As an integral part of the musical landscape in the country’s most vibrant cultural corridor, the New Jersey Symphony (Symphony) has for over one hundred years continued to enrich lives through a passion for musical excellence and a commitment to New Jersey, its people, and its communities. The Symphony has been recognized by The Wall Street Journal as “a vital, artistically significant musical organization,” led by Music Director Xian Zhang – a “dynamic podium presence” – since 2016. The New York Times has praised Zhang for her “technical abilities, musicianship, and maturity.”
The New Jersey Symphony, with an annual operating budget of more than $15 million and a modest endowment, currently serves as the resident orchestra of the New Jersey Performing Arts Center with additional performance series in four other outstanding venues throughout New Jersey. With more than 140,000 New Jerseyans of all ages enjoying more than 160 concerts, education and community events each year, and with numerous partnerships with arts organizations, universities, and civic organizations, the Symphony has cultivated broad support, including approximately 3,000 donors and a rebuilding subscriber base of 3,300 post-pandemic.
In addition to its lauded artistic programming, the New Jersey Symphony presents a suite of nationally recognized education and community engagement (ECE) programs that promote meaningful, lifelong engagement with live music, annually serving as many as 60,000 New Jerseyans in nearly all of its 21 counties. Core program offerings include Concerts for Young People; the New Jersey Symphony Youth Orchestras; Preschool Program; and the touring chamber music program, New Jersey Symphony Community Partners. Through its diverse array of programs, the Symphony expands access to quality music instruction as well as provides vital arts learning experiences that reinforce social and emotional learning outcomes, foster confidence, and bring joy.
At the forefront of addressing diversity, equity, and inclusion within the orchestral industry, the New Jersey Symphony launched in 2019 a multi-year professional learning module for staff, musicians, and trustees as well as the Colton Fellowship for early career musicians from communities historically marginalized in symphonic music; the Colton Fellowship expanded in 2023 to include a conducting fellow position. In 2021, the Symphony added a Resident Artistic Catalyst (now titled Resident Artistic Partner) role to its artistic leadership team to compose, perform, and advise the Symphony to allow its programming to become more modern and inclusive of world-class artists from all walks of life. These initiatives grew out of the Symphony’s continuing commitment to transforming all aspects of the organization to reflect the diversity of the communities it serves – a commitment which has deep roots in the Symphony’s one-hundred-year history.
Fresh off its blockbuster 2022-23 Centennial Season, with $61 million raised from a $50 million capital campaign, the New Jersey Symphony is riding a wave of momentum as it enters an exciting new phase in history. The Symphony adeptly navigated the pandemic, earning Emmy awards for its virtual concerts featured on NJ PBS; completing its first-ever professional branding engagement with an outside branding agency; and moving to a new ticketing, CRM and eCommerce system, which has resulted in single ticket sales exceeding pre-pandemic levels. The artistic and organizational foundation remains strong, with musicians under contract through August 2027 and Music Director under contract through the 2027-28 season.
With a new strategic plan in the final stages of development, the New Jersey Symphony now embarks on a bold vision for the future, the centerpiece of which will be a new Symphony Center that includes a 550-seat, versatile performance space in Jersey City. This transformational initiative and expansion into Jersey City will make the organization a community place-maker and will be the largest venue in Jersey City’s Powerhouse Arts District – a city that is on track to surpass Newark as the most populated city in the state. The new 44,000-square-foot Symphony Center will also include space for administrative offices, establish a permanent rehearsal hall for the musicians, and expand performance, education programs and community engagement opportunities. The Symphony Center will diversify earned revenue through rentals and presenting activities, and increase contributed revenue associated with capital projects and expanded community programs. The City has recently announced its partnership with New Jersey Symphony to activate and manage the venue, with final interior theater construction expected to be completed by Winter 2026 for a Spring 2026 expected public opening. Funding for the $10 million project is already underway.
Scope and Responsibilities
Reporting to the Board of Trustees, through the Co-Chairs, the President & CEO directs, plans, and evaluates all major activities of the New Jersey Symphony. The President & CEO works closely with the Music Director, the VP of Artistic Planning, and the Artistic Advisory Committee to ensure that the highest quality music is presented with a diverse range of programs relevant to Symphony’s constituents and to contemporary life. The President & CEO works collaboratively with all internal stakeholders to ensure the future health and growth of the orchestra. The President & CEO is the key external representative and spokesperson of the organization to many of the major individual donors, the business community, philanthropic and community partners, media and to the government. Overall, the President & CEO plays a critical role in elevating and sustaining the lifechanging impact of the Symphony.
Specific Responsibilities
- Represent the Symphony externally throughout New Jersey and the metropolitan area and, along with the Music Director, act as a visible spokesperson for the orchestra;
- With the assistance and collaboration of the VP of Development, serve as the front-line fundraiser for the organization, ensuring the continued success of the annual giving, planned giving, and other special campaigns;
- Drive the new strategic plan, partnering with and directing the Board and senior leaders in achieving extraordinary outcomes;
- Oversee the Jersey City relocation, liaising with the City, developer, and project manager to ensure the new Symphony Center is opened on time and on budget;
- With the assistance and collaboration of the VP of Marketing & External Affairs, oversee the execution of a long term, strategic marketing effort that capitalizes on the brand of the Symphony and results in increased subscription and individual ticket sales;
- With the CFO and the Finance Committee of the Board, develop the annual budget and set policies that result in sound fiscal management and operations;
- Deepen the Symphony’s position as a catalyst for engaging future generations of music lovers by maintaining and extending the organization’s nationally recognized ECE programs guided by the VP of Education and Community Engagement;
- Work closely with the Board Governance Committee to recruit and introduce new board members to the Symphony and ensure current Trustees remain engaged;
- Maintain the Symphony’s culture of collaboration among musicians, board, and staff;
- Sustain the Symphony’s commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion as critical to the future success of the organization;
- Oversee the hiring and management of the administrative staff through supervision of the department heads;
- With the Vice President of Operations, work in a collaborative fashion with the musicians on individual and collective matters, including union contracts and labor activities;
- Through example, ensure that the Symphony is a continual learning organization, striving for excellence in all of its internal and external activities;
- Communicate regularly with professional colleagues in the New Jersey arts community and share information and current trends involving American symphony orchestras;
- Keep current with existing and emerging artists and repertoire.
Key Selection Criteria
The next President & CEO of the New Jersey Symphony must be a strategic and visionary leader with the requisite depth and breadth of experience and track record of success in nonprofit arts management to immediately understand and seamlessly assume responsibility for the varied and complex functions of this position. This person must demonstrate a keen skill and desire to be the chief fundraiser for the organization and comfortably and effectively represent the Symphony to a broad set of audiences and stakeholders. This person must have an acute understanding of the unique and intricate business model and collective bargaining dynamics of the American symphony organization to expertly interpret financial data and make sound decisions. An inspiring and motivating manager, this person must collaborate with and maximize the potential of each team member. Ideally, this person will have direct experience with capital construction projects and exhibit a high level of competency in optimizing the earned revenue capacity of a performance hall. A knowledge of classical music repertoire is a plus; a love for the art form is a must.
Personal / Professional Attributes
- Visionary thinker combined with a practical approach to problem solving
- Comfortable and confident as the face of an organization, visible in the community
- Strategic mind with an openness toward innovation, creativity, and boundary testing
- Committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion and personally aligned with the mission of NJS
- Demonstrated integrity and impeccable personal ethics
- Poised, polished, and diplomatic with exceptional emotional intelligence
- Knows when to pivot and when to drive forward regardless of adversity
- Synthesizes and interprets data quickly while maintaining sight of “the forest for the trees”
- Charismatic leader with ability to inspire, empower, and unify teams
- Indefatigably optimistic and endlessly enthusiastic
Application Instructions
DHR Global has been exclusively retained by the Board of Trustees of New Jersey Symphony to conduct the search for a President & CEO. Interested applicants may submit resume and cover letter to:
Philip DeBoer
Partner, Nonprofit Practice
pdeboer@dhrglobal.com
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