Chief of Staff

Location: New York City

Reports To: Executive Director

About FMDG

For over a century, FMDG Music School has been transforming lives through music education for people of all ages who are blind and visually impaired. We're the nation's leading community music school dedicated exclusively to this mission, and we're expanding our reach nationwide through online instruction, vocational training, and accessible music technology.

This is a pivotal moment for FMDG. We're scaling proven programs to serve communities across the country, and we’re looking for someone to join us as we grow thoughtfully while staying true to who we are.

The Role

We're looking for a Chief of Staff who can connect with everyone, from the Executive Director and board members to staff, faculty, students, and families. You'll be the person who makes sure our ambitious vision and strategy translates into action on the ground, keeping all parts of our organization moving in the same direction.

This is about welcoming the moments you need to roll up your sleeves on a project build while being able to quickly pivot to connect with a donor or government official. It’s about understanding what people need and being a collaborative team player who thrives on enabling others' success. You'll be part strategist, part problem-solver, part communications hub, and entirely focused on impact.

What You'll Do

Be the connector. You'll work across our music education programs, braille transcription services, and expansion initiatives to ensure everyone understands how their work fits together. You'll help people collaborate, remove roadblocks, and keep projects on track.

Support the Executive Director. You'll be a trusted thought partner and right hand to our Executive Director, helping put strategic decisions into action, preparing for critical meetings, and managing the flow of information and requests so the ED can focus on vision, strategic positioning, and external relationships. You'll represent the organization when needed, provide high-level communications support, work on special projects, and ensure nothing important slips through the cracks.

Keep things moving. You'll manage a variety of projects from start to finish, track our progress against goals, and when priorities shift (and they will), you'll help the team adapt gracefully.

Support our people. You'll be a resource for staff at every level - answering questions, onboarding new team members, and fostering a culture where people feel valued and empowered. You understand that organizational health depends on everyone feeling heard.

Communicate clearly. Whether you're drafting correspondence for the Executive Director, communicating with board members, or explaining a new initiative to teachers and families, you know how to tailor your message to your audience.

Who You Are

You have 7-10 years of experience, with meaningful time managing people and projects as a team leader, ideally in nonprofits, education, or the arts. You've supported senior leaders before and know how to balance multiple priorities without losing sight of what matters most.

You're a people person. You genuinely enjoy working with diverse groups - a leadership team, faculty, families, community partners - and you know how to build trust across different levels of an organization. You listen well, communicate clearly, and adjust your approach based on who's in the room.

You're organized but flexible. You can manage several complex projects at once, but you also know when to pause, pivot, or ask for help. You're comfortable with ambiguity and energized by growth and change.

You care about this work. The mission of serving people who are blind and visually impaired resonates with you. You believe in the power of arts education to change lives, and you want to be part of expanding our impact.

You're tech-comfortable. Project management tools, Google Workspace, virtual collaboration, and CMS platforms are examples of technology you can use to work smarter, not harder.

You have relevant education. A degree in management, public administration, education, or a related field is preferred, along with knowledge of music and the performing arts.

• Anticipated salary: $85,000 - $95,000, based on experience
• Comprehensive benefits (health, vision, dental, 403b, generous PTO)
• A chance to shape a historic organization during an exciting growth phase
• A collaborative team that values both excellence and humanity
• Work that genuinely matters to students, families, and communities