Director of Learning, Community Engagement, and Inclusion
Orchestra Lumos
Application
Details
Posted: 12-May-23
Location: Stamford, Connecticut
Type: Full Time
Salary: $70,000-$85,000
Pay Frequency:
Annual
Salary Details:
Location: Stamford, CT. Office based with flexibility for virtual working. Travel expected to within Fairfield County and surrounding areas
Type: Regular full-time, exempt position with required evenings and weekend hours
Reports to: President and CEO
Salary: In the range $70,000-$85,000; more may be available for an exceptional candidate, plus a 2% contribution to a retirement account
Vacation: The Orchestra offers four weeks of paid holiday in addition to which the office is closed between Christmas and New Year and on Fridays from July 4 to Labor Day.
The organization is mindful of ensuring a good work/life balance with great flexibility for personal issues and time off as required.
For an informal conversation with the current Director, please contact Nicolas Gonzalez at ngonzalez@orchestralumos.org before May 31, 2023.
Submit your resume and cover letter to Orchestra Lumos President and CEO Russell Jones at rjones@orchestralumos.org
Preferred Education:
4 Year Degree
Director of Learning, Community Engagement, and Inclusion
Orchestra Lumos, Inc.
Location: Stamford, CT. Office based with flexibility for virtual working. Travel expected to within Fairfield County and surrounding areas
Type: Regular full-time, exempt position with required evenings and weekend hours
Reports to: President and CEO
Salary: In the range $70,000-$85,000; more may be available for an exceptional candidate, plus a 2% contribution to a retirement account
Vacation: The Orchestra offers four weeks of paid holiday in addition to which the office is closed between Christmas and New Year and on Fridays from July 4 to Labor Day.
The organization is mindful of ensuring a good work/life balance with great flexibility for personal issues and time off as required.
For an informal conversation with the current Director, please contact Nicolas Gonzalez at ngonzalez@orchestralumos.org before May 31, 2023.
Submit your resume and cover letter to Orchestra Lumos President and CEO Russell Jones at rjones@orchestralumos.org
Context of the post
Formerly the Stamford Symphony, Orchestra Lumos was the outcome of a re-imagining and rebranding exercise to reflect a new vision for the Orchestra through which it will seek to engage with everyone in the Fairfield County community, with a particular emphasis on new and diverse audiences.
The Orchestra provides:
High quality classical concerts under Music Director Michael Stern at its home The Palace Theatre in Stamford, with artists such as Joshua Bell, Midori, Alisa Weilerstein, Pinchas Zukerman, Gil Shaham, and Awadagin Pratt
Ten Small Space (chamber music) presentations offered in churches, libraries, and nature centers from Greenwich to Bridgeport
A comprehensive education and community engagement program established under Nicolas Gonzalez, the Orchestra's first full time Director of Learning and Community Engagement who formerly served with the Chicago Symphony
A new pops season for 2023/24 including a Holiday Concert and the showing of Bugs Bunny at the Symphony, presented with the Orchestra playing the soundtrack live
The position of Director of Learning, Community Engagement, and Inclusion (Director) is responsible for the management, implementation, and evaluation of the education programs built by the previous Director. The Director will review and execute all education and community engagement programs, and is responsible for overseeing the equity, diversity, and inclusion efforts of the organization. The Director will recommend improvements to the programs and new strategies to reach new, diverse audiences relevant to the goals and mission of the Orchestra. The Director will ensure the mission of the education and community programs are executed at a high quality, with an eye for equity and relevance across its seven-town footprint. In 2022, Orchestra Lumos was awarded the Catalyst Incubator Fund grant from the League of American Orchestras to assist the organization in creating more equitable, diverse, and inclusive cultures. The Director will be responsible for the management and participation of this program.
On a regular basis, the Director will be in contact with the Orchestra’s entire constituency: community members, Board, musicians, and the public at large will be of paramount importance.
Essential Job Functions
Education & Community Engagement
Schedule a season of education and community engagement activities, balancing community visibility and strategic seven-town representation
Manage existing programs with schools and in the community across our seven town strategy; ensuring the Orchestra delivers relevant and meaningful programs to all partners. Current programs include Luminous Storytelling (in English and Spanish), Chamber Music program in collaboration with youth music organizations, masterclasses, classroom visits, Link Up, Artists in the Community, and more
Deepen programming with youth music programs including Project Music, INTEMPO, Greater Connecticut Youth Orchestras, and Concordia Conservatory
Build upon existing relationships with partner organization and establish new partnerships where strategically appropriate
Serve as external ambassador for Orchestra at community events in the area
Research and develop new programs for designated communities, including but not limited to BIPOC, LGBTQ+, and Under-40s.
Liaise with the Orchestra Personnel Manager for the hiring and engagement of Orchestra musicians according to protocol
Facilitate meetings of the Education and Community Engagement & Education committee in partnership with committee chair(s)
Reimagine pre-concert activities for orchestra concerts, with emphasis on Musikids
Evaluate all programmatic activities, making recommendations and reports when necessary
Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI)
Co-lead the EDI Committee, in collaboration with members of the board and orchestra
Collaborate with the EDI consultant, managing all logistics and communication for learning and projects
Ensure the organization remains in good standing with the League of American Orchestras’ Catalyst Incubator Fund Program
Ensure the organization remains in good standing with Sphinx
Establish strong relationships with community leaders, with a focus on BIPOC communities
Advocate for EDI efforts and ownership of this work across all departments
Serve as a sounding board for all constituents
Administrative & Cross-Departmental Duties
Steward and communicate with specific education donors, ensuring the impact of gifts are seen
Support and assist with fundraising for Education and Community Engagement programming by collaborating on funding requests and reports
Work closely with the Marketing and Ticketing department on marketing plans, collateral materials and related functions
Execute payroll in accordance with the Orchestra’s collective bargaining agreement
Gather feedback from community partners to evaluate customer experience
Attend select Small Space Series concerts as mutually agreed upon with the President and CEO
Perform other relevant duties and special projects as assigned
REQUIREMENTS
Bachelor's Degree
3 years experience, primarily in managing arts education and community engagement programs for a professional performing arts organization
Familiarity with current trends in music education, community engagement, industry standards for the performing arts
Exemplary communicator and project manager, with the ability to work effectively with staff, musicians, teachers, and various community stakeholders
Passion for the arts and desire to further the appreciation of music in the community
Strong empathy and emotional intelligence
Initiative and strong problem resolution skills
Excellent proficiency in Google Workspace
Proficiency in conversational Spanish desirable
Use of a vehicle is required for this position for which reimbursement is given State of CT reimburse for mileage
Ability to lift and move music stands and chairs as required
Stamford Symphony seeks an exceptional marketing and communications professional to join the Orchestra at one of the most creative and developmental periods in its history. The primary focus of this appointment is increasing audiences across Fairfield County. The successful candidate will be able to point to significant past successes in retaining, growing and diversifying audiences, for all types of performances.
With the appointment of Michael Stern as Music Director, the Orchestra is ready to take a significant leap forward in terms of the number of promotions across the whole of Fairfield County; playing larger repertoire as well as delivering a comprehensive community engagement and education program. The Board has just begun a strategic planning process which will include a complete rebrand of the institution by January 1, 2022. The aim is for the Symphony to grow from a budget of $1.5m to $2.5m by 2025/26.
To fund this expansion, The Crescendo Fund for the Future of Stamford Symphony was created in July 2020 with an initial target of $5m. To date the Fund has secured pledges of $3.8m.
The Director of Marketing and Communications is responsible for planning, impleme...nting, overseeing, and assessing the Orchestra’s marketing, branding, public relations, and audience development plans in support of the organization’s strategic vision and growth.
The post is based at the Symphony’s office in Stamford CT.
