Director, University of Chicago Presents

Department
 

HUM Staff: Music

About the Department
 

One of Chicago’s oldest and most distinguished concert series, the University of Chicago Presents was founded in 1943 as the University of Chicago Chamber Music Series (now the Classic Concerts Series) with the mission of sharing world-class music through concerts and educational programs with audiences across Chicago and its surrounding suburbs. In its early seasons, the series brought many of the most significant figures of both performance and composition to the University’s Mandel Hall: Igor Stravinsky, Artur Schnabel, Isaac Stern, Arnold Schoenberg, and the Budapest Quartet. In addition to offering top-notch performances, guests of the series offered public master classes and lectures on music and composition, a legacy which continues to this day.

Job Summary
 

The job leads the care, management, and operation of the Museum. Utilizes expertise to proactively cultivate individual and institutional supporters of the Museum. Collaborates with faculty in Art History, Visual Arts, and across the campus to integrate the work of the Museum into the research, teaching, and intellectual life of the University.
The University of Chicago seeks an individual interested in leading a highly respected organization dedicated to the presentation of a wide range of musical events, primarily classical and contemporary music, but also early music, world music, and jazz. The Executive Director of the University of Chicago Presents (UCP) must have the ability to play a variety of roles in managing a diverse concert program, ranging from full programming responsibilities in the case of the University's chamber music series, presenting concerts in partnership with the Chicago Center for Contemporary Composition (CCCC) under the artistic direction of a composer on the University's faculty, to overseeing the operations for a range of professional musical events. The Executive Director will supervise a staff of one full-time position, the Director of Production and Education, and three part-time positions — the Marketing and Communications Manager, the Communications and Production Assistant, and the Graphic Designer, and will have overall leadership responsibility for 25–30 professional music concerts and arts events each season at the University of Chicago and other venues. The Executive Director will also have primary fundraising responsibilities for UCP, working in coordination with the Humanities Division and University staff. Recent seasons have included up to seven chamber music concerts, three to five early music concerts, five jazz concerts, four new music concerts presented with the CCCC, up to three concerts by University resident artists, three world music events, and other festival or non-series events. The Executive Director will provide UCP with artistic direction, including but not necessarily limited to its current presentation genres and formats, representation in programming discussions with University faculty and staff, professional oversight of the administration and daily operations of a busy concert office, and dedication to the University of Chicago and UCP's mission and ideals. In addition, the Executive Director will be an important leader in the broader University arts initiatives, serving as a member of various UChicago Arts committees, and working closely with the Reva and David Logan Center for the Arts.
The Executive Director reports to the Chair of the Department of Music and the Senior Advisor to the Provost for Arts. The Executive Director will also collaborate with the Executive Director of the Reva and David Logan Center for the Arts and the chairs and directors of the relevant academic disciplines and professional arts organizations.

Responsibilities

• Develops and programs a season for University of Chicago Presents including 25–30 professional music concerts and arts events each season.
• Presents concerts with the Chicago Center for Contemporary Composition under the artistic direction of a composer on the University's faculty. Maintains ongoing contact with the artistic lead of the CCCC with the goal of maintaining its role as Chicago's most established new music ensemble and achieving its artistic, production, audience-building, and fundraising goals.
• Follows developments in various fields of music.
• Works closely with Department of Music faculty, the Senior Advisor to the Provost for Arts, the Executive Director of the Logan Center for the Arts, and others to develop programming with links to University curricula.
• Works with chair of Department of Music and the Senior Advisor to the Provost for Arts to formulate strategic plans for UCP.
• Cultivates partnerships with other academic units and presenting organizations within the University and in the city.
• Meets quarterly with selected Department of Music faculty and provostial staff to update them on program planning.
• Cultivates relationships with artist representatives, ensemble managers, and others. Coordinates with the Department of Music's Director of Performing Groups, Rockefeller Chapel, and the Chair of the Department of Music on the annual schedule in order to avoid conflicts.
• Negotiates and oversees, in coordination with Director of Production, terms of relationships with venues (load-in, comps, available equipment and services, etc.). Ensures smooth functioning of ticket and subscription sales with the UChicago Arts Box Office manager, and, if called on, collaborates on ticketing with other annual music events (e.g. Messiah) on campus.
• Oversees all marketing and communications in coordination with the Marketing and Communications Manager. Works closely with University Communications and the Logan Center staff to coordinate marketing efforts with the broader UChicago Arts initiative.
• Supervises the Director of Production and Education, the Marketing and Communications Manager, the Communications and Production Assistant, the Graphic Designer, and student staff.
• Develops annual budget and provide smid-year projections as needed; oversees all financial activity for UCP; ensures that activity is within budget.
• Works with Humanities Division and University staff on contracts to ensure that they are processed appropriately.
• Provides the overall management and administrative leadership needed to ensure that UCP is financially viable and cost-effective in its use of resources.
• Ensures compliance with University financial procedures, including maintaining and reconciling UCP budget against University-generated ledgers.
• Works in close collaboration and communicates regularly with Alumni Relations and Development staff in the Humanities Division and University on prospect cultivation, fundraising strategies, and other development-related issues.
• Maintains strong relationships with donors, including subscribers, community leaders and corporate partners and build UCP's donor base.
• Provides direction in developing and implementing the annual fundraising campaign, including special projects and fundraising events.
• Works with grants and fellowship staff in the Humanities Division in the pursuit of foundation and other grants.
• Serves as a leader for the arts at the University of Chicago and build synergistic relationships with pertinent University Departments and key stakeholders.
• Leads the execution of plans to ensure the care, management, and operations of University museums. Uses deep expertise of museum operations and conservation to preserve, document, showcase, and enrich permanent collections.
• Negotiates with individual and institutional supporters to secure funding. Promotes the museum's ability to serve as an academic resource for students, faculty, and the public.
• Performs other related work as needed.

Minimum Qualifications
 

Education:

Minimum requirements include a college or university degree in related field.

---
Work Experience:

Minimum requirements include knowledge and skills developed through 7+ years of work experience in a related job discipline.

---
Certifications:

---

Preferred Qualifications

Education:

• Bachelor’s degree.

Experience:

• Background managing budgets.
• Supervisory experience.
• Seven years of management experience in a music organization.  

Technical Skills or Knowledge:

• Expertise in classical music.
• Lead a music organization.
• Build strong relationships with donors.
• Manage the budget and finances.

Preferred Competencies

• Demonstrated capacity for creative, original program development.
• Expertise in classical music.
• Understanding of financial concepts and financial management.
• Strong written and oral communication skills.
• Ability to lead.
• Evidence of skill in managing staff and motivating colleagues.
• Communicate and collaborate effectively with a wide variety of constituencies, including artists, faculty, students, staff, and community arts leaders.
• Demonstrated comfort in a collaborative environment.
• Organizational and multi-tasking skills.
• Expertise in new music.
• Skilled in other kinds of music.
• Fundraising experience.
• Deep appreciation of scholarly and artistic activity.

Working Conditions

• Office environment.
• Walk to various parts of campus.
• Work some evenings and weekends.

Application Documents

• Resume/CV (required)
• Letter of Interest in this Position (required)
• References Contact Information (3)(required)
• Please attach a response to this scenario - What project would you propose that would either widely engage the campus community, attract new audiences, or bring greater renown to the series? (required)

When applying, the document(s) MUST  be uploaded via the My Experience page, in the section titled Application Documents of the application.

Job Family
 

Museum & Arts

Role Impact
 

Individual Contributor

FLSA Status
 

Exempt

Pay Frequency
 

Monthly

Scheduled Weekly Hours
 

37.5

Benefits Eligible
 

Yes

Drug Test Required
 

No

Health Screen Required
 

No

Motor Vehicle Record Inquiry Required
 

No

Posting Statement
 

Applicant Inquiry Form. <span>Applicant Inquiry Form</span> The University of Chicago is an Affirmative Action/ Equal Opportunity /Disabled/Veterans Employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national or ethnic origin, age, status as an individual with a disability, protected veteran status, genetic information, or other protected classes under the law. For additional information please see the University's Notice of Nondiscrimination.

 

Staff Job seekers in need of a reasonable accommodation to complete the application process should call 773-702-5800 or submit a request via Applicant Inquiry Form.

 

We seek a diverse pool of applicants who wish to join an academic community that places the highest value on rigorous inquiry and encourages a diversity of perspectives, experiences, groups of individuals, and ideas to inform and stimulate intellectual challenge, engagement, and exchange.

 

All offers of employment are contingent upon a background check that includes a review of conviction history.  A conviction does not automatically preclude University employment.  Rather, the University considers conviction information on a case-by-case basis and assesses the nature of the offense, the circumstances surrounding it, the proximity in time of the conviction, and its relevance to the position.

 

The University of Chicago's Annual Security & Fire Safety Report (Report) provides information about University offices and programs that provide safety support, crime and fire statistics, emergency response and communications plans, and other policies and information. The Report can be accessed online at: http://securityreport.uchicago.edu . Paper copies of the Report are available, upon request, from the University of Chicago Police Department, 850 E. 61st Street, Chicago, IL 60637.

Department
 

HUM Staff: Music

About the Department
 

One of Chicago’s oldest and most distinguished concert series, the University of Chicago Presents was founded in 1943 as the University of Chicago Chamber Music Series (now the Classic Concerts Series) with the mission of sharing world-class music through concerts and educational programs with audiences across Chicago and its surrounding suburbs. In its early seasons, the series brought many of the most significant figures of both performance and composition to the University’s Mandel Hall: Igor Stravinsky, Artur Schnabel, Isaac Stern, Arnold Schoenberg, and the Budapest Quartet. In addition to offering top-notch performances, guests of the series offered public master classes and lectures on music and composition, a legacy which continues to this day.

Job Summary
 

The job leads the care, management, and operation of the Museum. Utilizes expertise to proactively cultivate individual and institutional supporters of the Museum. Collaborates with faculty in Art History, Visual Arts, and across the campus to integrate the work of the Museum into the research, teaching, and intellectual life of the University.
The University of Chicago seeks an individual interested in leading a highly respected organization dedicated to the presentation of a wide range of musical events, primarily classical and contemporary music, but also early music, world music, and jazz. The Executive Director of the University of Chicago Presents (UCP) must have the ability to play a variety of roles in managing a diverse concert program, ranging from full programming responsibilities in the case of the University's chamber music series, presenting concerts in partnership with the Chicago Center for Contemporary Composition (CCCC) under the artistic direction of a composer on the University's faculty, to overseeing the operations for a range of professional musical events. The Executive Director will supervise a staff of one full-time position, the Director of Production and Education, and three part-time positions — the Marketing and Communications Manager, the Communications and Production Assistant, and the Graphic Designer, and will have overall leadership responsibility for 25–30 professional music concerts and arts events each season at the University of Chicago and other venues. The Executive Director will also have primary fundraising responsibilities for UCP, working in coordination with the Humanities Division and University staff. Recent seasons have included up to seven chamber music concerts, three to five early music concerts, five jazz concerts, four new music concerts presented with the CCCC, up to three concerts by University resident artists, three world music events, and other festival or non-series events. The Executive Director will provide UCP with artistic direction, including but not necessarily limited to its current presentation genres and formats, representation in programming discussions with University faculty and staff, professional oversight of the administration and daily operations of a busy concert office, and dedication to the University of Chicago and UCP's mission and ideals. In addition, the Executive Director will be an important leader in the broader University arts initiatives, serving as a member of various UChicago Arts committees, and working closely with the Reva and David Logan Center for the Arts.
The Executive Director reports to the Chair of the Department of Music and the Senior Advisor to the Provost for Arts. The Executive Director will also collaborate with the Executive Director of the Reva and David Logan Center for the Arts and the chairs and directors of the relevant academic disciplines and professional arts organizations.

Responsibilities

• Develops and programs a season for University of Chicago Presents including 25–30 professional music concerts and arts events each season.
• Presents concerts with the Chicago Center for Contemporary Composition under the artistic direction of a composer on the University's faculty. Maintains ongoing contact with the artistic lead of the CCCC with the goal of maintaining its role as Chicago's most established new music ensemble and achieving its artistic, production, audience-building, and fundraising goals.
• Follows developments in various fields of music.
• Works closely with Department of Music faculty, the Senior Advisor to the Provost for Arts, the Executive Director of the Logan Center for the Arts, and others to develop programming with links to University curricula.
• Works with chair of Department of Music and the Senior Advisor to the Provost for Arts to formulate strategic plans for UCP.
• Cultivates partnerships with other academic units and presenting organizations within the University and in the city.
• Meets quarterly with selected Department of Music faculty and provostial staff to update them on program planning.
• Cultivates relationships with artist representatives, ensemble managers, and others. Coordinates with the Department of Music's Director of Performing Groups, Rockefeller Chapel, and the Chair of the Department of Music on the annual schedule in order to avoid conflicts.
• Negotiates and oversees, in coordination with Director of Production, terms of relationships with venues (load-in, comps, available equipment and services, etc.). Ensures smooth functioning of ticket and subscription sales with the UChicago Arts Box Office manager, and, if called on, collaborates on ticketing with other annual music events (e.g. Messiah) on campus.
• Oversees all marketing and communications in coordination with the Marketing and Communications Manager. Works closely with University Communications and the Logan Center staff to coordinate marketing efforts with the broader UChicago Arts initiative.
• Supervises the Director of Production and Education, the Marketing and Communications Manager, the Communications and Production Assistant, the Graphic Designer, and student staff.
• Develops annual budget and provide smid-year projections as needed; oversees all financial activity for UCP; ensures that activity is within budget.
• Works with Humanities Division and University staff on contracts to ensure that they are processed appropriately.
• Provides the overall management and administrative leadership needed to ensure that UCP is financially viable and cost-effective in its use of resources.
• Ensures compliance with University financial procedures, including maintaining and reconciling UCP budget against University-generated ledgers.
• Works in close collaboration and communicates regularly with Alumni Relations and Development staff in the Humanities Division and University on prospect cultivation, fundraising strategies, and other development-related issues.
• Maintains strong relationships with donors, including subscribers, community leaders and corporate partners and build UCP's donor base.
• Provides direction in developing and implementing the annual fundraising campaign, including special projects and fundraising events.
• Works with grants and fellowship staff in the Humanities Division in the pursuit of foundation and other grants.
• Serves as a leader for the arts at the University of Chicago and build synergistic relationships with pertinent University Departments and key stakeholders.
• Leads the execution of plans to ensure the care, management, and operations of University museums. Uses deep expertise of museum operations and conservation to preserve, document, showcase, and enrich permanent collections.
• Negotiates with individual and institutional supporters to secure funding. Promotes the museum's ability to serve as an academic resource for students, faculty, and the public.
• Performs other related work as needed.

Minimum Qualifications
 

Education:

Minimum requirements include a college or university degree in related field.

---
Work Experience:

Minimum requirements include knowledge and skills developed through 7+ years of work experience in a related job discipline.

---
Certifications:

---

Preferred Qualifications

Education:

• Bachelor’s degree.

Experience:

• Background managing budgets.
• Supervisory experience.
• Seven years of management experience in a music organization.  

Technical Skills or Knowledge:

• Expertise in classical music.
• Lead a music organization.
• Build strong relationships with donors.
• Manage the budget and finances.

Preferred Competencies

• Demonstrated capacity for creative, original program development.
• Expertise in classical music.
• Understanding of financial concepts and financial management.
• Strong written and oral communication skills.
• Ability to lead.
• Evidence of skill in managing staff and motivating colleagues.
• Communicate and collaborate effectively with a wide variety of constituencies, including artists, faculty, students, staff, and community arts leaders.
• Demonstrated comfort in a collaborative environment.
• Organizational and multi-tasking skills.
• Expertise in new music.
• Skilled in other kinds of music.
• Fundraising experience.
• Deep appreciation of scholarly and artistic activity.

Working Conditions

• Office environment.
• Walk to various parts of campus.
• Work some evenings and weekends.

Application Documents

• Resume/CV (required)
• Letter of Interest in this Position (required)
• References Contact Information (3)(required)
• Please attach a response to this scenario - What project would you propose that would either widely engage the campus community, attract new audiences, or bring greater renown to the series? (required)

When applying, the document(s) MUST  be uploaded via the My Experience page, in the section titled Application Documents of the application.

Job Family
 

Museum & Arts

Role Impact
 

Individual Contributor

FLSA Status
 

Exempt

Pay Frequency
 

Monthly

Scheduled Weekly Hours
 

37.5

Benefits Eligible
 

Yes

Drug Test Required
 

No

Health Screen Required
 

No

Motor Vehicle Record Inquiry Required
 

No

Posting Statement
 

Applicant Inquiry Form. <span>Applicant Inquiry Form</span> The University of Chicago is an Affirmative Action/ Equal Opportunity /Disabled/Veterans Employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national or ethnic origin, age, status as an individual with a disability, protected veteran status, genetic information, or other protected classes under the law. For additional information please see the University's Notice of Nondiscrimination.

 

Staff Job seekers in need of a reasonable accommodation to complete the application process should call 773-702-5800 or submit a request via Applicant Inquiry Form.

 

We seek a diverse pool of applicants who wish to join an academic community that places the highest value on rigorous inquiry and encourages a diversity of perspectives, experiences, groups of individuals, and ideas to inform and stimulate intellectual challenge, engagement, and exchange.

 

All offers of employment are contingent upon a background check that includes a review of conviction history.  A conviction does not automatically preclude University employment.  Rather, the University considers conviction information on a case-by-case basis and assesses the nature of the offense, the circumstances surrounding it, the proximity in time of the conviction, and its relevance to the position.

 

The University of Chicago's Annual Security & Fire Safety Report (Report) provides information about University offices and programs that provide safety support, crime and fire statistics, emergency response and communications plans, and other policies and information. The Report can be accessed online at: http://securityreport.uchicago.edu . Paper copies of the Report are available, upon request, from the University of Chicago Police Department, 850 E. 61st Street, Chicago, IL 60637.