Employment Opportunities

Development Director - Full-Time

The Director of Development is a senior-level position responsible for securing funds from individuals, corporations, foundations, and government sources. He/she reports to the Executive Director and participates in essential institutional planning and strategic direction. The Director of Development leads efforts in identifying, cultivating, and soliciting major donors for the School's $2M annual campaign and ongoing $17M capital campaign.

Responsibilities
  • In collaboration with Executive Director and Board of Directors, implements, monitors, and meets contributed income goals.
  • Supervises all grant writing, research, and reporting to funders. Maintains close and ongoing working relationships with funders, including numerous governmental and foundation sources.
  • Works with the Executive Director and Board of Directors to identify and recruit Board members necessary to carry out development tasks.
  • Creates, negotiates, and tracks institutional development budget; regularly reporting progress to Executive Director and Board.
  • Supervises and evaluates Development Department Staff, currently three employees.
  • Assists in strategic planning and monitoring progress toward meeting fundraising goals. Routine participation in setting institutional priorities as part of the Executive Team.
  • Coordinates and assists in making personal solicitations for funds.
  • Maintains giving records and assures acknowledgement of all gifts in a timely fashion; maintains systems for identifying and tracking new prospects.
  • Manages a variety of special events, donor receptions, and benefits.
  • Assures that all promised donor benefits are delivered.
Qualifications
  • Ten years fund-raising experience including cultivation of major gifts, grant writing, and internal programmatic coordination, preferably for a large cultural or educational organization.
  • Demonstrated passion for culturally sensitive, socially-conscious programming in the arts.
  • Knowledge of and demonstrated experience working with the Chicago funding community.
  • Ability to assess complex situations, take initiative, work independently, and perform under pressure.
  • Must have supervisory experience.
  • Must have excellent written, electronic, and oral communication skills, including public speaking and the ability to persuade.
  • Computer expertise, including mastery of spreadsheets, web, email, and relevant new technology as it emerges. Must be able to manage an extensive network of contacts. Current tools include Microsoft Office, Google docs, and Raiser's Edge.
  • Bachelor's degree is required; candidates with advanced degree prioritized.

Interested and qualified candidates should email the following:

1. Résumé

2. Cover letter including salary expectations and description of your commitment to nonprofit arts education

3. Work samples, such as fundraising materials, solicitation letters, proposals, etc.

hiring@oldtownschool.org
Old Town School of Folk Music
Attn: Human Resources
4544 N. Lincoln Ave.
Chicago IL 60625
Fax: 773.506.2414
Please, no phone calls.

Marketing Director - Full-Time

The Old Town School of Folk Music, the largest community school of the arts in the U.S., offers a unique opportunity for a Marketing Director who will manage all aspects of marketing and promotion strategy. Old Town School is a large and expanding nonprofit school of music and dance and active concert presenter. We operate from three facilities in Chicago, including a new arts education building that opened in January 2012, plus several suburban branch outlets. The School supports more than 700 weekly classes for all ages, two on-site music stores, two cafés, a resource center, an artist referral service, and an events department currently producing 300+ performances annually, as well as a large summer festival.

This position is responsible for business and market research and analysis, planning and development. The Marketing Director oversees an annual marketing plan and budget of approximately $500,000, controlling resources and expenses, and directs the day-to-day activities of marketing staff of three and multiple vendors. He/she manages the design, development, implementation, and coordination of all promotions and advertisements including direct mail, print, social networking, internet advertising and public relations.

This is a senior-level administrative position, reporting to the Executive Director.

Qualifications
  • At least seven years experience, demonstrating increasing responsibility and a track record of accomplishments in marketing.
  • Supervisory experience is required. Must be able to direct, monitor and evaluate the performance of marketing staff.
  • Graphic design and broad computer expertise required, including PC and Mac, email and Microsoft products. Experience with Adobe Creative Suite, Lyris and Filemaker Pro a big plus. Absolutely must be internet savvy and have experience in website development, e-communications and social media applications.
  • Strong interpersonal skills, maturity, good judgment and the ability to communicate with a wide range of individuals, including faculty, senior-level management, executives and Board members.
  • Bachelor's degree in business administration, communications or marketing is required, advanced degree a plus.
  • Personal interest in, and knowledge of, music and arts education is very helpful.

If interested and qualified please send your resumé and cover letter, including your salary requirements and a description of your commitment to nonprofit arts education.

hiring@oldtownschool.org
Old Town School of Folk Music
Attn: Human Resources
4544 N. Lincoln Ave.
Chicago IL 60625
Fax: 773.506.2414
Please, no phone calls.

Instructors for Summer Camp 2012

Part-Time, June 25 - July 20, 2012 (Session 1) or Part-Time, July 23 - August 17, 2012 (Session 2)

The Old Town School of Folk Music seeks instructors for Summer Camp 2012. Responsibilities include creating a curriculum to introduce children ages 6 - 10 to a specific type of music, instrumentation, movement, theater or dance. Each class will examine the process of the medium with students and engage students in a hands-on learning process. The class will culminate in the production of an original, student-driven piece to be presented at the camp recital on July 20 (Session 1) or August 17 (Session 2).

Qualifications
  • Must have at least 3 years of experience working with children ages 6 - 10.
  • Must have a strong background and/or degree in one's artistic field, plus a bachelor's degree.
  • Must have lots of energy, patience and creativity.
  • Must be extremely comfortable teaching and managing children.
  • Must be organized and have a strong dedication to one's work community.
  • A serious commitment to working with children is absolutely essential.

If interested and qualified, please submit a resume and cover letter, along with a class proposal, which includes your class concept, class description and class goals. Please also specify which summer camp session (Session 1 or Session 2) you are applying for.

We are not accepting questions about summer camp employment at this time. For more information about Old Town School's summer camp and the kinds of classes we offer, please visit our summer camp page. We will review proposals as they come to us, and we will contact you if we are interested in meeting to discuss your idea further.

Please submit a cover letter, resume, and your class proposal to Human Resources:
hiring@oldtownschool.org
Old Town School of Folk Music
Attn: Human Resources
4544 N. Lincoln Ave.
Chicago IL 60625
Fax: 773.506.2414
Please, no phone calls.

Camp Counselor for Summer Camp 2012

Part-Time, June 20 - August 17, 2012

The Old Town School of Folk Music seeks camp counselors for Summer Camp 2012. Counselors will be responsible for guiding their campers through the 9:00 AM - 3:30 PM camp day, Monday through Friday, for eight weeks. This requires managing their group at all times, participating in music/dance/theater/art classes and leading outdoor activities.

Applicants for the counselor position must have at least two years experience working with children ages 6-10. A background in the arts is critical, and the ideal candidate will work well within a team and individually. Applicants must have completed at least two years of an undergraduate arts or education program and should have lots of energy, patience and creativity. The ideal candidate will be extremely comfortable supervising, teaching and managing children. Organization, leadership, and a dedication to one's work community are all necessary.

A serious commitment to working with children is absolutely essential!

If interested and qualified, please send resumé and cover letter by March 31, 2012:
hiring@oldtownschool.org
Old Town School of Folk Music
Attn: Human Resources
4544 N. Lincoln Ave.
Chicago IL 60625
Fax: 773.506.2414
Please, no phone calls.

Please note: The review of summer camp resumés and applications will begin in March of 2012. Please do not expect a reply before then.

Contact Us

If you would like to submit a resume, include the position you are applying for in the subject line of your email. Send it to:

  • hiring@oldtownschool.org
  • Old Town School of Folk Music
  • Attn: Human Resources
  • 4544 N. Lincoln Ave.
  • Chicago, IL 60625
  • Fax: 773-506-2414

Equal Employment Opportunity

The Old Town School of Folk Music does not make employment decisions on the basis of race, color, religion, gender, national origin, ancestry, age, marital status, disability, sexual orientation, sexual identity, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.

We are an equal opportunity employer that desires diversity in its workforce and we strongly encourage applications from those with a wide variety of backgrounds.