Executive Director

We are looking for an outstanding candidate passionate about contemporary music and culture, with excellent leadership, managerial and administrative skills, financial and entrepreneurial acumen, who combines an eye for detail with the ability to horizon-scan and take strategic decisions, who can advocate persuasively for NMC and broker new partnerships.  They will inspire and provide leadership for NMC’s committed team.

This is a full-time role.

A record label and a charity, NMC is riding high following a hugely successful 35th birthday year, receiving the Royal Philharmonic Society’s prestigious Gamechanger Award in March 2025 in recognition of its outstanding work and legacy. Founded in 1989 by composer Colin Matthews OBE, NMC is devoted to enriching cultural life by connecting listeners globally with exceptional contemporary classical music from across Britain and Ireland.   

We collaborate with leading composers, artists, orchestras and ensembles releasing recordings, physical and digital, and disseminating them globally to expand worldwide audiences for new music and to put our composers on the world stage.  We support composers at all stages of their career, from the rising stars recording their music professionally for the first time, to the great titans of British and Irish contemporary music.  And we preserve this creativity for future generations through our non-deletion policy.  We are committed to reflecting a broad range of creative talent and to exploring a new direction for our education work.

This is a watershed moment for the organisation: As an NPO Arts Council England organisation, we are set to explore new artistic initiatives and to unlock new income streams in response to the current financial challenges of the sector. 

For more information about the role, you can view the Executive Director Application Pack below.

How to Apply

Applicants should send a letter of application showing how they meet the criteria set out in the job description together with a CV.

The letter and CV should each be no longer than 2 sides of A4.

Applications should be addressed to NMC’s Deputy Chair, Chris Potts at chris@counterculturellp.com

The deadline for applications is midday on Wednesday 11th June 2025.

Shortlist interviews will be held in person in London on Wednesday 18th June 2025.

The current Executive Director will be available for an informal conversation on Monday  2nd and Tuesday  3rd June 2025.  This must be arranged in advance by emailing cathy@nmcrec.co.uk

NMC is particularly keen to receive applications from candidates from under-represented groups and communities, including those from global majority backgrounds and/or with characteristics protected under the Equalities Act, including race, disability, sex, gender, sexual orientation, gender reassignment, and religion and belief.

We would ask that you complete our Equality, Diversity & Inclusion Monitoring Form to help us assess this recruitment process. The Appointment Panel will not see the forms submitted. 

NMC’s current office space is not accessible to wheelchair users or for those with some physical disabilities.  NMC is committed to making all necessary adjustments to ways of working to ensure universal access, to accommodate to the access needs of its workforce, whatever they may be.