Description

Organization

Community Music Center of Boston is an arts education nonprofit founded in 1910 with a mission to transform lives by providing equitable access to excellent music education and arts experiences. Originally established to provide lessons and classes to a wave of new American immigrants, CMCB has spent 116 years as a leader in connecting music education to social impact, responding to Boston’s evolving civic needs.

CMCB was one of the agencies tapped at the height of Boston’s 1970s school desegregation crisis, providing music classes in newly integrated schools to support community-building and help bridge divides. Years earlier, CMCB had already become an early pioneer in using music to support social-emotional development, work that would later evolve into what is now the board-certified profession of music therapy. Across generations, CMCB has continued to demonstrate how music education and music-based experiences can respond to municipal opportunities, foster belonging, and strengthen community connection.

Today, CMCB operates a large community music school, serves as a first touchpoint in music education for thousands of participants each year through schools and social services agencies, and is one of the largest external providers of arts education to Boston Public Schools. Supporting more than 2,500 students of all ages each week, CMCB is an anchor for local arts education, supporting learner-centered and culturally inclusive musical instruction in one of the most diverse cities in the nation. Approximately 80% of CMCB’s students are youth of color and 70% are economically disadvantaged. Through its Community Music School, Community Engagement Programs, Music Therapy, and nationally recognized Youth Employment Program, CMCB provides music learning opportunities across virtually every Boston neighborhood. CMCB's Community Music School sees over 400 households through private lessons, semester-based group classes for ages five and up, individual music therapy, small chamber groups, chamber orchestra, music theory, music production, and the Summer Arts and Music Program. CMCB’s Community Engagement Programs extend this work to over 2,000 more households through partnerships with public, charter, parochial, and independent schools, as well as health and human services organizations, community centers, and civic programs.

CMCB’s recent innovations are focused on a broadened impact of music. For example, CMCB is pioneering more inclusive and realistic pathways for pursuing music. CMCB’s new “Student Pathways” celebrate the range of musical interests and futures that bring people to music lessons. The four pathways, Musical Explorers, Community Musicians, Citizen Musicians, and Performing Musicians, recognize that students may be motivated by discovery, collaboration, social impact, performance, or a combination of these interests. Rather than requiring students to choose one fixed track, the pathways are flexible and intended to support ongoing conversations about growth, curiosity, and personal expression throughout a student’s journey at CMCB.

Another example of CMCB’s innovation and impact is the Youth Employment Program, which provides young people ages 14 and up with hands-on, part-time experience in arts administration within a nonprofit music education setting. Over 70 students participate each year in this nationally recognized program that supports workforce development, college and career mentorship, and youth economic empowerment. The program is strengthened by partnerships with organizations across the city of Boston, including strategic program partnerships with the Boston Bloomberg Arts Internship, Franklin Cummings Tech, and The Clubhouse Network, as well as employment partnerships with several local colleges and nonprofits.

CMCB is also expanding to a new 13,000-square-foot home in Nubian Square. This state-of-the-art facility, featuring ample private-lesson space, a recital hall, a recording studio, administrative offices, and generous gathering spaces, demonstrates CMCB’s commitment to our communities. With more than a century of service, CMCB continues to advance a vision that welcomes all voices and supports students, families, schools, and communities across Greater Boston.

The CMCB Corporation, consisting of 83 members of the larger CMCB community, elects and supports a 20-member board of directors led by President Dr. George Blount. The CEO reports to the board of directors and has five direct reports: the Chief Financial & Operating Officer, Chief Programming Officer, Chief Advancement Officer, Executive Assistant, and Human Resources Manager. The budgeted revenue for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2027, is $4.6 million, including 64% from contributions, 26% from earned revenue sources, and 10% from other revenue sources.

Sources: cmcb.org; propublica.org                                                                                                                           

Community

One of the nation’s most historic metropolitan areas, Boston is a vibrant, diverse, and deeply rooted city known for its rich history, distinctive neighborhoods, world-class educational and cultural institutions, and strong civic identity. Founded in 1630 and incorporated as a city in 1822, Boston is home to more than 670,000 residents and serves as the center of a metropolitan region of more than five million people. Boston is especially distinguished by its neighborhoods, each contributing to the city’s character, community life, and sense of place. CMCB’s new headquarters, opening in 2027, will be located in Boston’s historic Nubian Square in Roxbury, a culturally rich neighborhood shaped by African, Latin, and other diverse heritages. It is also in close proximity to the Boston Public Schools and other community groups we serve. In addition to their headquarters, CMCB’s activities take place at over 30 partner sites throughout Greater Boston and also at CMCB’s current location. 

Boston’s identity is shaped by both its historic legacy and its contemporary role as a center for arts, culture, education, innovation, and public life. The city’s history includes major stories from the American Revolution, the nation’s first public school, historic districts, landmarks, archives, and public spaces that connect residents and visitors to Boston’s past. Today, Boston’s cultural landscape includes major arts institutions and venues such as the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston; the Institute of Contemporary Art/Boston; the Boston Symphony Orchestra; and the historic Strand Theatre, alongside neighborhood-based arts organizations, festivals, public art, and community cultural programming. The City of Boston also supports equitable access to arts and culture through grants, cultural planning, public art, neighborhood activations, and investments in arts spaces. Together, these assets make Boston both a historic American city and a dynamic contemporary community for residents, families, students, artists, businesses, and visitors.

Sources: boston.gov; artsboston.org; census.gov

Position Summary

The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) will be a visionary leader responsible for Community Music Center of Boston (CMCB)’s strategic direction, public visibility, and managerial operations. Joining CMCB following a successful building acquisition and capital campaign, the CEO will lead CMCB at an exciting time of possibility and broadened impact. As CMCB’s primary spokesperson, the CEO will co-develop and execute a new strategic plan that builds on the success of the past and brings CMCB into an even brighter future. The CEO will nurture a unique mix of multi-generational relationships with board, faculty, staff, parents, students, strategic partners, and donors that comprise the core of CMCB’s culture and identity and the essence of their special community. The CEO will exude warmth and energy while leading this vibrant community music education organization through this time of growth and transition. The CEO will embrace joyful, culturally inclusive, and student-centered collaboration with a student body as diverse as the city CMCB calls home. The CEO will guide, advise, and mobilize board members as they embrace their roles as fundraisers, policymakers, and community ambassadors while overseeing staff leadership, operations, and earned and contributed revenue growth.

Roles and Responsibilities 

Program Development, Diversity, and Inclusion 

       Champion equitable access to arts education and arts-based experiences, and foster an inclusive culture where students, families, faculty, staff, and community partners from all backgrounds can thrive. 

       Identify and promote innovative programming that will enable a successful transition from one to two campuses, in the context of CMCB footprint expansion. 

       Foster and leverage CMCB’s strong reputation as an extraordinary community music school to sustain current programming and to ensure opportunities for growth come to fruition. 

       Create and sustain mutually supportive relationships with leadership at Boston Public Schools and similar institutions. 

       Develop new partnership agreements with schools and community organizations to advance CMCB’s outreach activities throughout the Greater Boston Area. 

       Ensure high-quality programs, services, and facilities that are accessible, welcoming, and responsive to the needs of the communities CMCB supports. 

       Collaborate with CMCB’s staff and faculty to develop innovative ways to grow earned revenue.

       Continue to develop existing programming initiatives in such diverse areas as student-centered music education, Youth Employment, Music Therapy, ensemble programming, contemporary genres, impacts of AI on music education, and other areas.

       Expand and build on CMCB’s national presence and reputation as an innovator and best-practitioner.

       Embrace other program development, diversity, and inclusion responsibilities as needed.

Contributed Revenue Enhancement 

       Provide organizational leadership in all aspects of fundraising and development by establishing personal relationships with key funders and donors to support CMCB’s strategic and capitalization goals. 

       Identify and maintain strong relationships with key community partners to continue to diversify and expand the organization’s individual, foundation, corporate, and government donor base. 

       Broaden CMCB’s public image and increase brand awareness for the organization, clearly articulating the mission, vision, programs, and impacts of CMCB. 

       Define contributed revenue opportunities with board and development staff in annual and long-term fundraising plans. 

       Cultivate existing donors for ongoing support while seeking new prospects to ensure a robust and diversified funding base.

       Embrace other contributed revenue enhancement responsibilities as needed.

Stakeholder Cultivation and Community Engagement 

       Work with the board and other stakeholders to develop a new strategic vision and plan, enabling CMCB to successfully manage its integration into the Roxbury community and its transition to a multi-campus footprint. 

       Listen carefully, speak persuasively, and anticipate concerns of parents, students, faculty, staff, board members, external partners, donors, and the public. 

       Foster an inclusive workplace that attracts, develops, and retains talented faculty and staff from a broad range of backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives. 

       Guide board prospect identification, cultivation, and recruitment by utilizing participation on board committees that develop future board members and leaders. 

       Mobilize the talents, connections, and resources of the board to stimulate their continued active involvement.  

       Embrace other stakeholder cultivation and community engagement responsibilities as needed.

Financial Acumen and Organizational Management 

       Lead all aspects of the CMCB's financial management and business operations, including budgeting, forecasting, performance monitoring, risk management, and resource allocation. 

       Ensure the long-term financial sustainability of CMCB while balancing mission impact, earned and contributed revenue goals, and strategic investments in growth. 

       Translate strategic priorities into operational and financial plans, using data and performance metrics to drive decision-making, assess organizational effectiveness, and ensure accountability for results. 

       Oversee, direct, develop, and manage CMCB’s staff and faculty to perpetuate the organizational culture of trust, cooperation, and collaboration. 

       Supervise and integrate all aspects of CMCB, including faculty, administrative staff, facilities, and technology.

       Guide marketing, branding, and public relations programs that highlight CMCB’s impacts and reputation. 

       Spearhead innovation and creativity to allow CMCB to continue to flourish.

       Lead day-to-day operations to ensure that faculty, staff, students, and parents have a memorable experience that leaves a legacy on their future growth and personal development. 

       Empower and build camaraderie among senior management to recognize and leverage individual strengths that contribute to organizational success. 

       Embrace other financial acumen and organizational management responsibilities as needed.

Traits and Characteristics 

The Chief Executive Officer will be a resourceful and engaging leader who is energized by practical results, effective action, and making the most of time, talent, energy, and resources. Highly interactive and people-oriented, they will bring a visible, relationship-centered leadership style that supports frequent communication, meaningful engagement, and strong rapport with a wide range of individuals. The CEO will be versatile and receptive, adapting easily to different situations while welcoming new ideas, methods, and opportunities. With a harmonious approach grounded in experience, perspective, and balance, they will lead with sound judgment and an altruistic commitment to creating benefits for others.

Other key competencies include: 

       Leadership and Diplomacy – The ability to inspire, build trust, and create a sense of purpose and direction while tactfully handling challenging and sensitive issues. 

       Interpersonal Skills – The commitment to building rapport while effectively communicating with diverse stakeholders nationally and internationally. 

       Personal Accountability – The capacity to self-evaluate by utilizing and analyzing feedback and data and taking responsibility for actions and results. 

       Customer Focused – The flexibility to anticipate and exceed student and stakeholder needs or expectations. 

       Decision Making – The capability to analyze all aspects of a situation to make consistently sound and timely decisions.  

       Planning and Organizing – The ingenuity to collaboratively establish strategic goals while assessing risks, organizing activities, people, and operational priorities to meet mutually-agreed-upon expectations.

Qualifications 

A bachelor’s degree is required, a master’s degree preferred, plus a minimum of five to seven years of related senior management experience. Expertise in planning, organizational development, relationship building, and team building in a collegial environment of mutual respect is needed. Executive-level competencies, political savvy, strategic vision, and the ability to lead change are essential, along with the creativity and technical credibility to advance strategic priorities. A successful track record in best practices within the nonprofit, education, or music field and a high level of leadership and fundraising experience are expected. The successful candidate should have a passion for music and music education, as well as enthusiasm for CMCB’s dual mission of excellence and access. They must also be skilled at building partnerships, developing metrics to measure their success, and valuing the neighborhood relationships essential to helping CMCB be welcomed into its new community.

Compensation and Benefits 

CMCB provides a competitive and equitable compensation package with an estimated salary in the range of $170,000 to $200,000. Benefits include medical insurance (group health and flexible spending account), paid time off, non-contributory 403(b) retirement plan, long-term disability insurance, and the quality of life that Greater Boston has to offer. 

Applications and Inquiries 

To submit a cover letter and resume with a summary of demonstrable accomplishments (electronic submissions preferred), please visit https://artsconsulting.com/opensearches/community-music-center-of-boston-seeks-chief-executive-officer/ 

CMCB provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, creed, ancestry, national origin, citizenship, sex or gender (including pregnancy, childbirth, and pregnancy-related conditions), gender identity or expression (including transgender status), sexual orientation, marital status, religion, age, disability, genetic information, service in the military, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local laws and ordinances. Equal employment opportunity applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leave of absence, compensation, and training.