Reports to: President & Chief Executive Officer
Direct reports: Manager of Operations, Orchestra Personnel Manager, Stage Manager, Principal Librarian, and Ballet Coordinator
Position Summary:
The Vice President/General Manager (GM) is a member of the senior leadership team and has overall responsibility for the management of orchestra operations including: creation of annual orchestra handbook, concert production, budgeting for annual musician costs (core and extras) and annual stagehand costs, touring, audio & video recordings, and labor relations (AF of M & IATSE). This position also schedules all rehearsals, manages the relationship with the Center for the Performing Arts/Jacoby Hall/Moran Theatre. Manages and schedules all ensemble performances, manages electronic media projects, supervises the annual production of “The Nutcracker” and manages the lease for the Center for the Performing Arts. Serve as primary staff liaison to Orchestra Committee.
Specific duties and responsibilities include:
- In collaboration with the CEO, CFO, and other senior team leaders, create, execute closely monitor the operations budget; reconcile production budgets monthly with the finance office, create end of year projections each month. Manage purchase and inventory of production related supplies and equipment, licenses, and service agreements for production equipment
- Oversee the master calendar for the orchestra, including days off, vacation, leaves of absence, sick time, etc. Ensure that any scheduled changes comply with the Collective Bargaining Agreement with the orchestra.
- Create master orchestra handbook in collaboration with the VP/Artistic Administrator , VP/Director of Music Education, and the Orchestra Personnel Manager
- Manage the scheduling of rehearsals for all performances, coordinate rehearsals with the Director of Music Education for all education and community outreach activities
- Supervise orchestra payroll, coordinate with the orchestra personnel manager and the finance office
- Supervise all aspects of concert production including confirming rehearsal order, instrumentation, library needs, stage set-up, lighting, video recording, sound, audio recordings, live and recorded streaming of concerts. Additional concert duties include adherence to approved budget, facility rental and scheduling; coordinate all rehearsal and concert activities with orchestra personnel, library, and production staff.
- Supervise weekly production/operations meetings
- Represent management at regular Orchestra Committee meetings, report updates to management.
- In coordination with the orchestra personnel manager, oversee auditions for open positions and tenure meetings with musicians.
- Oversee coordination for external services, runouts, and tours; arrange transportation and accommodations (if required) for musicians, production personnel and staff; seek new touring performance opportunities for the full orchestra and ensembles.
- Coordinate equipment needs (via purchase or rental) for concerts, productions, stage, and Jacoby Hall.
- Oversee the purchase and maintenance of Symphony owned instruments including pianos, The Bryan Concert Organ, and percussion instruments.
- Supervision for the selection and coordination of ensembles by working in collaboration with the following departments: Music Education & Community Engagement, Marketing, and Development.
- Provide for the successful management and professional working environment for musicians and stage personnel in accordance with their respective Master Agreements
- Schedule and lead negotiations for AFM and IATASE contracts in collaboration with the President/CEO
- Schedule, and lead Orchestra Committee meetings
- Manage regular production team meetings; provide supervision and professional development for production team members.
- Issue individual musician contracts, negotiate tenure process and notifications; work with orchestra Personnel Manager to resolve musicians’ issues including complaints and grievances.
- Together with the President/CEO, negotiate lease with the City of Jacksonville for Jacoby Symphony Hall, Moran Theatre and Symphony Offices.
- Serve as primary liaison with Center personnel regarding all aspects of operations for the facility in accordance with the lease, including the arrangement of personnel to clean Jacoby Symphony Hall and backstage areas, and for security during performances.
- Coordinate with the Development and Marketing Departments for projects that require use of Jacoby Hall, the stage crew, or musicians.
- Together with the VP & Artistic Administrator, serve as the staff liaison to the Artistic Committee.
Traits and Characteristics
The GM will be a strategic thinker with strong conceptual and analytical skills, the ability to solve problems, measure performance, evaluate results and identify solutions that align with the organization’s mission. A highly organized self-starter, the successful candidate will be focused on completing tasks and solving problems while developing long-range strategies.
A well-disciplined and hands-on leader, the GM must be self-motivated and able to work collaboratively. The successful candidate will be a strong experienced manager and will foster teamwork while holding the Operations team accountable for deliverables. The GM must possess excellent written, oral, and people skills, and will be a good listener.
The GM will inspire confidence that budget information is dependable, accurate, timely and transparent and can clearly articulate the meaning and importance of data that is presented. The GM will have high ethical standards, a model of integrity and will operate in a transparent fashion.
The GM must have significant relevant experience in orchestral operations of a symphony orchestra of comparable size as the Jacksonville Symphony. Total budget of $14M with sixty core musicians on a 40-week contract.
Qualifications
- Bachelor’s Degree is required
- Seasoned leader with progressively responsible orchestra management and administrative oversight
- Five or more years’ experience with orchestra payroll, production budgets and supervision of operations staff. Significant experience with budgets and superb financial management skills.
- Strong project management skills; track record for completing projects in a timely manner and on budget
- Deep knowledge of production, including sound, lights and staging
- Significant knowledge of orchestral repertoire including: classical, POPS, Great American Song Book and jazz.
- Five or more years in management, operations, and concert production with orchestras at a similar budget size.
- Experience supervising/coordinating auditions for open positions
- Successful history of negotiating and/or administrating collective bargaining agreements with the AFM and IATSE.
- Experience managing tours is preferred
- Working experience with OPAS. Extensive knowledge of the Microsoft Office Suite, with an emphasis on Word, Excel, and PowerPoint
- Significant experience with electronic media, symphonic multi-media projects, and recording projects
- Superb written and oral communication skills
- Strong track record for addressing issues and solving problems in a timely manner
- Ability to interact well with various constituents including staff, orchestra, Board members, patrons, and facility staff
- Experienced presenting financial information to board committees and Board of Directors
- A resourceful, results-oriented leader with the ability to think strategically. Generate innovative ideas, prioritize, plan, and set goals and objectives
- Ability to speak credibly and persuasively about Jacksonville Symphony’s vision for the future
- A sense of humor
Compensation and benefits:
A competitive salary and comprehensive benefits package, including health insurance, 403-B plan, generous vacation and holiday days, parking, complimentary tickets are included
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
The Jacksonville Symphony is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of age, race, sex, color, religion, national origin, disability, military status, sexual orientation, or any other status protected by applicable state or local law
Application process:
Submit a cover letter and resume to:
Steven Libman, President/CEO: HR@jaxsymphony.org. Put “General Manager” in the subject line.
About the Jacksonville Symphony
Our mission is to enrich the human spirit through symphonic music.
In its seventy-five seasons, the Jacksonville Symphony has brought exceptional, enthralling music to listeners in the community, across Florida and far beyond. Music Director Courtney Lewis takes his step on the conductor’s podium for his tenth season to lead some of the world’s finest musicians in performances that continue to reach new levels of artistic excellence. As one of Northeast Florida’s most revered cultural institutions, the Symphony is committed to bringing the legacy of classical, POPS, and other genres of music to life.
Led by President and CEO Steven Libman, the Jacksonville Symphony reaches over 165,000 individuals through over 95 performances every season in its acoustically superior home of Jacoby Symphony Hall and in venues throughout the state of Florida. Founded in 1949, the Symphony now enjoys a national, distinguished reputation.
In its commitment to making a difference through music, the Symphony is a crucial leader in the community for introducing the joy of music to families through several programs that foster music education. The Symphony believes every child should have access to music education and serves four county school districts and over 70,000 students while offering free tickets to children under the age of 18 for select Florida Blue Classical concerts. Its Jacksonville Symphony Youth Orchestras (JSYO) also serve more than 300 talented musicians from all over Northeast Florida. The six levels of ensembles within JSYO fulfill the needs of all musicians with individualized, ability-specific instruction, so students can improve their skills and maintain the highest standards of performing.
Continuing with its core belief that music is for all, the Symphony kicks off the season with two community concerts that are free to the public, so everyone can experience the awe and joy of a live, symphonic performance. Ensembles also tour across the region to bring the joy of music to smaller venues. As a pioneer of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion initiatives, the Symphony further builds upon its robust, strategic plan for diversity, equity and inclusion growth, making symphonic music reflective of and accessible to the communities it serves.
The Symphony’s performance home, Robert E. Jacoby Symphony Hall, is an acoustic gem and offers an intimate and acoustically superior concert experience. Over the years, the Jacksonville Symphony has hosted some of the most dynamic and esteemed artists of the music world including Isaac Stern, Benny Goodman, Duke Ellington, Marilyn Horne, Luciano Pavarotti, Itzhak Perlman, Kathleen Battle, Mstislav Rostopovich, Audra McDonald, Joshua Bell, Lang Lang, Alisa Weilerstein, Branford Marsalis, Renée Fleming and Jean-Yves Thibaudet.
The Jacksonville Symphony is a proud member of the League of American Orchestras, the Sphinx Organization’s National Alliance for Audition Support and the Jacksonville Chamber of Commerce.
