.
 Prepare for year-end closing and audits.
 Oversee short-term and long-range strategic operational goals, providing direction to maximize
utilization of core musicians, ensuring compliance with Collective Bargaining Agreement with AF of M
Local 6 and other relevant regulations, policies and procedures (e.g., regarding donor contributions).
 Manage vendor and venue relationships with the Center for New Music, including negotiating venue
and office rent lease and project management/concert operation fees.
 Ensure the effective usage and maintenance of data, I.T. systems and information technology that
are critical to SFCMP's success.
Concerts and Advocacy
 Oversee administration of concerts to ensure quality and audience engagement. Provide ongoing
assessment and refinement of organizational operations and infrastructure to ensure effectiveness
and quality customer service for concert patrons and to develop operational capacity.
 Along with the Artistic Director, represent SFCMP in the new music community creating opportunities
for partnerships and ensuring visibility of the organization and its concerts locally, statewide, and
nationally.
 Collaborating with the Artistic Director, Board, Artistic Committee and musicians, facilitate dialogue
and exchange of ideas to ensure that artistic planning is aligned with mission and organizational
resources, and supervise implementation of annual artistic budget, plan, and production to ensure
outstanding quality.
 Develop plan to promote concerts to maximize earned income through ticket sales and sponsorships.
 Facilitate positive and effective working relationships. Ensure outstanding communication among and
between the Artistic Director, Board, musicians, donors, AF of M, contracted production support, and
all organizational stakeholders.
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Musician/Human Resources
 Ensure delivery of high quality concerts through engagement of musicians and contracted resources.
 Provide leadership and direction to professional musicians and contract production support.
 Lead and manage musician, contractor, and Union relationships, negotiating Collective Bargaining
Agreements with AF of M Local 6 and with Center for New Music, providing support for concert
operations and production, and to individual musicians as appropriate and necessary to ensure
successful concerts.
Board Governance and Relations
 In collaboration with the President and Executive Committee, provide leadership to the Board in
developing and implementing the vision and mission of the organization.
 Cultivate a strong and transparent working relationship with the Board and strengthen Board
effectiveness by supporting best practice models for Board Governance, recruitment, and training.
 Present timely and accurate written status reports to the Board about agreed upon objectives,
finances, fund development, concert operations, marketing, and other relevant issues.
 Work with Board, Artistic Director, Artistic Committee, etc., to design, implement, and evaluate annual
concerts and education programs. Utilizing evaluations, initiate organizational and financial plans, and
policies and procedures.
Community Relations & Marketing
 Develop and implement the SFCMP brand.
 Build relationships and, along with Artistic Director, act as SFCMP’s spokesperson and advocate,
actively promoting the organization and its value in the community with Board, musicians, donors,
audiences, partner organizations, educational institutions, and others.
 Create and oversee implementation of Marketing and Communications plans to effectively promote
concerts and programs. Utilize current marketing, social media campaigns, broadcasts, etc. to
support marketing initiatives.
Qualifications:
 Minimum of 5 years of nonprofit management, with at least three years of successful work as an
Executive Director or equivalent job responsibilities in related fields, including, but not limited to:
music, other performing arts, or arts education.
 Verifiable hands-on experience in organizational management including administration of daily
business operations, budgets and financial controls, resource allocation, contract negotiations,
concert production, performance supervision, etc.
 Demonstrated success in program research, design, development, and implementation and strategic
artistic planning united with resource management.
 Proven success as an effective fundraiser: experience developing and implementing a
comprehensive fund development program, including identification, cultivation, solicitation and
stewardship of donors, foundations, corporate sponsors, and government support. Direct experience
in all aspects of grant acquisition and management, and in planning, developing and overseeing
special events.
 Experience collaborating effectively with a Board, including support of Board cultivation, training and
development, and best practices in Board Governance and leadership.
 Knowledge of and passion for new music, the arts, and education programs.
 Appreciation of organizational history and understanding of the dynamics at SFCMP; proven ability to
work effectively with an Artistic Director, Board of Directors, diverse musicians, community leaders,
contracted concert support team, educators and other stakeholders.
 Bachelor’s Degree or proven relevant work experience.
Additional information:
This is a full time, salaried, exempt position. The position requires an ability to work some evenings and
weekends.
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This Search is being conducted by the Center for Volunteer & Nonprofit Leadership. To be considered
as an applicant, please:
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E-mail in confidence your resume and a cover letter to: [email protected]
No phone calls please. Applications without a cover letter will not be considered.
Include in the Subject: “San Francisco Contemporary Music Players ED Search”
San Francisco Contemporary Music Players is an equal opportunity employer and makes employment
decisions on the basis of qualifications. Policy prohibits unlawful discrimination in any employment
decision based on pregnancy, childbirth or related medical conditions, race, religious creed, color,
national origin or ancestry, physical or mental disability, medical condition, marital status, age, sexual
orientation or any other basis protected by federal, state or local law or ordinance or regulation.
Submission of your application is not an offer of employment or an employment contract.
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