Background
For nearly 25 years, Credo has brought together leading classical music professionals who work to educate and inspire talented young musicians to DEVELOP their gift of music, to ACKNOWLEDGE that their gift is from God, and then to RESPOND with joyous and energetic service to their community. Founded in 1999, Credo has presented an annual summer chamber music festival, primarily at Oberlin Conservatory, with additional programming including orchestral concerts in Orchestra Hall Chicago and Severance Hall Cleveland, and mini-festivals in Sydney, Australia, Boston, Chicago, and Dallas. Credo has organized musical service trips to Chicago, Los Angeles, Puerto Rico, and Texas.
Opportunity
With nearly a quarter century of experience and over 2000 alumni, Credo seeks to leverage this success to transition from its prestigious summer chamber music festival format into a national movement. Credo will support through-the-year programming in local “Credo Clubs” all around the country, coordinate regional event programming in key metropolitan areas, and host a National Orchestral Festival each summer. The Executive Director of Credo Music will work closely with Credo’s Founder and Artistic Director, Peter Slowik, to implement this new vision.
Position
Both the Executive Director (ED) and Artistic Director (AD) will be direct reports to Credo’s Board of Directors. While the AD will continue to be responsible for all artistic functions, the new ED will be ultimately responsible for all administrative functions of Credo, including the broad areas of finance, the operational support to Credo’s programming, and, importantly, fundraising (more below). The expectation is that these two leaders will work together harmoniously, offering full support and a cooperative spirit to each other. The board also expects that together they will guide the organization toward continued alignment with Christian principles (Philippians 4:8).
The ED’s responsibility for administrative functions will include annual budgeting (through collaboration with the AD), and sole responsibility for financial accounting and reporting, the annual audit, human resource management, and then all advancement functions, including promotion and marketing, national community engagement, and fundraising. The board envisions the ED having a small staff, and also having the option to outsource certain administration functions depending on capacity (e.g., the finance area is currently managed externally, and the board would support the continuance of this practice). Importantly, the board expects the ED to lead fundraising directly, increasing Credo’s philanthropic base as Credo transitions into a national movement. Toward this end, the ED will lead personally, and also engage the board and others around the country in identifying, cultivating and soliciting donors for annual, endowed, and planned gifts. The ED will ensure that all gifts are subject to high standards of cultivation, acknowledgement, stewardship, and proper gift accounting.
Requirements
With the importance of philanthropy to the long-term flourishing of Credo in the national build-out, the successful candidate is expected to be an experienced fundraiser. Ideally, the candidate will have a track record for exceeding goals for contributed income from all traditional sources: individuals, corporations, foundations, and governmental entities. The candidate will have experience in identifying and developing successful sponsorships, particularly in the areas of artistic and faith-based initiatives as well as educational programming.
The ability to manage people and initiatives will be key. The successful candidate must have the ability to attract, motivate, support, and retain outstanding talent as members of the staff and as volunteers. Additionally, the ED, together with the AD, must support the board in its own responsibility for board perpetuation and strong board performance. Credo was founded on a culture of collaboration and respect – tenets that must be sustained by all Credo leaders going forward.
The successful candidate will be curious, creative, and persistent. The ED must be open to ideas from all stakeholders, intellectually nimble, and willing to think outside the box. In addition to being a person of integrity and high ethical standards, the candidate must have a demonstrated history of adherence to Christian values and beliefs.
Salary is competitive and commensurate with experience.
Includes medical benefits, paid vacation and holidays.
Applications: Will be reviewed immediately upon receipt with final Deadline of April 15, 2023
Please prepare a cover letter that describes your specific interest in Credo and outlines your qualifications for the position. Please submit electronically your letter with current resume and contact information for at least three professional references. All applications will be treated as confidential, and references will not be contacted without the candidate’s knowledge and agreement.
Please send materials to: Credo Music Executive Director Search c/o Kim Lint [email protected]
This is a remote position; 10-20% travel required.