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 Senior Director, Creative Membership - 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) is seeking a Senior Director, Creative Membership - Nashville who will be responsible for driving ASCAP’s creator membership strategy in the Nashville market, with a focus on identifying, recruiting, developing, and retaining high-value songwriters, composers, and music creators. The Senior Director will build and deepen influential relationships across Nashville’s music ecosystem, serving as a trusted partner to creators and key industry stakeholders.

The role will leverage market intelligence and industry insights to identify emerging talent, strengthen ASCAP’s competitive position, and expand its presence within the Nashville creative community. The Senior Director will also help shape and execute impactful member events, showcases, and programming and will serve as a high-profile ambassador for ASCAP at industry events, conferences, panels, and other key engagements.

As a senior member of the ASCAP Creative Membership team, the Senior Director will play an important role in strengthening creator engagement, elevating ASCAP’s visibility, and ensuring the organization remains deeply connected to Nashville’s evolving music community.

RESPONSIBILITIES

TALENT DISCOVERY & REPERTOIRE GROWTH

The Senior Director, Creative Membership - Nashville will

• discovery and development of talent, including songwriters, composers and producers, in the Nashville market;
• perform market research to attract, recruit and onboard local up-and-coming creators in order to grow the value of the ASCAP repertory;
• shape and maintain relationships within the Nashville creative community, including songwriters and publishers, major record labels, entertainment lawyers, managers, and agents.

MEMBER RELATIONS & SUPPORT

The Senior Director, Creative Membership - Nashville will

• serve as a primary point of contact for an assigned roster of creator members and their key representatives, delivering high-touch service and resolving complex membership, catalog and distribution inquiries with diplomacy;
• develop a deep, authoritative understanding of ASCAP’s Survey and Distribution System and ASCAP membership policies and procedures, to confidently guide members through membership- and distribution-related inquiries;
• stay informed of, escalate and make viable recommendations to the relevant internal subject matter experts on effectively addressing member needs.

MEMBERSHIP ENGAGEMENT & INDUSTRY PRESENCE

The Senior Director, Creative Membership - Nashville will

• partner with the Marketing & Communications team to plan, curate, and host high-impact member events and recognition initiatives.
• act as an ambassador of ASCAP by attending industry panels, conferences, and events.

CROSS FUNCTIONAL COLLABORATION & ORGANIZATIONAL IMPACT

The Senior Director, Creative Membership - Nashville will

• work cross-functionally with internal departments to continually expand and refine ASCAP services, including career development, member benefits, education, and advocacy programs;
• collaborate seamlessly across the ASCAP Creative Membership team to share best practices, align regional goals, and unify strategies;
• other duties and special projects as assigned.

QUALIFICATIONS

ASCAP seeks a Senior Director, Creative Membership - Nashville with

• bachelor’s degree in Music Business, Business Administration, Communications, Marketing, or a related field;
• 7+ years of experience in the music industry, with a strong understanding of the Nashville market and broader music ecosystem;
• a deep, established network of relationships across songwriting, music publishing, licensing, record labels, and other key areas of the Nashville and broader music industry;
• a comprehensive understanding of music publishing, copyright law, performance rights, and the broader rights management landscape on a global scale;
• a discerning instinct for songwriter and composer talent, including an “ear” for music, with a proven track record of identifying, recruiting, onboarding, and nurturing high-potential creators toward long-term career success;
• the ability to operate with a high degree of independence and autonomy, navigate ambiguity, exercise sound judgment, and communicate with clarity and diplomacy with ASCAP executive leadership;
• strong interpersonal, communication, and relationship-building skills, with the ability to represent ASCAP with poise and professionalism across diverse creator, executive, and industry stakeholder groups;
• a proven ability to manage competing priorities, adapt to changing business needs, and consistently deliver high-quality work in a fast-paced environment;
• a passionate and authentic commitment to ASCAP’s creator-first mission and core values, including transparency, fairness, collaboration, adaptability, and a future-focused mindset;
• the flexibility and availability required of an externally facing leader, including the ability and willingness to attend Nashville and other music industry events during evenings and weekends, with occasional travel as needed;
• the ability to comply with ASCAP’s current in-office policy, which is subject to change.

REPORTING RELATIONSHIPS

The Senior Director, Creative Membership – Nashville will be based in ASCAP’s Nashville office and will report to the Head of ASCAP Nashville. The position is subject to ASCAP’s in-office policy.

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
• Voluntary ID protection Coverage

The above summary of the current benefits is subject to the terms and conditions of the benefit plan documents. 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, its benefit plans, programs, and policies.

Ability to travel for in-person meetings as assigned is 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.

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.