Description

President & Chief Executive Officer

New Mexico Philharmonic
Albuquerque, New Mexico

The New Mexico Philharmonic (NMPhil), the state’s largest professional symphony orchestra and a vital cultural anchor for Albuquerque and New Mexico, invites applications and nominations for the position of President & Chief Executive Officer. This search follows the planned leadership transition of NMPhil’s founding CEO, who has guided the organization through its first 15 seasons of artistic growth, financial stabilization, and deep community engagement.

This is a rare opportunity to assume the chief executive leadership of a respected, resilient orchestra through a deliberate, Board-approved, multi-phase transition designed to ensure organizational continuity, knowledge transfer, and long-term success.

 
The Opportunity

The President & CEO serves as the chief executive and public leader of the New Mexico Philharmonic, responsible for advancing artistic excellence, financial sustainability, community relevance, and organizational effectiveness. Working in close partnership with the Board of Directors and Music Director, the CEO leads strategy, operations, fundraising, external relations, and institutional culture.

Recognizing the breadth of responsibilities currently carried by the founding CEO, the Board has adopted a three-phase transition model, allowing the incoming executive to fully learn, lead, and ultimately assume sole responsibility for the organization over time.

 
The Transition Structure

The successful candidate will be appointed initially as Vice President / Incoming CEO, with a clearly defined pathway to the President & CEO role.

Phase 1 – Mentored Transition
The Incoming CEO works closely with the current CEO in an intensive mentorship and onboarding period. During this phase, the Incoming CEO gains deep familiarity with NMPhil’s operations, artistic planning, finances, fundraising systems, labor relations, community partnerships, and governance culture, while gradually assuming leadership responsibility in key areas.

Phase 2 – Shared Leadership 
The Incoming CEO and current CEO serve as Co-CEOs, sharing executive authority and responsibilities. The Incoming CEO takes primary leadership in defined domains while continuing to benefit from the experience, relationships, and institutional knowledge of the founding CEO.

Phase 3 – Final Handoff
The Incoming CEO becomes President & CEO. The founding CEO remains engaged in a limited, defined role to support final handoff, mentoring, and continuity before concluding service.

The length and pacing of each phase may be adjusted based on organizational needs and the readiness of the Incoming CEO, with Board oversight throughout.

  
Qualifications

Successful candidates will demonstrate:

Senior leadership experience in a professional orchestra or performing arts organization
Proven success in fundraising, donor relations, and institutional advancement
Strong financial and operational acumen
Experience working with Boards, artists, musicians, and unionized environments
Excellent communication, relationship-building, and public leadership skills
A collaborative leadership style and commitment to mentorship and succession planning
A passion for orchestral music and a commitment to community engagement are essential.

 
Compensation & Location

This is a full-time, on-site position in Albuquerque, New Mexico.
Competitive compensation and benefits will be offered, consistent with national benchmarks for orchestras of comparable size and scope.

 
Application Process

Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis. Candidates should submit a cover letter and résumé outlining their interest in the position and alignment with NMPhil’s mission and transition model.

Requirements

Key Responsibilities

The President & CEO will:

Lead strategic planning and execution in partnership with the Board and Music Director
Advance artistic excellence, audience growth, and community impact across all programs
Ensure long-term financial sustainability through disciplined budgeting, forecasting, and fundraising leadership
Serve as NMPhil’s primary external ambassador to donors, civic leaders, government, and the broader community
Foster positive, transparent relationships with musicians and staff, including participation in labor negotiations
Build and lead a high-performing senior management team
Strengthen NMPhil’s brand, visibility, and relevance locally and nationally