Executive Director, Philadelphia Folksong Society

Posted by Philadelphia Folksong Society on December 01, 2014

The Philadelphia Folksong Society is a not for profit educational organization dedicated to the encouragement, dissemination, and enjoyment of folk music and related expressions of folklore, and the sponsoring of research, education, therapeutic programs and related publications.

The Folksong Society’s goals are:
• Permanence and Sustainability
o Audience and Membership Development
o Presentations, events and meetings
• Produce revenue
• Promote folk music arts
• Sustain and develop performers
• Bring people together
• Educate
• Build a Community around Folk Music
• Entertain

The PFS is most well known for its annual Philadelphia Folk Festival held in August, run primarily by a large staff of volunteers and attended by approximately 8000 to 10,000 people daily. Other annual events include the Spring Thing and Fall Fling weekend events, and a mid winter Cabin Fever one-day event. There are also monthly membership concerts, as well as numerous house concerts, workshops and sings organized by PFS volunteers.

The Folksong Society is governed by an eleven member Board of Directors. The current budget is about $1.25 million. Current staffing includes one full-time Associate Director, one interim development associate, and one part-time bookkeeper. More information on the Folksong Society can be found on the web site: http://www.pfs.org.

Ideal candidates for this position will:

• Be a proven professional and inspiring leader with a background in the performing arts and an interest in folk and roots music, both contemporary and traditional.
• Possess the marketing skills and experience necessary to build awareness related to the field of folk music and create a strong powerful brand for the PFS.
• Be an excellent administrator capable of managing the operations of the PFS.
• Have demonstrated success creating successful development plans, writing substantial grant applications, obtaining funds, creating and maintaining mutually rewarding working with funders. Existing contacts with established funding sources as well as prospective funders preferred.
• Have extensive experience utilizing written and verbal communication skills including copywriting, business writing, grant writing, presentation and facilitation skills.
• Be able to work effectively and in alignment with the Board of Directors.
• Be willing to work in collaboration with a dedicated group of volunteers
• Be computer literate with at least 5 years experience with Microsoft Office (Word, PowerPoint and Excel) Relational database experience a plus. Internet and email.

http://www.idealist.org/view/job/XTpWtgSBZGBD