Portland Jazz Composers’ Ensemble (PJCE), a 501(c)(3) non-profit jazz performing and educational organization based in Portland, OR, is seeking a dynamic and creative Executive Director to lead our organization at an exciting stage of our evolution.
This position is a fundraising and administrative role that will work in collaboration with the artistic leader(s) and other staff. The successful candidate should be familiar with and enthusiastic about Portland’s jazz scene, but need not be a jazz musician themself.
The successful candidate will be a highly organized and effective manager who is able to work closely and effectively with our board, staff, supporters, and artistic community. Demonstrated grant-writing success, experience with marketing and cultivating a community of individual donors, business management skills, a passion for the arts and a commitment to equity are all strongly desired qualifications.
This opportunity reflects the planned departure of our current Executive Director who functioned as both Executive and Artistic Director, and will transition to serving as Interim Artistic Director for as long as June 2022. In our Strategic Plan, the Executive Director position has been newly defined as separate from the Artistic Director, or another artistic leadership structure that we will determine through a community-informed process in the spring of 2022 or sooner.
The successful candidate will begin in the middle of our 21-22 season, executing the already-planned artistic and fundraising programs and planning for the next year and beyond. The ideal candidate will be ready to use a mix of skills, experience, and imagination to sustain operations during this leadership transition while working with the Board to implement the recently adopted strategic plan. See the Strategic Plan at http://pjce.org/strategic-plan/.
About PJCE
PJCE’s mission is to create and perform original jazz music that engages and supports our community’s diverse artists, cultures and place. We pursue this mission through a training program for young composers, a composer’s record label, small group performance, and the flagship Portland Jazz Composers Ensemble, a 12-piece jazz ensemble which commissions and performs original works by its members and by other jazz composers in the Portland music community and beyond.
Primary Responsibilities
The Executive Director reports to the Board of Directors and is responsible for the overall management of the organization including but not limited to:
- Forge effective and positive working relationships with the Board of Directors, staff, artists, and students and collaborative partners;
- Design and execute fundraising plans by identifying, cultivating, and soliciting gifts and grants from individuals, foundations, and corporations.
- Develop and oversee communication and marketing strategies for PJCE and publicize programs through email, direct mail, advertising, and media relations;
- Work towards DEI goals as described in our Strategic Plan and develop future goals, maintain a supportive work environment in all PJCE operations;
- Supervise and direct administrative and artistic employees, contractors and volunteers;
- Manage financial operations, including bookkeeping using Quickbooks in cooperation with the Board’s Treasurer
Preferred Qualifications
- Familiarity with the greater Portland area arts and culture scene;
- Experience in a producing or presenting arts organization and proven ability to support organizational vision and mission through sustainable financial stewardship;
- Affinity for the mission of PJCE and its importance to the contemporary artistic cultural landscape of Portland and the region;
- An entrepreneurial and action oriented approach;
- A demonstrated record of fundraising and grant seeking success;
- A demonstrated creative approach to marketing, with an understanding of new media, digital and print branding;
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills;
- Hands-on financial management skills, including budget preparation, analysis, decision-making and reporting;
- Experience with donor management, bookkeeping, basic graphic design, and time tracking tools is a benefit.
Compensation and Schedule
- Start date is February 1st, 2022 with some flexibility to start sooner or later depending on candidate’s needs and availability;
- 0.5 FTE, $28-32/hour DOE;
- Typically 20 hours/week with some extra time needed for events, some evenings and weekends required;
- Residence in or near Portland, OR is required;
- Position is permanently remote, with phone, video and in-person meetings occasionally. Candidate must provide their own workspace and transportation as needed.
- Compensation will be competitive and based on the scope of hours that the candidate can commit to;
- This position is a half-time equivalency to accommodate candidates who desire the continuation of their solo or independent artistic/scholarly careers outside of PJCE;
- This is a part time position with the possibility to grow into a full time position.
PJCE strongly encourages candidates representing diverse personal backgrounds to apply. PJCE strives to provide a safe and supportive environment for all staff, artists and audience. See PJCE’s Mission, Vision, and Values statements at pjce.org/about.
Application Process
Send a cover letter and resume to info@auracreative.org.
Accepting applications through Dec 31, 2021 (extended from Dec 20, 2021.)
