Blue Ridge Music Center Director

Full-Time

Reports to CEO

Blue Ridge Music Center Overview:

The Blue Ridge Music Center was established to celebrate the historic music of the Blue Ridge Mountains, its origins and contributions to and impact upon American folk and country music. It is one of only two National Park facilities in the US that is dedicated to presenting, preserving, promoting, and interpreting an authentic and influential strand of American roots music.

The Music Center is located at Milepost 213 on the beautiful Blue Ridge Parkway, America's Favorite Drive, near the Virginia/North Carolina state line and not far from Galax, VA, Sparta, NC and Mount Airy, NC. The Center is one of 9 major venues of The Crooked Road: Virginia's Musical Heritage Trail and it is also a part of the Blue Ridge Music Trails of North Carolina. As such, The Music Center serves as a portal and gateway to other musical and cultural attractions in the region of Southwestern VA and Northwestern NC.

The Music Center facility is managed by the Blue Ridge Parkway / National Park Service with programming funded, coordinated, promoted and produced by the Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation, the not-for-profit fundraising and programming partner of the Blue Ridge Parkway.

The Music Center complex includes a 2,500 capacity outdoor amphitheater, a 120 capacity indoor theater, a Visitor/Interpretive Center that includes a gift shop & the award winning Roots of American Music Museum, a classroom and two wonderful hiking trails. The Center hosts daily presentations/performances by local & regional traditional musicians on the Center's covered, open air breezeway, a half dozen traveling/visiting exhibits, and a handful of online conferences, symposiums, and videos. Since opening in 2002, The Music Center has hosted more than 500 onsite amphitheater concerts as well as over 100 off-site concerts & events.

The Blue Ridge Music Center highlights the rich and diverse musical heritage of the Galax VA and Mount Airy / Round Peak, NC as well as other communities along the Blue Ridge Parkway. The Center’s mission focuses on both the historic and living community and family musical traditions of the area as well as some of the more popular roots and Americana music performers & bands that are carrying forward these living musical traditions and sharing them with new and diverse audiences.

Some of the notable performers include: Doc Watson, Ralph Stanley & the Clinch Mountain Boys, Cephus & Wiggins, Ricky Skaggs & Kentucky Thunder, Roseann Cash, Old Crow Medicine Show, Alison Krauss, Jerry Douglas, The Carolina Chocolate Drops, Sierra Ferrell, Carlene Carter, Rissi Palmer, Molly Tuttle & Golden Highway, Jesse McReynolds, Wayne Henderson, Rhiannon Giddens, Sam Bush, and The Steep Canyon Rangers.

Virtual/Online program initiatives include: A Place in the Band: Women in Bluegrass & American Roots Music; Deep Roots, Many Voices: Diversity in Roots Music, the Legacies Series - Doc at 100 videos & interviews, and Music of the Mill Towns: The Birth of American Music.

General Job Description and Purpose:

The Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation (BRPF) is seeking a Director to manage program and performance activities related to The Blue Ridge Music Center (BRMC) located on the Blue Ridge Parkway, at Milepost 213 near the North Carolina and Virginia state line. As a facility managed and directed by the National Park Service, a major venue on the Crooked Road, and linked to the Blue Ridge Music Trails of NC, the Blue Ridge Music Center operates through a formal partnership with The Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation (a non-profit who manages the performance programming at and related to the site). This position requires a proven ability to both articulate and realize a collaborative vision among multiple partners. Primary Responsibilities include: program creation and oversight, sponsorship development and fundraising, administrative leadership and management, community partnership management, communications and public relations, and strategic planning.

The successful candidate for this position will have a commitment to and interest in traditional Appalachian music and culture, proven managerial skills with a strong emphasis on program development and event production, recruitment and retention of sponsors & donors, communication with key stakeholders & partners, and implementation of our strategic plan. The candidate will demonstrate an entrepreneurial spirit with the ability to create a vision and the skills and motivation to execute that vision. Creative problem solving coupled with a proven collaborative record of accomplishment will enable the candidate to operate successfully with multiple partners, communities, states and the National Park Service (NPS) to outline and realize mutual goals.

The BRMC Director works closely and in coordination with the BRMC Associate Director.

Major Areas of Responsibility:

Oversee and conduct programming and related operations at the Center under the direction of the Foundation’s Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and in cooperation with the Foundation and Park staff including: planning and producing a weekly outdoor summer concert series, programming daily live musicians’ performances and conducting other special event and programs at the BRMC’s Music Interpretive Center, at other locations along the parkway, off-site programs and partnership, and online content creation
Manage the booking & contracting of performers for the Center’s Summer Outdoor Amphitheater Concert Series as well as overseeing & coordinating the booking & contracting of the daily Midday Mountain Music presentations, Sunday Milepost Music concerts, and other on-site & off-site programming
Work with the BRPF CEO, VP of Finance and BRMC Associate Director to develop budgets for various Center-related concert and program activities;
Design and implement a development/fundraising plan for the BRMC in cooperation and consultation with Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation (BRPF) CEO & Chief Development Officer;
Work with the Director of Administration regarding all administrative tracking including grants management, financial, contracting and program reporting;
Oversee and approve all marketing and outreach for the BRMC;
Implementation of the BRMC Strategic Action Plan 2024-2028 with focus on fiscal sustainability and maintaining a high-quality music program;
Prepare reports for management, as necessary or requested, reflecting activity, issues & funding
Develop and maintain a cooperative working relationship with National Park Service personnel involved with the operation and development of the Center;
Conduct outreach and formation of partnerships necessary for the success of the BRMC;
Serve as a liaison with key partners and staff including the NPS and BRPF;
Represent the Foundation and the Music Center in a professional and appropriate manner;
Other duties as assigned as a member of the BRPF.

Qualifications:

Bachelor’s Degree in related field or demonstrated equivalent experience;

Five years’ experience in similar or related position;

Excellent personal communication skills (written, verbal, and listening) are essential;

Excellent teamwork skills;

Proficient computer skills including Microsoft Office and Adobe;

Experience working with/for non-profit organizations;

Excellent organizational skills;

Exhibit an enthusiasm for and knowledge of traditional roots music of the Blue Ridge Region;

Proven fundraising and development experience.

Hours: Full time. Evening & weekend work required, especially during summer when various concert series take place.

Salary & Benefits: Salary range $55,000-$65,000 commensurate with experience, plus benefits.

To Apply: Send your cover letter and resumé to remmett(at)brpfoundation.org. Applications submitted directly through a job search engine will NOT be accepted. DEADLINE to apply June 28th 8:00pm; for additional information please email remmett@brpfoundation.org

All Qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex or national origin.

Job Type: Full-time

Pay: $55,000.00 - $65,000.00 per year

Benefits:

401(k)
Dental insurance
Health insurance
Paid time off

Work Location: In person

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BLUE RIDGE MUSIC CENTER DIRECTOR