Wintergreen Music

Director of artistic operations JOB POSTING

Wintergreen Music (“WM”) seeks an energetic, organized, and passionate Director of Artistic Operations to support Wintergreen Music’s month-long summer Festival planning and operations as well as additional educational and year-round programming.

• Job Title: Director of Artistic Operations (“DofAO”) – REMOTE/ONSITE

• Job Type: Year-Round, “Full-Time Flex”. Remote employee position. Required onsite residency at Wintergreen Resort (main site of the Festival) between June 26 & July 29, 2025.

Duties & Responsibilities:

This position leads operational details for artistic endeavors of Wintergreen Music, most substantially the Wintergreen Music Festival and LEAD Cooperative. During the Festival, the DofAO will coordinate and manage operational, staffing, and schedule details of all events. During the off-season, the DofAO will work in collaboration with the Artistic Director (AD), Executive Director (ED), and staff to manage such activities as schedules, contracts, and artistic communication. 

Duties and hours of this position will be mutually agreed upon by the Artistic Director, Executive Director, and candidate. The WM team works flexibly and remotely throughout the year with onsite residency during the live Festival.

Off-Season Duties:

• Execute &  manage collection of all artist-related contracts

• Create artistic schedules, including the master and artist/education schedules, coordinating with staff & partners as needed

• Serve as main point of contact for logistic and operational planning with Resort representatives

• Schedule & coordinate Festival load-in & load-out; maintain inventory & related tracking systems. Work with staff to secure volunteers as needed.

• Create, manage, and track artistic budget, reporting to ED & coordinating with AD and Production Manager. Secure operations, artistic, and production-related rentals for the Festival (i.e. tent, sound, lighting, pianos, vans, copiers, music).

• Assist AD with artistic planning as needed for Festival & LEAD, including repertoire research and scheduling.

• Collect Artist Bios, guest artist press kits; share & update with Marketing Team

• Collect artist travel and housing information, supervising & working with the Housing Coordinator to place musicians in appropriate housing. 

• Communicate Festival details & updates with artists; create production sheets, artistic itineraries, and other documents related to the smooth operation of the Festival

• Supervise & manage library procurement & preparations

• With AD, ED, and staff, participate in and manage selection and training of Arts Administration Fellows

• Assist with gathering, organization, and proofing of artistic program book, app, and website content

• DofAO will be listed as a Faculty Member of the LEAD Cooperative Arts Administration program

• Oversee operation planning and production support for any off-season performance events, as needed.

• Other duties as assigned

Festival Duties:

• Oversee Arts Administration Fellows, directing and managing their work plan for the Festival and LEAD Cooperative. Work with other staff members  to distribute work plans for all aspects of the Festival. Create and maintain detailed operations sheets and records for all events

• Working with the Resort, organize and schedule spaces for Festival and LEAD Cooperative rehearsals, securing rentals or items as needed

• With Education Team, organize transportation needs for LEAD Cooperative students, Festival artists and guest artists; serve as main liaison for Festival and guest artists

• As needed, troubleshoot artist housing logistics with Housing Coordinator

• Create and distribute guest artist schedules and coordinate hospitality needs with volunteers

• Assist AD and Executive Director (ED) with administrative tasks throughout the Festival

• Supervise and oversee Festival Operations team, including Production Manager and summer contracted support. 

• Manage the daily schedule of the AD

• Other duties as assigned

Requirements/Qualifications:

WM is seeking an experienced manager and organizer with a musical background and experience working within the performing arts industry. The Director of Artistic Operations must have positive energy and communication skills, be collaborative, accountable, and support the core values of Wintergreen Music. The DofAO plays an important role in creating a nurturing and supportive environment in which our professional, community, and student artists and administrators can challenge themselves and find artistic inspiration. Must have a passion for, knowledge of, and interest in the Classical Music industry. Excellent, professional written and verbal communication skills and experience managing others. Project planning, coordination, ability to multitask, and time management skills are imperative. Fluency in technology and computer skills including Google Drive, Office, Zoom, Dropbox, Squarespace, and social media preferred. Sense of humor and confidence to share input and suggestions in a positive and constructive manner are essential.

The Wintergreen Music Festival is located at Wintergreen Resort in the Virginia Blue Ridge Mountains, about 40 miles southwest of Charlottesville, Virginia. The DofAO will work remotely during the year, and must be on site from June 26 – July 29, 2025. DofAO must have a car, valid driver’s license, and personal technology (smartphone with texting plan and laptop).

Compensation & Benefits:

Employee full-time flex position – salary commensurate with experience. Housing, free unlimited use of the Aquatics and Fitness Center, and free admission to Festival events are provided during the Festival.

Testimonials

While the operations position is expanding from “Manager” to “Director,” the core of the position as a lynch pin to Festival Operations remains. Previous Operations Managers have the following to say about the organization:

“Wintergreen Music has been a wonderful organization to call home for the past two years! The board, staff, musicians, and Festival partners have cultivated an environment that is welcoming, encouraging, supportive, and inspiring. I am a better person, both personally and professionally, for having worked at the Festival."

"Wintergreen values the voices of their staff and artistic community. Creative thinking and new ideas are welcome, and collaboration is at the heart of how the organization operates – creating a thoughtful, inclusive and positive work environment."

Organization Description:

Located in Virginia’s Blue Ridge Mountains, Wintergreen Music (legally known as Wintergreen Performing Arts, Inc.) is a nonprofit organization that produces a high-quality summer music Festival featuring symphonic and chamber concerts, as well as other performing arts programs throughout the year. Education is a major part of its mission, reflected both in the Wintergreen Music LEAD Cooperative and in community engagement programs for those living in the surrounding area. By attracting first-rate musicians to participate as performers and educators, Wintergreen Music strives to enrich the lives of all–residents and visitors alike–who share the unique Wintergreen experience.

The WMF presents a core of fully professional musicians and guest artists who perform orchestra, chamber, and solo music. Many of the musicians are teaching artists who teach in the LEAD Cooperative, a program for advanced student instrumentalists, vocalists, conductors, composers, and budding arts administrators. With seven programs, the LEAD Cooperative (a new educational initiative and extension of the former Academy) serves a niche group of around 30 students. In addition to the core of classical music, WMF presents jazz, bluegrass, and popular concerts as well as interactive, audience participation opportunities and daily seminars. Public events are presented every day during the Festival, resulting in a full and exciting experience for musicians, staff, students, and patrons alike. Since its inception, WM has relied proudly and heavily on an ever-growing corps of volunteers to accomplish the feat of running a Festival. In addition, the local and semi-local community generously supports WM financially. The annual budget is approximately $900,000, in addition to substantial contributions of housing for the musicians and students during the Festival.

APPLICATION INFORMATION

• Application deadline: October 15. Applications reviewed upon receipt. Position open until filled.

• Apply to: Julianne Akins Smith, Executive Director

• Apply to e-mail: info@wintergreenmusic.org

• Phone: 434.361.0541

• Organization Web Address: WintergreenMusic.org

• Application Procedure: Electronic submissions only sent to info@wintergreenmusic.org with the subject line: “Director of Artistic Operations position”. All applications will be considered confidential. Please send .pdfs only of the following documents:

  • Cover letter

  • Resume

  • Three references with email and phone numbers