The Chamber Orchestra of the Springs (‘COS’) is experiencing an exciting period of exceptional growth and change, having recently moved its concerts to a professional concert hall for the first time in the 2024-25 season, and signed its first-ever Collective Bargaining Agreement (‘CBA’) with Local 154 of the American Federation of Musicians at the end of the 2025-26 season. During this time, single ticket sales have more than doubled and the orchestra has reached record levels of season ticket and contributed revenue, growing its overall revenue by approximately 53% since the organization’s first, full post-COVID season.

The COS now seeks an experienced, driven individual to serve as its second-ever Executive Director. This individual will be tasked with administering the first full season under the new CBA, concluding the organization’s three-year audience growth plan, and building new layers of organizational culture through the codification of procedures that are still in development due to these changes and growth.

The COS has a six-concert Subscription Series, co-produces one opera annually with two other local partners, and is a go-to ensemble for arts organizations throughout the Pikes Peak region. For-hire and collaborative events are a key pillar of the COS business model. The COS has a full-time Music Director and part-time Personnel Manager and Music Librarian, as well as a wide slate of local partners and stakeholders that are invested in the orchestra’s success.

This is an exciting opportunity for a self-motivated individual to gain experience in all elements of non-profit arts management, and drive organizational change and growth at an orchestra with strong community roots, positive musician relationships, and an engaged Board of Directors. To learn more about the COS’ programs and its history, please visit www.chamberorchestraofthesprings.org/mission.

RESPONSIBILITIES

The Executive Director is responsible for all aspects of both the orchestra’s day-to-day activities and its long-term strategic growth. It is important to note that this role is designed to be a wide-ranging, jack-of-all-trades position wherein the Executive Director personally executes the duties that are within their strengths, and leverages the skills of the COS Board of Directors, volunteer corps, and outside contractors to cover duties in which the occupant is less experienced. Therefore, some duties listed below will be the Executive Director’s direct responsibility, and many others will be only overseen by the Executive Director.

Strategic Planning & General Oversight

• Serve as the guiding voice of the COS’ organizational culture, procedures, and strategy.
• Oversee the organization’s overall financial health, making strategic decisions where needed to maximize revenue in grants, ticket sales, donations, and corporate sponsorships.
• Assess the needs of the Colorado Springs community, and how the COS is positioned and obligated to meet those needs as a public service institution.
• Serve as the face of the Chamber Orchestra of the Springs at concerts, in public, and through proactive and consistent communication with all community stakeholders.
• Maintain strong relationships with local arts organizations, including seeking out collaborative and co-production opportunities where appropriate.
• At the conclusion of their first year, begin authoring the organization’s next strategic planning document in conjunction with the Board of Directors.

Board of Directors

• Maintain strong relationships and healthy communication with the Board of Directors.
• Lead Board of Directors meetings alongside the Board Chair.
• Craft Board meeting agendas in conjunction with the Executive Committee and prepare materials for Board meetings as well as the annual Board Retreat.
• Participate in Board recruitment at the direction of the Board Governance Committee.
• Seek opportunities for Board training in consultation with the Board Governance Committee.

Musicians

• Maintain the COS’ positive, transparent working relationship with its musicians and union representatives, including maintaining regular communication with the Orchestra Players’ Committee.
• Administer the Collective Bargaining Agreement (‘CBA’) in conjunction with the Personnel Manager.
• Serve as the lead member of the management negotiation team for musician contract negotiations.
• Schedule and oversee audition procedures in conjunction with the Personnel Manager.

Financial & General Management

• Send monthly finance reports to the Board of Directors.
• Draft the annual budget in conjunction with the Board Finance Committee.
• Send invoices and accurately track pending payments.
• Process invoices and approve musician payroll in a timely fashion.
• Oversee the COS’ suite of online tools, ensuring appropriate access for all necessary stakeholders to the Adobe Creative Suite, AudienceView CRM, and Google Drive.

Development

• Deepen relationships with the Chamber Orchestra Society donor circle, including planning donor events and managing donor stewardship at all levels of the organization (Board, volunteers, etc).
• Oversee and track Board member relationships with major donors, and make significant fundraising asks when appropriate.
• Plan and execute the annual year-end giving campaign, Garden Party fundraiser, and silent auction.
• Guide efforts to build corporate giving relationships, in conjunction with the Board of Directors.
• Develop planned giving procedures in conjunction with the Board Finance Committee.

Marketing & Public Relations

• Drive a marketing strategy for all concerts that focuses on the value of the communal experience and highlighting the COS’ unique, diverse programming strategy.
• Craft or direct the creation of marketing assets for digital and print advertising, including maintaining a marketing content calendar.
• Process ticket purchases and donations, ensuring the accuracy of sales and donations records.
• Curate and grow the COS’ social media presence on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn.
• Establish relationships with local press outlets, pitching stories and authoring press releases as appropriate to champion the COS image in the community.
• Maintain the integrity and security of the COS website through SquareSpace.
• Ensure detailed tracking of website traffic and ticket sales for presentation to the Board of Directors.

Grants

• Develop strong relationships with regional and statewide granting organizations, and seek out new grant opportunities when appropriate.
• Author grant applications when appropriate, and oversee applications authored by Board members.
• Track grant-making timelines and ensure all grant letters of intent, applications, and reports are delivered in a timely manner.

Concert Production

• In conjunction with the Orchestra Librarian and Personnel Manager, oversee the planning and execution of all COS concerts.
• Ensure accuracy of instrumentation, service schedules, and other administrative deadlines on internal calendars and public-facing resources, including the musician portal and COS website.
• Create stage plots, run-of-show forms, and detailed production notes that include all necessary information for all stakeholders.
• Author and negotiate contracts with COS guest artists.
• Direct the creation of concert program booklets, including ensuring the accuracy of personnel and donor lists and selling advertising space as appropriate.
• Coordinate scheduling and venue reservations for all COS-produced concerts in a timely manner, through active conversation with community partners to ensure ideal scheduling.

Education & Outreach

• Deepen the COS’ relationships with local school districts, especially District 11 and District 2.
• Schedule master class opportunities for local students and COS guest artists when appropriate.
• Craft curriculum and schedule musicians for the NEA-funded Pioneers Museum collaboration in October 2026.
• In conjunction with the Board of Directors, manage the annual Emerging Soloist Competition.
• Execute one annual “open rehearsal” at a local school auditorium.
• Oversee the SenioReach community program, including processing payroll as needed.

Base pay for this role is $60,000. If the next Executive Director is from outside of Colorado Springs, a relocation stipend of $2,500 is available. To apply, please send a resume and cover letter detailing your experience to hiring@chamberorchestraofthesprings.org.

Due to the wide-ranging nature of this role, it is expected that the next Executive Director will not have direct experience in all aspects required of this position.

The most important criteria for the next Executive Director are a steadfast commitment to orchestral music as a public service, an openness to learning in the areas in which they are inexperienced, and the ability to self-motivate in a fast-paced, varied work environment with minimal day-to-day oversight.

• A minimum of 3 years experience at a major orchestra or similar arts organization is required.
• Calm and decisive leadership that prioritizes listening to a wide variety of stakeholders is required.
• The ability to read music and familiarity with the instruments of the orchestra are required.
• Familiarity with either Google Drive or the Microsoft Office suite of tools is required.
• The majority of the COS’ public events take place at night and on weekends. This position requires the ability to have reliable transportation and frequently work evenings and weekends.
• This position requires the ability to occasionally lift up to 40 pounds.

It is expected that the ideal candidate will have some, but not all or even a majority of the following:

• Bachelor’s degree in Music, Arts Administration, Nonprofit Management, or a related field.
• A minimum of 3 years experience in one or more of the following specific areas: orchestra or performing arts operations; arts marketing; nonprofit fundraising; or educational curriculum development.
• Experience with union environments and collective bargaining.
• Familiarity with the Adobe Creative Suite is a plus.
• Familiarity with QuickBooks is a plus.
• Familiarity with CRMs and ticketing systems, including AudienceView (formerly OvationTix) is a plus.
• Strong budgeting or financial management skills are a plus.
• Performance experience in a professional musical ensemble.

About Chamber Orchestra of the Springs

In 1981, a group of retired professional and amateur musicians in the Pikes Peak region founded the Chamber Orchestra of the Springs - and in 1983, they performed their first concert. For the first decade, the group was primarily dedicated to its musician-members. Concerts focused on the musical explorations of the players and the enjoyment of families and friends. From the beginning, the orchestra embodied out-of-the-box repertoire and creative programming. As the community embraced the niche being carved by the COS, members looked to the future, creating by-laws and gaining 501(c)(3) status in 1997. The first Board of Trustees was formed solely of orchestra members, the budget was small but grew, and the Chamber Orchestra of the Springs found itself an integral part of life for local musicians and the community. In 1996, the COS hired Thomas Wilson as its Music Director. Under his experienced guidance, the organization began performing even more interesting and challenging works, continuing the advancement of the ensemble’s ability and quality. Simultaneously, the Board of Trustees turned to the Colorado Springs community for new members, looking to draw experience and experti...se in fields beyond the musical realm onto the orchestra’s governing body. Step by step, the COS has evolved from a member-owned and governed ensemble into what it is today: The premiere chamber ensemble serving the region through innovative, educational and collaborative concerts. Today, the COS offers a six-concert subscriber series, in multiple locations around Colorado Springs. As part of its focus on community, COS concerts frequently showcase local soloists and composers; and, to further its mission of supporting new music, the COS regularly premieres new works. In addition, the COS engages in collaborative performances with various community arts organizations, such as the Colorado Springs Conservatory, Colorado Vocal Arts Ensemble, Opera Theatre of the Rockies, Ormao Dance Company, Pikes Peak Library, Taylor Memorial Series, and more.

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