Director of Education

The New Jersey Symphony is seeking a passionate and transformative educator to fill the position of Director of Education. This role is vital in advancing the Symphony’s mission to make classical music accessible to communities across New Jersey through its education programs, most notably the New Jersey Symphony Youth Orchestra.

Title: Director of Education
Department: Education & Community Engagement
Reports to: Vice President of Education & Community Engagement
Supervises: Education Manager, Youth Orchestra program staff and conductors
Location: Principal Office – Newark, New Jersey until Symphony Center opens, at which point Jersey City
Status: Full-Time, Exempt
Salary: $65,000-$75,000

About the Organization

As an integral part of the musical landscape in the country’s most vibrant cultural corridor, the New Jersey Symphony (Symphony) has for over one hundred years continued to enrich lives through a passion for musical excellence and a commitment to New Jersey, its people, and its communities. The Symphony has been recognized by The Wall Street Journal as “a vital, artistically significant musical organization,” led by Music Director Xian Zhang—a “dynamic podium presence”—since 2016. The New York Times has praised Zhang for her “technical abilities, musicianship, and maturity.”

The New Jersey Symphony, with an annual operating budget of more than $17 million and a modest endowment, currently serves as the resident orchestra of the New Jersey Performing Arts Center with additional performance series in four other outstanding venues throughout New Jersey. With more than 140,000 New Jerseyans of all ages enjoying more than 160 concerts, education, and community events each year, and with numerous partnerships with arts organizations, universities, and civic organizations, the Symphony has cultivated broad support, with more than 3,000 loyal patrons donating and subscribing, with thousands more attending each concert weekend.

In addition to its lauded artistic programming, the New Jersey Symphony presents a suite of nationally recognized education and community engagement (ECE) programs that promote meaningful, lifelong engagement with live music, annually serving as many as 60,000 New Jerseyans in nearly all of its 21 counties. Core program offerings include Concerts for Young People; the New Jersey Symphony Youth Orchestra; Preschool Program; and the touring chamber music program, New Jersey Symphony Community Partners. Through its diverse array of programs, the Symphony expands access to quality music instruction as well as provides vital arts learning experiences that reinforce social and emotional learning outcomes, foster confidence, and bring joy.

With a new strategic plan, the New Jersey Symphony now embarks on a bold vision for the future, the centerpiece of which will be a new Symphony Center that includes a 550-seat, versatile performance space in Jersey City.

This transformational initiative and expansion into Jersey City will make the organization a community place-maker and will be the largest venue in Jersey City’s Powerhouse Arts District–a city that is on track to surpass Newark as the most populated city in the state. The new 44,000-square-foot Symphony Center will also include space for administrative offices, establish a permanent rehearsal hall for the musicians, and expand performance, education programs and community engagement opportunities. The Symphony Center will diversify earned revenue through rentals and presenting activities, and increase contributed revenue associated with capital projects and expanded community programs. The New Jersey Symphony, which will activate and manage the venue for the City of Jersey City, expects final interior theater construction to be completed for a January 2027 public opening.

About the Position

The Director of Education oversees the New Jersey Symphony’s education programs, including Youth Orchestra and Coach-in-Residence. This position plays a key role in advancing the Symphony’s mission to make classical music accessible to diverse communities, with a particular focus on serving students in the Greater Newark area. The Director leads strategic planning, program operations, and cross-departmental collaboration to ensure program excellence and sustainability.

Roles and Responsibilities

Lead planning and day-to-day management of education programs in collaboration with VP of ECE and artistic leadership, ensuring integrated curriculum design and guest artist engagement.
Serve as primary liaison among conductors, coaches, students, parents, and school and community partners.
Cultivate relationships with external stakeholders, including key arts partners and school districts.
Administer program evaluation, assessment, and reporting to ensure continuous improvement and alignment with organizational goals.
Produce two youth orchestra concerts annually.
Oversee special programs within the Youth Orchestra, including chamber music offerings, student volunteers, and the Henry Lewis Concerto Competition.
Collaborate with Development team on data and materials for grants and reports.
Coordinate creative content and grassroots marketing with cross-departmental teams to facilitate recruitment, publicity efforts, and audience engagement.
Co-produce annual lobby concerts and feature performances featuring Youth Orchestra students at Symphony concert venues.
Supervise alumni engagement efforts including communication, events, and development of new initiatives.
Other duties as assigned.

Traits and Characteristics

Bachelor’s degree in music performance, music education, or related field, or equivalent experience.
Minimum five years of administrative experience managing arts and/or educational programs.
Experience with youth ensembles and knowledge of orchestral repertoire preferred.
Passion for music education and expanding access for underserved students and communities.
Strong organizational and project management skills; ability to manage multiple priorities.
Excellent written, verbal, and interpersonal communication skills.
Experience leading staff, collaborating across departments, and building community partnerships.
Strong working knowledge of standard Microsoft Office applications and Google Workspace. Experience with CRM software (Tessitura) a plus.
Experience in customer service a plus.

Compensation and Benefits

Salary and Benefits: The salary range for this position is $65,000 to $75,000 commensurate with the applicant’s skills and experience, and benefits package including paid time off, a generous health insurance plan, pension, parking, and other employee benefits, as available. Relocation reimbursement is not offered for this position.

Other Information

Must be able to work evenings and weekends.
Physical requirements include carrying and setting up music folders, music stands, chairs, and supplies.
Valid driver’s license and access to an automobile are encouraged for considerable travel within New Jersey for concerts and events. Frequently, the venues are not directly accessible through public transportation.
Must be authorized to work in the US without sponsorship.

Hours: Full time, evenings, and weekends required, specifically for working at concerts and events in multiple locations throughout northern and central New Jersey.

The New Jersey Symphony celebrates the cultural vibrancy of our communities and builds meaningful relationships that elevate and strengthen them. We seek to create a culture of inclusion and a work environment that values hard work, professionalism, and creativity. We are committed to diversity and equal opportunity in our recruitment and hiring. Qualified candidates of all backgrounds are welcome to apply for open positions.

To Apply

Email resume and cover letter to:

Joanna Borowski, Vice President of Education & Community Engagement
jborowski@njsymphony.org (include “Director of Education” in the subject line)

Only complete applications will be reviewed, and only qualified applicants will be contacted.

The New Jersey Symphony is an equal opportunity employer. No phone calls please.