About Our Organization
Neighborhood Music School (NMS) is a remarkable community asset located in downtown New Haven, with a 114-year history of providing high-quality performing arts programming to learners of all ages, types, and skill levels from across Connecticut and beyond. NMS ofers diverse study in music, dance, and drama focused on artistry, life skills development and personal well-being, and is known as a place that welcomes students of all races, backgrounds, and identities.
From our humble beginnings as a social service agency providing free music instruction to local immigrants, NMS has grown to become the largest community arts education organization in Connecticut with an operating budget of $5.2 million.
Today, NMS serves nearly 2,300 students each year, bringing together students from hundreds of neighborhoods and communities under one roof to learn and perform side-by-side, and form lasting relationships. One of the greatest strengths of our school lies in the tenure and talent of our 118 dedicated teaching artists, many of whom have taught at NMS for decades. Programming has continuously evolved in response to community needs and interests and now includes one-on-one lessons, group classes and ensembles, an arts-infused preschool and middle school, and after-school and summer programs. Our commitment to accessibility is exemplifed by the more than 500 students who receive fnancial aid, scholarships, and tuition waivers each year. In addition to our main campus in New Haven, NMS ofers programming in ten satellite locations across the state.
Job Summary
The Director of Student Services (DSS) is charged with bringing people together and creating a sense of radical hospitality for everyone who works or studies at, or visits Neighborhood Music School (NMS). With 21 staf, 118 teachers, and an average of 1,500 students walking through the doors every week, the front of house is a bustling environment. Living and breathing the question, “Can I help you?”, the DSS manages and contributes to a team of customer service and registration professionals whose primary role is to ensure everyone who enters our building feels welcomed, informed, and helped. As a member of the Administrative Department Head team, the DSS shares in the responsibility for the overall health and direction of the organization, working together to realize NMS’s mission of deepening the human experience and building connections through the learning, practice, and presentation of the performing arts.
Responsibilities
• Optimize and oversee the systems, processes, and policies that support the recruitment, enrollment, and retention of NMS’s students;
• Set the tone for what hospitality looks and feels like at NMS. Integrate NMS’s core values and anti- bias anti-racism commitment into customer service norms, systems, processes, and policies;
• Bring together and manage a dynamic and responsive front of house team by creating a positive and collaborative workplace environment, and by providing training, supervision, mentorship, and support for their wellbeing and continued professional development;
• Be an active member of the front of house team, willing and able to perform registration duties as needed, especially during the frst year in the role;
• In partnership with the Director of School Operations, oversee the front of house operations, creating a welcoming and safe environment;
• Connect the interests and needs of multiple stakeholder groups, acting as a liaison between students and families, teachers, programming, and staf through deep listening, efective communication, and mutually benefcial advocacy;
• In partnership with the Student Advisor, program leadership, and teachers, welcome new students and families into NMS through an efcient and personable enrollment process, not only into their chosen program but to the full program continuum, and by connecting them to the organization as a whole;
• Play a role in facilitating students’ engagement with NMS by serving as the primary point of contact for problem solving, and by investing in their ongoing educational journey and success;
• Collaborating with the Communications Manager and program directors/managers to ensure that students and families have up-to-date information about registration, and are informed about educational oferings, value added events, and performances;
• Collect and use student and family feedback with the goal of continuously improving the NMS experience and to inform organization-wide planning;
• In partnership with the Senior Director of Programs and Director of Finance, utilize an enrollment and retention dashboard to improve workfows, advise strategy, and inform decision making in relation to the organization’s financial goals;
• Serve as a member of the Administrative Department Head team, working collaboratively to realize the organization’s mission and vision, as well as bringing Student Services successes and challenges to the table.
Click here for the full job description and scope of responsibilities.
Job Qualifications & Requirements
General
• An understanding of the NMS mission and a love of the arts;
• Appreciation of the diversity of the New Haven region and the NMS community;
• Commitment to equity and inclusion, and a desire to be part of building an anti-bias anti-racist culture;
• A desire to lead through compassion and service and a commitment for personal growth.
Specific
• Administrative professional whose career path demonstrates increasing responsibility in a busy and complex front facing and customer experience focused environment;
• Experience collaborating with and contributing to a larger leadership team to support overall organizational health and strategy;
• Experience working in a school, afterschool, or educational setting is highly desirable;
• Non-proft and or community focused work or volunteer experience is a plus;
• Must have managed and developed diverse teams in multiple roles; a demonstrated commitment to building team culture and to the growth of early career professionals;
• Skilled at working with and maximizing CRM/database systems;
• Personal participation in arts education programming would be helpful;
• Spanish speaking skills would be an asset in this role;
• A degree is welcomed but not required.
Essential Skills
• Can see all the work that needs to be done and then confgure a workfow to support the efcient execution of that work, utilizing the energy and strengths of the team responsible;
• An understanding of the relationship between customer service and revenue generation;
• A skilled systems builder and project manager with the ability to train others in consistent implementation;
• Exceptional written and verbal communication skills including the capacity to hear and understand information through a variety of lenses;
• A person who can easily shift between disparate responsibilities; interacting with students and families, completing detailed registration tasks, leading and or participating in team meetings;
• Tenacious approach to solving problems, with a strong interest in helping others;
• An ability to thrive managing multiple moving parts, immediate concerns, time sensitive deadlines, and comfortable reprioritizing tasks based on new information and needs.
Qualities
• The combination of high executive functioning and high emotional intelligence;
• Strong and stable presence and constitution with a gentle hand;
• Asks questions to express interest, gain knowledge, and to understand people and situations before taking action;
• Energized by collaborative problem solving;
• Kind, patient, caring, helpful;
• Ultimately, a professional people person!
Additional Details
Click here for the opportunity guide and job description.
How to Apply
Neighborhood Music School has engaged LJN Advisory to partner with them in hiring for this important role. Please email a cover letter and resume to LJN@lornajanenorris.com by May 15th. Cover letters should be responsive to the mission and values of Neighborhood Music School and to the responsibilities and qualifcations laid out in the position profle. Review of applications will begin immediately and continue until the successful candidate has been selected. All applications will be personally acknowledged and reviewed.
Neighborhood Music School is an equal opportunity employer. In accordance with anti- discrimination law, it is the purpose of this policy to efectuate these principles and mandates. NMS prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type and afords equal employment opportunities to employees and applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, pregnancy, age, national origin, disability status, genetic information, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law. NMS conforms to the spirit as well as to the letter of all applicable laws and regulations.
To learn more about NMS please visit our website at nmsnewhaven.org.