Director of Artistic Operations

Job Title: Director of Artistic Operations
Reports to: Executive Director
FLSA Status: Full-time/Exempt

Allentown is the third largest city in Pennsylvania and part of the Lehigh Valley region of eastern PA. Conveniently located 90 miles west of New York City and 60 miles north of Philadelphia, the Lehigh Valley is a growing and culturally diverse region with vibrant arts, education, healthcare, and historic resources. Summer festivals include the PA Shakespeare Festival, the official Shakespeare Festival of the State of Pennsylvania, and MusikFest, the nation’s largest non-gated free music festival. In 2024, the nearby Historic Moravian Bethlehem District was named an UNESCO World Heritage Site. Allentown’s diverse population is nearly 70% persons of color, with 54% identifying as Hispanic/Latino. Despite its proximity to the eastern seaboard, Allentown and the greater Lehigh Valley enjoy a lower cost of living compared to nearby metro areas, while also providing a high quality of life for its residents.

The Allentown Symphony Association (ASA) operates the Allentown Symphony Orchestra (ASO), and owns/operates its theatre, Miller Symphony Hall, allowing the ASA to have complete control of its schedule. With a current operating budget of $3.9M, the ASA is a Group 3 orchestra as defined by the League of American Orchestras and counts professional musicians from metro New York, Philadelphia, Baltimore, and Wilmington, DE in addition to nearby New Jersey among its ranks. Esteemed conductor, educator, and author Diane Wittry is currently in her 30th season as Music Director/Conductor. Since 1951, the ASO has been the premiere professional symphony orchestra of the Lehigh Valley and currently presents a variety of classical, pops, holiday, and family concerts. Its lauded education program El Sistema Lehigh Valley is an immersive, daily music education program offered to students in grades K-12. The ASA also presents other educational engagement programs and non-orchestra concerts. Miller Symphony Hall, first opened in 1899, is a historic theater and cornerstone of Allentown’s Arts District.

The Director of Artistic Operations oversees the planning and execution of all orchestral and non-orchestral productions and provides supervision for most education programs of the ASA. ASA productions include ASO concerts and activities, Jazz Upstairs, Live OnStage and the Met Opera: Live in HD series. Education includes such programs as Youth and Family Concerts, Young Musician String Festival, and Schadt National String Competition, among others. Working closely with the Executive Director and Music Director, this position is responsible for implementing the organization’s season schedule and ensuring that productions are produced efficiently, cost-effectively, and in line with all work rules and regulations. This position oversees implementation of the ASO’s collective bargaining agreement (CBA) with its musicians and provides support for artistic planning and guest artist/conductor/composer needs. The position implements all aspects of concert production and interfaces across the organization to ensure all components of every ASA program reach the highest levels of professionalism and quality. This position supervises four part-time employees: Orchestra Personnel Manager, Chorus Manager, Orchestra Librarian, and Assistant Orchestra Librarian; and one full-time employees: Director of Education. The position also interacts with the Orchestra Committee and the Board of Director’s Artistic Planning, Jazz, and Education Committees.

Responsibilities & Outcomes

Concert Production
Planning, implementing, and overseeing all aspects of ASO, Jazz Upstairs, Live OnStage, Met Opera:
Live in HD, and chamber music concert production such as, but not limited to:

• Working with the Music Director, Executive Director, and Director of Finance, draft and finalize
  comprehensive budgets for all ASA presentations.
• Prepare materials for and attend regular meetings of the Board’s Artistic Planning and Jazz
  Committees.
• Attend and liaison with production and hall staff for all ASO and ASA performances.
• Coordinate all equipment, staging needs, and licenses for all performances.
• Coordinate with the Box Office/Front of House staff for any performer needs
• Coordinate all Chorus auditions, rehearsals, and performance details with the Allentown
  Symphony Chorus Manager and Chorus Master.
• Coordinate logistics for ASO Auditions in conjunction with the Personnel Manager.
• Provide Marketing & Sales and Development departments with concert program information,
  and proofread publications with this information to ensure accuracy.
• Using the organization’s OPAS database:
  o Create the season schedule and assign repertoire and personnel needs
  o Maintain a current database of ASO musicians and Guest Artists across all programs

Guest Artists/Composer-in-Residence/Conducting Fellows/Guest Composers

• Assist Music Director on research of guest artists and composers to commission.
• Finalize contractual details with Artist Managers and individual artists, conductors, and
  composers
• For guest artists, guest conductors, commissioned composers (including Composer-in-
  Residence) and conducting fellows:
  o Negotiate fees for Jazz Upstairs and Live OnStage artists.
  o Draft all contracts and schedules and review tech riders for Executive Director approval
  and ensure contract obligations are fulfilled.
  o Coordinate itineraries, rehearsal/practice schedules, music, transportation, hotel/home
  stay arrangements, media appearances, and hospitality/dressing room needs for all
  rehearsals and performances.
  o Retrieve biographies and photographs for program book and marketing. Make sure that
  bios are current and of an appropriate length for use in Marketing.
  o Interface with Director of Education for education and community engagement activities
  including in-school performances or appearances and masterclasses.
  o Process payment checks for all guest artists/conductors, composers, conducting fellows

Staff Supervision

• Supervise the full-time Director of Education who leads planning and execution of all Education
  and Community Engagement programs except El Sistema Lehigh Valley.
• Supervise four (4) part-time staff: Orchestra Personnel Manager, Chorus Manager, Orchestra
  Librarian, and Assistant Orchestra Librarian who are essential for Orchestra/Chorus Operations

Collective Bargaining

• Working with Executive Director and Orchestra Personnel Manager, research and prepare
  materials for contract collective bargaining sessions.
• Participate as part of management in collective bargaining sessions.

Required Education, Experience and Abilities

• Five (5) or more years of experience in arts administration or arts related work; experience with
  unionized employees a plus.
• Paid staff supervision experience.
• Experience booking artists through their management.
• High School Diploma or equivalent.
• Demonstratable knowledge of orchestral music (classical & pops) and instruments of the
  orchestra.
• Strong organization, communication (written and oral), and problem-solving skills with the
  ability to work in a fast-paced environment.
• Ability to work on multiple tasks and projects at the same time
• Ability to work evenings and weekends.
• Computer fluency in MS Office products including word, excel, outlook and powerpoint.
• A valid US driver’s license and access to a vehicle.

Preferred Education, Experience and Abilities

• Bachelor’s Degree in the Performing Arts, Arts Administration, Business or an equivalent field.
• Working knowledge of OPAS.
• Experience with a project management database.
• Experience negotiating/implementing union collective bargaining agreements.
• Experience working with volunteers.
• Knowledge of opera, jazz and jazz groups/performers.

Physical Requirements

• Ability to work on a computer for extended periods of time.
• Ability to operate related equipment, i.e. computer, copier, scanner.
• Ability to lift up to 50 pounds and be on one’s feet for extended periods of time.

Compensation: $74,000-$78,000 per annum. This position is hybrid, including a limited work from home option. The ASA offers a comprehensive benefits package including medical, dental, vision, life, and long- and short-term disability insurance; generous paid time off; 403(B) retirement plan option; and medical/dependent care flexible spending accounts (FSAs).

Please submit a resume and cover letter to resumes@allentownsymphony.org

No phone calls, please. Although we appreciate your interest, we will only contact applicants we are
considering for an interview.

The Allentown Symphony Association provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and
applicants for employment. No one will be discriminated against, or receive preferential treatment
because of race, creed, color, religion, sex, affectional or sexual orientation, national origin, ancestry,
age, marital status, non-job-related disability, social class, status as a Vietnam-era or special disabled
veteran, or any other legally protected status.

January 2025