What are the responsibilities and job description for the Executive Director position at Williamsburg Symphony Orchestra?
Executive Director
The Williamsburg Symphony Orchestra (WSO), a regional professional orchestra in Virginia and a beloved community asset, is seeking a passionate and innovative leader to join us as our next Executive Director. The Williamsburg Symphony Orchestra is culturally rooted in a community with a population of more than 100,000. This is a unique opportunity to lead a thriving organization in one of America’s most desirable and culturally rich communities.
The successful candidate will join an organization that is highly collaborative in nature, with extraordinary comity between the Board, the Executive Director, the Music Director, and the Musicians, and is searching for an Executive Director who fits into the collaborative culture.
The WSO is committed to artistic excellence, community engagement, and organizational growth. The new Executive Director will work alongside the gifted Music Director Michael Butterman, highly skilled professional musicians, a committed Board of Trustees, and a dedicated staff who support a season of Symphonic concerts and educational initiatives.
The WSO is considered a Group 6 orchestra with a budget of nearly $1 million and is in a financially solid position. The orchestra is non-union, but it operates with a strict set of guidelines and offers competitive pay, allowing it to attract some of the brightest musical talent in the region. The Masterworks concert series is performed at the state-of-the-art Williamsburg Community Chapel, featuring 1,200 seats, livestream technology, and a professional support team (https://williamsburgsymphony.org/schedule/venue/#seating).
The WSO 2025-2026 Concert Season consists of five masterworks concerts featuring internationally acclaimed guest artists, three pops concerts, two educational concerts for classes of more than nine hundred 4th and 5th graders, a biennial Side-by-Side Concert with our affiliated Williamsburg Youth Orchestra, the Nutcracker with Virginia Regional Ballet, and a special co-commission with the National Symphony Orchestra, written by Peter Boyer for America’s 250th anniversary, and finally, numerous quartet and quintet concerts throughout the community.
The WSO has a strong education and outreach program. In addition to the concerts for 4th and 5th graders, the orchestra presents “Peter and the Wolf” performances to all elementary students every five years. It also partners with our Williamsburg Youth Orchestra, providing a biennial Side-by-Side Concert, as well as instrumental coaching and mentorship during the season. The WSO has an instrument loan program, with sixty instruments loaned out each year.
Position Description
The Executive Director (ED) serves as the chief administrator and financial manager for The Williamsburg Symphony Orchestra (WSO) and its related activities and programs. This person is responsible for strategic planning and operational efficiencies of programs. The Executive Director works closely with the board and manages a small, dedicated staff to achieve the organization’s goals and objectives. The Executive Director also serves as the point person for fundraising and is expected to become deeply involved in the community, as well as being responsible for marketing and the development of donor relationships. The Executive Director (ED) and Music Director (MD) report directly to the Chair of the Board of Trustees (BOT).
Applications should include a cover letter and résumé and be submitted by email to williamsburgsymphony@gmail.com no later than July 31, 2025. All applications will be handled with the utmost confidentiality. We welcome inquiries from candidates who bring vision, leadership, and enthusiasm for contributing to a dynamic and fast-paced organization.