Chair of Brass

About the role

Berklee College of Music is a global leader in contemporary music and performing arts education. Located in the heart of Boston, Massachusetts, Berklee serves a diverse community of more than 6,000 students from over 100 countries and is supported by internationally recognized faculty, dedicated staff, and a global alumni network whose nearly 400 Grammy Awards reflect Berklee's lasting impact on the music of our time. Berklee seeks an accomplished musician-educator and experienced academic leader to serve as Chair of the Brass Department. Reporting to the Dean of the Performance Division, the Chair provides academic, artistic, and administrative leadership for a dynamic department serving approximately 160 undergraduate students and a faculty of ten brass specialists across private instruction and laboratory-based coursework.

Responsibilities

• Provide leadership for the academic and artistic direction of the Brass Department in alignment with Berklee’s mission and degree requirements.
• Oversee the development, implementation, review, and assessment of departmental curriculum to ensure academic rigor, consistency, and relevance.
• Ensure curriculum aligns with institutional learning outcomes, accreditation expectations, and approved program requirements.
• Provide leadership and supervision for department faculty and staff in accordance with Berklee policies and the Faculty Union Agreement.
• Support faculty development across all ranks through mentorship, clear expectations, and consistent communication.
• Conduct faculty evaluations, including classroom observations, syllabus and materials review, student feedback analysis, and written annual evaluations.
• Safeguard fair, transparent, and equitable application of policies related to teaching assignments, workload, promotion, and performance improvement.
• Led faculty recruitment and hiring processes in collaboration with the Dean, HR, and union guidelines.
• Support student recruitment, orientation, advising, and retention initiatives.
• Ensure students receive consistent academic guidance and access to appropriate support resources.
• Foster an inclusive learning environment that supports student success, well-being, and artistic development.
• Manage the Brass Department’s budget, facilities, and operational resources in collaboration with the Dean and divisional staff.
• Oversee departmental programming including concerts, masterclasses, clinics, visiting artists, and special initiatives.
• Plan and facilitate effective department meetings and coordinate departmental initiatives from planning through implementation.
• Represent the Brass Department within the Performance Division and across the institution as required.
• Participate in divisional and institutional committees, initiatives, and meetings as assigned by the Dean.
• Represent Berklee externally through recruitment, conferences, performances, and partnership development activities, as appropriate.
• Teach courses or provide instruction as assigned and approved by the Dean.

Requirements

• Master’s degree or equivalent professional experience.
• Demonstrated expertise as a brass specialist with significant professional standing.
• Record of successful collegiate-level teaching.
• Demonstrated experience in academic leadership, arts administration, or comparable professional settings.
• Able to work effectively within a unionized academic environment and shared governance structure.
• Strong interpersonal, organizational, and communication skills.
• Demonstrated ability to mentor faculty and support student success.
• Proficiency with instructional and administrative technologies.
• Ongoing professional engagement in the music industry.
• Demonstrated commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, and respectful workplace practices.

Qualifications

• Required Qualifications:
• Master’s degree or equivalent professional experience.
• Demonstrated expertise as a brass specialist with significant professional standing.
• Record of successful collegiate-level teaching.
• Demonstrated experience in academic leadership, arts administration, or comparable professional settings.
• Able to work effectively within a unionized academic environment and shared governance structure.
• Strong interpersonal, organizational, and communication skills.
• Demonstrated ability to mentor faculty and support student success.
• Proficiency with instructional and administrative technologies.
• Ongoing professional engagement in the music industry.
• Demonstrated commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, and respectful workplace practices.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience leading faculty and staff in higher education.
• Curriculum development and assessment experience.
• Budget management and strategic planning experience.
• Experience developing external partnerships or community engagement initiatives.