Chief Administrative Officer

About the Opportunity

BAM (Brooklyn Academy of Music) stands at an important moment of transformation and rebirth. Like many cultural organizations rebounding from the pandemic, BAM has been developing new practices and regaining momentum with its programming and its audiences. With its sustained capacity to program a broad array of distinguished artists, its commitment to engaging the public in a variety of artistic formats, and its ability to give life to captivating productions like this past spring’s re-imagining of A Streetcar Named Desire, BAM continues to possess remarkable opportunities to bring audiences together for both extraordinary and everyday artistic experiences. Alongside that accomplishment, BAM continues to fortify its staffing structures, operating systems, and administrative practices, across its four spaces. As our world evolves, BAM remains one of the most unique and impactful performing arts organizations not just in New York City, but across the country and globe.

To strengthen the infrastructure of this legacy institution and build upon its commitment to the people, both artists and arts workers, that make this organization successful, BAM seeks a strategic, operationally-minded, and experienced Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) to join the senior leadership team. The CAO will be a trusted advisor and direct report to the President, another important liaison to the Board, and helpful counselor to the Senior Leadership team. They will oversee BAM’s Human Resources, Facilities, Security, and Capital Projects departments. The successful candidate will also possess a passion for the performing arts, an admiration for BAM’s history and its place in the national and local cultural landscape, and an excitement for the challenges of sustaining an organization of this scale in New York City.

The Chief Administrative Officer will be a strong manager, interested in both sustaining previously established practices and improving upon systems. They must be a calm, thoughtful, and steady hand, in times of crisis or conflict. A practiced diplomat and attentive listener, they will be a sounding board for many leaders within the organization and ready to help the organization through change and augmentations. The CAO will benefit from previous experience working with labor unions, as this is a large part of BAM’s workforce. Finally, they will need to be both strategic, with a mind for organizational design and efficiency, and also adaptable, ready to be hands-on when necessary and communicative with a variety of stakeholders.

About BAM

A world-class home for adventurous artists, audiences, and ideas, BAM is North America’s oldest multi-disciplinary arts center, showcasing the work of emerging artists and modern icons.

For more than 160 years, BAM has been a thriving, urban multi-arts complex renowned for presenting an unparalleled roster of visionary and cutting-edge dance, theater, music, opera, visual arts, literature, and film engagements. Attracting more than 750,000 people annually to its home in Brooklyn, BAM provides a welcoming cultural stage and meeting place for global and local communities of all backgrounds. BAM’s distinctive multi-theater campus is alive year-round with inspired new engagements and signature programs alike including the renowned Next Wave (one of the world’s most influential festivals of contemporary performing arts, founded in 1983), the iconic DanceAfrica, an acclaimed repertory film program, and
literary, archival, educational and humanities programs. For more information, visit BAM.org.

Job Description

The Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) will lead and integrate the organization’s administrative and infrastructure functions, ensuring they are aligned with and support BAM’s artistic and cultural mission. Reporting to the President and serving as a key member of the senior leadership team, the CAO will oversee Human Resources, Facilities, Security, and Capital Projects. This is a critical leadership role for a mission-driven, forward-looking leader who can strengthen organizational capacity, steward vital resources, and help shape a people-centered, future-ready workplace.

Key Responsibilities

Strategic Leadership & Organizational Stewardship
● Serve as a trusted advisor to the President, the Board, and the Senior Leadership Team; provide strategic insight on organizational culture; anticipate challenges, navigate sensitive issues and foster an inclusive workplace.
● Align people, processes, and resources to support strategic objectives and long-term sustainability. Oversee the integration of strategic initiatives with financial responsibility, talent development, and operational execution.
● Advise on change management and organizational design, ensuring BAM’s strategic initiatives are implemented with attention to human impact, communication, and long-term sustainability. Craft approaches that engage staff, minimize disruption, and advance equity and alignment.
● In collaboration with the Chief Technology Officer (CTO), develop and execute the organization’s technology strategy, aligning IT infrastructure, systems, and digital tools with current operations and long-term strategic goals to drive efficiency, innovation, and growth.
● Champion cross-functional digital transformation initiatives, collaborating with the CTO and other senior leaders to modernize workflows, enhance data-driven decision-making, and improve user experience across BAM’s digital platform.

Human Resources
● Develop and lead a people strategy aligned with BAM’s mission, vision, and strategic goals; partner with senior leadership to ensure the workforce structure, culture, and capabilities support a sustainable organization.
● Oversee recruitment of top talent at all levels; lead initiatives supporting leadership development, performance management, and succession planning.
● Champion learning and development programs that promote internal mobility, continuous growth, and retention.
● Design and manage compensation, benefits, and recognition programs that are competitive, equitable, and aligned with organizational goals; lead workforce planning and organizational design efforts, ensuring roles, teams, and staffing levels are optimized for effectiveness and sustainability.
● Create policies, procedures, and training that ensure compliance with employment laws; oversee employee relations, conflict resolution, and workplace investigations, providing leadership on sensitive and high-impact matters; mitigate organizational risk by ensuring
consistent, fair, and legally sound HR practices.
● Oversee all union relationships, including contract negotiations, grievance resolution, and labor-management partnerships, ensuring productive dialogue, compliance with collective bargaining agreements, and alignment with organizational goals.

Facilities & Security Management
● Oversee the strategic planning, operations, and maintenance of BAM’s four physical facilities, ensuring they are safe, functional, sustainable, and aligned with organizational needs. This includes long-range capital planning, space utilization, and infrastructure upgrades.
● Lead security strategy and emergency preparedness, developing and implementing protocols that protect people, property, and assets. This includes risk assessment, crisis response planning, and coordination with external agencies as needed.
● Collaborate with senior leadership to align facilities and security planning with organizational growth, culture, and priorities, supporting a safe, welcoming, and mission-centered environment for staff, visitors, and stakeholders.

Capital Projects
● Oversee the planning, execution, and delivery of major capital projects, including renovations, new construction, and infrastructure upgrades, ensuring they are completed on time, within budget, and in alignment with strategic objectives.
● Oversee project teams, architects, engineers, and contractors, managing contracts, schedules, risk, and stakeholder communication to ensure transparency, accountability, and quality control throughout all project phases.
● Develop and steward the capital budget and funding strategies, working closely with finance, development, and the Sr. Leadership Team to align capital investments with organizational priorities, fundraising goals, and long-term sustainability.

Qualifications
● 10+ years of progressively responsible senior leadership experience in administration, operations, or a related field, ideally within cultural or nonprofit organizations
● Deep knowledge of HR and operational best practices; knowledge of NYC labor laws and unionized environments required
● Expert Excel and analytical skills; able to look at data and see the story behind it
● Excellent communication, negotiation, and problem-solving skills; experienced in managing executive level stakeholders, including board members
● Demonstrated commitment to inclusion and belonging in the arts
● Flexible, open, and capable of thriving in a fast-paced, dynamic environment, and managing multiple projects simultaneously
● Passion for BAM’s mission and contemporary performing arts
● Familiarity with the New York arts and cultural landscape preferred
● Ability to follow BAM’s hybrid work policy, which currently requires at least two days per week in the office, but is subject to change

Working Conditions
● Category 2- Administrative work with walking

Compensation

The salary for this position is $275,000-286,000. BAM provides a comprehensive benefits package including medical, dental, and vision insurance, retirement plan opportunities including both 401(k) and pension plans, as well as BAM-related benefits, including access to BAM’s fantastic programming. The office location for this position is the Peter Jay Sharp Building, at 30 Lafayette Avenue in Brooklyn, NY.

BAM respects diversity and accordingly is an equal opportunity employer that does not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, creed, color, national origin, ancestry, citizenship status, sex, military/veteran status, age, marital/family status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, genetic information, disability, arrest record, caregiver status, sexual and other reproductive health choices, or any other protected personal characteristic under applicable federal, state, or local law. Our management team is dedicated to ensuring the fulfillment of this policy with respect to recruitment, hiring, placement, promotion, transfer, training, compensation, benefits, employee activities, and general treatment during employment. Employees with questions or concerns about equal employment opportunities in the workplace are encouraged to bring these issues to the attention of the HR Department.

Application Instructions

The Chief Administrative Officer search is being conducted on behalf of Brooklyn Academy of Music by TOC Arts Partners, a national consultancy aligning strategies, structures, and leadership toward a thriving cultural sector. The search is being led by Search Consultant Brenna Thomas, in consultation with and support from the TOC Arts Partners search team.

To apply, visit the online application (https://tocartspartners.com/jobs-listing/bam-chief-administrative-officer) and submit your materials. Your cover letter should include any training or experience relevant to the job profile that you would like to highlight, why you consider yourself a good fit for this opportunity, and anything else you’d like us to know about your qualifications that may not be present in your resume.

For general questions or nominations of prospective candidates, please contact searchteam@tocartspartners.com. We kindly request no phone calls.
Specific questions about the position may be directed to:
Brenna Thomas
Search Consultant
brenna@tocartspartners.com

Applications will be accepted until this role is filled. We encourage you to apply by October 13, 2025, for priority consideration. Interviews may begin at any time, and we encourage you to apply as early as possible for best consideration. Please note that applying before the priority deadline does not guarantee an interview, and all applicants will receive a response regarding the consideration and status of their candidacy. No phone calls, please.

Not sure you meet 100% of our qualifications? Research shows that cis men apply for jobs when they fulfill an average of 60% of the criteria, while others tend only to apply if they meet every requirement. If you believe that you could excel in this role, we encourage you to apply.

We are dedicated to considering a broad array of candidates, including those with diverse workplace experiences and backgrounds. So, whether you’re returning to work after a gap in employment, simply looking to transition, or taking the next step in your career path, we will be glad to have you on our radar.