Executive Director

About the Children’s Chorus of Washington

The Children's Chorus of Washington (CCW) nurtures artistic excellence and empowers young singers by celebrating our shared humanity and the value of every voice. Internationally recognized and critically acclaimed for its outstanding artistry, CCW has distinguished itself as one of our nation’s premier youth choruses by producing its own concerts and collaborating frequently with our community’s leading arts organizations and artists to reach thousands of audience members in marquee and neighborhood venues across the city and beyond. Each year, over 250 students from the Greater Washington area benefit directly from CCW’s programming. CCW is committed to providing choral music education to the broader DC community through its partnership with DC Public Schools and need-based scholarships for its auditioned ensembles. CCW was founded in 1995 and is now under the artistic leadership of Margaret Nomura Clark.

About the Opportunity

CCW seeks an entrepreneurial, systems-minded, collaborative, and people-driven leader to become its next Executive Director (ED). Reporting to the Board of Directors, the ED oversees the organization’s nearly $1M operating budget and a small administrative team to implement the creative vision of the Artistic Director and her team of part-time staff. The ED will ensure the long-term financial sustainability of CCW, cultivate new and existing partnerships, and ensure that systems are in place to support the staff, organizational operations, and children in the chorus. The ED will ensure the staff, programs, and strategy are rooted in diversity, equity, and inclusion, which is a key strategic priority of CCW. While the ED will not be responsible for developing artistic programming, they will lead the organization’s efforts to execute the Artistic Director’s vision.

The ED will be responsible for ensuring that CCW is a welcoming, inclusive, safe, and exciting environment for every student and staff member; expanding CCW’s reach within the DMV-area to communities that have been traditionally underserved and undercapitalized; and ensuring financial and operational success of the organization.

The ideal candidate will bring senior management experience with a demonstrated track record of success in the field of performing arts, nonprofit management, and/or youth education. They will bring passion for the transformative power of arts and education, as well as a desire to lead and grow a small team of staff to deliver on strategic objectives. Experience managing an organizational budget with numerous revenue sources and reporting to a Board of Directors or equivalent governing body is preferred. The ideal candidate will also bring a passion for working in an organization that serves children, and by extension their families. A key part of the role is overseeing logistics and production details required to support rehearsals and performances.

Key Responsibilities

• Resource and partner development: Provide leadership and direction to meet the advancement needs of the organization, ensuring there is a robust and effective development strategy. Cultivate a wide range of donor relationships, including public and private corporations, foundations, and individual supporters. Solicit major gifts and oversee the stewardship of institutional relationships in partnership with the Development Manager.

• Financial management: Oversee the financial management of the organization in coordination with outside accountants and the Board to ensure the financial viability and sustainability of CCW. Establish a culture that utilizes financial resources effectively and invests resources wisely. Maintain financial best practices and seek innovation in managing financial resources.

• External partnerships: Cultivate external partnerships with other arts and educational organizations in the DC metro area and nation-wide and, in particular, seek out partnerships that advance the organization's diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) goals.

• Strategic and collaborative leadership: Lead and inspire staff and the Board to work collaboratively to actualize CCW’s mission and vision. Maintain a strong partnership with the Artistic Director, through which the day-to-day program oversight and administrative operations are maintained, financial and human resources secured, and programs evaluated.

• Organizational strategy and culture: Direct all organizational operations and strategy through the lens of diversity, equity, and inclusion. Manage dynamic and diverse staff and ensure there is a well-defined organizational structure, clear management objectives, and measurable levels of responsibility and accountability. Provide mentorship for staff and support professional growth opportunities.

• Marketing and external communication: Maintain a strong, well-branded organization with a clearly stated vision and mission. Encourage cutting-edge marketing, PR, advertising, and social media strategies. Create an institutional marketing plan.

• Governance: Develop a strong working relationship with the Board, its leadership, and working committees. Attend Board meetings and maintain timely, accurate, and complete information sharing with the Board. Support the recruitment of diverse Board members whose interests, talents, commitments, and values are congruent with the vision, mission, and needs of CCW.

• Diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility: Across the above responsibilities, bring an informed perspective that centers and champions diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility.