Director of Innovation and Growth Initiatives

The New England Conservatory, an independent not-for-profit institution, is recognized internationally as a leader among music schools, educating and training musicians of all ages from around the world. With approximately 750 music students representing more than 40 countries, NEC cultivates a diverse, dynamic community for students, providing them with performance opportunities and high-caliber training by 225 internationally esteemed artist-teachers and scholars. NEC pushes the boundaries of making and teaching music through college-level musical training in classical, jazz, and Contemporary Improvisation. It offers unique interdisciplinary programs such as Entrepreneurial Musicianship and Community Performances & Partnerships that empower students to create their own musical opportunities. As part of NEC's mission to make lifelong music education available to everyone, the Division of Expanded Education delivers training and performance opportunities for children, pre-college students, and adults.

Position Summary

The Director of Innovation and Growth Initiatives serves as Expanded Education’s lead strategist for program growth, innovation, and market development.

Reporting to the Chief Growth Officer, the Director is responsible for identifying, developing, launching, and scaling new educational programs, strategic partnerships, certificates, and revenue-generating opportunities across New England Conservatory’s Expanded Education portfolio, including Preparatory School, Summer Programs, Adult Education, digital and hybrid learning initiatives, certificates, and community-facing programs.

Working collaboratively across academic, operational, enrollment, and marketing functions, the Director translates institutional priorities and emerging opportunities into sustainable programs that advance NEC’s mission, expand access, and support long-term growth.

The Director is responsible for developing and implementing initiatives that support enrollment growth, learner engagement, and revenue generation across Expanded Education. The role develops strategies, business plans, and partnerships that contribute to divisional growth objectives while ensuring educational quality, mission alignment, and learner success.

This role requires an entrepreneurial and execution-oriented leader who is equally comfortable evaluating market opportunities, building business cases, cultivating strategic partnerships, managing complex projects, and bringing new ideas from concept to implementation.

The Director serves as the division's primary lead for identifying and developing new growth opportunities and does not assume primary responsibility for the ongoing management of existing programs, which remain under the leadership of program and educational directors.

As a member of the Expanded Education leadership team, the Director contributes to divisional planning and works closely with colleagues in academic, enrollment, operations, and marketing to ensure new initiatives are mission-aligned, financially sustainable, and operationally viable.

Essential Functions

Program Innovation and Development

• Identify, evaluate, and develop new educational programs, certificates, cohorts, intensives, camps, and special initiatives aligned with NEC’s mission and strategic goals.

• Conduct market research, competitive analysis, and environmental scanning to identify emerging opportunities and areas for growth.

• Develop business plans, implementation strategies, enrollment projections, pricing recommendations, and success metrics for new initiatives.

• Lead pilot programs from concept through launch, evaluation, and refinement.

• Recommend new educational offerings and portfolio enhancements based on market demand, mission alignment, and financial sustainability.

Portfolio Growth and Strategic Initiatives

• Support growth and innovation across the Expanded Education portfolio, including Preparatory School, Adult Education, Summer Programs, and Digital Learning.

• Analyze enrollment, revenue, retention, and participation trends to identify opportunities for expansion and improvement.

• Develop recommendations for new markets, audiences, and programmatic offerings.

• Monitor the performance of new initiatives and recommend adjustments to support long-term success.

• Identify opportunities to expand venues/learning locations, diversify revenue streams, and strengthen learner pathways across the Expanded Education portfolio.

• Monitor financial performance against projections and recommend improvements to enhance program sustainability, growth, and return on investment.

• Develop and execute growth strategies that support enrollment, participation, and revenue objectives across new and emerging programs.

Strategic Partnerships and External Engagement

• Identify, cultivate, and develop new strategic partnerships that advance NEC's educational mission and growth objectives.

• Lead development of partnership proposals, collaborative program models, and memoranda of understanding (MOUs) in coordination with institutional stakeholders, including the strategy and finance team.

• Collaborate with colleagues in advancement around potential funding opportunities for new programs that align with fundraising priorities and donor interest.

• Evaluate new partnership opportunities for mission alignment, educational value, operational feasibility, and financial sustainability.

• Serve as a primary point of contact for prospective strategic partners during exploration and development phases.

• Collaborate with the Director of Education and Executive Director of the Preparatory School to ensure partnership opportunities align with educational priorities.

Digital and Emerging Learning Opportunities

• Identify opportunities for innovative online, hybrid, and technology-enabled educational experiences.

• Collaborate with academic and operational leaders to support the development of scalable learning models.

• Evaluate emerging trends in lifelong learning, continuing education, credentialing, and digital engagement.

• Recommend new approaches that expand reach and accessibility while maintaining educational quality.

Project Leadership and Implementation

• Lead cross-functional project teams responsible for launching new programs and strategic initiatives.

• Coordinate implementation efforts across curriculum, operations, enrollment, marketing, technology, and finance functions.

• Establish project timelines, milestones, and performance metrics.

• Monitor outcomes and facilitate the successful transition of initiatives into ongoing operations, establishing clear ownership, performance expectations, and assessment metrics for long-term sustainability.

Planning

• Serve as a member of the Expanded Education leadership team.

• Contribute to divisional planning, portfolio development, and growth strategy discussions.

• Provide data-informed recommendations regarding future opportunities, investments, and program priorities.

• Support special projects and institutional initiatives as assigned by the Chief Growth Officer.

• Contribute to annual divisional growth planning, including enrollment projections, revenue forecasting, and strategic investment recommendations.

Work Schedule

Expanded Education operates seven days per week. The regular work schedule for this position is Sunday through Thursday. Regular presence during evening and weekend programs, performances, events, partnership activities, and enrollment initiatives is expected. The position requires a flexible schedule and occasional travel to support program development, partnerships, and institutional priorities.

Qualifications

Required

• Bachelor’s degree required; advanced degree preferred.

• Minimum of five years of progressively responsible experience in program development, business development, innovation, continuing education, arts administration, entrepreneurship, or related fields.

• Demonstrated success launching, growing, or managing educational, nonprofit, arts, or community-based programs.

• Strong project management and organizational skills.

• Experience developing business plans, budgets, revenue projections, and implementation strategies.

• Ability to lead complex projects involving multiple stakeholders.

• Excellent communication, presentation, and relationship-building skills.

• Strong analytical and problem-solving abilities.

Preferred

• Experience in music, arts education, higher education, community music schools, continuing education, or lifelong learning environments.
• Experience developing certificate programs, professional development initiatives, or non-credit educational offerings.
• Familiarity with enrollment-driven and revenue-generating educational models. 
• Entrepreneurial mindset with a demonstrated record of innovation and execution.

NEC is an Equal Opportunity Employer that recruits and hires qualified candidates without regard to race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, national origin, ancestry, citizenship, disability, or veteran status.

Annual Clery Report

In accordance with the federal Clery and Campus SaVE Acts, New England Conservatory of Music (NEC) commits to providing all current and prospective students and employees with access to the annual Campus Security and Fire Safety Report. This report will provide the reader with a record of statistics regarding crimes that were reported in the NEC community during the previous three years as well as College policies and procedures, in compliance with the Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act. This report may be accessed here. A paper copy can be requested by contacting NEC's Director of Public Safety at 290 Huntington Ave, Boston, MA 02115.