PRESIDENT & CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER

POSITION SPECIFICATION
The Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra (CSO) is the fifth oldest orchestra in the United States and 2008-2009 will mark its 114th season. Its mission is to present the highest quality performances of great music, bringing national and international distinction to the orchestra and the community; delight and educate diverse audiences of all ages, and enhance the cultural vitality and quality of life in the region; and operate in a financially sound manner.

The CSO has been home to the American premieres of works by such composers as Debussy, Ravel and Bartok, and has commissioned works that have since become mainstays of the classical repertoire, including Copland's Fanfare for the Common Man. The CSO was the first orchestra to be broadcast to a national radio audience (in 1921) and the third orchestra to record
(in 1917).

Today the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra has 96 full-time musicians, a $71 million endowment, and an annual operating budget of $34 million. The CSO is the umbrella institution that manages not only the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra but also:

• Cincinnati Pops Orchestra - Founded by the CSO Board of Trustees in 1977, the Pops is composed of the same players as the CSO, maintains what is perhaps the industry’s most active recording schedule. National tours have included stops at Carnegie Hall, Radio City Music Hall, the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville, and the Blossom Music Festival. The numerous international tours included a celebrated tour to China in 2005 (the first appearance of a pops orchestra in that country), highlighted by concerts in the Great Hall of the People in Beijing. In August 2008, the Cincinnati Pops return to China to participate in the Opening Festivities of the Summer Olympics.
  
  
• Riverbend Music Center - Located on the Ohio River in Cincinnati’s eastern outskirts, the J. Ralph Corbett Pavilion at the Hulbert Taft Jr. Center for the Performing Arts at Riverbend is a premier concert venue in Greater Cincinnati. In 2008 the CSO opened the newly constructed National City Pavilion, a 4,100-seat venue on the Riverbend campus. This state-of-the-art facility makes Riverbend one of the only concert venues in the country offering both a large amphitheater and a more intimate pavilion, which is a great competitive advantage.
  
  
• Music and Event Management Inc. - The CSO owns Music and Event Management Inc., a nonprofit subsidiary that produces Tall Stacks: Music, Arts & Heritage Festival and consults and provides management services on other events. All net revenue from MEMI’s operations benefits the CSO. In addition, the CSO has a recording contract with Grammy Award-winning Telarc International. The Orchestra has sold 10 million recordings and produced more than eight television programs for PBS (in conjunction with CET). The CSO continues to commission new works and to program an impressive array of music.

One of 18 North American orchestras performing year-round, the CSO performs an average of 130 concerts annually including classical concerts at Music Hall and Riverbend; Cincinnati Pops concerts at Music Hall and Riverbend; Regional Pops Concerts; Young People’s Concerts for school children; Lollipop Family Concerts; CSO Chamber Players concerts; Classical Roots: Spiritual Heights (free concerts in local African-American churches), and tour performances. It is the official orchestra for the May Festival and the Cincinnati Opera, and maintains a close affiliation with both institutions.

Paavo Järvi became the 12th Music Director of the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra in September 2001. His dynamic leadership on the Cincinnati podium has captured international attention, attracted new artists to Cincinnati’s historic Music Hall and consistently garnered rave reviews. Now into his seventh season with the CSO, Järvi has a contract through August 2011, with evergreen renewals. In addition to his post as the CSO Music Director, in 2004 Paavo Järvi assumed the position of Artistic Director of the Deutsche Kammerphilharmonie Bremen, one of the world’s leading chamber orchestras. He also serves as Music Director of the Frankfurt Radio Symphony Orchestra. He will become the seventh Music Director of the Orchestre de Paris from 2010-11. Maestro Jarvi has a growing discography with the CSO, recording two discs per year.

Erich Kunzel has been Cincinnati Pops Conductor since its founding. His distinguished career is personified by his 2006 National Medal of Arts, presented by President and Mrs. Bush in a ceremony in the Oval Office at The White House. Hailed by the Chicago Tribune as “The Prince of Pops,” Maestro Kunzel’s international conducting appearances and successful recordings have brought him worldwide fame. CSO President, Steven Monder, has recently announced his retirement. Monder joined the orchestra staff 37 years ago as a production manager and was promoted to chief executive five years later. He is the longest-tenured chief executive of a major orchestra in the United States..

Position Summary
The President leads and directs the business operations of the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra. Working in close collaboration with the Music Directors and Board, he/she will be responsible for developing and executing business strategies that further the organization’s mission.

Key Relationships
Reports to: Board of Directors

Direct reports:
General Manager
Development Director
Finance Director
Marketing Director
Public Relations Director
Director, Project Development & Riverbend Music Center
Director, May Festival Administration, Marketing & Development
Manager, Diversity & Community Engagement
Volunteer Administrator

Other key relationships:
Music Director, CSO
Pops Conductor
Music Director, May Festival
Musicians
Board Members
Donors
Volunteers
Business and Community Leaders
Artists and Artist Managers
Peers in the Field

Major Responsibilities

• Provide leadership to a mission-driven organization through the development of long-term goals and short-term objectives that support the ultimate purpose of the organization.
  
  
• Administer, oversee and direct a $34 million arts and entertainment operation and assure financial goals are met through increasing attendance and revenues.
  
  
• In collaboration with the artistic leadership, ensure a programmatic agenda that is carefully planned, clearly stated, superbly executed and fiscally responsible.
  
  
• Serve as the key spokesperson for the organization and proactively represent the CSO in the community.
  
  
• Provide leadership in the creation and delivery of marketing and audience development strategies, and raise awareness of the CSO’s mission, programs, and performances.
  
  
• In partnership with the Board and development staff, lead major fundraising and campaign initiatives. Build relationships with existing donors and cultivate new donors.
  
  
• Develop and lead a collaborative team and maintain a sound organizational structure.
  
  
• Manage union contract negotiations.
  
  
• Take a leadership position in making diversity and inclusion a core value throughout all levels of the organization and hold the organization accountable for diversity results.
  
  
• Engage the Board in discussion and decision making on key strategic issues as they arise. Work with the nominating committee to develop new board members who represent diverse perspectives and share a passion for the orchestra.

CANDIDATE SPECIFICATION: KEY SELECTION CRITERIA
Ideal Experience

• Experience leading a world-class performing arts organization; OR, significant leadership experience in a nonprofit, private or public sector environment coupled with a profound interest in music.
  
  
• A fundamental understanding of the current and evolving business model and financial aspects of symphony orchestra management.
  
  
• Proven change management experience.
  
  
• Knowledge of classical music and the basic repertory.
  
  
• Previous fundraising experience and demonstrated success at asking for and obtaining major gifts, either as a volunteer fundraiser or as an executive.
  
  
• Experienced spokesperson and strong communicator, comfortable in the public eye.
  
  
• Experience reporting to, or working with an engaged board of directors.
  
  
• Undergraduate or advanced degree in Business, Arts Management, Music or related field.

Critical Competencies for Success
Strategic and Visionary Leadership: In a complex arts organization with multiple entities and where artistic aspiration often exceeds financial capability, the President must develop a vision for the future that is both exciting and fiscally responsible. Last year the CSO saw a 3 percent growth rate and has set a goal of sustained 3.5 percent growth over the next five years in order to achieve record attendance. In order to achieve this, he/she must have the ability to think big and deliver results by developing innovative ways to cultivate broader and more diverse audiences; continue the development and creation of ancillary arts offerings; address facilities issues including the design of a new concert hall and renovation of the music hall; and utilize emerging technologies, including internet web casts and digital downloads. Successful candidates will demonstrate evidence of strategic skills through prior success in translating ideas into action and a history of decisive leadership.

Resource Management: In a resource-constrained environment, the President will be charged with ensuring financial stability by improving operational efficiencies and increasing earned and contributed revenues. Successful candidates will have a track record of delivering strong operational results and exercising sound judgment on financial and management issues. In addition he/she will understand the critical role of the CEO in increasing the endowment, will be skilled at cultivating donors, and will understand how to partner effectively with the development staff and the Board to maximize contributions.

Communications & Brand Building: The CSO has been an asset to the Cincinnati community for over 100 years and is operating at the highest level yet increasing attendance will continue to be a challenge. The new President will be asked to raise the profile of the organization and increase the Orchestra’s reach, relevance and visibility through creative marketing and product differentiation. As a key leader and voice for the arts in Cincinnati, he/she will be expected to initiate partnerships with other regional arts organizations to generate excitement and a renewed passion for the arts. The experience sought is that of an engaging, effective spokesperson who is visible in the community, has a track record of initiating successful collaborations and is skilled at developing communications strategies that inspire and reach out to new and diverse audiences.

Other Personal Characteristics

• A dynamic and visionary leader, able to effect change.
• High ethical standards and reputation.
• A strong commitment to diversity, equity, and fairness, and an ability to relate to people from all age and socioeconomic groups.
• High energy and enthusiastic with a compelling presence.
• Exceptional interpersonal and communication skills.
• Mature with a balanced ego; able to put the interests of orchestra ahead of her/his own.
• A passion for and personal commitment to the arts.

To apply, contact:
Lynn Olman
Spencer Stuart
312-822-0080
www.spencerstuart.com

CSO & POPS. Equal Opportunity Employer.