Associate Director of Bands/Assistant Professor of Percussion, Fine and Performing Arts

Employer: Northwest Missouri State University

Location: Maryville, Missouri (US)

Salary: $52,292

Date posted: Oct 27, 2025

Website: https://www.schooljobs.com/careers/nwmissouri

Position Type: Faculty Positions, Music, Performing Arts

Employment Level: Tenured/Tenured Track

Employment Type: Full Time

Institution Type: Public Four-Year Institutions

EMPLOYMENT TERMS: 9-month, Tenure Track

PRIMARY DUTIES: Conduct instrumental ensembles and teach applied percussion.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:

1. Conduct the Northwest Symphonic Band and/or Concert Band
2. Co-direct Northwest Athletic Bands (i.e., Bearcat Marching Band and the Northwest Pep Band)
3. Teach applied percussion, percussion methods for music education majors, and percussion ensemble
4. Hold seven office hours/week
5. Serve on committees as assigned
6. Maintain a scholarly/creative agenda
7. Other duties as assigned by the program need

REQUIREMENTS:

Education: PhD, DMA, or equivalent, by the time of appointment.

Experience: Demonstrated success as a conductor, applied instructor, and classroom teacher

Skills: Effective collaboration skills, quality organizational and communication skills, a nurturing pedagogue, and an active and visible recruiter with a focus on student success.

WORKING CONDITIONS: Typical university classroom and office conditions, including occasional adverse weather conditions associated with marching band direction

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES: Oversee percussion equipment inventory, including check-out procedures and repairs.

EQUIPMENT/MATERIALS USED: Laptop computer, software/online course and information management systems as needed, university instruments

TYPICAL PHYSICAL DEMANDS: Ability to lift and carry at least 20 pounds.

COMMUNITY: Northwest Missouri State University is located in Maryville, Missouri, a community of 12,000 with a diverse economy and a strong industrial base. Maryville is located 45 miles north of St. Joseph, Missouri, 90 miles north of Kansas City, Missouri, and 110 miles southeast of Omaha, Nebraska. For more information visit the city’s website at www.maryville.org.

UNIVERSITY: With an enrollment of about 9,000 students, Northwest is a coeducational, primarily residential four-year university that offers a broad range of undergraduate and selected graduate programs on its Maryville campus and through Northwest Online.

Founded in 1905 and ranked by U.S. News and World Report among the top public regional universities in the Midwest, Northwest boasts a high retention rate and a graduation rate in the 95th percentile among its peers. Additionally, results of the Ruffalo Noel Levitz Student Satisfaction Inventory show Northwest students are more satisfied than students at national peers, and 78 percent of Northwest students report they would repeat their University experience, compared to 75 percent of students surveyed nationally at their respective institutions.

Furthermore, the University is a national model for student success and career placement with 93 percent of bachelor’s degree earners and 99 percent of master’s degree earners securing employment or continuing their education within six months of completing a degree at Northwest, according to the most recent data.

Northwest places a high emphasis on profession-based learning to help graduates get a jumpstart on their careers while maintaining competitive tuition rates and generous financial assistance to help minimize the financial barriers students may face when pursuing a college degree.

Students have opportunities to build their résumés with experiences on campus in nearly every area of study, including the Horace Mann Laboratory School, National Public Radio affiliate KXCV, the R.T. Wright Farm, Mozingo Outdoor Education Recreation Area, a partnership with the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency or Knacktive, a student-driven integrated digital marketing communications agency. In conjunction with its emergency and disaster management program, Northwest organizes and hosts Missouri Hope, an annual mass casualty training exercise that attracts first responders and emergency workers from throughout the nation and provides hands-on training in preparation for a natural disaster.

The University’s vibrant and diverse learning community also offers more than 150 student organizations, and textbooks and a laptop are included in tuition, saving students an estimated $6,900 over four years. Northwest offers 1,200 student employment positions, allowing students to build professional skills through its internationally benchmarked student employment program.

For more information about Northwest and its performance, visit www.nwmissouri.edu/aboutus/facts/.

APPLICATION DEADLINE: Review of applications will begin immediately and will continue until the position is filled. To ensure full consideration, all application materials should be submitted by December 1, 2025.

DATE AVAILABLE: August 10, 2026

TO APPLY: Follow the steps of the online application process. Please contact the Office of Human Resources at 660-562-1121 or email ewilmes@nwmissouri.edu if more information is needed regarding the process.

APPLICATION MATERIALS: (1) cover letter, (2) curriculum vitae, (3) names, addresses, and contact information (email and phone) for four professional references, (4) classroom and applied studio teaching video; (5) recordings of recent performances as a conductor and soloist (provided via link to YouTube, Dropbox, etc., (please do not email files) and (6) unofficial copies of transcripts (official copies required prior to hire).

INQUIRIES FOR THE POSITION CAN BE MADE TO:

Dr. Adam Zrust, Search Committee Chair

School of Fine and Performing Arts

Northwest Missouri State University

800 University Drive

Maryville, MO 64468-6001

Phone: (660) 562-1319

E-mail: azrust@nwmissouri.edu