Chief Executive Officer
The National Youth Jazz Orchestra
Woolwich, London
circa £70,000 per annum
We’re a vibrant organisation, committed to increasing opportunities for young people across the UK to participate in and enjoy jazz. We work with emerging professional jazz musicians to bridge the gap between formal education and the music profession. We coach aspiring teenagers, developing their musicianship and musical understanding. We work in partnership with schools and Music Education Hubs to widen access to the arts; and we introduce new communities to jazz. For our young people and for the communities we support, our impact is game-changing. Our significant musical, artistic and cultural contribution is complemented by an increasingly important role in social justice, as we actively widen access to participatory arts. As we continue to grow, our vision for the future is bright: we want to serve an increasingly large number of young people, and for this to be across a far broader demographic. We have a compelling set of priorities now in place in NYJO that will help us do just that.
THE ROLE
We appointed our first full-time Chief Executive, Susie York Skinner, three years ago and moved into our first permanent home. Under Susie’s inspirational leadership, we have evolved in all respects: with a strong and well-functioning team in place, and an outstanding Board, this is the perfect time to join us and take our exciting vision forward, with individual achievement and inclusion truly at the heart of everything we do.
Our ambition is to deliver a pioneering programme with strong and sustainable impact locally and nationally. We want to provide life-changing opportunities for all, from those exploring their creativity and discovering their love of music for the first time to talented young musicians already on the path to success. Individual progress is prized above all else at NYJO and you will be engaging with our young people to understand what they value and what matters most to them.
We’ve entered our seventh decade with confidence and are looking for a gifted strategist with vision and entrepreneurial flair, able to engage donors and wider stakeholders’ heart and soul in our mission. Already a talented and bold leader, you will be outward-looking and a fantastic champion for our brilliant organisation who appreciates the opportunities and challenges of leading a modern arts organisation in competitive times. Crucially, your emotional intelligence means you are someone well known for getting the best from a growing team, and who inspires confidence and loyalty from the get-go.
If you believe you have the skills, qualities and experience we are looking for, we very much look forward to hearing from you.
