American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP)

SITUATION OVERVIEW

ZRG Partners is proud to partner with the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP) in their search for a Head of ASCAP Nashville.

ABOUT ASCAP

The American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP) is a membership association representing more than one million songwriters, composers and music publishers, including some of the most accomplished and influential music creators in the world. For more than a century, ASCAP has championed the rights of music creators and worked to ensure that those who create music are appropriately recognized and compensated for their work.

Founded and governed by songwriters, composers and publishers, ASCAP is the only performing rights organization in the United States that operates on a not-for-profit basis. This distinctive structure allows the organization to remain firmly focused on its members and its mission: protecting the livelihoods of music creators, strengthening the value of their work and providing the resources, relationships and support they need to build sustainable careers.

ASCAP licenses a repertory of more than 20 million musical works to hundreds of thousands of businesses that use music. Its licensees span the breadth of the modern media and entertainment landscape, including streaming services, television and cable networks, radio and satellite radio, as well as hotels, restaurants, clubs, retailers and other businesses where music is publicly performed. Through its blanket license, ASCAP provides businesses with an efficient way to legally perform music from its repertory while ensuring that songwriters, composers and publishers are fairly compensated for the use of their work.

Behind that process is a sophisticated operation that collects licensing fees and identifies, matches and processes trillions of performances each year. ASCAP then distributes nearly 90 cents of every dollar collected back to its members as royalties. This combination of scale, technology, data and industry expertise enables ASCAP to connect music usage with the creators behind it and deliver meaningful economic value to its membership.

ASCAP's role in the music industry extends well beyond licensing and royalty distribution. The organization serves as an advocate and champion for the creative community, representing the interests of songwriters, composers and publishers on issues affecting copyright, compensation and the future of music. ASCAP advocates for creator rights and the value of music on Capitol Hill, invests in innovation to address a rapidly evolving music marketplace and creates opportunities for its members to connect, collaborate and advance their careers.

At its core, ASCAP is a creator-first organization. As technology continues to reshape how music is created, distributed, discovered and experienced, ASCAP remains committed to protecting the value of human creativity while embracing innovation that benefits its members and the broader music ecosystem. Through advocacy, technology, community building, professional development and an enduring commitment to fair compensation, ASCAP continues to play an essential role in supporting music creators and helping ensure that creativity can thrive for generations to come.

POSITION

The American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP) seek a results-driven leader to serve as its Head of ASCAP Nashville. This is a rare opportunity to help shape the future of one of the music industry's most iconic organizations, leading with impactful execution, deep industry relationships, and an unwavering commitment to music creators.

The Head of ASCAP Nashville will provide strategic leadership across both the Nashville Creative Membership team and the broader Nashville office. In partnership with the EVP, Head of Creative Membership in New York, this leader will develop and execute a market share growth strategy designed to expand and strengthen ASCAP’s representation across Nashville’s diverse music community. The Head of ASCAP Nashville will lead member and industry engagement, cultivate meaningful relationships across the local creative community, and identify opportunities to deepen ASCAP’s presence and impact in the Nashville market.

In parallel, this executive will oversee the day-to-day operations of the ASCAP Nashville office, including facilities, security, enforcement of workplace policies, office operations, and events. Success in the role will require an ability to seamlessly balance external relationship building and member engagement with internal team leadership and operational excellence, ensuring the ASCAP Nashville office serves as both a strong home for ASCAP’s employees and a highly visible hub for the music creator community.

RESPONSIBILITIES

CREATIVE MEMBERSHIP

The Head of ASCAP Nashville will

• support member recruitment, retention and relationship management locally in Nashville, including helping to nurture the careers of current ASCAP members and maintaining direct relationships with high value members and their representatives;
• acquire new members and retain current members, in order to increase ASCAP repertory and maintain and grow market share in all music genres across the market;
• lead the Nashville Creative Membership team, in partnership with the Marketing and Communications team, to plan and host member events, showcases, “number one” parties, and networking gatherings;
• build and maintain relationships with songwriters, publishers, artists, labels, licensees, and industry organizations;
• provide regular reporting on office performance, member sentiment, and community engagement; and
• act as a trusted advisor to ASCAP’s CEO and Executive Leadership Team on Nashville market trends and member needs.

NASHVILLE MARKET LEADERSHIP

The Head of ASCAP Nashville will

• develop and execute a clear strategy for ASCAP’s Nashville presence, aligned with the organization’s broader membership and enterprise priorities;
• serve as a senior ambassador for the organization across the Nashville music industry;
• maintain a strong understanding of competitive activity, changing creator needs, emerging genres, and developments affecting the songwriting and publishing ecosystem; and
• represent ASCAP at key industry events, conferences, and community initiatives and on boards, strengthening the organization’s visibility and connectivity in the market.

OFFICE LEADERSHIP AND CULTURE

The Head of ASCAP Nashville will

• oversee the day-to-day Nashville office operations;
• partner with the ASCAP Executive Leadership Team to shape and execute Nashville’s strategic direction, implement needed changes, and lead a high-performing Nashville team while building credibility, driving results, and maintaining accountability to ASCAP’s CEO;
• foster a collaborative, inspired, and mission-driven organizational culture grounded in accountability, respect, and shared purpose;
• establish clear goals, and performance expectations for the Nashville team across the office; and
• ensure smooth operation of the Nashville office to serve as a hub for members, employees, partners, and visiting colleagues.

QUALIFICATIONS

ASCAP seeks a Head of ASCAP Nashville with

• a bachelor’s degree in a relevant field; an MBA, JD, or other advanced degree is preferred;
• a minimum of 15+ years of music industry experience, with deep knowledge of the Nashville music community;
• a strong, trusted network across songwriting, music publishing, licensing, record labels, and the broader music ecosystem, both in Nashville and nationally;
• demonstrated credibility and longstanding ties within the Nashville business, civic, and cultural community;
• significant leadership experience overseeing an office, function, or large team, with the ability to set direction, develop talent, and foster a collaborative, high-performing culture;
• the ability to operate with a high degree of independence and autonomy, while maintaining strong communication and alignment with the EVP, Head of Creative Membership, the COO/CFO and the Executive Leadership Team in New York;
• exceptional executive presence, communication, diplomacy, and relationship-building skills, with the ability to engage effectively with employees, creators, industry leaders, board members, and other key stakeholders;
• experience serving on or working closely with industry, nonprofit, or civic boards, particularly within the Nashville music community (e.g., CMA, ACM, Grammy, etc.) is preferred;
• a demonstrated commitment to ASCAP’s values and creator-first mission, including fairness, transparency, adaptability, collaboration, and a future-focused mindset;
• a proven ability to navigate a fast-paced, high-volume environment, balance competing priorities, meet deadlines, and consistently deliver high-quality work;
• a low-ego, highly collaborative leadership style, with a willingness to work across teams and contribute wherever needed;
• a proactive communication style, particularly around priorities, progress, challenges, delays, and potential roadblocks;
• a strong work ethic and the responsiveness, flexibility, and availability required of a senior, externally facing leader in the music industry; and
• the ability and willingness to work from ASCAP’s Nashville office five days per week.

REPORTING RELATIONSHIPS

This position is based in the ASCAP Nashville office and will report to the EVP, Head of Creative Membership and EVP, CFO & COO, both who are located in New York. This position currently requires the incumbent to be in the office five days per week, in order to manage all ASCAP employees and vendors on site. The incumbent will have direct management of the ASCAP Nashville Creative Membership Team and “dotted-line” management of all other ASCAP Nashville-based in-office employees.

SALARY & BENEFITS

The anticipated base salary range for this position is competitive and commensurate with experience. Compensation will be determined on an individualized basis depending on several factors that are unique to each candidate including geographic location (due to differences in the cost of labor), skills, education and prior relevant experience.

Besides providing a unique and dynamic work environment, there are a few other reasons you should consider ASCAP in your career planning. They also offer generous benefit options that are comprehensive and provide the flexibility that most employees want and need. These health care and financial plan options include the following:

• A choice of either network-only provider medical and dental plans or more flexible medical and dental plans where you can see providers in or out-of-network;
• Vision plan that offers both in and out-of-network provider options;
• 401(k) Plan that offers pre-tax, Roth, and an after-tax employee contribution option which includes a company match;
• An additional employer paid discretionary profit share contribution, regardless of your participation in the 401(k) Plan;
• Generous time-off policy;
• Health care and dependent care flexible spending accounts;
• Short-term disability insurance/salary continuation and long-term disability insurance;
• Company provided basic life and accidental death and dismemberment insurance;
• Employee gym discounts at select gyms;
• Commuter benefits;
• Voluntary pet health insurance;
• Voluntary auto and homeowner’s insurance;
• Voluntary employee, spouse, and dependent life insurance options; and
• Voluntary ID protection Coverage

This summary is not complete and is subject to the terms of the underlying plan documents. Please note that ASCAP reserves the right to amend or otherwise revise or terminate, at any time and in its sole discretion, any of its benefit plans, programs, and policies.

Occasional travel for in-person meetings may be required.

Please be aware that ASCAP is not a nut-free or other allergen-free workplace.

APPLICATION PROCESS

ASCAP is an equal opportunity employer. All ASCAP employment decisions are made on the basis of individual qualifications and performance and not on the basis of race, national origin, ethnicity, sex, age, marital status, sexual orientation or preference, gender identity, genetic information, disability, handicap, color, creed, religion, veteran status, or any characteristic protected by applicable federal, state or local laws.

All applications must be accompanied by a cover letter and résumé. Cover letters should be responsive to the mission of ASCAP and the responsibilities and competencies presented in the position prospectus. Review of applications will begin immediately and continue until the successful candidate has been selected.

To nominate a candidate or inquire about the position, please contact Tom Truitt. TTruitt@ZRGPartners.com; 615-300-3323.

ABOUT ZRG PARTNERS

ZRG is a global talent advisory firm that is changing the way companies find, hire, and manage talent through its data-driven approach to executive and professional search. The company’s digital Zi platform combines talent intelligence, candidate insights, and process improvement to dramatically deliver executive searches quicker and with proven better results.