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Executive Director, The ASCAP Foundation

ASCAP Foundation | New York, NY | Full Time | In-Person | From $175,000 to $225,000 per year

Job Description

About ASCAP

The American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP) is a membership association of more than one million songwriters, composers and music publishers, and represents some of the world’s most talented music creators. Founded and governed by songwriters, composers and publishers, it is the only performing rights organization in the U.S. that operates on a not-for-profit basis. ASCAP licenses a repertory of over 20 million musical works to hundreds of thousands of businesses that use music, including streaming services, cable television, radio and satellite radio and brick and mortar businesses such as retail stores, hotels, clubs, restaurants and bars. ASCAP collects the licensing fees; identifies, matches and processes trillions of performances every year; and returns nearly 90 cents of every dollar back to its members as royalties. The ASCAP blanket license offers an efficient solution for businesses to legally perform ASCAP music while respecting the right of songwriters and composers to be paid fairly. ASCAP puts music creators first, advocating for their rights and the value of music on Capitol Hill, driving innovation that moves the industry forward, building community and providing the resources and support that creators need to succeed in their careers. Learn more and stay in touch at www.ascap.com, on X and Instagram @ASCAP and on Facebook.

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Job Description:

The ASCAP Foundation seeks an Executive Director who will provide leadership and guidance to the Foundation, ensuring growth and consistent achievement of the organization’s mission and financial objectives. The Executive Director must be a dynamic, visionary leader who effectively utilizes the Foundation’s assets to routinely advance and fulfill the Foundation’s mission. This will encompass hands-on management and oversight of all facets of operations including management of its staff, engaging in fundraising to ensure the financial health of the organization, directing its communication and marketing activities, providing support to and serving as the liaison with the Foundation’s board of directors, and creating, developing and assessing internal and external music education and talent development programs fulfilling the mission of the organization. The Executive Director serves as the ambassador of the organization and is entrusted with developing and maintaining relationships with other non-profit and foundation leaders, donors, key stakeholders, as well as ASCAP’s board of directors, staff and members.

Reporting to ASCAP’s CEO, or her designee, and accountable to the ASCAP Foundation Board of Directors, the Executive Director will have overall strategic, leadership and financial and operational responsibility for The ASCAP Foundation to fulfill its mission.

Areas of responsibility:

FUNDRAISING & COMMUNICATION LEADERSHIP

• Increase, expand and diversify fundraising income through proactive donor and stakeholder cultivation, annual giving campaigns, benefit events, grant writing and reporting, project-specific campaigns, sponsorships, institutional giving, and online engagement that meets or exceeds annual goals;
• Expand revenue generating and fundraising activities to support existing program operations and expansion, building a diverse revenue portfolio with sufficient unrestricted revenue to support capacity;
• Maintain positive relations with funders and good stewardship of grants, donations, and contracts;
• Expand opportunities for individual donor support;
• Partner with the Foundation’s board of directors to expand and develop its contribution to the organization, especially in the areas of committee effectiveness and direct board support of fundraising;
• Organize, manage and lead board meetings and board committee meetings per year and keep the board informed of important developments;
• Assist in board growth and development;
• Positively represent the organization at ASCAP hosted events and internal meetings, to the general public, at outside events, and with the media;
• Deepen and refine all aspects of communications - from web presence to external relations - with the goal of creating a stronger brand presence in the music community;
• Oversee the production of and create copy for communications vehicles such as newsletters, annual reports, appeal letters, scripts, press releases, acknowledgement letters, and other promotional materials;
• Oversee and approve the Foundation website content;
• Other duties as needed.

MANAGERIAL LEADERSHIP

• Recruit, hire, manage and evaluate staff and maintain open communication through regular staff meetings;
• Cultivate an environment of openness and transparency in all areas;
• Administer personnel policies in compliance with ASCAP human resources;
• Create a culture of excitement, inspiration, creativity, collaboration and collegiality;
• Create and manage short and long-term organizational goals;
• Other duties as needed.

FINANCIAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE LEADERSHIP

• Together with the organization’s finance staff, oversee revenue/expense budgets, audits, accurate financial reporting, analysis, and data integrity, including monthly statements that ensure proper income and expense allocations;
• Oversee the organization’s investment portfolio in concert with the organization’s financial advisor, the board of directors and finance staff;
• Ensure compliance with all federal and state regulations;
• Manage and proactively oversee all aspects of relations with estates and implementation of bequests;
• Review and approve contracts with outside organizations and vendors based on legal review and approval;
• Make day-to-day operational decisions;
• Develop and provide strategic solutions for the organization;
• Maintain official records and documents.

PROGRAM LEADERSHIP

• Together with the Foundation’s program manager, oversee program development, management and execution of the organization’s music education and talent development programs in fulfillment of the Foundation’s mission;
• Continue to build on the excellent professional relationships with outside non-profit partner organizations, grantees, and ASCAP membership personnel;
• Annually assess program initiatives and related funding for compliance and impact;
• Provide input and guidance on the annual grant proposal request process;
• Create innovative live and online programming in fulfillment of the organization’s mission to attract Foundation donors;
• Curate and produce an annual awards event to showcase the work of the Foundation and its beneficiaries.

TRAITS AND CHARACTERISTICS

The executive director must be an exceptional and articulate leader with a demonstrated record of successful fundraising and staff management. The executive director will enter an organizational culture typical of small arts organizations – a small dedicated staff managing multiple priorities with finite resources – and will be tasked with shaping a performance-driven culture.

The ideal candidate will:

• Be committed to collaboration and teamwork with diverse groups of people and partners;
• Possess emotional intelligence allowing them to work with our board of directors, staff, and all stakeholders with transparency, discretion, and responsiveness;
• Be an excellent communicator and motivator of the various constituencies within and without the organization while working in a multitasking and fast-paced environment on multiple simultaneous priorities;
• Be entrepreneurial, open-minded, and flexible;
• Be engaging, welcoming, and inviting, with a sense of humor;
• Possess the highest integrity with a strong sense of responsibility and stewardship for all funds provided to operate The ASCAP Foundation.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree required, Master’s degree preferred in Arts Administration, Business Administration, Finance or related field;
• Minimum of ten (10) years of increasing responsibility at a senior level of organizational leadership required, including management of staff, with a non-profit organization;
• Understanding of and demonstrated successful experience in fundraising, preferably in the arts, with evidence of success in donor identification, cultivation, and solicitation;
• Experience writing grant applications and grant reports;
• Fluency in nonprofit finance and budget management skills;
• Excellent communication skills both written and oral;
• Strong organizational abilities including program planning, budgeting, implementation and management;
• Experience in strategic planning;
• Strong interpersonal skills critical to interfacing with donors, talent, ASCAP management and other industry professionals;
• An ability to think creatively with colleagues and outside partners;
• Expertise in organizational management and board collaboration;
• Ability to work both independently and collaboratively;
• Ability to multi-task and juggle a variety of projects/activities simultaneously;
• Ability to work well under pressure;
• Ability and willingness to travel domestically.

Occasional travel for in-person meetings may be required.

Please be aware that ASCAP is not a nut-free or other allergen-free workplace.

Compensation/Benefits:

Besides providing a unique and dynamic work environment, there are a few other reasons you should consider ASCAP in your career planning. We also offer generous benefit options that are comprehensive and provide the flexibility that most employees want and need. These health care and financial plan options include the following:

• A choice of either network-only provider medical and dental plans or more flexible medical and dental plans where you can see providers in or out-of-network
• Vision plan that offers both in and out-of-network provider options
• 401(k) Plan that offers pre-tax, Roth, and an after-tax employee contribution option which includes a company match.
• An additional employer paid discretionary profit share contribution, regardless of your participation in the 401(k) Plan
• Generous time-off policy
• 12 company holidays
• Health care and dependent care flexible spending accounts
• Short-term disability insurance/salary continuation and long-term disability insurance
• Company provided basic life and accidental death and dismemberment insurance
• Employee gym discounts at select gyms
• Commuter benefits
• Voluntary pet health insurance
• Voluntary auto and homeowners insurance
• Voluntary employee, spouse, and dependent life insurance options
• Voluntary ID protection Coverage

ASCAP is an equal opportunity employer. All ASCAP employment decisions are made on the basis of individual qualifications and performance and not on the basis of race, national origin, ethnicity, sex, age, marital status, sexual orientation or preference, gender identity, genetic information, disability, handicap, color, creed, religion, veteran status, or any characteristic protected by applicable federal, state or local laws.

The anticipated base salary range for this position is $175,000.00 to $225,000.00 and will be determined on an individualized basis depending on several factors that are unique to each candidate including geographic location (due to differences in the cost of labor), skills, education and prior relevant experience.