Project Manager, Menuhin Competition Richmond 2020

Richmond Symphony Orchestra
Richmond, Virginia

The Richmond Symphony performs, teaches, and champions music to inspire and unite our communities. We change lives through the power of our music.

Founded in 1957, the Richmond Symphony (RSO) is the largest performing arts organization in Central Virginia, and is committed to providing outstanding and innovative concert experiences of symphonic music of all kinds.  The organization includes an orchestra of more than 70 professional musicians, the 150-voice Richmond Symphony Chorus and 300 students in the five orchestras of the Richmond Symphony Youth Orchestra Program. Each season, more than 200,000 members of the community enjoy concerts, radio broadcasts, and educational outreach programs.

In 2015, the Richmond Symphony launched a community concert initiative which brings orchestral performances to neighborhoods under a large, outdoor mobile stage known as “The Big Tent.”  In May 2017, the League of American Orchestras and the Ann & Gordon Getty Foundation recognized the Richmond Symphony as a leader in community engagement and innovation in the orchestral field by selecting the Symphony as one of their 21 national Futures Fund orchestras. Committed to artistic excellence and education, the Richmond Symphony is the lead partner in the hosting of the Menuhin Competition (known as “the Olympics of the violin”) in May, 2020.

The Menuhin Competition is the world’s leading international violin competition for young musicians under the age of 22. It has consistently attracted some of the greatest young talents from all over the world and previous prize winners include Tasmin Little, Nikolaj Znaider, Ilya Gringolts, Julia Fischer and more recently Chad Hoopes, Ray Chen and In Mo Yang.

Going beyond the boundaries of traditional music competitions, the Menuhin Competition is a feast for music and violin fans from all over the world. Each competition becomes an eleven-day festival of concerts, masterclasses, talks and engagement activities with world-class performers.

Held every two years, recent competitions were held in Beijing (2012), Austin, Texas (2014), London (2016), and most recently in Geneva (2018). This is only the second time that the competition has been held in the United States.

The next edition of the Competition will be held in Richmond, Virginia, from May 14-24, 2020. The Competition is run by the host consortium, led by the Richmond Symphony, in coordination with the Menuhin Competition Trust.

Position Overview:

The Project Manager will be based in Richmond, VA. Working closely with Richmond Symphony staff, local partners, and the London-based team, the Project Manager will be responsible for the local delivery of the Menuhin Competition Richmond 2020, ensuring the event is delivered on time, within budget and in keeping with its outstanding international reputation for excellence.

The Project Manager functions as a member of the Richmond Symphony Education and Community Engagement team and as such, supports all goals and initiatives of the department.  He/she reports to, and works most closely with, the Richmond Symphony Director of Education and Community Engagement who also serves as the Project Director for the Menuhin Competition Richmond 2020.  The Project Manager will manage relationships with partner organizations in Richmond; track projects and deadlines throughout the event including programming, marketing/communication and production; support ticket sales strategies; secure and manage service providers as required; and lead the locally hired project team of the 2020 Competition, which will be recruited based on the roles and resources anticipated to be required.

This role requires solid experience in the delivery of high-profile music or festival events in the US, excellent administrative and interpersonal skills, and hands-on experience in all production aspects of a music event.

The Project Manager is a benefits-eligible, full-time position appointment to begin full-time in Fall of 2018 and continuing through the completion and wrap-up of the competition, by July 31, 2020.

Key Skills, Knowledge and Experience:

Essential

• Outstanding verbal and written communication skills
• Strong understanding of the classical music scene, including education and performance networks
• Minimum of 5 years’ experience in Arts and/or Event Management, with demonstrable large-scale live event project management expertise (preferably but not necessarily in classical music)
• Strong management skills. Willingness to manage and coach a small team of contract staff, interns, volunteers and to secure strong relationships with service providers
• Strong technology and digital skills
• Proven ability to manage multiple internal and external stake-holders and collaboration partners
• Financial experience of managing event budgets

Preferred

• Experience in the classical music industry
• Experience of working in an international environment and with high profile artists and individuals

Personal Qualities

• High level personal, communication and organizational skills
• Proactive; self-starter
• Outstanding attention to detail
• Enthusiastic interest in classical music and youth
• Energetic, self-directed and a positive team player
• Comfortable within both local and international environments

Applicants must submit:

• Resume, cover letter, salary history and 2 professional references
• Application review begins Oct 31, 2018, and will continue until the position is filled. Electronic submission only.
• Any offer of employment is contingent upon background check.

Please submit materials to menuhin@richmondsymphony.com

Project Manager Job Description

Reports to:  Richmond Symphony Director of Education and Community Engagement, who also serves as the Project Director for Menuhin 2020, and under the overall supervision of the Executive Director of the Richmond Symphony.

Purpose:

The Project Manager functions as a member of the Richmond Symphony Education and Community Engagement team and as such, supports all goals and initiatives of the department.  He/she will be responsible for the local delivery of the Menuhin Competition Richmond 2020, ensuring the event is delivered on time, within budget and in keeping with its outstanding international reputation for excellence.

Main Duties and Responsibilities:

1. Management
   • Project Management of the Menuhin Competition Richmond 2020 on site in Richmond, Virginia.
   • Support productive relationships with partner organizations of the Competition in Richmond and the Menuhin Competition Trust
   • Coordinate artistic planning activities among RSO staff, the Artistic Director and all relevant parties in Richmond
   • Recruit and manage team development leading up to the 2020 event including support staff, service providers, intern and volunteer recruitment as required
   • Support staff and partner providers for communication, filming and live-streaming, marketing
   • Manage catering and other services as required
   • Working with RSO Director of Finance & Administration, manage budget and finances for all Richmond-based expenditures
   • Ensure compliance with legal requirements (insurance, data protection, child protection etc.)
   • Oversee ticket management for Trustees, VIPs, sponsors, competitors and guests

2. Operations
   • Manage and oversee all aspects of the event delivery in Richmond
   • Ensure all planning and completion of tasks are managed according to the Project Plan
   • Manage venue and room requirements for rehearsals, performances and hospitality
   • Manage staging of all competition events in collaboration with RSO Operations staff and stage managers at venues
   • Support filming and web-streaming of the entire competition (live and on-demand)
   • Produce event schedules in collaboration with the Project Director and the Executive Team of the Menuhin Trust, and distribute relevant information and performance schedules as required
   • Book accommodation and travel for jury members and other visiting musicians, and oversee all required ground transport in Richmond
   • Arrange accommodation for competitors in collaboration with partner organizations in Richmond
   • Arrange hospitality and catering as required
3. Administration
   • Produce artist contracts (jury, accompanists, and other visiting musicians)
   • Apply for work permits and visas for jury and other performers as required to comply with US law
   • Provide administrative support relating to visa and performance permits for competitors as required
   • Oversee the co-ordination of timetables and distribution of relevant information and performance schedules in collaboration with the General Manager and Competition Coordinator (UK)
   • Manage invitations for receptions and events leading up to and during the Competition
   • Support the production of the program book and collateral materials

4. Marketing

• Working with RSO Marketing staff and outside council, support the delivery of a comprehensive marketing and communications plan for all Competition events in Richmond
• Support/monitor website updates
• Ensure that General Manager is kept up to date with all Richmond-related marketing and communications so that these can be incorporated into the UK-based activities

5. Communications
   • Be an informed source of information with regard to the Menuhin Competition Richmond 2020 and its events
   • Working with RSO Communications staff and outside council, support the delivery of successful PR campaign by US PR firm; provide PR firm with information, input and guidance as required

Applicants must submit:

• Resume, cover letter, salary history and 2 professional references
• Application review begins Oct 31, 2018, and will continue until the position is filled. Electronic submission only.
• Any offer of employment is contingent upon background check.

Please submit materials to menuhin@richmondsymphony.com