Earl R. Merrill: Executive Director

Live and work with a premier regional orchestra in Boulder, Colorado. The Boulder Philharmonic is looking for energetic candidates with orchestra knowledge, fund raising, and staff management experience to serve as Executive Director.

H C Smith Ltd is pleased to represent The Boulder Philharmonic Orchestra (Boulder Phil) in its search for a new Executive Director. The Boulder Phil is beginning its 60th season and has established itself among the nation’s leading regional orchestras. During its landmark 2016/17 season, the Orchestra performed at the Kennedy Center as part of the SHIFT Festival of American Orchestras. This festival recognized the Boulder Phil’s exemplary community engagement and innovative programming. Under Music Director Michael Butterman, the Orchestra is bucking national trends by growing and sustaining enthusiastic audiences. The Boulder Phil has been voted “Best of Boulder” for best classical music five years in a row.

Boulder Phil is a fully professional orchestra with 70+ contracted musicians. Each season the Orchestra presents programs featuring masterpieces and lesser-known works, often with highly accomplished guest artists. Concerts are presented in historic Macky Auditorium. This season premieres a Philip Glass piano concerto written for and performed by Simone Dinnerstein. Boulder Phil is one of four orchestras commissioning this work. The Orchestra connects with area schools through its educational programs. Last year, over 2,500 students attended Discovery concerts in Macky Auditorium. Additional educational programs include school visits by Orchestra Musicians. The Boulder Phil also connects with its community by collaborating with other arts organizations, including Central City Opera, Frequent Flyers, Boulder Bach Festival, the University of Colorado College of Music, Cleo Parker Robinson Dance, Boulder Ballet, and others.

GENERAL SUMMARY

Reporting to the Board of Directors, the Executive Director exerts leadership over all administrative aspects of Boulder Phil, including management of its financial and human resources (excluding musicians). The Executive Director works collaboratively with artistic personnel and the Music Director to ensure production of superb concerts. With the advice and consent of the Board, the Executive Director formulates strategies, budgets and policies that guide his/her execution and/or delegation and oversight of more detailed responsibilities. The latter includes production, marketing and sales of Boulder Phil’s artistic products as well as fund-raising and representing the Orchestra to the public, including patrons and donors, corporations, agencies, foundations and the community.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Administrative Leadership

Lead strategic, policy, business and operational activities of the Orchestra, identifying needs, making changes, and recommending board action as required.
Collaborate with the Music Director and the Board to achieve each season’s goals.
Oversee administration of Boulder Phil’s staff for Community Engagement and Communications,
Development, Patron Services and Artistic Administration, contract personnel for marketing public relations, operations and others as needed.
Effectively and promptly guide staff on duties, setting high performance standards while creating a well-functioning team.
Foster an inclusive, collaborative work place.
Hire and/or terminate administrative staff in a timely and fair manner.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Development and Fund Raising

Develop strategies to meet or exceed contributed income goals. Oversee development and fundraising activities, including events, campaigns and grant writing.
Build partnerships with collaborators. Maintain and establish relationships with individual donors; grow the donor base.
Provide effective support and guidance for board committees to conduct successful fundraising events and
campaigns.
Identify, prepare, and submit grant applications and reports to foundations, government agencies, and corporations.Secure grant funding from local government, state government, as well as national government sources, such as the National Endowment for the Arts.

Financial Tracking and Operations

Maintain timely and accurate financial information in consultation with the treasurer and finance contractor.
Produce clear, accurate reports for the board and alert the board to deviations from plan.
Maintain a donor database, subscriber data base, and concert calendar.
Oversee ticket sales and logistics for concerts, including communication with performance managers or other contacts at concert venues.
Support administrative needs for meetings and rehearsals.
Investigate potential venues for new concerts.
Work with external consultants

Marketing and Sales

Meet or exceed budgets for earned income, overseeing marketing in all aspects of communications and sales (subscriptions/single tickets).
Strengthen the Boulder Phil brand via traditional media, social media, and the Web.
Convert one-time-ticket-holders to repeat purchasers, keep records and build relationships that form a basis for patron development.
Develop and implement strategies for heightening community awareness of Boulder Phil programs, events and other offerings.
Coordinate outside marketing counsultants

Music Director Relationship

Support the Music Director in programming to fulfill the Boulder Phil vision.
Identify constraints, especially budgets, venue availabilities, and other considerations that affect program development, doing so with a problem-solving and solutions-oriented demeanor.
Identify new opportunities for community-outreach, educational and other programming that serves the Boulder Phil mission/vision.
Participate in establishing objectives and themes for each season.
Develop measures for evaluating program effectiveness and, where practical, suggest programmatic adaptations.

Board of Directors Relationship

Prepare and deliver information on Boulder Phil activities/finances to the board on a regular basis to facilitate effective decision-making; recommend board actions when appropriate.
Assist in board development and effectively channel board members‘ skills and interests.
Participate in strategic activities including long-range planning.

KNOWLEDGE. SKILLS AND ATTRIBUTES

Minimum undergraduate degree in music, arts administration or related field.
4-6 years of experience in non-profit management.
Passion and enthusiasm for classical music combined with knowledge of the orchestra repertoire
Strong history of collaboration and ability to problem solve.
Previous effective eadership and management experience with a performing arts organization.
Proven record of fundraising and donor cultivation.
Experience in budgeting, financial tracking and reporting.
Outstanding interpersonal skills, which should include the ability to listen, communicate, and motivate internally with the Board, the Music Director, the staff, the Musicians and contractors and externally with patrons, business and government leaders, audience and community members as well as the media.
Ability to motivate staff, volunteers, and the Board to achieve the Boulder Phil’s goals.
A possiblity thinker who has demonstrated an ability to consider what it will take to make something happen.

Compensation: Competitive with excellent benefits package.
For consideration: Applicants and sources should call or send credentials immediately to

H C SMITH LTD – BOULDER PHIL EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
24000 Mercantile Road – Suite 7 – Beachwood, Ohio 44122 (216) 752-9966
E-MAIL: becca@hcsmith.com www.hcsmith.com Our client is an equal opportunity employer.