Chief Executive

The Big Idea; Wellington; Hybrid; NZD 150,000 - 210,000; Full time

Job summary

SOUNZ Centre for New Zealand Music Toi te Arapūoru is seeking a dynamic Chief Executive based in Wellington. The role leads six staff, steers financial management, and drives funding applications and revenue diversification.

You will represent the organisation publicly and advocate for NZ music, connecting composers, performers, and educations with audiences. Reporting to the board of trustees, you will steward strategic initiatives, ensure governance compliance, and foster growth for a national

Qualifications

• Experience leading a non-profit arts organisation or equivalent.
• Strong financial stewardship and budgeting ability.
• Proven track record in fundraising and revenue diversification.
• Excellent stakeholder engagement and public representation skills.

Responsibilities

• Lead and mentor a small team of staff (about six) to deliver SOUNZ objectives.
• Oversee financial management, budgeting, and governance requirements.
• Develop and submit funding applications; diversify revenue streams.
• Make strategic decisions with the board and key stakeholders.
• Act as the public face of the organisation and advocate for NZ music.
• Ensure compliance with policy and organisational governance.

Job description

SOUNZ Centre for New Zealand Music Toi te Arapūoru

SOUNZ Centre for New Zealand Music Toi te Arapūoru is a national organisation dedicated to championing and promoting the sounds and music of Aotearoa. Since 1991 SOUNZ has been the glue that connects and supports composers and music organisations around the motu. SOUNZ works to uplift the many diverse musical voices of the country; covering classical, jazz, Māori music and taonga puoro, Moana Pacific music, sonic art, electroacoustic, and screen music. SOUNZ instils the values of Te Tiriti o Waitangi in all outputs and through its Mahere Reo Māori.

At the heart of SOUNZ is Aotearoa’s most comprehensive digital collection of scores, recordings, videos, and biographies of NZ composers. The searchable catalogue of over 46,000 items enables audiences anywhere in the world to discover and engage with the music of Aotearoa. SOUNZ also publishes composers’ scores for distribution, and has a library and hire service, curated playlists, and extensive educational resources, podcasts, and video series.

SOUNZ is also a living, breathing resource of opportunities and initiatives, playing an active role in supporting 750+ member composers to sustain careers in music. Every year SOUNZ offers and supports professional development opportunities, composer residencies, collaborations, paid commissions with professional ensembles, and awards and prizes for young musicians. SOUNZ also produces SOUNZ Films, thanks to support from NZ On Air and a longstanding relationship with RNZ Concert. SOUNZ collaborates with major industry awards, where the flagship SOUNZ Contemporary Award Te Tohu Auaha is presented annually at the APRA Silver Scroll Awards.

We are looking for a dynamic new Chief Executive with a genuine interest in New Zealand composition. The successful candidate will have a skillset well-aligned with being able to continue SOUNZ’s kaupapa in nourishing the arts ecosystem nationally, acting as a connector between composers, performers, organisations, venues, festivals, educators, students, researchers, and audiences.

The role is based in-person in Wellington, at the SOUNZ office in Toi Aro arts centre.

Reporting to a board of trustees, this role encompasses all that is required of a non-profit arts organisation leader: managing six staff, overseeing financial management and budgeting requirements, crafting funding applications and diversifying revenue streams, making decisions with our key stakeholders, steering projects and activities, compliance and policy, and being a public face of the organisation and strong advocate for the composers we represent and the music we champion.

This role represents an organisation that has been a trusted voice in the music sector for 35 years, responsible for ensuring that NZ music is experienced, developed, discovered on a global scale, and that it continues on into future generations.

More information and a link to a longer job description can be found on the SOUNZ website .