Executive Director

Mission
Future of Music Coalition (FMC) is a national nonprofit organization that works to ensure a diverse musical culture where artists flourish, are compensated fairly for their work and where fans can find the music they want.

Background
Founded in June 2000 by musicians, artist advocates, technologists and legal experts, FMC works to ensure that musicians have a voice in the issues that affect their livelihood. FMC’s work is rooted in the real-world experiences and ambitions of working musicians, whose perspectives are often overlooked in policy debates. Over the years, FMC has provided an important forum for discussion about issues at the intersection of music, technology, policy and law. Guided by a firm conviction that public policy has real impact on the lives of both musicians and fans, FMC advocates for a balanced approach to music in the digital age - one that reflects the interests of all stakeholders, and not just the powerful few. By documenting historic and emerging trends in the music industry, FMC has become a trusted voice in the ongoing dialog about the challenges and opportunities facing today’s musicians. In fighting for a legitimate digital music marketplace and a broadcast media that values local and independent culture, FMC helps establish a healthier music ecosystem.

Executive Director’s Role
The Executive Director’s mandate is to lead the organization with FMC’s mission, vision, history and values as guides. The Executive Director is the chief executive officer of the organization and is responsible for conducting its administration in an efficient and effective manner, in accordance with policies set by the Board of Directors.

Responsibilities
The Executive Director:

• manages of all aspects of the organization, providing direction, oversight, and support to staff.
• conceives, plans and, with the Board and other staff, executes revenue-generating strategies: contributed support from all giving sectors, and earned income from a variety of sources
• serves as the primary liaison with high-end donors and funders, and assures the maintenance of an active program of donor and prospect cultivation.
• provides oversight, analysis, planning and leadership of FMC’s fiscal, budgeting and financial reporting functions in an environment of accountability and transparency.
• Is the primary staff liaison to the Board of Directors, and provides direct support to the Board in the execution of its duties.
• engages in program work, in coordination with the Senior Management Team.
• spearheads long-range and strategic planning efforts, and makes certain that periodic assessments of programs, management practices, and organizational capacity are conducted.

Other key responsibilities include engaging at a high level the diverse communities FMC brings together, and maintaining an institutional culture that not only recognizes the diversity and complexity of the music policy space, but also fosters dialogue among divergent voices.

Requisite Skills and Attributes
The successful Executive Director candidate will be a charismatic, results oriented leader who has a keen ability to organize and motivate people and build consensus to accomplish institutional goals. The candidate will possess the ability to work in a uniquely configured nonprofit organization, and interact with internal and external stakeholders in a positive manner. Such capacity presupposes superior interpersonal skills (including active listening) and verbal and written presentation abilities, in addition to futuristic thinking, team building know how, and overall management talent. The successful candidate will be a team player for whom the ownership of ideas is less important than the result of the collaborative effort.

Core Qualifications
The successful Executive Director candidate will possess the following qualifications:

• A demonstrated capacity to generate revenue from both earned and contributed sources;
• Interest in and ability to work collaboratively with colleagues in music and media policy;
• Senior management experience with increasing levels of responsibility, preferably in the nonprofit sector;
• Superior analytical skills and the capacity to write and speak effectively;
• Substantive connection with the music community;
• Flexibility.

The Executive Director must be a skilled problem solver, able to help distill ideas and clarify issues, and then move from dialogue to decision-making to strategy development. Leading candidates will have imagination, vision, and a deep commitment to FMC’s mission. The Executive Director must be able to make connections in our disparate work, and frame those connections and interrelations simply for funders and other external publics. Comfort with technology is essential, as is the ability to manage individual work with limited support.

To apply for the position, send a substantive cover letter, resume, and detailed descriptions of three successful revenue generating endeavors for which you were primarily responsible, to edsearch@futureofmusic.org.