The Company

The Columbus Symphony Orchestra (CSO) is a cornerstone of the city�s cultural life, dedicated to bringing high-quality orchestral music and arts education to the community. As we celebrate our 75th Anniversary season, we are expanding educational programs and deepening our engagement with students, families, and educators across Columbus. The Education team plays a central role in making orchestral music accessible, inspiring, and meaningful for young audiences.

The Opportunity

• Are you excited about supporting impactful music education programs that reach students, educators, and families across the community?
• Do you enjoy working hands-on in arts administration, helping programs run smoothly from planning to execution?
• Do you thrive in a fast-paced, detail-oriented environment where your organizational skills directly impact program success?
• Are you interested in gaining practical experience in nonprofit operations while advancing equitable access to music education?

The Education Assistant role offers the opportunity to support impactful music education and community engagement programs that serve students, educators, young musicians, and families. This position provides hands-on experience in arts administration, program coordination, marketing support, and data management while working cross-functionally with Education, Marketing, Artistic, and Production teams. The role is ideal for a highly organized, detail-oriented individual interested in arts education, nonprofit operations, and community engagement.

Primary Function

The Education Assistant provides administrative, programmatic, marketing, and data support for the orchestra�s education and community engagement initiatives. The role ensures smooth execution of all education programs, educator services, reporting, and event logistics while supporting accurate communication, data integrity, and positive experiences for all education constituents.

Key Duties & Responsibilities

• Oversee registration, administration, and event-day logistics for Young People�s Concerts, serving as the primary point of contact for schools and coordinating schedules, communications, and bus grant processing
• Manage registration, administration, and reimbursement for the Beethoven Express Bus Grant program, acting as the primary liaison for schools and coordinating scheduling, communication, and grant processing.
• Manage group and individual ticketing requests in coordination with the Ticket Office for Donut Dress Rehearsals, Young Musicians Showcase, and other education-related school groups, including teacher and student ticket needs
• Assist in the creation, production, and distribution of Kids Club materials, including Trading Cards and the Kidsbook program, coordinating with Marketing to ensure accurate promotion and communication
• Distribute Music Educator Cards and provide Music Educator Portal information to all registered teachers
• Support the Young Musicians Competition with administrative tasks, scheduling coordination, and participant communications
• Support planning and execution of Popcorn Pops pre-concert activities, coordinating with partners on logistics, payments, and day-of event assistance

Marketing & Communications Support

• Assists Youth Programs, School Programs Coordinators, and marketing team with the creation and distribution of marketing materials for education programs and events.
• Coordinate with Marketing team to ensure accurate, timely promotion of education initiatives
• Prepare content for newsletters, websites, and internal calendars related to education programs

Data, Reporting & Statistics

• Enter, track, and maintain accurate participant and program data in Tessitura and related databases
• Assist with compiling reports, statistics, program surveys, and summary data for the Vice President of Education
• Support data pulls, list management, and documentation for grants, evaluations, and internal reporting

Administrative & Operational Support

• Provide general administrative support, including scheduling, document preparation, and correspondence
• Assist with event-day logistics for all assigned Education events
• Assist with onsite support with Academy lessons and Young Musicians Showcase performances
• Respond to inquiries from families and educators and route requests appropriately
• Perform other duties as assigned

30/60/90 Day Expectations

First 30 Days � Learn & Observe

• Review education programs, partnerships, timelines, and seasonal cycles
• Observe all active education programs and events
• Meet key constituent groups: Academy families, teaching artists, CSYO staff, and internal departments
• Learn systems and workflows (Microsoft 365, Jotforms, Canva, and Tessitura)
• Support administrative tasks and event logistics under guidance
• Success Indicator: Demonstrates understanding of program structures, systems, and communication channels.

60 Days � Contribute & Take Ownership

• Take ownership of assigned systems and routine constituent communications with support
• Manage program registrations, confirmations, and reminders
• Maintain accurate data entry and documentation
• Collaborate consistently with the Marketing and Education teams
• Flag potential challenges or timeline issues to the manager proactively
• Success Indicator: Completes tasks independently, communicates clearly, and meets deadlines consistently.

90 Days � Align & Optimize

• Independently manage assigned education programs and logistics
• Maintain consistent communication with internal and external partners
• Ensure accuracy and completeness of all education program records
• Deliver clear, accurate data for education reporting and marketing
• Identify and suggest process improvements
• Success Indicator: Trusted ownership of responsibilities and proactive contribution to team goals.

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)

• On-time and accurate execution of assigned education programs and events
• Successful coordination of registrations, communications, and logistics
• Positive feedback from families, educators, and internal stakeholders
• Timely, clear, and professional communication with constituent groups
• Effective coordination with Education, Communications, and Production teams
• Proactive escalation of potential issues
• High accuracy rate in Tessitura and other databases
• Timely delivery of reports and data requests
• Organized documentation supporting grants and program evaluations
• Consistent completion of administrative tasks within deadlines
• Well-organized files, schedules, and materials
• Ability to manage multiple priorities during peak program periods
• Increased independence and confidence over time
• Contributions to improved workflows or processes

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• Strong organizational and time management skills with attention to detail.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Proficient in Microsoft Office (Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint, Word, etc.) with the ability to learn other technology systems that support CAPA�s operations including building systems (security, HVAC, etc.).
• Ability to work collaboratively across multiple teams and departments.
• Passion for music education, youth development, and community engagement.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment.

Credentials and Experience

• Bachelor�s degree in Music, Music Education, Arts Administration or a related field, and/or equivalent work experience.
• Typically, 1-2+ years of experience working in youth music programs, arts education or nonprofit operations are needed to have sufficient experience and judgement to perform a role of this size and complexity.

Special Requirements

• Successful completion of standard and BCI/FBI background checks.
• The majority of CSO�s public events take place at night and on weekends. This position requires occasional presence on-site during nights and weekends.