EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR POSITION

The World Music Institute, Inc. ("WMI") is seeking applicants for the position of Executive Director. Robert Browning, WMI's founder and current Executive Director, intends to retire after more than 25 years of building WMI into the nation's premier presenter of traditional music and dance from around the world. The new Executive Director will have the opportunity to lead WMI in new directions consistent with its mission.

THE ORGANIZATION

World Music Institute is a not-for-profit concert presenting organization founded in 1985 and dedicated to the presentation and preservation of the finest traditional and contemporary music and dance from around the world. WMI presents a season of performances each year from September through May in New York City at venues including Symphony Space, Town Hall, Skirball Center at NYU, City Center, Jazz at Lincoln Center, Carnegie Hall and Highline Ballroom. WMI produces, with its partners, the now bi-annual NY Flamenco Festival at City Center which draws visitors from across the country and abroad, and its annual globalFEST event which has become a mecca for those seeking the cutting edge in world music. WMI curates the "World Views" series at Zankel Hall at Carnegie Hall and produces select national tours each year.

WMI encourages cultural exchange between nations and ethnic groups and collaborates with community organizations and academic institutions in fostering greater understanding of the world's cultural traditions through educational events, lecture demonstrations and workshops. Many artists have given their U.S. or New York debuts in concerts presented by WMI.

For more information on WMI visit our website at www.worldmusicinstitute.org

THE POSITION

WMI is seeking a leader who will build on the strengths and tradition of WMI and lead it through a period of transition in new directions that match WMI's mission. The position will provide a platform for a committed arts professional to engage an enthusiasm for world music while overseeing the marketing, fundraising, strategic partnerships, financial management and operations of WMI which has an annual budget of approximately $2 million. The Executive Director will work closely with the Board of Directors and senior staff to identify goals and strategies to ensure financial stability, artistic vitality and promote the mission of the institution.

The new Executive Director is expected to maintain and encourage an atmosphere of open communication and staff participation that fosters creativity, flexibility, and stability, while focusing on WMI's cultural, social, community and institutional impact and growth.

The successful candidate will receive a competitive salary, major medical coverage, a retirement plan, and paid time off.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Organization Management: Oversee the operation and financial health of the organization. Must have experience preparing and functioning within budgets and maintaining financial records. Also oversees staffing and adherence to human resource policies.

Donor Development: Lead staff and engage board to develop new sources for private and public institutional funding. Maintain and grow current funding relationships. Must be highly motivated to engage in fundraising activities and to develop strategies for enlarging the individual, corporate, government and foundation donor base and increasing donations from each. Build outreach efforts and aggressively cultivate new donors. Work with Development Director to write grants and fundraise. Develop and implement a corporate fundraising strategy targeting international corporations that share some of our values. Work with the Board to oversee audience cultivation and fundraising events.

Strategic Planning: Work with the Board of Directors to revise and hone the organization's strategic long-term planning and goals, and create the operational infrastructure to implement and support them.

Financial and Benefits Plans Management: Manage the approximately $2 million annual budget and related financial recordkeeping and reporting to ensure accuracy and a proper financial control environment. Concert/Audience Development. Develop ideas to rethink artist and audience concert experience at various venues by engaging audiences in new and interesting ways.

Governance: Leverage the resources and talent of the Board to fulfill the organization's larger goals. Act as intermediary between staff and Board, and facilitate goal setting, fundraising and program development. Provide the Board with relevant information and insights to support strategic planning process and implementation of sound governance practices. Ensure alignment of programming and operations with strategic goals.

Leadership: Develop and lead a staff of 5 to 8 and volunteer base of 35+ to cultivate a high performance organization. Promote a productive and supportive work environment with consistent procedures, personnel guidelines and regular staff review.

Program Strategy and Management: Work with Director of Programming to develop, execute, and evaluate artistic programs.

Marketing and Promotion: Be the primary external face of the organization. Represent and advocate for WMI in diverse public and private arenas and seek creative outreach opportunities to elevate WMI's brand both in the community and nationally, as well as expand and focus programming. Work with staff and Board to create and execute effective short and long-term marketing plans to raise WMI's profile, expand audiences, push efforts to remain technologically and electronically current, and increase earned revenue streams.

THE CANDIDATE

Qualifications

• Strong interest in traditional and contemporary music, dance and culture from around the world.
• At least ten years' leadership or equivalent experience in administration of a nonprofit organization, ideally within an arts organization.
• Highly motivated individual with a proven track record of fundraising, including large and small, public and corporate funders and government agencies; experience cultivating individual donor relationships and corporate sponsorships and partnerships.
• Experience developing and implementing a strategic plan, ideally for an arts organization.
• Financial acumen experience and ability to manage and maintain budgets, financial audits and records.
• The ability to interact effectively with the Board, funders, donors, staff and diverse constituents of WMI.
• Deft organizational skills – ensuring the smooth running of operations and maximization of resources.
• Strong supervisory record with proven ability to hire, develop and retain a team that is highly motivated and engaged to fulfill organizational goals.
• Outstanding communication skills, both written and verbal, with ability to address and engage audiences by introducing concerts.
• Ability to attend and introduce most WMI concerts throughout the September to May season, many of which are on weekend nights.
• Familiarity with new media and social networking technologies. Marketing and promotional skills demonstrating creativity and resourcefulness.
• Multiple language skills and cross cultural experience desirable.

Qualities desired:

The right candidate will share WMI's values of community, collaboration and responsiveness while coming up new ideas for audience and donor development as well as strategies for creating a long term sustainable business model. The individual will display sensitivity in interacting with varied audiences yet be effective in articulating opinions and willing to take risks to become more innovative.

THE APPLICATION

WMI is an Equal Opportunity Employer/M/F/D/V. Women and minorities are strongly encouraged to apply. Though we welcome applicants from outside the New York area, no travel expenses or relocation compensation is offered.

No third party recruiters please.

Qualified and interested candidates, please be sure to submit your answers to following brief questionnaire, cover letter and your CV to wminyc.ed@gmail.com

World Music Institute Executive Director - Candidate Questionnaire (500 total word limit – please)

1. What interests you in this opportunity?
2. Briefly describe your most relevant experiences and skills for this position.
3. What should we know about you and/or your background that might not be evident in your CV?

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