Piano, Voice, and Guitar Program Manager

DESCRIPTION

Merit School of Music seeks a full-time Piano, Voice, and Guitar Program Manager to support the school’s continued operation of all piano, voice, and guitar instruction. The Piano, Voice, and Guitar Program Manager helps families, faculty, and staff across all programs daily. Program Managers are the first points of contact for coordinating instruments and supplies, managing daily programming logistics, and facilitating communication with parents, students, and teachers.

Reporting to the Piano, Voice, and Guitar Program Director, the Program Manager assists the Director in planning and executing Merit’s Piano, Voice, and Guitar programs. This includes leading communication with students and faculty regarding Merit programs, events, and expectations; ensuring the accurate allocation of program materials; monitoring class activity, scheduling, and attendance; and helping to achieve successful events throughout the year. A passion for upholding the dignity of everyone we interact with, and for Merit’s mission to provide access to high-quality music education, is a must.

ORGANIZATION OVERVIEW

Merit School of Music is a nationally accredited community music school headquartered in Chicago’s West Loop, with additional branches in Chicago’s Old Town and South Shore neighborhoods. Merit’s primary goals are to help young people transform their lives and experience personal growth through music by providing access to sustained participation. For more than 45 years, Merit has been home to a diverse community of talented young musicians and has served as a springboard for them to achieve their full musical and personal potential. Our 125+ passionate and experienced teaching artists provide access to high-quality music education, engaging between 2,500 and 3,000 students annually through programming at three branches and in 25+ schools and community centers across the Chicago region.

Merit students, who reflect Chicago’s socioeconomic and ethnic diversity, have the rare opportunity to learn together, dream together, teach each other, and broaden their horizons as they build inspiring lives through music. Merit develops musicians and equips young people with the tools they need to excel in life; virtually 100 percent of Merit graduates attend conservatories or colleges, with 50 percent choosing to study music at the postsecondary level.

Merit School of Music is committed to building a world where historically underrepresented groups can attain access to quality music education. Simultaneously, Merit endeavors to be an organization that genuinely reflects Chicago’s richly diverse community. Merit is dedicated to being an inclusive, diverse, equitable, and anti-racist organization and continually examining our efforts in this area.

REPORTING RELATIONSHIP

The Piano, Voice, & Guitar Program Manager reports to the Piano, Voice, & Guitar Program Director.

JOB RESPONSIBILITIES

Responsibilities of the Piano, Voice, and Guitar Program Manager include, but are not limited to:

Class and Activity Scheduling – 35%

• Create and manage class schedules and room reservations
• Manage class rosters, placement recommendations, and student attendance
• Assist with scheduling private lessons and classes
• Support summer camp programming

Faculty and Family Communication – 30%

• Communicate program details — including classes, lessons, events, and concerts — to piano, voice, and guitar families, and facilitate timely communication with faculty
• Support student adherence to Merit’s class and lesson attendance policies

Event Planning and Support – 15%

• Coordinate logistics for concerts and performances, including stage diagrams, program creation, and run of show
• Support student recruitment events

Instrument, Music & Supply Coordination – 10%

• Work with Merit’s librarian to ensure students and faculty have the materials they need, including sheet music, instruments, and supplies

Other Duties as Assigned – 10%

SKILLS AND QUALIFICATIONS

The ideal candidate will possess the following knowledge, skills, and abilities:

Must-Have Characteristics

• Proactive and self-directed, with the ability to manage competing priorities in a fast-paced environment
• Highly organized and detail-oriented — you have a system, you trust it, and things don’t fall through the cracks
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, with a timely, professional, and warm approach to correspondence
• Skilled at distinguishing between urgency and importance, and comfortable adjusting as both shift
• Flexible and collaborative, with a willingness to learn new tools and pitch in across projects
• A genuine commitment to Merit’s mission and to dignity-centered communication with students, families, and colleagues
• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent training and experience

Preferred, But Not Required

• Musical background
• Bilingual or multilingual — Spanish and Mandarin are especially valuable in this role, as many of our families communicate primarily in one of these languages

SCHEDULE

At Merit School of Music, we consider 37.5 hours a full-time work week (8 hours per day with a 30-minute lunch break). A typical week during the academic year (September–May) for the Piano, Voice, and Guitar Program Manager is as follows:

Monday – Tuesday: 9:30 am to 5:30 pm

Wednesday: Off

Thursday – Friday: 9:30 am to 5:30 pm

Saturday: 9:00 am to 4:00 pm

Sunday: Off

In the summer months (June–August), the work schedule changes to Monday – Thursday, 9:00 am–5:00 pm, and Friday, 9:00 am–12:00 pm.

Merit staff currently work a hybrid of remote and in-person hours. The staff and supervisor determine all hybrid and remote arrangements. Program staff typically work in the office four full days per week. While this position is not eligible for paid overtime, comp days are available in consultation with the Piano, Voice, and Guitar Program Director.

COMPENSATION & BENEFITS

Merit offers a comprehensive employee benefits package, including the following items:

• Salary of $48,000 based on experience.
• The first 90 days of employment are considered a probationary period. Employees are eligible to participate in Merit’s employee benefits package 30 days from the date of hire, following the first of the month. For example, an employee starting on August 2 would begin their insurance benefits on October 1.
• BCBS medical insurance (HMO and PPO options), Delta Dental (HMO and PPO) with 80% of employee premiums and 50% of dependent premiums paid by Merit.
• EyeMed vision care and Mutual of Omaha voluntary life insurance coverage are offered at the employee’s expense.
• One day of paid time off (PTO) earned for each month worked during your first year. One and a half days earned per month in your second year. The annual PTO accrual continues escalating through the seventh year of employment.
• One hour of paid sick leave earned per 40 hours worked, according to the Chicago Paid Sick & Safe Leave Ordinance.
• Eight paid holidays plus a company-wide paid winter break (Christmas through January 2).
• Following one year of employment, you will be eligible to participate in Merit’s 401(k) plan, including a 3% employer contribution.

Further information on our benefits package and employee policies is available upon request.

HOW TO APPLY

To apply, please upload your resume detailing your relevant experience and qualifications for this role using this link. Please apply before June 22, 2026. Materials should be compatible with Microsoft Word or Adobe Acrobat PDF.

ALAANA/BIPOC people, trans and gender nonconforming people, and women are encouraged to apply.

For more information about the Merit School of Music, please visit www.meritmusic.org.

Merit School of Music is committed to enhancing the diversity of our musical community, recognizing that by providing a diverse, equitable, and inclusive learning environment for our students, we are preparing them for personal and professional success in an increasingly multicultural and global society. The Merit community recognizes its responsibility to create and sustain a learning and working environment where difference is valued and equity and inclusion are practiced.

• Employees are eligible to participate in Merit’s employee benefits package 30 days from the date of hire, following the first of the month. For example, an employee starting on August 2 would begin their insurance benefits on October 1.
• BCBS medical insurance (HMO and PPO options), Delta Dental (HMO and PPO) with 80% of employee premiums and 50% of dependent premiums paid by Merit.
• EyeMed vision care and Mutual of Omaha voluntary life insurance coverage are offered at the employee’s expense.
• One day of paid time off (PTO) earned for each month worked during your first year. One and a half days earned per month in your second year. The annual PTO accrual continues escalating through the seventh year of employment.
• One hour of paid sick leave earned per 40 hours worked, according to the Chicago Paid Sick & Safe Leave Ordinance.
• Eight paid holidays plus a company-wide paid winter break (Christmas through January 2).
• Following one year of employment, you will be eligible to participate in Merit’s 401(k) plan, including a 3% employer contribution.
• Further information on our benefits package and employee policies is available upon request.

Spanish and Mandarin proficiency are especially valuable in this role, as many of our families communicate primarily in one of these languages