Director of Jazz Education + Performance

Title:  Director of Jazz Education + Performance
Location: New York City
Salary Range: $80k to $85k annually

Position Overview:

At the JAZZ HOUSE KiDS, we believe the uniquely American artform of jazz, universally loved, has the power to ignite our creativity and create meaningful connections through our differences.  As an improvised tradition, jazz promotes healthy risk-taking, and persistent, creative leadership and collaboration.

For twenty years, the JAZZ HOUSE KiDS has been an instrument for change transforming lives through world-class education and cultural programming that creates avenues of access, learning, career development, and community building. We use jazz and the joy of music, advanced by master musicians, as a gateway to student achievement. Our award- winning organization has documented outcomes including boosted social and emotional learning, improved academic outcomes, acquisition of life skills, increased civic engagement and alumni are among the most talented young jazz musicians and young professionals in the nation. Every day we keep our promise to build community leaders and develop global citizens through America’s original art form of jazz.

The JAZZ HOUSE KiDS seeks a Director of Jazz Education + Performance to lead our expanded activities in lower Manhattan.  This position is committed to making jazz education accessible to everyone regardless of their socioeconomic status and level of ability. We seek a strong jazz musician and experienced educator interested in sharing their experience and expertise and lead our team of acclaimed jazz artists and innovative programming which provides world class training and free access to all programming.

Overall Responsibilities

An accomplished musician and seasoned leader, the Director of Jazz Education + Performance leads the day-to-day management of all after-school and evening classes and programs, and manages performance initiatives for instrumental, vocal, and special programs for youth and adult students. The successful candidate will excel at fostering strong student and family relationships, partnership building and community engagement to help drive increased enrollment, deliver critical and effective leadership and management of our team of talented and committed teaching staff, and serve as a role model for our students.

In addition, the successful candidate will have strong jazz education skills and creative programming ideas and have the ability to contribute to and activate our long-term vision and growth strategies in support of our mission. Externally, the Director of Jazz Education + Performance will champion the JAZZ HOUSE KiDS, building brand awareness, and increasing visibility, engagement, enrollment, and support. 

Your Impact at the JAZZ HOUSE KiDS:

• Nurture and develop artistic talent.
• Advance the lives of young people by creating lasting and measurable impact.
• Shaping the direction of the program: Further the overall educational and musical direction for classes, programs, and concerts.
• Amplify the JAZZ HOUSE KiDS brand while leading the team to accomplish the educational goals and artistic vision of Founder + President Melissa Walker and Artistic Director and 8x GRAMMY winner Christian McBride.
• Design the overall program offering, including articulating program objectives and goals and analyzing the outcome. Output data that demonstrates the strength and impact of our programs and allow us to continuously innovate and improve our offerings.
• Broaden the reach of the JAZZ HOUSE KiDS to have active programming in both New York and New Jersey which has far reaching impact both nationally and internationally.
• Conceptualize and arrange for all student-related concerts, special trips, community concerts, conferences, and competitions in collaboration with the Arts + Education department in both New York and New Jersey.
• Conceptualize and develop an innovative online learning platform that extends the reach of our programs.
• Produce and oversee JAZZ HOUSE KiDS enrichment programming, including JAZZ HOUSE KiDS Goes to College, CHiCA Power, and the Emerging Musicians Community Concerts program, and the development of other enrichment opportunities.

Required Qualifications

• An accomplished musician and performer of jazz and an experienced educator with a commitment to enriching communities through the arts.
• A proven arts administrator with a track record of working across an organization to develop, maintain, and evaluate high-quality music education programs on budget and driven by a standards-based curriculum with clear goals and measurable and significant impact.
• An effective communicator with the presence and credibility to serve as an inspiring spokesperson for the JAZZ HOUSE KiDS with families, students, alums, the jazz music community, media, donors, community leaders, and the general public informally and at conferences and other speaking opportunities.
• An ability to set a strategic direction, obtain buy-in from internal and external stakeholders, and successfully implement that direction, managing multiple competing priorities.
• A track record of building a collaborative environment and successfully managing people, operations, and budgets.
• An understanding of how to recruit and maintain a top-notch faculty, develop positive onboarding and orientation strategies, develop a system of curriculum oversight, and provide consistent staff performance evaluation with staff job satisfaction and commitment to excellence at the forefront.
• Experience managing student recruitment, including auditions, scheduling, and placement, with a focus on ensuring diversity and access without barriers and promoting the opportunity for overall artistic, academic, and personal development for young people.
• Demonstrated ability to build and advance a robust, innovative, and sequential jazz education program offering to a diverse community of youth and adults of varying levels, from novices to pre-college instrumental and vocal instruction.
• Enthusiastic in providing vision for and facilitating online learning and using new technologies to achieve educational goals in a virtual environment.
• Master’s degree required.
• Minimum of four years of arts administrative experience in jazz.
• Advanced knowledge of Mac O/S, Microsoft Word and Excel, Google Suite, and Zoom.
• Familiarity with DAW software and Finale/Sibelius or other music notation software is a plus.
• Proficiency in Spanish is a plus.

Personal Attributes

• Devoted to the JAZZ HOUSE KiDS mission of building diversity, cultural competency, and inclusion.
• An emotionally intelligent and compassionate leader with an ability to coalesce others around objectives, goals and their successful implementation.
• A highly organized go-getter, problem solver and a descalator with a sense of humor and openness.
• A role model relationship builder and staff manager, working hard with the ability to juggle and prioritize issues and multiple tasks without jeopardizing communications with students and student families.
• A mentor with a commitment to selecting and cultivating qualified staff, recruiting parent volunteers, and inspiring service and building morale among staff and volunteers.
• People, community and music lover.

Location:

New York City, onsite position, full time plus concerts and events. This opportunity is open to any applicant eligible to work in the U.S. 

Schedule:

This position is primary located in lower Manhattan - the schedule coincides with programming at the site and periodic organizational activities:

• Programing Days: 11am-7pm
• Non Class Days: 10am-6pm
• Montclair HQ: On average two days per month at the JAZZ HOUSE KiDS in Montclair.
• Concert Days: Student Concerts throughout the year and Jazz Icons mandatory attendance - currently two Sundays a season.
• Dates for Signature events will be provided.

Status:  This is a full-time, exempt position reporting to the Vice President of Jazz Education and the Managing Director. Note, we have a matrix reporting structure. This role oversees the following members of the Arts Education + Performance Team:

• Manager of Student Services
• Production + Program Coordinator
• Faculty, Teaching Assistants, and Interns

Additional Arts + Education Team Members: 

• Artistic Director, 8x GRAMMY winner Christian McBride
• Vice President of Jazz Education & Associate Producer
• Associate Director of Jazz Education + Performance @ the JAZZ HOUSE KiDS
• Program Coordinator @ the JAZZ HOUSE KiDS
• Associate Director of In-School Music Education + Programming
• Associate Manager of In-Schools
• Director of Student Services
• Production + Program Coordinator

About JAZZ HOUSE KiDS:

JAZZ HOUSE KiDS is proud to be an equal-opportunity employer. We do not discriminate based upon race, religion, color, national origin, gender (including pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions), sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, age, status as a protected veteran, status as an individual with a disability, or other applicable legally protected characteristics. Please let us know if you need assistance or accommodation due to a disability.

How to Apply: Please send a cover letter and your resume to katherinedefoyd@gmail.com with “Director of Jazz Education + Performance, NYC, JAZZ HOUSE KiDS” in the email's subject line.