The Opportunity
The LMMC (Ladies’ Morning Musical Club) is seeking a dynamic, multi-talented Managing Director who has a passion for classical music and will enthusiastically help manage the organization, fundraise, and tell our unique story. The Managing Director will join the LMMC at a pivotal juncture in this newly established position, and will have the opportunity to shape the role and lead the organization into its next exciting chapter.
Reporting to the President of the Board, the Managing Director will be the chief business officer responsible for conducting the operations of the LMMC including concert production, marketing & communications, revenue generation, Board facilitation, community outreach and financial oversight. The Managing Director will work closely with the Board, consisting of nine members, to build on the LMMC’s reputation of artistic excellence and keep it thriving and sustainable through increased financial strength and community engagement. The new incumbent will appreciate the LMMC’s remarkable history, and will share values and enthusiasm for its mission.
About the LMMC
In its 126th season, the LMMC has a proven longstanding history as one of Canada’s top chamber music presenters and a Montreal musical tradition. Founded in 1892 by a group of women amateur musicians, the LMMC continues to offer annual seasons of outstanding chamber music concerts with exceptional performers and a consistently notable repertoire. Horowitz, Gould, Heifetz, Stern, Rampal, Piatigorsky, Tortelier, Ferrier, Forrester, the Alban Berg and Tokyo quartets, the Beaux Arts and Pennetier-Pasquier-Pidoux Trios, are but a sampling of the world-class musicians who have performed and, in many cases, made their Montreal debuts at the Club.
The LMMC is a registered non-profit organization, managed until now by a dedicated Board of volunteers. Operations are funded by memberships, ticket sales, donations, a municipal grant and contributions from the LMMC Endowment Fund. The organization has a balanced budget with no accumulated deficit. Since 1983, LMMC concerts have been presented at McGill University’s 600-seat Pollack Hall, often sold-out well in advance. The club currently has 500 members, who, for a modest subscription fee, enjoy 10 concerts annually. Admission is open to all, on a subscription or single-ticket basis. LMMC’s membership reflects the multi-cultural nature of Montreal – its common language is music.
The LMMC Board has worked diligently to preserve the avant-garde spirit of the LMMC’s founders, while continuing the club’s tradition of musical excellence presented for the enjoyment of all music lovers. The Board is currently led by Constance V. Pathy, the 2004 recipient of the Ramon John Hnatyshyn Award for Voluntarism in the Performing Arts (Governor General’s Award), as well as recipient of the Order of Quebec in 2006 and the Order of Canada in 2014.
The Ideal Candidate
The Managing Director will be a proven non-profit sector leader with familiarity and passion for music, and experience in Board relations, marketing and revenue generation, ideally from the performing arts industry. A highly flexible individual who combines leadership qualities with excellent communication, fundraising and organizational skills, the ideal candidate will have a desire and ability to partner with volunteer Board members to develop and execute the LMMC’s plans in support of its continued artistic vision for music excellence. The successful candidate will appreciate the LMMC’s remarkable history and tradition, and will share its values and enthusiasm for its mission.
Experienced working with and supporting volunteer Board members, the Managing Director will liaise regularly with the President of the Board, support the Board in its role regarding artistic direction, provide members with update reports as required, and seek out their knowledge, understanding, and connections to leverage opportunities.
Possessing a strong results-oriented work ethic, the ideal candidate will be a pragmatic and effective problem-solver, who will ensure that all artistic planning and administration as well as operations and production details are in place for our annual concert series. Working independently, with autonomy on daily matters, the successful incumbent will exercise resourcefulness, sound judgement, attention to detail, and will engender a sense of trust and credibility with LMMC stakeholders and community members.
Demonstrating willingness and proven ability to multi-task, the ideal candidate will effectively administer the logistics for the day to day priorities while also taking the lead on development and fundraising initiatives. Experienced in leading and managing fundraising strategies and identifying new sources of contributed income, the Managing Director will seek to successfully build local, provincial and national relationships with related organizations, government officials and funding agencies. The new incumbent will also pro-actively work with volunteer Board members to engage with and develop a community of individual major gift donors as well as corporate and foundations partners.
A dynamic leader, the ideal candidate will articulate the LMMC vision for the future in ways that inspire and motivate others to advance the reputation, fiscal sustainability, attendance and community support for the LMMC. Demonstrating excellent communication abilities, the successful candidate will be a strong ambassador for the LMMC and will act as a spokesperson with the media as needed. The new incumbent will be fluently bilingual, both verbally and in writing, and will effectively present the artists and works performed using accessible language. The successful candidate will possess solid interpersonal skills to relate with and build productive and cohesive working relationships with a variety of constituents, including musicians, artist managers and stagehands as well as outside entities such as vendors.
The Managing Director will oversee, guide and encourage one part-time staff member in a small office environment, as well as a number of external independent contractors who contribute to the LMMC’s success. A transparent and positive leader with a strategic orientation and solid integrity, the Managing Director will bring vigor and eagerness to help us advance and sustain one of the finest music organizations and traditions of Montreal.
Key Responsibilities & Accountabilities
Governance facilitation and support
- Work closely with Board members, staff and other stakeholders to establish clear goals, strategies and actions that will further the mission of the LMMC and ensure its financial growth and sustainability.
- Support the Board in its priorities of organizational direction-setting, monitoring progress and fundraising.
- Provide regular reports and updates on progress and activities to the Board President and the Board members, for decision making on artistic direction, administration and governance.
- Work closely with and support the Board’s artistic direction by overseeing the operations and assuring the follow-up related to artist engagement and programming.
Marketing and Communications
- Develop and implement realistic strategies to increase the LMMC’s visibility, increase membership and concert attendance, and broaden the base of support.
- Develop and produce communications materials such as concert programs, publicity ads, bulletins and press releases.
- Oversee the maintenance of the LMMC website and social media with up to date material.
- Represent the LMMC at public events and in the media.
Fundraising and Development
- In conjunction with the Board, lead the effort to generate further revenues and continue to secure the long term sustainability of the LMMC through membership program revenue generation, government and foundation grants, corporate sponsorships, program advertising and major gift fundraising efforts.
- Develop and implement an annual revenue generation plan, strengthening existing relationships and cultivating new ones, soliciting contributions from a variety of constituencies.
- Research, review and write grant proposals to foundations and government agencies, and sponsorship requests to corporations, ensuring alignment with the LMMC’s artistic vision and plans.
Management and Administration
- Oversee and efficiently manage all aspects of the organization’s operations, guided by the Board’s vision, artistic direction and policies.
- Foster strong working relationships with Board members.
- Ensure appropriate resources are in place to support goals and strategies.
- Lead and manage staff and freelancers.
- Plan and manage guest artists’ logistics as well as concert detail requirements with vendors and external technical resource providers.
- Effectively and efficiently manage the LMMC’s finances and the annual operational budget.
Key Experience & Competencies
- Previous experience in a management position in the non-profit arts and culture sector, including program administration, fundraising, marketing communications and financial oversight.
- Strong familiarity with, and a passion for, classical music. Being an amateur musician will be considered an asset.
- Demonstrated success in raising funds from public and private sources in the form of donations, sponsorships, memberships, and foundation and government grants.
- Experience managing staff and volunteers and ability to interact with a variety of constituents including musicians, artistic managers as well as vendors and independent contractors.
- Marketing and communications expertise, preferably in the arts and culture sector.
- Experience working both autonomously, as well as collaboratively with the Board.
- Ability to think creatively and strategically and to plan and act pro-actively.
- Strong organizational, project management and problem solving skills with the ability to multi-task.
- Ability to incite enthusiasm and to motivate and persuade others to achieve desired outcomes.
- Excellent bilingual communication skills in French and English (verbal and written).
- Self-sufficient and experienced with Microsoft Office and Excel.
- A post-secondary degree is expected for this position. A degree in Arts administration will be considered an asset.
The candidate is expected to have an understanding of and enthusiasm for the LMMC’s mission and historical value, as demonstrated through work experience, volunteer work, personal interest, and/or education.
For More Information
KCI (Ketchum Canada Inc.) has been retained to lead this search on behalf of the Board of the LMMC. For more information about this opportunity, please contact Sylvie Battisti, Vice President, Search and Talent Management at KCI via email at LMMC@kciphilanthropy.com or by telephone at (438) 820-3496.
Applications will be held in strict confidence. Please send resume and letter of interest to the email address listed above by June 4, 2018.
