Giving a voice to Walt Disney Concert Hall, the Grammy-nominated Los Angeles Master Chorale (LAMC) is led by Artistic Director Grant Gershon. The New York Times calls the choir "inspired," and the Los Angeles Times declares it "the nation's most pioneering major chorus." The Chorale is currently launching its 51st season as a resident company of The Music Center of Los Angeles County and its 12th as the resident chorus at Walt Disney Concert Hall. Presenting its own concert series each season, it performs choral music from the earliest writings to the most recent contemporary compositions.

To date, the choir has commissioned 42 and premiered 88 new works, of which 57 were world premieres, and has been awarded three ASCAP/Chorus America Awards for Adventurous Programming as well as Chorus America’s prestigious Margaret Hillis Award for Choral Excellence. The Chorale has performed well over 300 concerts with the Los Angeles Philharmonic at both Disney Hall and the Hollywood Bowl, and in spring 2013 toured with the Philharmonic to Europe and New York City.

It has also appeared at the Ojai Music Festival, the Great Performers series at Lincoln Center, the Ravinia Festival, and the Overture Center in Madison, Wisconsin, as well as in leading venues throughout the Southland. Its discography includes five commercial CDs under Gershon’s baton. The latest, released in 2012 on Decca, features three works by Polish composer Henryk Górecki. LAMC previously released three CDs under its late Music Director Emeritus Paul Salamunovich on RCM, including the Grammy-nominated Lauridsen-Lux Aeterna. The Chorale is also featured with Gershon on the soundtracks of such major motion pictures as Lady in the Water and License to Wed. Serving more than 30,000 audience members of all ages annually, LAMC also provides education outreach to some 6,000 students each year.

With a fiscal 2015 operating budget of $4.8 million, Los Angeles Master Chorale is governed by a 21-member Board of Directors and has a full-time staff of 13. The company is in sound financial condition, with net assets of $3.9 million at June 2013, which is anticipated to be maintained in the current fiscal year. In recent years operating results have been close to break even, with small deficits in some years offset by surpluses in others. An endowment, invested with the Music Center Foundation, was valued at $2.5 million at June 2013.

In May 2014, LAMC announced an extension of Grant Gershon’s artistic directorship through the 2019-2020 season, signaling an institutional commitment to an expanded artistic vision that builds on the Chorale’s enormous success, optimizes the impact of the organization’s accomplishments thus far, and ultimately sets a new standard for choral music. Although specific outcomes from this larger and longer term vision will be determined though a forthcoming strategic planning process, LAMC is likely to pursue it through enhancing the concert experience, performing in other venues in addition to Walt Disney Concert Hall, and undertaking special projects and artistic initiatives.

POSITION SUMMARY

Critical to LAMC’s success in meeting its long term goals is sound and stable infrastructure – financial and human resources allocation of responsibilities, efficiency and productivity – ensuring that LAMC has the foundation on which to build its expanded artistic vision and achieve incremental, sustainable growth over time. An important first step is the creation of the Chief Financial Officer (CFO) position, which will play a key role in the institution’s expansion and future success. Reporting to the President & CEO, the CFO guides LAMC’s financial policy and direction while also being an active partner with the senior leadership team in planning the organization’s future strategy and implementing ongoing operations. She or he will lead all financial administration, business planning, budgeting, human resource administration, and information technology initiatives. The CFO collaborates and works closely with peers on the senior leadership team, including the President & CEO, Artistic Director, General Manager, and Director of Development, as well as the Treasurer, Finance and Audit Committees, and other members of an active and engaged Board of Directors

PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES

• Primary responsibilities and duties of the CFO position encompass the following, occasionally requiring evening and weekend hours as needed:
• Ensure the prudent and responsible management of LAMC’s financial assets and provide strategic recommendations to the President & CEO and senior leadership team on operational, legal, and financial issues as they arise.
• Oversee annual and multi-year budgeting, and the implementation of budgets, so as to monitor progress and present operational metrics both internally and externally
• Supervise month- and year-end close process, assuring that financial record systems are maintained in accordance with Generally Accepted Accounting Principles.
• Prepare and present timely and accurate financial reporting materials for LAMC’s President & CEO, Finance Committee, Board of Directors, and funding organizations (as appropriate) including monthly and annual financial statements.
• Create accurate cash and liquidity forecasting and manage short- and long-term cash flow on an ongoing basis.
• Participate in the strategic planning process as an integral member of the senior leadership team.
• Create accurate forecasts and analyses of artistic and administrative plans, including projected financial impacts of different presented alternatives.
• Manage all project-based and departmental financial reporting, including reconciling gift revenue with the Development Department and ticket sale revenue with box office.
• Coordinate all audit activities.
• Review and develop finance procedures and processes, and make recommendations for increased efficiency and effectiveness.
• Assure legal compliance with all local, state, and federal tax filings and annual reporting regulations.
• Maintain accounting for endowment funds to meet requirements for donor reporting.
• Manage LAMC’s banking, insurance, and external auditor relationships
• Advise senior staff on terms and conditions of significant business contracts and maintain electronic filing of all contractual documents.
• Provide oversight of all human resource functions, maintaining LAMC’s policies and procedures for compliance with federal and state laws and guiding all staff in their effective implementation.
• Oversee, administer, and monitor payroll and employee benefit programs.
• Guide all LAMC’s information technology needs and processes, contracting with outside support as needed.
• Perform other duties as assigned by the President & CEO.

TRAITS AND CHARACTERISTICS

The CFO must be a highly organized, analytical, and goal-oriented leader with superior conceptual thinking, planning, and problem solving abilities. A systematic and practical person with strong intellectual curiosity, she or he will have a well-rounded set of capabilities that sets him/her apart from others, including strong data analysis and financial modeling skills. She or he will have an innate ability to develop, monitor, and follow policies and procedures balanced by the motivation to be of service to a variety of mission-focused stakeholders. She or he will be a self-starter who enjoys the craft of accounting and strives for accuracy, transparency and insight in presenting financial reports and analysis and takes the initiative to improve efficiency and effectiveness of the business office and the overall organization. The selected individual will have a well-rounded set of competencies that sets her or him apart from others in the field. The successful candidate will posses a high level of personal accountability and self-management, the ability to identify and prioritize activities that lead to the attainment of goals, strong capability for planning and organizing, and the ability to work effectively and productively with others.

QUALIFICATIONS

A Bachelor's degree with 5-10 years' experience in a senior financial management role, or the equivalent combination of education and experience is required. Prior experience as a Chief Financial Officer is preferred. CPA is preferred but not required. Expertise in the nonprofit, for-profit sectors, or hybrid business models is strongly preferred. Familiarity with non-profit financial reporting and payroll systems is an advantage. Knowledge of CYMA is a plus. Strong Microsoft Office skills, particularly in the development and oversight of multi-sheet Excel reporting models, are required.

COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS

Competitive compensation and benefits that include: health, vision, dental, accidental death & dismemberment and long-term disability insurance; employee contributed 403(b) plan; vacation, holiday and sick leave; and the pleasures of life in the vibrant city of Los Angeles.

APPLICATIONS AND INQUIRIES

Please submit a cover letter and resume with a summary of demonstrable accomplishments, electronic submission preferred, to:

Ms. Laurie Dowling, Senior Consultant Arts Consulting Group, Inc. 8581 Santa Monica Boulevard, Suite 406 Los Angeles, CA 90069 Tel (323) 721.0141 x7
Fax (888) 284.6651 Email: LAMC@ArtsConsulting.com

Los Angeles Master Chorale is an Equal Opportunity Employer.