It Takes a Hard-Working Executive Director

The top administrative executive is most commonly known as the executive director, but some orchestras use titles such as general manager or president instead.

Main Responsibilities: 
The executive director manages all of the organization’s human and financial resources in order to accomplish the orchestra’s mission. He or she performs and/or supervises all tasks necessary for the organization’s operations. The executive director also implements any policies that are set by the board of directors and reports to them regularly through the board’s president. The executive director is to administration as the music director is to artistic development. 

Purpose: 
The executive director must ensure that the organization is always operating within their financial scope, always developing quality musical output, and that it is always staying true to its community service and education mission. This is important in order to accept and solicit contributions from the public, due to its federal tax law requirement as a 501(c)(3) organization. This does not mean that the executive director must do all of these things alone. He or she usually simply overseas that these operations are being handled correctly.

Who is the CEO?

The Chief Executive Director is the chief spokesman of the organization; the sole individual who takes responsibility for either the success or failure of the organization. He or she carries the weight if the orchestra’s mission or financial goals are not met. The executive director is not always the CEO. This position is sometimes filled by the board president or less frequently, the music director. 

Specific job duties and responsibilities for the executive director are coming soon!

It Takes an Orchestra Personnel Manager

This post will summarize the duties that are required by the Orchestra Personnel Manager.

The Orchestra Personnel Manager administers all personnel of the orchestra. This means that he/she applies the master contract, prepares and maintains payroll and other records, schedule musicians, hires substitute/extra musicians, and coordinates auditions. The Personnel Manager is the liaison between the conductor and musicians; the administrative staff and musicians; and the management and musicians’ union.  See specific tasks and duties after the jump!

It Takes an Orchestra Librarian

This post will summarize the duties that are required by the Orchestra Librarian.

This position is necessary to provide and organize the music for performances, and to keep track of the orchestra’s music collection, complete with all parts and scores.

The Orchestra librarian must purchase or rent music when needed, take or send shipments of music, make sure music is in acceptable condition, and ensure that copyright laws are being followed. The librarian must also edit, proofread, distribute, and annotate parts. He/she works with the music director and orchestra soloists to prepare music according to their preferences, in addition to providing legible parts to musicians in advance for rehearsals. The librarian is also responsible for cataloguing and filing the library, maintaining an up-to-date inventory, and ensuring the return of all borrowed music.

Administrative duties are as follows:

• Processing payments for music and supplies
• Reporting all music performed at concerts to ASCAP, BMI, and/or SESAC for licensing, and paying their annual fees
• Projecting repertoire expenses for budgeting
• Keeping orchestra performance records
• Providing program lists and instrumentation needs to staff when requested
• Preparing concert time sheets
• Researching costs for required music purchases
• Preparing music for auditions
• Working with artistic staff to acquire and prepare scores for performances

More symphony staff job descriptions are to come!

It Takes a Director of Finance and an Information Systems Manager

This post will summarize the duties that are required by a symphony orchestra's Director of Finance and the Information Systems Manager. In cases of larger orchestras, these functions are divided between multiple roles. 

Director of Finance
The Finance Director handles business and financial functions for the organization such as planning, control, and reporting. This person must prepare an annual operating budget and long-term plan complete with projections, monthly financial statements, banking correspondence, information systems management, and facilities operations. He is also responsible for dealing with payroll, employee benefits, and personnel policies.
 
Information Systems Manager
The Information Systems Manager plans, purchases, installs, configures, and maintains all information systems hardware and software. This staff member assists the entire organization with applications, programming and technical issues dealing with accounting marketing and development applications. He must train and guide staff in how to use applications efficiently and also makes recommendations for appropriate purchases of new systems and applications to the organization.


To see the full list of staff that is essential to run a professional symphony orchestra, click here.

It Takes a Director of Education and an Operations Manager

This post will summarize the duties that are required by the symphony orchestra's Director of Education and the Operations Manager. In cases of larger orchestras, these functions are divided between multiple roles. 

Director of Operations

This person is like the glue of the orchestra because they are the one who makes sure that scheduling and production (facility/equipment rental, staging requirements, logistical arrangements) of each event operates steadily, effectively, and with financial responsibility in mind. This Operations Manager must make sure to execute several specifications provided by the master agreement and also corresponds regularly between the orchestra and the rest of the organization. He works closely with Development, Marketing, and Public Relations departments.

Director of Education

This person is responsible for creating, developing, managing, and evaluating each education and outreach program that parallel the organization policies and education goals. The Director of Education plans and regulates all educational activities, and oversees all volunteers and staff participating in any part of a program. The Director of Education serves as a representative for the symphony when working with other arts, education, and civic institutions to establish partnerships in the community. This Director might work with the Marketing Director occasionally to handle ticketing for education programs, brochures, newsletters, flyers and advertisements.

To see the full list of staff that is essential to run a professional symphony orchestra, click here.

It Takes a Director of Development and Marketing

In this post, I will talk about the duties that are required by a symphony orchestra's Directors of Development and Marketing. In cases of larger orchestras, these functions are divided between multiple Directors. 

Director of Development

This person is responsible for the development, management, implementation, and evaluation of the main fund-raising campaign that matches the organization’s objectives and needs. He guides staff and any volunteers with planning all giving programs, such as annual, sponsorship, capital, endowment, and planned funding, in addition to events and benefits. Grant applications are made by the Director of Development to federal, state, and local government agencies that issue arts funding, as well as to private foundations and corporations that supply art grants. The Director of Development must recommend fund-raising policies and procedures to the Executive Director and to the Board in order to create an overall program for the whole year that exhibits the professionalism and ethical control of the symphony. Regular reporting to the Board and the Executive director is necessary to inform them on event and campaign progress.

Director of Marketing

This person is in charge of planning, supervising, operating, and examining programs in accordance with attendance and ticket selling goals for events while increasing visibility of the organization. The Director of Marketing constructs and runs all marketing activities such as: 

• public relations (press, program books, newsletters)
• advertising using print, electronic and/or media
• season subscriptions and renewals (via direct mail and/or phone)
• ticket sales (box office)
• audience research
• subscriber activites
• merchandising

To see the full list of staff that is essential to run a professional symphony orchestra, click here.