POSITION PROFILE

The Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra (LPO) seeks a visionary, entrepreneurial, and collaborative leader to serve as its next Executive Director. This is an opportunity to lead one of America’s most distinctive orchestras and one of Louisiana’s most important cultural institutions. The Executive Director will partner with musicians, Board leadership, artistic leadership, staff, donors, volunteers and community stakeholders to shape the next era of artistic excellence, financial sustainability, audience growth, and statewide impact.

The Executive Director serves as the organization’s chief executive officer and strategic leader, responsible for growing philanthropy, advancing the mission, strengthening organizational capacity, expanding community engagement, and ensuring long-term institutional resilience. 

The Executive Director reports directly to the Board of Trustees and works in close partnership with the Music Director and orchestra leadership.

THE OPPORTUNITY

The Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra stands at an important moment of institutional opportunity. Building upon artistic momentum, expanding impact, strengthening educational reach, and deepening community partnerships, the organization seeks a leader who can guide the orchestra through its next phase of growth and sustainability.

The next Executive Director will inherit:

• A nationally distinctive governance model
• Strong artistic leadership
• Deep community roots
• Meaningful education initiatives
• Engaged musicians, Board, volunteers, and staff
• A recognized civic role within one of America’s most culturally significant communities

The next Executive Director will play a central role in:

• Strengthening long-term financial sustainability
• Expanding philanthropy and contributed revenue
• Growing earned revenue opportunities
• Increasing audience engagement and participation
• Building statewide visibility and impact
• Advancing strategic planning initiatives
• Strengthening operational excellence
• Positioning the LPO as an essential civic and cultural institution for Louisiana’s future

This role requires an executive who understands and appreciates both the art and enterprise of primarily orchestral but includes all forms of music — someone who combines strategic vision with operational rigor, financial discipline with entrepreneurial thinking, and community leadership with a deep appreciation for artistic excellence.

KEY DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

 Strategic Leadership

The Executive Director will:

• Lead development and implementation of organizational strategic priorities
• Partner with Board leadership, Music Director, volunteers and musicians to advance long-term institutional goals
• Foster innovation while preserving organizational mission and artistic excellence
• Position the organization for long-term sustainability
• Lead organizational planning initiatives
• Identify opportunities for strategic growth and institutional advancement
• Monitor industry trends and evolving audience behaviors

Fundraising and Philanthropy

The Executive Director will:

• Serve as chief fundraiser and lead ambassador
• Personally cultivate, solicit, and steward major gifts
• Expand relationships with foundations, corporations, government agencies, and individual donors
• Support annual, campaign, endowment, and planned giving initiatives
• Strengthen contributed revenue performance
• Partner closely with development staff and Board leadership
• Advance institutional fundraising strategy
• Build philanthropic culture across the organization

Financial and Business Leadership/management

The Executive Director will:

• Oversee financial planning, budgeting, forecasting, and reporting
• Ensure responsible stewardship of organizational resources
• Develop multi-year financial sustainability strategies
• Monitor performance through measurable operational and financial indicators
• Expand earned revenue opportunities
• Strengthen business operations and organizational systems
• Support data-informed decision-making practices
• Ensure compliance and sound governance practices

Audience Development and Community Engagement

The Executive Director will:

• Lead strategies to expand audience growth and retention
• Enhance the organization’s visibility and community impact
• Foster accessibility and audience relevance initiatives
• Expand partnerships across education, tourism, business, government, and community sectors
• Support education and community engagement programming
• Position the LPO as an essential civic institution
• Advance initiatives that broaden participation and deepen community connection

Organizational Leadership

The Executive Director will:

• Recruit, develop, manage, and retain high-performing staff
• Foster accountability, transparency, and collaboration
• Build organizational culture aligned with mission and values
• Support professional development and leadership growth
• Promote effective cross-functional communication
• Lead changes in management initiatives when necessary
• Assure excellent communication with audiences, Board, and musicians  

External Relations and Advocacy

The Executive Director will:

• Serve as a primary organizational spokesperson
• Represent the organization with elected officials, civic leaders, donors, media, and community stakeholders
• Strengthen institutional visibility and reputation
• Build strategic partnerships that advance mission and sustainability
• Advocate for arts investment and cultural policy priorities
• Participate actively in industry leadership organizations and broader civic conversations

QUALIFICATIONS

The successful candidate will demonstrate:

Required Experience

• Minimum 10 years of progressive leadership experience

• Significant executive or senior leadership experience within nonprofit, performing arts, cultural, higher education, mission-driven, or complex enterprise organizations

• Demonstrated fundraising success

• Experience managing significant operating budgets

• Strategic planning and organizational leadership experience

• Team leadership and talent development experience

• Ability to direct and motivate all components of the organization  

• Exceptional communication and relationship-building skills

 Preferred Experience

• Experience within orchestras or performing arts institutions

• Knowledge of nonprofit governance structures

• Familiarity with orchestra economics and labor environments

• Experience with collective bargaining environments

• Audience development and earned revenue strategy experience

• Experience leading organizational transformation initiatives

Bachelor’s degree required.  Advanced degree greatly preferred.

Traits and Characteristics

The ideal candidate will demonstrate:

• Strategic acumen

• Fundraising confidence and proven success

• Entrepreneurial mindset

• Financial sophistication

• Collaborative leadership style

• Emotional intelligence

• Exceptional interpersonal skills

• Sound judgment

• Adaptability and resilience

• Creativity and innovation

• Transparency and integrity

• Commitment to mission-driven leadership

• Passion for orchestral music and community impact

The successful candidate will inspire trust and transparency across musicians, Board leadership, staff, volunteers, donors, and community stakeholders while advancing a compelling vision for the organization’s future.

About Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra

ABOUT THE LOUISIANA PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRA Founded in 1991, the GRAMMY Award winning Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra is the nation’s oldest full-time musician-governed and collaboratively operated professional orchestra and Louisiana’s only full-time professional orchestra. The LPO is a Group 3 orchestra with an annual budget of $5-5.5million which serves an annual audience of approximately 60,000 people in one of the most culturally vibrant cities in the nation. The LPO exists to transform people and communities through music and serves as a cultural leader throughout New Orleans, southeastern Louisiana, and communities across the state. Rooted in one of the world’s most influential musical cities, the Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra reflects both the artistic traditions and creative spirit that define New Orleans. Through artistic excellence, education, and community engagement, the organization creates meaningful musical experiences that connect audiences across generations and communities. Over a full 32-36-week season, the LPO presents a broad portfolio of programming in New Orleans and across multiple adjacent parishes that reflects both tradition and innovation.... Annual offerings include classical subscription performances, chamber music, education initiatives, community engagement programming, contemporary music, cross-genre collaborations, pops, family programming, and performances that celebrate Louisiana’s cultural identity and musical heritage. Recent seasons have featured world premieres, contemporary compositions by living composers, partnerships with local artists, collaborations across artistic disciplines, and programming designed to broaden access and deepen relevance. Each year, the organization reaches tens of thousands through performances, education initiatives, and community engagement programs. The LPO Academy provides sustained musical instruction for nearly 500 students across partner schools, while broader education and engagement initiatives serve more than 14,000 young people and families annually. The orchestra partners with educational institutions, cultural organizations, civic leaders, and community organizations to strengthen access to music. As resident orchestra partner to major cultural organizations and touring artists, the LPO occupies a unique role within New Orleans’ cultural ecosystem and contributes meaningfully to the civic and cultural vitality of Louisiana. The LPO has a tri-partite organizational governance structure comprised of 67 full-time musicians, an administrative staff, and a Board composed of two-thirds community trustees/one third musicians. The organization’s distinctive musician-governed model creates an extraordinary culture of ownership, collaboration, entrepreneurship, and institutional commitment. This model has defined the orchestra since its founding and remains central to its identity and success.

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Connections working at Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra