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VICE PRESIDENT OF PUBLIC RELATIONS

Employer
NEW WORLD SYMPHONY
Location
Miami, Florida
Closing date
Sep 8, 2019

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VICE PRESIDENT OF PUBLIC RELATIONS

NEW WORLD SYMPHONY

MIAMI, FL

ABOUT NEW WORLD SYMPHONY

The New World Symphony (NWS), America’s Orchestral Academy, prepares graduates of music programs for leadership roles in professional orchestras and ensembles. In the 31 years since its co-founding by Artistic Director Michael Tilson Thomas and Lin and Ted Arison, NWS has helped launch the careers of more than 1,150 alumni worldwide; 90% of whom are active musicians, who are making a difference in the field of classical music. In the hopes of joining NWS, more than 1,500 recent music school and conservatory graduates compete for about 35 available fellowships each year. The Fellows are selected for this highly competitive, prestigious opportunity based on their musical achievement and promise, as well as their passion for the future of classical music.

The New World Symphony is a laboratory for generating new ideas about the way music is taught, presented, and experienced. The program is based on a unique fellowship that trains graduates of distinguished music schools for leadership roles in the field of classical music. The fellowship program offers in-depth exposure to traditional and modern repertoire, professional development training and personalized experiences working with leading guest conductors, soloists and visiting faculty.

Experimentation is at the heart of NWS’s institutional thinking. A number of educational and artistic prototypes have proven helpful to music schools and conservatories as well as professional orchestras. The New World Symphony raises $9M+ annually and is embarking on a major capital and endowment campaign.

Diversity, equity and inclusion are high priorities for the New World Symphony and are critical in the preparation of Fellows for leadership positions. NWS is proud to be a partner with colleague organizations in working towards a future for classical music that is diverse, equitable and inclusive. Artistic excellence, connection to audiences, engaging communities, and entrepreneurial activities are pillars of the experiential curriculum. The New World Symphony pursues its work in a Frank Gehry-designed campus that is uniquely suited to embrace the digital future, for education and for artistic expression. The New World Symphony and its campus, the New World Center, have become a cultural center of gravity, a place-maker in South Florida and an example for other cultural institutions who wish to gain relevance in impacting their communities.

For more information on Organization, please visit website.

THE OPPORTUNITY

As a key member of the Institutional Advancement team and in support of NWS’s major capital and endowment campaign, the Vice President for Public Relations (VP) will work closely with NWS’s artistic and administrative leadership and members of the Board of Trustees to communicate NWS’s institutional vision; define, position, and increase the presence of the institutional brand; and execute communications across digital and traditional platforms.

Reporting to the Senior Vice President (SVP) of Institutional Advancement, the VP for Public Relations will have the ability to translate complex ideas and concepts into compelling narratives for both general and specific audiences. The VP will manage a team of six (the Director of Digital Communications, Digital Media Storyteller, Email Marketing Associate, Web Developer, Director of Publications and Communications, and Archivist) as well as oversee NWS’s PR consultant(s).

CANDIDATE PROFILE

The successful Vice President must be a strong listener and collaborator with the ability to build a meaningful and robust network of partnerships across the organization in order to achieve goals. More specifically, they will need to do the following:

Develop and execute an annual plan for public relations and strategic communications that will form part of the Institutional Advancement annual plan.

Brand Development:

  • Define, position, and increase the presence of NWS’s institutional brand locally, nationally, and internationally.

Media/Public Relations:

  • Create and lead public relations strategy.
  • Craft message points that align with institutional aspirations and achievements and identify and articulate proof points to support the message points.
  • Actively build and maintain long-term relationships with national and international media and key influencers to ensure coverage for NWS that is based on its message points, while maximizing the impact of its fundraising efforts.
  • In collaboration with Artistic Director and others, formulate and collect stories that demonstrate the message points.
  • Write and distribute media releases.
  • Exercise judgment to prioritize media opportunities and prepare talking points, speeches, presentations and other supporting material as needed.
  • Identify and distinguish between stories to be covered by media outlets and stories to be created and distributed on NWS channels in coordination with Director of Digital Communications and Director of Publications and Communications.
  • Build a target list of writers, editors, publications and conferences in coordination with Artistic Director and PR representatives, the national PR consultant, educational and artistic staff, fundraisers, and trustees to help NWS deliver its messages and build its brand.
  • Obtain editorial calendars of target media at the beginning of every calendar year.
  • Support all activities in the distribution of NWS intellectual property (media, productions, curriculum).
  • Respond to media requests for media materials, photography and video.

Communications:

  • Design and implement institutional communications strategy, internally and externally.
  • Oversee development-related communications including the annual report and fundraising-specific campaigns under the guidance of the Senior VP for Institutional Advancement.

Other:

  • Develop strong relationships with the Board of Trustees, especially those who show interest in public relations and branding and who are active fundraisers.
  • Actively contribute to the Institutional Advancement team by participating in team meetings and activities, positively contributing to dialogue and nurturing a team-oriented environment.
  • Attend concerts, post-concert receptions, and NWS events.
  • Serve as an ambassador for NWS in the community; attend networking, corporate and community events.

QUALIFICATIONS

While we will consider a broad range of backgrounds, the ideal candidate would have the following qualifications/experience:

  • Bachelor’s degree (Journalism, Communications, English Literature, Liberal Arts or related field preferred) and minimum of 10 years working in Marketing, Communications or related field, preferably within an arts and cultural setting.
  • Demonstrated communications leadership experience, preferably in a relevant setting (culture, art, nonprofit, or agency).
  • Extensive successful writing and editing experience with a variety of print and online communications media, including media releases and pitch memos.
  • Skilled at organizing multi-faceted media campaigns that incorporate traditional media, editorial content, utilization of paid, earned and owned channels, including email and social media.
  • Superb written and verbal communication skills required.
  • Impeccable judgment when it comes to community positioning; crisis communications; and cultivating media relationships.
  • Sophisticated design aesthetic appropriate to a leading cultural arts organization.
  • Accomplished in the art and science of formulating, pitching and placing stories in both traditional and new media.
  • Strong collaboration skills and project management expertise.
  • Commitment to the NWS mission.
  • Personable, organized, flexible, detail-oriented and creative thinker.
  • Knowledge of classical music would be considered an asset.
  • Evenings and weekends required during the season (September to May).
  • Ability to engender trust and respect.

CORE COMPETENCIES & CHARACTERISTICS

Competencies and Characteristics would include:

  • Public Relations Strategy & Visionary Thinking
  • Planning and Execution
  • Listening Skills
  • Cultural Competence
  • Emotional Intelligence Skills
  • Impact and Influence/Diplomacy Skills
  • Team Management
  • Project Management
  • Relationship Builder
  • Organizational skills
  • Collaborative Style
  • Exceptional Communicator
  • Passion for Music or other Art Forms
  • Community Orientation
  • Values Driven

CONTACT

Maureen Alphonse-Charles and Nadine Coleman of Koya Leadership Partners have been exclusively retained for this search. To express your interest in this role please submit your materials here. All inquiries and discussions will be considered strictly confidential.

New World Symphony is an equal opportunity employer and strongly encourages applications from people of color, persons with disabilities, women, and LGBTQ applicants.

At Koya, we do not just accept difference – we celebrate it, support it, and thrive on it for the benefit of our team, our clients, and the communities we serve. Koya is an equal opportunity employer fully committed to creating an environment and team that represents a variety of backgrounds, perspectives, styles, and experiences.

 

We encourage all to apply because we believe a diversity of voices leads to better discussions, decisions, and outcomes for everyone.

 

Koya does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, religion, sex, disability, age, sexual orientation, military status, veteran status, genetic information, gender identity, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local law.

ABOUT KOYA LEADERSHIP PARTNERS

Koya Leadership Partners is a retained executive search and human capital consulting firm that partners exclusively with mission-driven clients, institutions of higher education and social enterprises. We deliver measurable results, finding exceptionally talented people who truly fit the unique culture of our clients and ensuring they have the strategies to support them. For more information about Koya Leadership Partners, visit www.koyapartners.com.

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