Founding Executive Director - Summer Music Series at Appalachian Ski Mtn

The OpportunityThis is a rare invitation to build something that endures.Backed by 65 years of organizational excellence and the full commitment of resort ownership and leadership, Blowing Rock Live ! is poised to become one of the Southeast's premier outdoor summer music series. Set against the breathtaking mountain landscape of Appalachian Ski Mtn. — one of the High Country's most celebrated venues — this inaugural concert series will bring world-class live music to one of the most storied and affluent resort communities in the region.We are seeking an extraordinary individual to serve as its Founding Executive Director — a visionary creative, a seasoned business development professional, and an exceptional producer, all in one. This is not a position for an administrator. It is a position for a builder — someone who understands both the art of curating a memorable live music experience and the discipline of closing the sponsorship relationships that make it sustainable.The person who steps into this role will have their name permanently attached to something meaningful. Twenty years from now, Blowing Rock Live ! will be an institution — and its Founding Executive Director will have been the one who made it so.What You Are BuildingBlowing Rock Live !  launches in the summer of 2027 with an inaugural season of four outdoor concerts at Appalachian Ski Mtn, with a planned trajectory of growth to eight concerts annually within three years. The series will draw audiences of up to 3,000 per concert — a carefully curated, affluent demographic that reflects the generations-long tradition of High Country summer culture in Blowing Rock, North Carolina.The resort's existing infrastructure includes a website generating over one million annual views, and a sophisticated RFID-integrated e-commerce platform — premium digital assets that, combined with the organizational credibility of a 65-year legacy institution, gives the Founding Director a sponsorship story that most emerging festival directors would spend years trying to build.As Founding Executive Director, you will have a singular and important advantage: the opportunity to attend a 40-year legacy arts event at this same venue in the summer of 2026 — before your work formally begins — to study the audience, experience the setting, and envision what Blowing Rock Live ! will become.Core ResponsibilitiesConcept Development & Series Identity•      Develop the creative vision, programming philosophy, and audience experience strategy for Blowing Rock Live !•      Curate a headline and supporting artist roster to create a multi-genre showcase that would include national touring acts that reflects the series' premium positioning and appeals to the High Country's discerning summer audience•      Establish the brand identity, voice, and market positioning of the series in collaboration with resort leadership•      Design the venue experience — seating architecture, hospitality tiers, assist with F&B strategy, and event flow — that defines Blowing Rock Live ! from its first nightSponsorship Development & Corporate Partnerships•      Identify, cultivate, and close a portfolio of title, premier, supporting, and community sponsors targeting $150,000 in inaugural season revenue•      Develop and present a compelling sponsorship prospectus that communicates the combined value of live audience access, digital exposure, and premium brand association•      Manage sponsor relationships through the full lifecycle — from initial outreach through contract execution, event activation, and renewal•      Position the resort's one million annual website impressions and sophisticated e-commerce, RFID-integrated platform as quantifiable media assets in all sponsorship conversationsOperations & Event Execution•      Manage all aspects of event production — artist contracting, permitting, vendor relationships, technical production, and staffing•      Oversee F&B program development in partnership with resort operations, targeting $55+ per capita across an audience with strong premium spending propensity•      Develop and manage the series budget with full accountability to organizational leadership•      Build the operational infrastructure — ticketing, marketing, communications, and volunteer coordination — that allows the series to scale efficiently from four to eight concerts over three yearsThe Ideal CandidateWe are not describing a job title — we are describing a person. The right candidate for this role will recognize themselves in the following:•      You have built or significantly grown something in the live events, performing arts, or outdoor entertainment space — and you are proud of what it became•      You have closed major sponsorships — five and six-figure commitments — and you understand that this is a relationship business built on trust, storytelling, and persistence•      You have the creative vision to concept a series that stands apart in a crowded summer entertainment market•      You are a self-starter in the most literal sense — you do not wait to be told what to do next, and you thrive with autonomy and accountability in equal measure•      You understand the Blowing Rock and High Country market, or you are deeply motivated to immerse yourself in it•      You bring professional gravitas to every room — with sponsors, with artists, with community leaders, and with resort ownership•      You are energized by a performance incentive structure — because you believe in your own ability to deliverPreferred Qualifications•      7–10+ years of progressive experience in live event production, outdoor festival management, performing arts administration, or entertainment business development•      Demonstrated track record of sponsorship acquisition and corporate partnership management•      Experience managing event budgets of $500,000 or greater•      Existing relationships within the regional and national live entertainment community a strong advantageAbout Blowing Rock LIVE ! & Appalachian Ski MtnBlowing Rock Live ! — Summer Music at Appalachian Ski Mtn — is an inaugural outdoor concert series launching in the summer of 2027 in Blowing Rock, North Carolina. Presented by Appalachian Ski Mtn, one of the High Country's most beloved and enduring resort destinations, the series is designed to celebrate the rich cultural tradition of summer in Blowing Rock while bringing world-class live music to one of the Southeast's most distinctive outdoor settings.Blowing Rock has been a destination of choice for discerning travelers and second-home owners from across the United States for generations — a community with a long and proud tradition of arts, culture, and seasonal excellence. Blowing Rock Live ! is built to become a defining part of that tradition.EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR COMPENSATIONThis is a full-time year-round position that will begin in July 2026 to prepare for Summer 2027 launch. Position with full benefits, starting salary $80-90k with tiered incentives for sponsorships sales and separate incentives for ticket sales and sponsor retention that could scale compensation to $120-130,000 in year one. Moving assistance and significant housing assistance for the right candidate, would bring total compensation to $150-160k in the first year. This position will collaborate closely with Resort President/ownership and key Resort leadership team.How to ApplyCandidates are invited to submit a cover letter, resume, and a brief description of a live event, festival, or sponsorship initiative they have led — with emphasis on the results achieved and the role they played personally in achieving them.Applications and inquiries may be directed to:FoundingDirectorSearch@appskimtn.comAppalachian Ski Mtn | Blowing Rock, North Carolina