DOWNLOAD JOB DESCRIPTION PDFMay 1, 2024
Job Title: Associate Artistic Director
Supervisor: Executive Artistic Director
Supervises: Part-time artistic team for K-6th grade choirs
FLSA Status: Full-Time
The South Shore Children’s Chorus (SSCC) is committed to creating a diverse environment. We are proud to be an equal opportunity employer and unequivocally support racial equality, racial justice and racial equity. SSCC is committed to building a diverse staff that reflects and represents our diverse student and family population, and encourages applications from candidates of color, women, and members of the LGTBQ+ community.
Position Overview:
The mission of the South Shore Children’s Chorus is to provide quality musical education and vocal training to students living in the South Shore, MA communities and beyond. SSCC keeps the development and well-being of our students as our top priority and aims to create a safe space and loving community for choristers to learn, to grow, and to find their own voice. SSCC welcomes singers in grades K-12 and is passionate about offering the experience of learning to use their voice to any child, regardless of financial situation or prior experience.
The Associate Artistic Director (AAD) is a leadership role within the artistic branch of SSCC. The AAD is a choral education professional who will teach multiple K-6th grade classes per week (Upbeat and Amplify choirs), assist with 7th-12th grade ensembles (Dynamic and Resonate choirs), and teach at our summer programs. The AAD will provide leadership for our passionate artistic team as well as engage in educational outreach with local schools. With support from the Executive Artistic Director, the AAD will also be responsible for artistic leadership and direction of the organization, including curriculum planning, logistics planning, and recruitment. The SSCC artistic team is a tight-knit group of music educators who laugh together and passionately share the joy of music with one other. They are committed to the personal development and growth of the SSCC student community.
The Associate Artistic Director will be an integral part of this community and work in tandem with the SSCC artistic team to foster a collaborative, inclusive, focused and high-quality music education environment. The ideal candidate must be a champion of SSCC’s mission to serve students from all musical backgrounds and experiences. SSCC is completely audition-free and achieves high quality music-making by providing a supportive and enriching environment that maximizes student abilities. Students in the program have varied levels of experience and it is expected that all members of the SSCC artistic team be equipped with educational strategies to effectively balance classes and integrate all experience levels.
Anticipated Start Date: July 1, 2024
Duties & Responsibilities
Teaching & Conducting (55%):
● Teach core program classes for choirs grades K-2 and grades 3-6, and assist in core program classes for grades 7-12, five days per week from mid-September to mid-May (currently after school hours on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Sundays)
● Assist with core program classes for choirs grades 7-12 in support of the Executive Artistic Director
● Teach and lead at all core program All-Together rehearsals (currently once per month on a Sunday, Sept-May
● Participate in the ensemble and assist with the
Encore Choral Retreat for adult singers (age 18+) each summer (currently in June)
● Teach and assist with SSCC’s Summer Programming and Find Your Voice Arts Leadership programming (currently in July and August)
● Attend all special events, including dress rehearsals and concerts
● Required availability for teaching in various locations across the South Shore, MA (currently Quincy, Hanover, Bridgewater, and Sharon)
Leadership & Direction (20%)
● Establish excellent working relationships with the SSCC artistic and administrative teams
● Schedule, coordinate, and lead focused and collaborative monthly meetings with the Upbeat & Amplify artistic teams, respectively
● Provide support for teachers, including creative and positive problem solving to achieve class effectiveness
● Foster a positive and uplifting environment for artistic staff by engaging creatively and encouraging high quality teaching, high standards, personal improvement and a growth mindset
● Attend weekly in-person staff meetings on Tuesdays with artistic and administrative leadership
● Engage in the local community to identify opportunities for SSCC to integrate with like-minded organizations
● Partner with SSCC’s Executive Artistic Director to design professional development opportunities for local teachers and plan an SSCC all-staff summer retreat
Planning & Curriculum Development (15%)
● Work in collaboration with Upbeat and Amplify artistic teams to select appropriate, engaging, and tuneful repertoire for core program Winter and Spring Concerts
● Work in collaboration with the Upbeat & Amplify artistic teams to align repertoire-based curricula for musicianship classes, games, and activities
● Align teaching lesson plans to create a standard week-to-week experience across locations and teachers, while allowing for flexibility and unique teaching styles
Logistics, Recruitment & Retention, & Educational Outreach (10%)
● Lead concert logistics planning for Upbeat and Amplify in tandem with administrative and concert operations team
● Lead the creation of seating charts and standing positions for Upbeat and Amplify
● Develop recruitment and retention efforts for K-6th graders
● Create ways for teachers to share positive feedback with parents about their child in a standard, yet individualized way
● Engage in school visits and grant opportunities to partner with local school and community music programs
Schedule
September-May, Core Program
-Teaching 5 days per week, after school hours on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, and Sunday Afternoons/Evenings)
-Once-per-month All-Together rehearsals with all ensembles, 1pm-9pm on Sundays
-Structured, work from home online office hours: Monday 10am-1pm, & Wednesday 9am-12pm
-In person office hours (Quincy) on Tuesdays, 11am-2pm
-5-10 “flex” hours per week, whenever works best for your schedule
-Lighter weeks/more work from home hours on school vacation weeks
May-August, Summer Schedule
-June Encore Retreat
-July SSCC Summer Programming
-July/August Find Your Voice & Staff Retreat
-Summer work from home/in person schedule more flexible
Qualifications (Education, Experience, and Certifications):
SSCC recognizes that the right fit for this position may have many, but not all of the qualifications below. We encourage passionate and interested candidates to apply even if the qualifications listed below are not exactly met.
● Bachelor’s degree required
● 5+ years elementary/choral teaching experience
● Expertise in elementary music curricula (Kodály, Orff, etc…)
● Leadership experience including staff supervision
● Professional singing experience
● Piano proficiency a plus
Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:
● Creative educator with a growth mindset is a must
● Student-first mindset with a high level of cultural competency to partner with our diverse range of families is a must
● Strong interpersonal skills required
● Outstanding organizational skills required
● Creative problem solving skills required
● Strong sense of humor and willingness to be a team player in tandem with the SSCC artistic team
● Outstanding verbal communication skills, including the ability to be clear and concise
● Friendly and passionate demeanor with fellow staff, families, and singers
● Reliable, timely, and collaborative
Preferred Qualifications:
● State-approved certified teacher credential
● Interest in growing with the organization and long-term commitment to advancing the mission of SSCC
● Connections to and passionate about the South Shore communities of MA
● Experience working with not-for-profit and/or mission-focused organizations
● Bilingual a plus
Apply by
June 1, 2024. Interviews will be conducted on a rolling basis. To apply, please email the following materials to Angela Card, SSCC Board of Directors Vice President (development@sscchorus.org).
● Letter of Intent & Teaching Philosophy Statement
● Current resume listing 3 professional references
● 3-5 minute classroom teaching video with a music class or singers in the age range of K-6th grade.
Please no performance footage.
● One letter of recommendation
Compensation: This is a full time position at $55,000-$65,000 salary per year. A health insurance stipend is available if needed.
Other benefits include:
-Hybrid schedule including both in-person and work from home hours
-Fridays and Saturdays generally off, depending on personal preference for flex hours
-Organization-wide dark weeks (week between Christmas & new years, specific summer times)
-Professional membership fees covered (ACDA, NAFME, etc)
-One professional development opportunity per year paid for (ie: Kodaly levels, Orff levels, etc)
-Structured, unlimited paid time off (PTO)
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