The GMEM in Marseille is recruiting a General Manager:

- Description of the association

The GMEM—National Center for Musical Creation—was founded in 1972 by a collective of composers. It was designated a National Center for Musical Creation in 1997. Its missions are defined in a set of specifications issued by the Ministry of Culture and focus on musical creation, production, dissemination, education, and research. 

In 2017, GMEM joined SCIC Friche de la Belle de Mai, having moved onto the site following the completion of a building spanning more than 1,000 m², constructed to meet the specific requirements of its artistic project. 

Throughout the year, GMEM regularly hosts transdisciplinary artist residencies spanning all areas of music creation and sound art. 

Creative activities are based on synergy with the outreach division, which serves as the cornerstone of all educational and cultural initiatives and their implementation. 

The annual program is thus structured around the GMEM Season, which consists of:
-“Les Modulations” —regular events with the public held at the Friche la Belle de Mai on the third Tuesday of every month, and one Sunday per quarter at the Opéra de Marseille, offering a chance for a friendly gathering following a performance; 
- ThePropagations Festival in May, dedicated to the diverse forms of sound and musical creation (sound installations, concerts, off-site performances, sound art, musical walks, etc.);
- Support for artist residencies, with the GMEM’s involvement extending as far as executive production. 

Residency showcases, concerts related to the outreach program, and other events organized in collaboration with its many cultural partners round out the GMEM’s programming activities. 

- Job description

Reporting to the association’s board of directors, the Executive Director is responsible for designing and implementing the GMEM’s artistic, cultural, and scientific programs, as well as, more generally, for the smooth operation of the organization. 

In this role, he or she will perform the following duties:
- Define and implement the center’s artistic, cultural, and scientific program;
- Develop outreach and audience-expansion initiatives, as well as regional outreach (local and regional);
- Strengthen the center’s national and international reach and develop partnerships and collaborations; 
- Define the communication strategy and play an active role in its implementation;
- Build relationships based on trust and proactive engagement with the various “overseeing bodies,” as well as with all public and private partners;
- Oversee the development and execution of the budget in close collaboration with the Deputy Director; - Seek non-public sources of funding by, for example, engaging in corporate philanthropy and developing the organization’s own revenue streams;
- Manage staff, with the support of the Deputy Director and department heads; 
- Coordinate projects supported by the Cooperative;
- Position GMEM within cooperation and partnership-based development initiatives, particularly within the CNCM network. 

By bringing together the areas of creation, research, and outreach under a single project, through its local and regional presence, and its national and international reach, the GMEM is a center of excellence in the field of musical creation. 

The mission of the new leadership is to strengthen this position by fostering an openness to new forms of expression in the creative field, exploring new frontiers of innovation and research within its own domain, while ensuring that these efforts are part of a broader strategy to expand its audience. 

- Profile description

In accordance with the CNCM’s terms of reference, the position will be filled by an individual with recognized artistic experience that demonstrates aesthetic openness in the fields of composition and musical creation. 

The candidate is expected to have:
- a thorough understanding of current issues in music creation as they relate to scientific research, technological innovations, and contemporary interdisciplinary artistic practices;
- a very good knowledge of cultural institutions and networks in France and abroad;
- proven experience in managing international projects, particularly European ones; - proven experience and expertise in team management and leadership;
- proven expertise in organizational management;
- fluency in French and English is required;
- knowledge of German is a plus;
- a Class B driver’s license. 

— Hiring Procedures

The recruitment process is open to international applicants and will follow the tentative schedule below: 

The application package, which must be no more than 4 pages long and include, among other things, a cover letter and a detailed resume with references, must be addressed to the President of GMEM, Mr. Henry Fourès, and submitted via email to the Deputy Director of GMEM, Ms. Léonor Martin, by email only, to the following address: leonor.martin@gmem.org, no later than October 30, 2026. 

The committee responsible for shortlisting candidates will meet during the second half of November 2026. 

Candidates selected after the preliminary screening will receive a packet containing a guidance note; they will have until January 15, 2027, to submit an artistic and cultural project consistent with the GMEM’s artistic objectives, limited to a maximum of 15 pages, excluding appendices. 

The final recruitment panel will take place in February 2027. 

The ideal start date is September 1, 2027, at the latest. 

The position is based in Marseille. 

- Terms & Conditions

The employment contract is a full-time, annualized, open-ended employment contract (CDI). 

The candidate agrees to reside in the city of Marseille and to perform the majority of their duties there. 

Compensation will be based on the national collective bargaining agreement for arts and culture organizations, Group 1.