Artistic Manager - Residentie Orkest

Job description artistic manager

The Residentie Orkest employs approximately 124 people, of which 102 are musicians and 22 are office staff. The musicians are covered by the labour conditions agreement (CAO) for Dutch orchestras, and the office staff are covered partly by this agreement and partly by the Rules on Civil Servants (Ambtenarenreglement) of the municipality of The Hague.

The orchestra's home concert hall is the Dr. Anton Philipszaal in The Hague. In addition to giving concerts in The Hague, the orchestra performs widely through the Netherlands and abroad.

The artistic manager is directly supervised by and reports to the general manager. The general manager bears final responsibility for the artistic policy and authorises tasks and budgets. The artistic manager is part of the management team and is responsible for the area of artistic affairs. Within the policy frameworks set by the general manager, the artistic manager concerns him/herself with putting together programmes, the artistic content of these programmes, and choosing and engaging conductors, soloists and choirs. Working with the general manager and chief conductor, he or she maintains the quality of the orchestra. The artistic manager has and makes use of an extensive network within the relevant field.

The artistic manager works closely with the marketing and communications manager and other parties such as the chief conductor, orchestra, artistic committee etc., to ensure coordination. The artistic manager communicates internally with all levels in the organisation, and externally with conductors, soloists, impresarios, producers, concert halls and the like.

Short description
The artistic manager is first responsible for the orchestra's artistic policy and artistic excellence. Supervised by and reports directly to the general manager.

Management

• Supervises the artistic affairs department. Instructs and supervises employees, takes over in complex situations, carries out personnel policy, holds staff meetings, performance appraisals and reviews, optimises conditions for collaboration and promotes a pleasant working atmosphere. Plans, organises and coordinates the performing of the department's activities, safeguards the quality and progress of the work to be done by staff, monitors and gives guidance if necessary.
  
• Manages the department's administration, including budget control, internal organisation, procedures and staffing.
  
• Is first responsible for the purchasing budgets for conductors, soloists and choirs, and sales of concerts and projects (including those assigned).
  
• Is responsible for planning (and programming) tours and projects and their acquisition.
  
• Policy development and recommendations
  
• Translates his/her vision of the orchestra, in dialogue with the chief conductor, artistic committee, the general manager and the management team, into an artistic policy that fits the profile of the Residentie Orkest.
  
• Translates the organisation's established policy into concrete frameworks and guidelines for the department.
  
• Coordinates and oversees the carrying out of the artistic policy and artistic frameworks, including concert-season planning in and outside The Hague.
  
• As a member of the management team, contributes to developing and implementing the policies of the Residentie Orkest as a whole.
  

Programming

• Establishes the guiding principles of the season's programming and the nature of the concerts and concert series, after consulting with the artistic committee, and in dialogue with the general manager, the financial affairs manager, and marketing and communications manager.
  
• Determines the content of the programming and choice of repertoire, after consulting with the chief conductor and the artistic committee, within these set guiding principles. Consults with the marketing and communications manager and orchestral affairs manager about commercial and practical aspects.
  
• Makes suggestions, initiates and makes choices with regard to repertoire, conductors, soloists, venues, and consults with the orchestral affairs department about the forces to use for each concert. In developing these proposals, consults with others including the artistic committee and the chief conductor.
  
• After setting the programming specifications, has supervision over negotiations with representatives for engaging conductors, soloists and choirs.
  
• Is first responsible for arranging a replacement for a conductor and/or soloist.
  
• Is responsible for selling concerts and projects to other venues, and to this end has the necessary consultations with the marketing and communications manager.
  
• Provides the planning for concerts outside the standard venue.
  Is first responsible for artistic policy with regard to audio, video and multimedia projects.
  

Other

• With the chief conductor, is first responsible for the quality of the orchestra.
  
• In consultation with section leaders and orchestra manager, maintains and monitors the level of playing of the orchestra as a whole and of individual orchestra members. Attends rehearsals and concerts for this purpose. Takes all necessary measures to maintain, and if necessary to improve, quality.
  
• Evaluates engaged and potential conductors and soloists and discusses them with artistic committee.
  
• Is part of audition committee.
  
• Contributes to profiling the Residentie Orkest in order to achieve a good competitive position domestically and internationally.
  

Knowledge and skills, job requirements

• High level of professional and intellectual ability, equivalent to university or Dutch HBO-plus.
  
• Thorough knowledge of the material in the areas relevant to the department.
  
• Thorough knowledge of English, both written and spoken.
  
• Affinity with and knowledge of the organisation's international work area.
  
• Extensive network within the sector.
  

Competences

• Relevant work experience in a similar position.
  
• Creativity.
  
• Excellent social skills.
  
• Managerial capacities.
  
• Involvement.
  
• Flexible attitude with regard to working hours.
  

Besides the duties described here, the artistic manager may be charged with other tasks as they arise, by or on behalf of the general manager.

Additional information
Starting date: 1 January 2009
Work week: 40 hours
Salary range: Scale13, municipality of The Hague

Interviews will take place on 25, 26, 30 September and 1 October.

Send responses, preferably by e-mail, before 15 September to annemieke.gerritse@residentieorkest.nl

Or by post to:

Residentie Orkest
Personeelszaken
Attn: Annemieke Gerritse
Postbox 11543
2502 AM The Hague

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