Managing Director for US- Music Institute

Managing Director for the US-China Music Institute
Bard College
Deadline

Rolling

Aug 19, 2026

The Bard College Conservatory of Music seeks a Managing Director for the US-China Music Institute (USCMI). Working closely with the USCMI Director and Conservatory leadership, the Managing Director provides administrative, operational, and financial oversight for all USCMI activities, supporting its academic programs, performances, festivals, conferences, and institutional partnerships.

The position requires strong organizational, financial, and interpersonal skills and the ability to manage complex projects within a higher education and performing arts environment.

About the US-China Music Institute:

The US-China Music Institute of the Bard College Conservatory of Music (USCMI) is the only degree-granting institution devoted to Chinese music in a Western conservatory, and is a leading center for the study and performance of traditional and contemporary Chinese music. In partnership with the Central Conservatory of Music in Beijing, USCMI has established the following unique and ground-breaking programs since its founding in 2017:

• Two degree programs at Bard – an undergraduate double-degree in Chinese instrument performance and liberal arts, and a Master of Arts in Chinese music and culture
• Three major annual public events in New York City and at Bard College – the China Now Music Festival, the Chinese New Year Concert, and an academic conference on Chinese music in the West
• Two active performance ensembles – the Bard Chinese Ensemble and the Bard East/West Ensemble

The mission of the US-China Music Institute is to promote the study, performance, and appreciation of music from contemporary China, and to support musical exchange between the United States and China.

About Bard:

Bard College’s main campus is in Annandale-on-Hudson, N.Y., with 1,900 undergraduate students; the College also includes multiple graduate programs. The 1,000-acre campus sits along the Hudson River and offers the Fisher Performing Arts Center, and Hessel Museum of Art, and is the home of the Bard Prison Initiative, the largest college-degree-granting prison education program in the U.S. The Bard Network also includes several Bard High School Early Colleges across the country as well as international campuses and partnerships.

Bard College is a private institution working in the public interest. Bard faculty and staff lead their students by example, building upon the existing network of boundary-breaking programs focused on rethinking who can and should be included in a liberal arts education.

Programs Overseen:

The Managing Director provides administrative oversight for the Institute’s core academic and artistic initiatives including:

• Undergraduate double-degree program in Chinese instrument performance
• Master of Arts in Chinese Music and Culture
• China Now Music Festival
• Chinese New Year concert
• Annual conference on Chinese music in the West
• Bard East/West Ensemble performances in the US and China

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

Administration and Operations

• Oversee day-to-day operations of the US-China Music Institute
• Hire, supervise, and support Institute staff
• Manage adjunct teaching appointments
• Coordinate Institute activities with Conservatory and College administration
• Ensure compliance with institutional policies

Financial Management

• Manage Institute finances in coordination with Conservatory budget manager and Bard College finance office
• Prepare and monitor annual budgets and financial reports
• Process and track payment requests and expenditures

Academic Program Administration

• Support administration of academic programs, including curriculum planning, scheduling, faculty/staff appointments, and recruitment planning
• Coordinate with Conservatory Admissions, Dean of Graduate Studies, Registrar, academic advisors, and faculty

Development and Strategic Planning

In coordination with the Institute Director:

• Support donor relations and fundraising initiatives
• Conduct grant research and prepare applications in collaboration with Bard’s Office of Institutional Support
• Manage grant reporting and post-award administration
• Support development of new artistic…