Executive Director

The Executive Director (ED) of Pakachoag Music School serves as the School’s Chief Executive Officer and spokesperson for the organization. The ED reports to the Board of Directors and, with the Board of Directors, is responsible for ensuring that the organization fulfills its mission, vision and strategic priorities.

The ED provides general oversight of and assistance to all organization activities with a focus on financial health, staff management, fund development, marketing and public relations, and constituency development. With the Board President, the ED enables and manages Board and committee operations for optimum performance.

The ED works closely with the Director of Programs and Enrollment Management to ensure a collaborative, supportive school culture.

The Executive Director is an ex officio member of the Board of Directors. Together with the Board, the ED is accountable for the organization’s activities and operations and the success or failure of the organization.

Specific Duties and Responsibilities:

• Serves as the chief spokesperson for the organization, articulating the vision, mission, and goals of the School to key stakeholders internally and externally.
• Ensures effective collaboration among all the School’s stakeholders, including Board and committee members, staff, and donors.
• Provides leadership for the School’s on-going strategic planning, ensuring the effective utilization of financial and human resources. Recruits, supervises, and motivates a high caliber professional staff and faculty.
• Supports the Director of Programs and Enrollment Management in managing a supportive, professional school environment for faculty, parents and students, and any program partners.
• Oversees the development of the annual balanced budget and ensures that enrollment, income, and expense budgets are met. Oversees the development of capital and special project budgets. Presides over sound financial management systems and timely analyses and reports.
• Takes a leadership role in the development and implementation of on-going fundraising plans and donor relations strategies, including identification, cultivation, and solicitation of new and existing donors; provides guidance, support, and impetus to the Board’s fundraising efforts; ensures stewardship of gifts. Takes a leadership role in all special fundraising campaigns which might include endowment, facilities, or special projects.
• Actively assists in identifying and recruiting Board members. Works in partnership with members of the Board of Directors, ensuring timely information flow, staff support for committees, and staff support for individual members as needed.
• Observes best practices for the operation of a non-profit community school for the arts.
• Fosters an atmosphere that allows the School to continue to attract and retain the finest faculty.
• Supports and attends School events, including student and faculty performances and other special events, which often take place on evenings and weekends.
• Ensures that annual operational/working plans among staff and board reflect the organization’s strategic plan.

Additional Operational Tasks:

In fulfilling the above responsibilities, The Executive Director’s job includes the following specific operational tasks:

1. Acts as the School’s primary liaison with a variety of constituents, including the Worcester Cultural Coalition, the National Guild for Community Arts Education, other regional cultural organizations, and networking groups.
2. Handles all marketing activity, in consultation with the Director of Programs and Enrollment Management, including designing print and digital advertisements, managing social media content, and identifying ongoing marketing opportunities.
3. Oversees and maintains the School’s website in collaboration with other key staff ensuring best practices and effective SEO strategies.
4. Initiates, plans and supports any special events that fall outside the scope of the Director of Programs and Enrollment Management.
5. Executes all donor-related communications, including appeals (written and in-person), a bi-annual donor newsletter, the annual report, donor acknowledgement strategies and events.
6. Oversees and manages grant-related activities, including submitting grant applications and reports, ensuring conditions/stipulations are met on schedule, and identifying new funding opportunities.
7. Ensures that any outstanding payments are secured in a timely manner in coordination with the Registrar/Office Manager and Director of Programs and Enrollment Management.
8. Oversees office equipment and technology, in collaboration with staff, to ensure working, current, and efficient hardware, software, financial systems, periodic back-ups, and database management.
9. Oversees all school policies and handbooks, in collaboration with other staff and/or faculty as appropriate, making recommendations to the Board of Directors for updates or improvements to ensure equity, accountability, best practices, and good relationships with current and prospective families, donors and partners.

Minimum Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s Degree or higher in music or arts administration
• 5+ years administrative experience including proficiency in budgeting and development

Required Technical skills:

• Microsoft 365 and Google workspace
• Quickbooks online
• Wordpress elementor (or other web design experience
• Database experience (Filemaker Pro, Microsoft Access….)
• Videoconferencing experience (Microsoft teams, Zoom…)