Executive Director - Role Description

"Out of the plethora of vocal ensembles in the UK, SANSARA stands out for me as something really exceptional" - Judith Weir DBE

With over ten years of the highest level of choral music-making behind us and a bold artistic vision at our heart, SANSARA is at a pivotal and exciting moment in its journey. Our new part-time role of Executive Director will sit at a senior level alongside our co-founder and Artistic Director (AD) Tom Herring, working closely with him on the leadership of the organisation.

This is a rare opportunity to help drive one of the UK's most pioneering vocal ensembles into its next chapter and build a long-term legacy of impactful work.

We acutely recognise that SANSARA has a long way to go to be more representative of the audiences we strive to reach. We particularly encourage applications from people who are currently underrepresented at SANSARA and across professional choral music in the UK, especially candidates from Black and Minoritised Ethnic communities and applicants with a lived experience of disability.

We are an inclusive organisation and we don't require degrees to work for us. You might have gathered your skills through professional, personal or voluntary experience, but if you think you meet the requirements set out below, we want to hear from you.

About Us

SANSARA is a community of professional singers, composers, and creatives from across the UK forging a new role for choral music as a vital and dynamic cultural force. Together, we're committed to reimagining the choral experience.

As a registered charity (CIO No. 1179978), our vision is for professional choral music-making to be a vehicle for social cohesion, engaging with the complex, messy issues of our time through collaborative, experimental programming to inspire diverse audiences and create spaces of belonging where all are welcome.

Recent projects include collaborations with Abel Selaocoe, Manchester Collective, United Strings of Europe and Fretwork. Winners of the London International A Cappella Choir Competition, our performance highlights include Southbank Centre, Wigmore Hall, Kings Place, Barbican, Bridgewater Hall, De Singel (Belgium), St John's Smith Square, St Martin-in-the-Fields, V&A and several leading UK festivals.

Our name echoes the ancient Sanskrit word 'samsara' - the transformational experience moving through life's cycles. The cycles of modern life can be overwhelming. Our work is rooted in the unique potential of choral music to enhance the mental and physical wellbeing of audiences and singers.

Whether commissioning new music that brings refugee communities together, making a podcast about love and resistance, or using ensemble singing to support the journey through loss, we believe in the power of choral music to help make sense of the challenges of today.

What you'll do

As Executive Director, you will work closely with the AD to seek exciting future opportunities, solidify SANSARA's operational processes, and maintain strong governance.

We want to find someone who will shape this new role as their own, building on their existing strengths and developing new skills as part of our small but dynamic team. The tasks below aren't binding or exhaustive, but an idea of some of the areas of work we would like our ED to cover.

Strategy

  • work closely with the AD and trustees to hone and implement SANSARA's strategy

  • drive SANSARA's organisational development, internal and external through strategic partnerships

Operations

  • lead on project management for the organisation, overseeing the planning and delivery phases of concerts, recordings and workshops with support from AD and occasional project-specific administrators

  • liaise with external stakeholders and project partners in collaboration with the AD

  • manage external contractors in collaboration with the AD

  • negotiate contracts with support from the AD and board

Finance

  • lead on financial management of the organisation in partnership with the Treasurer (trustee) and Finance Manager

  • produce and manage annual and project budgets

  • management of cashflow

Income generation

  • lead on income generation for the organisation

  • seek business development opportunities to diversify income streams

  • co-manage Development Assistant with the AD, providing guidance and support on funding applications

  • foster and develop relationships with SANSARA's existing and prospective private donors

Charity

  • attend Board meetings with AD, co-producing and circulating agenda and managing governance records

  • co-create annual and quarterly financial reports with Treasurer and Finance Manager

  • support the Board with governance, production and implementation of policies

Example six month period

  • 3-4 performances in UK/abroad

  • 1 week of recording sessions

  • 3 community workshops

  • 2 board meetings

Is this you?

We are looking for somebody who is:

  • passionate about innovation and change in professional choral music

  • a leader with experience of driving an arts organisation from the business side

  • a self-motivated and independent worker, used to taking initiative and getting things done themselves

  • a strong collaborator, committed to the principle that more can be achieved when working together and building deep relationships with internal and external colleagues

  • passionate about organisational development and harnessing new opportunities to take SANSARA to the next level

  • a strong networker and willing to use existing key contacts in the role

  • engaged with the wider industry and with a finger on the pulse of developments in the arts globally

We definitely need:

  • leadership experience, and a willingness to take senior responsibility within the charity alongside our AD

  • experience of working in a small arts charity or within the classical music sector

  • experience of financial planning and management, including income generation

  • experience of developing and growing an organisation or project

  • clear and open communication style and strong interpersonal skills

  • an innovative approach to solving complex problems

  • someone very organised, and able to juggle multiple competing priorities

  • a commitment to equity, inclusion and wellbeing, modelling a culture at SANSARA which foregrounds people and belonging

Nice to haves include:

  • existing network which you are willing to bring to the role

  • knowledge or understanding of Creative Health initiatives and approaches

Role summary

  • This is a part-time freelance role, working on average one day (8 hours) a week with additional hours on a project by project basis

  • This time can be spent flexibly across multiple days

  • The Executive Director will be contracted as an Independent Contractor on an initial 12 month agreement, subject to a 3 month probationary period

  • Contract to be accompanied by a Scheme of Delegated Authority setting out the role's relation to the board of trustees

  • The role will be paid at a day rate of £250

We understand this might look like a large role description for one day a week: the areas outlined above are all scaled to meet the needs of a small but mighty - arts organisation.

Application next steps

Got a question?

If you're not ready to submit an application but want to have an informal conversation with us, please get in touch by writing to Tom Herring on tom@sansarachoir.com

How to apply

To apply for this role, you will need to send us:

  • Your CV/resumé including:

    • your full name and contact details (phone and email)

    • relevant skills and experience

  • A cover letter (one side of A4) which addresses the following questions/prompts:

    • What excites you about the prospect of working with SANSARA?

    • What past experience do you have that will have the biggest impact in this role? (please highlight specific personal contributions here)

    • Suggest at least two potential partners (promoter/venue/artist/festival) you think SANSARA should be working with and explain why.

    • If you had one big idea for SANSARA's future, what would it be?

We're more than happy to make adjustments to the application process. For example, you may wish to submit a video or audio recording of your answers instead of a written application. If you have specific access requirements, please don't hesitate to get in touch.

Process

  • Applications close: Sunday 5 October

  • Initial review & shortlisting: We will review all applications and contact shortlisted candidates by email on or before Friday 10 October.

  • Interviews: First-round interviews will be conducted online between Monday 13 and Friday 17 October. We will provide further details on the interview format to shortlisted candidates.

  • Final Decision: We aim to notify all shortlisted candidates of the outcome by Monday 20 October.

Feedback

We understand the time and effort that goes into an application. Unsuccessful candidates will be offered feedback on their application and/or interview upon request.

Use the button below to either submit your application or get in touch to arrange an informal conversation.