Spokane is a vibrant place where the arts thrive, and the outdoor environment inspires. Spokane’s people and institutions are committed to support and celebrate local-to-global creators, actors, and musicians and to offer diverse ways for all people to access inspiring cultural experiences.
We believe orchestral music nurtures the human spirit, enhances the quality of life, and is integral to the preservation and the evolution of culture. The Spokane Symphony provides professional orchestral performances, education programs, and community enrichment to the Inland Northwest to transform lives through the power of music.
The Executive Director reports to the Board of Directors through the Board Chair. In close partnership, the Music Director and the Executive Director are the strategic leaders of the Spokane Symphony; the Executive Director ensures day-to-day coherence through operational excellence. The Executive Director prioritizes fundraising and designs and implements sound financial policies and decisions for the organization. The Executive Director serves as an ambassador for the Spokane Symphony and is involved in the community and its organizations. The Executive Director works together with the Music Director and the Board of Directors, and the Fox Theater staff to further the Symphony’s purpose in bringing the power of music to life through performances, education, and community engagement.
Key Responsibilities
Leadership with a Growth Mindset:
Serve as the strategic and operational leader of the Spokane Symphony to inspire professionalism, explore new ideas for growth, and collaborate well with key figures including staff, Board of Directors, Fox Theater staff, and musicians to foster a positive and sustainable work environment. The Executive Director, in partnership with the Music Director, will be a vital part of the Symphony’s visionary leadership. The ideal candidate will raise the presence and brand of the Spokane Symphony across the Inland Northwest and shall be dedicated to advancing the Symphony's purpose and goals.
Fundraising and Development Expertise:
Materially increase the number, size, and duration of sponsor and donor commitments. Prioritize annual and longer-term goals for earned and contributed revenue that ensure the sustainability of the Spokane Symphony.
Cultivate and nurture relationships with individual donors, potential corporate sponsors, foundations (especially the Symphony Foundation Board and Spokane Symphony Associates), and other funders in collaboration with the Music Director and Development Department to support increased contributed revenue.
Financial Stewardship:
Manage the development and implementation of a realistic budget. Oversee effective cost management and realistic spending to maintain sustainable, balanced financial plans.
Foster Community Engagement:
Serve as a knowledgeable and passionate external ambassador for the Spokane Symphony. Build trust and credibility with audiences, stakeholders, elected officials, the business community, media, and donors and sponsors.
Build, nurture, and elevate the Spokane Symphony’s reputation as an innovative and welcoming performing arts organization through attendance at community events and promotion of its high-quality and diverse programming.
Demonstrate exceptional relationship management practice that builds strong partnerships with individuals and organization to enhance the Spokane Symphony’s presence and resources.
Effective Communication and Integrity:
Foster collaboration between staff, Board of Directors, and musicians; communicate effectively with stakeholders; lead by example; and maintain integrity, humility, and gratitude.
Commitment to Operational Excellence:
Demonstrate exceptional management skills and balance short-term tasks with long-term goals for organizational success. Develop and maintain a team environment with staff, Board, and musicians. Negotiate all contracts and agreements to support the Symphony’s operations, and other duties as assigned.
Compensation: Proposed salary range: $125,000 to $155,000, dependent on experience. This is a full time, in-person position with some evening and weekend commitments.
Required Skills
Demonstrated ability and success in fundraising for annual gifts, sustained donations, and capital campaigns.
Demonstrated passion for and knowledge of classical music and how to produce meaningful professional experiences for the community.
Demonstrated strong leadership of non-profit arts organizations. Align activities to organizational mission, vision, and goals.
Demonstrated acumen in organizational financial management.
Demonstrated sound management strategies. In addition to organizational leadership, the Executive Director must be able to hire and coordinate staff in alignment with the organization’s vision, mission, and goals in a sustainable and efficient manner.
Demonstrated ability to build and maintain productive and congenial working relationship with stakeholders (e.g., Board of Directors, the Symphony Endowment Board, donors, community leaders).
Demonstrated actions to engage with donors, potential donors, stakeholders, and other sponsors; demonstrated experience and success with capital campaigns.
Demonstrated ability and results in connecting with the community. Must be able and willing to develop strong relationships with local government, businesses, and universities.
Demonstrated ability to build cohesive organizational administration. For example, coordinate with the Spokane Symphony Associates, the Endowment, the Fox Theater, Spokane Symphony Chorale, and Staff.
Demonstrated experience with union labor negotiations, specifically with unions supporting musicians in the orchestral realm.
Frequent standing and walking throughout the workday.
Purpose: We bring the power of music to life.
WE ARE COMMITTED TO GREAT MUSIC, EXCELLENCE AND INNOVATION, AND FINANCIAL STEWARDSHIP.
ABOUT THE SPOKANE SYMPHONY
Now in its 75th Season, the Spokane Symphony continues a long tradition as the largest and most active professional performing arts organization in the Inland Pacific Northwest. It was incorporated in 1945 as the Spokane Philharmonic, becoming the Spokane Symphony Society in 1962.
Led by Music Director, James Lowe, The 70-piece professional orchestra performs for more than 150,000 listeners each season and provides a wide variety of exceptional educational experiences. The orchestra presents critically acclaimed performances featuring some of the world's most respected soloists.
The Spokane Symphony Society is a non-profit organization governed by a volunteer Board of Trustees. The Symphony also enjoys the generous support of the more than 300-member Spokane Symphony Associates, the Orchestra's volunteer organization.
CULTURAL ENRICHMENT
The Spokane Symphony is dedicated to bringing cultural enrichment to residents for the Inland Northwest. Our innovative programming, for which we won an ASCAP award, i...ncludes contemporary and traditional composers from around the globe. We also pursue collaborative efforts with other arts organizations. Examples of past collaborations include:
The Invisible Collection: The Moldenhauer Archive with the Northwest Museum of Art and Culture
Les Misérables and West Side Story with Spokane Civic Theatre
La Boheme with Opera Coeur d'Alene (now Inland Northwest Opera)
City Lights with SpIFF
Uncharted with Terrain
The Grand Finale at the Festival at Sandpoint, Idaho
OUTREACH
The Spokane Symphony outreach efforts include the Library Pass program, College Card and student discounts. Many concerts are also broadcast on 91.1 KPBX-FM.
The Spokane Symphony offers Labor Day Weekend concerts at Pavillion Park in Liberty Lake (Saturday) and Comstock Park on Spokane’s South Hill (Monday), with a program of light classics, patriotic tunes and favorites from the worlds of pop, Hollywood and Broadway.
Educational activities include the FAST (Free Access to Student Tickets) Program, the Fourth/Fifth Grades Concerts and the Link Up program of Carnegie Hall’s Weill Music Institute.
