The Old Town School of Folk Music is seeking a talented leader to manage, grow and develop its prominent guitar, bass, songwriting, music theory, and ensemble programs.

Summary
The Program Manager – Guitar, Bass, Songwriting, Music Theory, and Ensembles oversees the quality and implementation of the comprehensive curricula for our renowned adult programs at all Old Town School campuses and in satellite locations where required.

This includes establishing and achieving goals for new student enrollment and student retention, establishing and monitoring curriculum, ensuring quality faculty and staff, coaching and managing faculty and staff to success, and monitoring student satisfaction.

Key Duties

• Works with internal teams (Education, Marketing, and Customer Service), faculty and students to drive program enrollment objectives. Develops innovative programs to attract new students and retain existing students.
  


• Establishes and monitors curriculum goals and objectives (classes and workshops) for assigned program areas.
  


• Works with faculty to build a robust class catalog that aligns with student interests and needs, offers an appropriate number of classes in core and specialty subjects, and minimizes class cancellations due to low enrollment.
  


• Works with faculty to develop classes and activities that maximize student learning and provide a consistently positive Old Town School community experience.
  


• Hires, trains, schedules, and supervises faculty and staff for assigned program areas including development of new class and workshop initiatives. Plans and facilitates faculty and staff training and meetings for assigned program areas. Enters teacher and accompanist substitutions and special events into payroll log.
  


• Evaluates faculty and staff performance on an ongoing basis. Develops faculty and staff professionally, and acts as a liaison between faculty and Old Town School of Folk Music leadership.
  

Qualifications: Bachelor's degree in Music Education or equivalent experience required, along with two or more years of experience teaching guitar to adults. Broad knowledge of bass guitar, songwriting, music theory, and mixed ensemble direction preferred. Two or more years of program management experience strongly preferred. Experience with supervising teachers preferred.

• Must be able to lead successfully in a highly collaborative environment.
  


• Must be an effective communicator in verbal, electronic, and written forms, and have experience working with diverse groups.
  


• Must be computer capable including Mac and/or PC skills. Familiarity with Google Suite and Filemaker Pro helpful.
  


• Must be committed to the principles of diversity, equity, and inclusion as well as ongoing personal growth in these areas.
  


• Must be available to work flexible hours including night and weekend hours. May travel to other local facilities or satellite locations.

If interested and qualified, please email resume to hiring@oldtownschool.org

The Old Town School of Folk Music is seeking a creative and entrepreneurial Program Manager for Early Childhood and Kids' Music education.

Position Summary:
The Program Manager – Early Childhood and Kids' Music oversees the quality and implementation of the comprehensive curricula for our renowned Wiggleworms program and a variety of instruments and voice for children ages newborn to 12 years as well as the coordination of summer camp programs.

This includes establishing and achieving goals for new student enrollment and student retention, creating and monitoring curriculum, ensuring quality faculty and staff, coaching, and managing faculty and staff to success, and monitoring student satisfaction.

Key Duties

• Works with internal teams (Education, Marketing, and Customer Service), faculty and students to drive program enrollment objectives. Develops innovative programs to attract new students and retain existing students.


• Establishes and monitors curriculum goals and objectives (classes, summer camp, and special events for children and families) for assigned program areas.
  


• Works with faculty to build a robust class catalog that aligns with student interests and needs, offers an appropriate number of classes in core and specialty subjects, and minimizes class cancellations due to low enrollment.


• Works with faculty to develop classes and activities that maximize student learning and provide a consistently positive Old Town School community experience.


• Hires, trains, schedules, and supervises faculty and staff for assigned program areas including development of new class and workshop initiatives. Plans and facilitates faculty and staff training and meetings for assigned program areas. Enters teacher and accompanist substitutions and special events into payroll log.


• Evaluates faculty and staff performance on an ongoing basis. Develops faculty and staff professionally, and acts as a liaison between faculty and Old Town School of Folk Music leadership.
  

Qualifications
Bachelor's degree in Music Education or Early Childhood Education or equivalent experience required, along with two or more years of experience teaching music to young children. Proficiency on one or more of the instruments supervised strongly preferred. Two or more years of program management experience strongly preferred. Experience with supervising teachers and camp programming preferred.

Additional Qualifications

• Ability to lead successfully in a highly collaborative environment.


• Effective communicator.


• Proficiency with technology including Mac and/or PC skills. Familiarity with Google Suite and Filemaker Pro helpful.


• Commitment to the principles of diversity, equity, and inclusion as well as ongoing personal growth in these areas.


• Availability to work flexible hours including night and weekend hours. May travel to other local facilities or satellite locations.

If interested and qualified, please email resume to hiring@oldtownschool.org.

The Old Town School of Folk Music seeks part-time guitar teachers for its renowned adult group program.

Skills/Qualifications:

• Minimum of Bachelor's Degree in Music Education or Music Performance preferred


• Minimum two years of teaching and performance experience preferred


• High level of musicianship, personal responsibility, and adaptive flexibility


• Ability to teach beginning through advanced levels on acoustic guitar required


• Ability to teach adults


• Candidate with a knowledge of diverse guitar repertoire preferred


• Ability to teach online (Old Town School provides a Zoom account for online teaching) and in person at our multiple locations.
  

Discounts at the School and some voluntary benefits are available for part-time employees.

If interested and qualified, please send resume to hiring@oldtownschool.org.

The Old Town School of Folk Music is seeking an innovative and resourceful leader for its NAMM award-winning online and in store retail operations - “the friendliest music store in Chicago.”

Position Summary
Manages all aspects of the Old Town School of Folk Music's online and brick-and-mortar music store. Oversees long-range planning for the store, managing a small team, selection/use of retail systems, purchasing/inventory, merchandising and sales. Keeps up to date with music retail industry trends and develops processes to ensure that the store runs smoothly. This includes program and database management, as well as software and hardware maintenance.

Key Duties
Planning
Responsible for developing retail, online, and wholesale strategy, managing inventory, budgeting retail, and business development.

Purchasing
Oversees all purchasing, and directly purchases branded inventory and planned stock programs.

Merchandising & Sales
Oversees all pricing and generates and communicates all policies, including return, rental, discount, trade-in, and other policies. Manages all store promotions and public relations. Directs website development and online sales. Handles special sales for events and/or promotions. Handles floor sales when needed.

Personnel management
Hires, supervises, and evaluates all retail personnel. Oversees professional development for staff, including training retail staff on floor sales, customer service, merchandising, security, Old Town School integration, and serialized and branded products.

Reporting
Reports business analysis, budget management, and inventory.

Qualifications
Bachelor's Degree in Business, related field or equivalent experience. Requires extensive background in retail, online, and wholesale sales and management, extensive knowledge of the entire range of musical instruments, basic computer, and accounting skills, attention to detail, creativity, and vision.

Additional Qualifications

• Must be proficient at playing guitar and one other instrument, able to restring guitars, answer technical customer questions and provide excellent customer service.


• Experience with RAIN retail P.O.S. or similar program.


• Ability to work a flexible schedule, including nights and weekends.

Physical Requirements: Reaching, bending, stooping, kneeling, crawling, lifting objects up to 50 pounds, standing, walking, climbing, grasping, feeling, and visual acuity.

If interested and qualified, please email resume to hiring@oldtownschool.org.

The Old Town School of Folk Music seeks a part-time teacher available on weekend and weekday mornings for its acclaimed early childhood music program, Wiggleworms®! Classes are for children newborn to 5 years old accompanied by an adult and are taught by one teacher who accompanies themselves on guitar.

Qualifications:

• At least 3 years of experience teaching young children in a classroom setting.


• Teachers must be creative, passionate about music, and be able to enthusiastically lead grownups with their babies, toddlers, and preschoolers in musical learning.


• Must play guitar and be a strong singer.


• Must have background in music and/or degree in music.


• Experience working with infants, babies, and toddlers preferred.


• Proficiency on another instrument preferred.


• Fluency in Spanish a plus.


• Ability to teach online (OTS will provide a Zoom account) and in person.

Discounts at the School and some voluntary benefits are available for part-time employees.

For consideration, please send resume to hiring@oldtownschool.org.

The Old Town School of Folk Music is seeking friendly and detailed part-time Customer Service Associates.

Responsibilities include registering students, selling tickets to shows, answering phone calls, and providing information to visitors. Customer Service Associates are frequently the first point of contact with whom students, guests and visitors interact.

Applicants must be responsive, articulate, and willing to pitch in where needed. Three years of customer service experience and proficient computer skills are required. The ability to play at least one instrument at an intermediate level is strongly preferred. The capacity to communicate effectively with diplomacy and tact is essential. Problem solving skills and sound judgment are critical as well as well. Must be able to work independently and be accurate when performing transactions (i.e. cash handling, registrations, etc.). Bilingual Spanish skills are highly desired. An interest in art, dance, theatre, and education is helpful.

Must be flexible to work weekend as well as afternoon/evening hours. Shifts would be at multiple locations.

Discounts at the school and some voluntary benefits are available for part-time employees.

If interested and qualified, please submit a resume to hiring@oldtownschool.org.

Part-time

The Old Town School Music Store is seeking an outgoing and enthusiastic part time sales associate. We are looking for a gear-head with excellent customer service skills who has experience selling instruments, accessories, books, and other music-related items.

This person must be proficient at playing guitar and one other instrument, be able to restring guitars, answer technical customer questions and have excellent customer service skills.
Must have a minimum of 2 years retail experience, preferably at a music store.

Experience with RAIN retail P.O.S. software is a plus, as are bilingual skills and back room experience restocking packing and shipping. Ability to work a flexible schedule, including nights and weekends, is required.

Discounts at the school and some voluntary benefits are available for part-time employees.

If interested and qualified, please email your resume to hiring@oldtownschool.org. Qualified applicants will be invited to interview and to demonstrate their guitar skills.

The Old Town School of Folk Music is seeking Site Managers to oversee activities and ensure safe operations in Old Town School buildings and other locations as appropriate. They will serve as an ambassador and advocate for the School.

Locations: Lincoln Square, Lincoln Park and South Loop locations

Qualifications:

• Experience managing events.


• Experience with customer service and setting boundaries with participants.


• Experience working with children preferred.


• An understanding of COVID-19 safety protocols.


• Strong interpersonal skills.


• Able to think on one's feet and adapt to changing situations.


• Ability to carry out emergency protocol in event of fire, inclement weather or other crises.


• Access to a personal smartphone during shift.

Summary of Duties:

• Ensure compliance with all Old Town School safety protocols including but not limited to social distancing and mask wearing (for age 2 and over). Address concerns directly as they arise. Report issues to Education team managers.


• Manage program operations for the assigned shift.


• Serve as a resource for teachers.


• Ensure set up and break down of assigned location(s) as needed in accordance with Old Town School protocols, including signage.


• Ensure participants (or parents) have completed the online self-attestation form and follow up with them as necessary.


• Manage the check in process and direct participants to their locations.


• Track attendance and monitor the number of participants and caregivers where appropriate.


• Monitor amount of people using bathrooms and elevators.


• Sanitize equipment for class.


• Coordinate with program management, customer service, and maintenance staff as needed.


• Oversee volunteer staff where appropriate.


• Ensure rooms are cleaned where needed.


• Secure property and open/close building as needed.


• Complete assigned checklist.

Physical requirements:
The position requires the ability to see, hear, sit, stand, walk, reach, push, and pull. Must be able to lift up to 15 pounds at times.

To be considered for this role, please send your resume to hiring@oldtownschool.org.

The Old Town School of Folk Music seeks a reliable part-time maintenance worker/custodian to maintain our buildings and facilities.

Key Duties:

• Cleaning and sanitizing classrooms, common areas, restrooms and other areas in accordance with Old Town School protocols.
  


• Mopping, dusting and sweeping.


• Emptying trash and moving to outside dumpsters.


• Cleaning and sanitizing restrooms.


• Returning equipment, supplies, and furniture to appropriate locations prior to the start of the business day.


• Adhering to all cleaning, sanitizing and safety protocols.


• Providing assistance and customer service to community members where appropriate.


• May provide maintenance support for concerts or special events.


• May perform minor repairs to facilities and equipment.


• May work on outside maintenance, shoveling snow, spreading salt, etc.


• Other duties as assigned.

Qualifications: Must be capable of basic physical labor such as mopping, sweeping, and hauling trash. Ability to work unsupervised and complete set tasks in the time allowed. One year of experience in a similar role preferred. Understanding of basic cleaning, sanitizing and safety protocols required. Ability to work in multiple locations and on weekends required. Basic mechanical and repair skills preferred.

Physical Requirements: Reaching, bending, stooping, kneeling, crawling, lifting objects up to 50 pounds, standing, walking, climbing, grasping, feeling, and visual acuity. This work may include exposure to strong smells such as paint and thinners and exposure to hot and cold temperatures.

To be considered for this role, please send your resume to hiring@oldtownschool.org. Please, no phone calls.

The Old Town School of Folk Music seeks part-time ukulele teachers for private lessons and group classes in Lincoln Park and in the South Loop.

Skills/Qualifications:

• Minimum of Bachelor's Degree (Music Performance or Music Education preferred)


• Minimum two years of teaching experience preferred


• High level of musicianship and personal responsibility


• Ability to teach beginning through advanced levels required


• Ability to teach young children through adults


• Multi-instrumentalist and ability to teach online a plus

Discounts at the School and some voluntary benefits are available for part-time employees.

If interested and qualified, please send resume to hiring@oldtownschool.org.

The Old Town School of Folk Music seeks piano teachers to teach private lessons at its Lincoln Park and South Loop locations.

Skills/Qualifications:

• Minimum of Bachelor's Degree (Music Education or Performance preferred)


• Minimum two years of teaching experience preferred


• Experience teaching private piano lessons preferred


• High level of musicianship and personal responsibility


• Ability to teach beginning through advanced levels required


• Ability to teach young children through adults


• Candidate with a knowledge of diverse piano repertoire preferred


• Multi-instrumentalist and ability to teach online a plus

Discounts at the School and some voluntary benefits are available for part-time employees.

If interested and qualified, please send resume to hiring@oldtownschool.org.