Managing Director

Description:

Reporting to the CEO & President, the Managing Director will jointly lead Gulf Coast Symphony’s strategic direction. With responsibility for overseeing the organization’s administrative and business functions, the Managing Director will support the CEO & President’s vision of developing, producing, and presenting work that expands and diversifies audiences and sets new standards of artistic innovation and production excellence. They will share responsibility with the CEO & President for production and artist agreements and attract and retain production staff and human and financial resources to create and support Gulf Coast Symphony’s mission.

The Managing Director will create concrete policies in order to build positive and authentic relationships with all staff, artists, audiences, donors, and community members. They will work collaboratively with all parts of the organization to ensure all departments are fully integrated and aligned with Gulf Coast Symphony’s mission, vision, and values, while maintaining and cultivating deep relationships with community partners, locally and nationally. This individual will also be accountable to the board, including the development of, and abiding by an accepted annual budget. They will work with the board to ensure the Symphony has the ability, credibility, and resources to oversee and support Gulf Coast Symphony’s mission.
Roles and Responsibilities
Strategic Vision and Financial Oversight
Partner with the CEO & President to lead the organization’s strategic vision, collaborating effectively to ensure that all artistic and financial decisions are mission-aligned.
Serve as a committed and visionary leader, guiding Gulf Coast Symphony into the future through the creation of pathways for new programs, partnerships, and revenue opportunities.
Lead conversations with staff and board members to inspire organizational growth across all business areas, communicating openly and consistently in full transparency.
Demonstrate solid fiscal acumen, including overseeing organizational budgets, controlling expenditures, creating forecasting models and scenario plans, and developing financial analysis.
Provide leadership to the Finance Committee, in overseeing the budget, making recommendations, and reporting key financial issues relating to general operations.

Community Engagement, Fundraising, and Earned Revenue Enhancement

Act as a visible spokesperson throughout Southwest Florida area, developing relationships and engaging with a wide variety of constituents, including business owners, schools and colleges, elected city officials, and the media, enhancing the organization’s brand and reputation.
Maintain and grow partnerships and alliances with mission-compatible arts and cultural organizations locally and nationally to expand programs and access, retain relevance, and build community.
Support ongoing relationships and manage contractual negotiations with a wide range of partners, including artists, unions, guilds, and producing partners.
Assist in actively seeking out new and renewed sources of contributed income, with a particular focus on identifying and establishing relationships with key individual donors, while motivating and inspiring board members in their fundraising responsibilities to leverage their skills and networks.
Help cultivate and deepen relationships with foundations in order to grow contributed revenue.
Oversee marketing and communication strategies to expand and diversify audiences, subscribers, and donors.

Administrative and Organizational Leadership

Supervise and mentor all administrative staff, providing opportunities for professional development and growth to support employee engagement, satisfaction, and a high level of performance.
Foster a positive company culture where all staff, fellows, and artists feel safe, valued, and respected and where a healthy work-life balance is actively encouraged.
Oversee the hire of key staff positions with the CEO, and with the CEO, annually reassess the organizational structure to ensure it meets current needs.
Assist in the growth and diversification of the Board to include people from different ages, races, and socio-economic backgrounds, while managing board relations through regular and effective communication and ensuring that board members are best engaged according to their skills and interests.

Traits and Characteristics

The Managing Director will be a forward-thinking, strategic leader who demonstrates a balanced sense of pragmatism and risk-taking. They must embrace working collaboratively with people from all backgrounds throughout the organization, as well as with community partners locally and nationally. With a flexible and entrepreneurial approach to problem-solving, this individual will be an ongoing learner, receptive to new ideas and adaptable to change. They will have the ability to resolve conflict, handle difficult situations, and make tough decisions with compassion and grace.

Other key competencies include:
Leadership and Diplomacy – The ability to organize and influence people to believe in a vision while creating a sense of purpose and direction and to effectively and tactfully handle difficult or sensitive issues.
Time and Priority Management – The capacity to prioritize and complete tasks in order to deliver desired outcomes within allotted time frames.
Personal Accountability and Interpersonal Skills – The dexterity to be answerable for personal actions while effectively communicating, building rapport, and relating well to all kinds of people.
Resiliency and Flexibility – The acumen to quickly recover from adversity while readily modifying, responding, and adapting to change with minimal resistance.