Jazz House Kids
Vice President of Artistic Programming + Special Events
This organization is a beacon of light on what is known to be a barren cultural landscape. JAZZ HOUSE KiDS is deserving and worthy of support from all who wish to see an actual movement toward excellence for our young people. Count me in that number. They are onto something special.”
-Wynton Marsalis
Organization
Now entering its third decade, nationally recognized JAZZ HOUSE KiDS transforms lives using the power and legacy of jazz through world-class education and performances that create avenues of access, learning, career development, and community building. With the belief that learning to understand, create, and love jazz reaps lifelong benefits that every child deserves to enjoy, the organization uses jazz and the joy of music, advanced by master practitioners, as a gateway to student achievement. Its vision is to create a world where every child, regardless of socio-economic background, can discover and express themselves through the great American art form of jazz. The brainchild of jazz vocalist, Melissa Walker, who serves as Founder & President, and 9-time GRAMMY award-winning bassist Christian McBride as Creative Director and Board Member, the organization and students have received more than 150 awards and honors for excellence in jazz and jazz education. JAZZ HOUSE has two locations: its headquarters in Montclair, NJ, and a new satellite program in New York City in collaboration with Trinity Church Wall Street.
JAZZ HOUSE offers a range of classes designed to nurture young musicians aged 8 to 19, as well as a robust adult program. Every day of the week, instrumental, vocal classes, and skills-based electives are offered to students of all levels and abilities throughout New Jersey and at its NYC campus, teaching beginners to pre-professionals headed to the nation’s top college music programs. JAZZ HOUSE welcomes hundreds of students each summer to its programming in June and July, where students engage in more than 200+ hours of learning, mentoring, and daily performances. In August, the award-winning two-week intensive JAZZ HOUSE Summer Workshop program gets underway on the campus of Montclair State University attracting 160+ students from across states and internationally creating a global community of practitioners providing musicians with world-class instruction to develop key skills to enhance knowledge of fundamentals and jazz performances. Need-based tuition assistance in New Jersey and tuition-free programming in New York City remove barriers that stand in the way of students’ participation in top-quality classes, private instruction and mentorship. The organization bridges the equity gap through its in-school JAZZ HOUSE Music Scholars program in under-resourced schools, transforming school band programs and providing instruments through its Give an Instrument, Build a Musician, and loaner instruments to beginning students.
JAZZ HOUSE's commitment to community building represents its full mission in action, producing 125+ free public concerts annually in New Jersey and NYC to audiences reaching 200,000 in person which have been viewed by over 1M fans virtually including the organization’s award-winning Montclair Jazz Festival. Created by Grammy Award winner and Artistic Director Christian McBride and Founder + President Melissa Walker, the Montclair Jazz Festival leads the growing number of JAZZ HOUSE signature performance programs. Now in its 15th year, it’s the largest free jazz festival in the NYC area, attracting 25,000+ attendees to downtown Montclair. This 4-day takeover of downtown Montclair features 60 hours of live music, 50 musical acts including student performers, and a diverse multi-generational audience. Since 2021, JAZZ HOUSE has partnered with Trinity Church Wall Street to produce two free series at its JAZZ HOUSE NYC satellite location, Jazz Icons, featuring renowned jazz artists such as Steve Turre, Dave Holland, and Monty Alexander; and Jazz at One, featuring talented professional artists for free weekly lunchtime concerts. The annual Ralph Pucci Jazz Set features an evening of performance and conversation, hosted by Christian McBride, featuring some of music’s most distinctive voices, including Norah Jones, Wynton Marsalis, Esperanza Spalding, John Pizzarelli, Laurie Anderson, and Diana Krall. In the spring of 2025, an expansion of its JAZZ HOUSE headquarters location will include a 125-seat venue with weekly programming in the heart of downtown Montclair, NJ.
JAZZ HOUSE is governed by a 16-member advisory board and a 17-member board of directors, led by Chair Terry Woodard. Founder + President Melissa Walker and Artistic Director Christian McBride lead the staff of 24 full-time and 10 part-time members. The Vice President of Artistic Programming + Special Events, a new role for the organization, will oversee the signature performance programming staff including the Associate Director of Event Operations, the Program + Production Coordinator, and all seasonal festival employees, interns, and contract employees. For the fiscal year ending June 30, 2024, annual revenues were $5.6 million.
Community
Montclair, New Jersey, a vibrant town 13 miles west of New York City and nestled on the east side of the Watchung Mountains on the land of the Lenape people,boasts a rich history and a diverse community of around 40,000 residents. Its notable past and present residents include luminaries from various fields, such as Buzz Aldrin, Olympia Dukakis, Christina Ricci, Stephen Colbert, and Savion Glover. Established in 1868, Montclair has evolved into a bustling suburban hub with six historic districts. Today, Montclair offers a plethora of cultural activities year-round. With easy access to New York City, just a thirty to forty-five-minute commute via car, bus, or train, residents enjoy the best of both worlds – suburban tranquility with urban opportunities.
The town's educational system is renowned, with award-winning magnet public schools offering a wide array of programs, including environmental studies, global studies, arts, and science and technology. Montclair's neighborhoods cater to various lifestyles with its proximity to Montclair State University and abundant nature reserves to the vibrant Montclair Center and Church Street, known for its lively atmosphere and cultural events. The town also boasts a diverse culinary scene, with restaurants like Faubourg, SLA, and Laboratorio Kitchen offering an array of delectable dishes to tantalize the taste buds. For dessert, residents can indulge in sweet treats from Applegate Farm, or artisanal chocolates from Vesta Chocolate. Transportation in Montclair is convenient, with six train stations providing direct access to New York City and express bus services to Port Authority. The town's extensive public transit system offers residents easy access to both work and leisure activities.
From its numerous parks and nature preserves to its thriving arts scene and community events like the Montclair Film Festival and the African American Heritage Parade, or whether you're exploring the Presby Memorial Iris Gardens or catching a show at the Wellmont Theatre, Montclair is a sought-after destination for its suburban charm and vibrant urban convenience.
Sources: montclairnjusa.org; visitnj.org, njrealestatehomesearch.com
Position Summary
Roles and Responsibilities
Strategic Planning and Visioning
- Guide and execute the artistic vision, programming, and booking, in close collaboration with the Senior Leadership Team for all JAZZ HOUSE signature performance programs and special events including the Montclair Jazz Festival, Jazz Icons series curated by the Artistic Director, Jazz at One series curated by the Associate Producer, the annual Ralph Pucci Annual hosted by Christian McBride, patron and special events, community concert performances by alumni and students, and the new performance venue.
- Develop one-year, three-year, and long-range strategic programming and revenue plans for the growth and sustainability of all JAZZ HOUSE signature performance programs.
- Explore and engage creative programming partnerships and third-party vendors to activate the new jazz venue.
- Develop and steward artist/agent relationships and execute all contracts for event artists.
- Design and implement all aspects of the JAZZ HOUSE patron experience, including a robust year-round membership program, in collaboration with the signature performance program staff and development staff.
- Advise and engage in strategic planning for the new jazz venue in Montclair, including strategic programming plans, venue operations and staff management, and sponsorship and revenue opportunities.
- Liaise with the Head of Communications on marketing/communication plans to build the visibility and brand of all JAZZ HOUSE signature performance programs.
- Embrace other strategic planning and visioning responsibilities, as needed.
- Serve as an ambassador for all JAZZ HOUSE signature performance programs in partnership with the Founder + President in public forums, professional and industry events, and select press events.
- Identify, cultivate and steward strong relationships with key community leaders and partners to increase, diversify, and sustain all sources of contributed and earned revenue for all signature performance programs.
- Partner with development and marketing staff to lead Festival and new venue sponsorship strategy, implementing the full cycle of research, pitch, sales, contracting, fulfillment, documentation, measurement, reporting, and renewal.
- Evaluate, update, and advise on all sponsorship, membership, and on-site sales, concessions, vendors, and related festival and new venue components to enhance benefits, pricing, and sales strategies annually.
- Negotiate third-party vendor contracts and in-kind sponsorships with concessions and vendors for the festival.
- Develop and execute year-round membership cultivation strategies including intimate donor/evangelists’ home and business-hosted events and benefit concerts with partner promoters and in partner venues; enhancing membership reach and revenue for the festival and the new venue.
- Embrace other revenue enhancement responsibilities, as needed.
- Build and manage all event budgets, researching and securing multiple vendor/supplier quotes, ensuring the highest quality, while meeting budget goals.
- Track expenses by partnering with the Finance Department on payment schedules, expense tracking, and documentation, providing risk analysis and regular updates to all departments.
- Develop and justify plans for strategic investments/expenditures needed to grow and sustain.
- Embrace other financial management responsibilities, as needed.
- Lead signature performance programming planning meetings, creating, maintaining, and distributing key project management documents.
- Collaborate on all signature performance programming site design and integration of revenue-generating activities with the Associate Director of Event Operations and Chief Philanthropy Officer.
- Ensure high-quality production values and artist/audience experience, reviewing production, front of house, security, maintenance, and volunteer staffing and training with the Assistant Director of Event Operations and Program + Production Coordinator.
- Facilitate internal and external post-event meetings, documenting and integrating concerns and opportunities into future program planning.
- Partner with development and marketing to create timely, impactful, data-driven reports for sponsors and other key partners.
- Memorialize all protocols, records, and documents related to each event.
- Embrace other administration, production, operations, and reporting responsibilities, as needed.
- Leadership and Teamwork – The capacity to articulate a vision and create a sense of purpose and direction for internal and external stakeholders, build trust by demonstrating respect and integrity, and create an environment where team members are appreciated and supported, enabling their success.
- Planning and Organizing – The competence to identify and oversee all resources, tasks, systems, and people to establish courses of action to ensure that work is completed effectively.
- Diplomacy and Interpersonal Skills – The acuity to connect with a diverse array of people and personalities, while effectively communicating, building rapport, and relating well to all kinds of people.
- Influencing Others and Flexibility – The capacity to build trust, mobilize, and inspire others around a shared vision while fostering a clear sense of purpose and direction while regularly adapting approaches as circumstances change.
- Time and Priority Management – The clarity to discern competing priorities, overcome obstacles, and maximize the use of time and resources to achieve desired goals and outcomes.
Revenue Enhancement
Financial Management
Administration, Production, Operations, and Reporting
Traits and Characteristics
The VP of Artistic Programming + Special Events will be an experienced, creative, live-music-loving performing arts entrepreneur. They will be a pacesetter expert at coordinating multiple projects, overlapping schedules, and conflicting priorities while creating a culture of transparent communication and collaboration. Leading with humility and a sense of humor, the VPAP+SE will be versatile and able to adapt rapidly to changing priorities. They will be a team player, a community builder, and an accomplished “win-win” negotiator, with an artistry for inspiring and collaborating with a diverse range of constituencies. The VPAP+SE will bring a deep passion for jazz, music education, developing emerging talent, and community engagement.
Other key competencies include the following:
Qualifications
Five to ten years of large-scale concert programming and producing is required, festival experience is a plus. A proven track record of financial leadership, budget management, strategic and project planning, and sponsorship sales is essential. The ideal candidate will be well versed in large-scale, multi-platform, performance production, have an understanding and appreciation of jazz performance and emerging talent development, with significant professional contacts across the concert/sponsorship industry. Educational credentials and demonstrated professional experience supporting leadership, organizational growth, arts and culture impact, and community engagement, are highly desired.
Compensation and Benefits
JAZZ HOUSE KiDS offers a generous compensation package with a base salary estimated in the range of $110,000 to $130,000. Employee Group Health & Dental plan available, vacation and sick leave, 403b retirement plan.
Applications and Inquiries
To submit a cover letter and resume with a summary of demonstrable accomplishments (electronic submissions preferred), please click here or visit artsconsulting.com/opensearches. For questions or general inquiries about this job opportunity, including the anticipated salary range, please contact:
Renée Danger-James, Vice President
Geoff Chang, Vice President
New York, NY 10022-2991
Tel (888) 234.4236 Ext. 212
Email JAZZHOUSE@ArtsConsulting.com
Click here for the downloadable PDF.