THE ORGANIZATION
Theatre Calgary’s vision is to stand amongst the best theatres globally as a leader in innovative, impactful and diverse programming. Its mission is to stimulate, provoke and delight through ambitious programming created to ignite, local, national and international engagement in a sustainable manner.
Theatre Calgary reflects the communities, the country, and the world we live in with ambitious programming, passionate community engagement and extraordinary productions. Because of this, Theatre Calgary is one of the most recognizable arts and cultural institutions in Canada.
For more than 50 years, we have focused our energy on providing our community with quality classic and contemporary productions, featuring the best talent on our mainstage. Today, we are Calgary’s largest professional theatre company and a leader in the cultural life of the city.
Under the Artistic leadership of our outstanding Artistic Director, Stafford Arima, we are focused on providing exceptional experiences through bold storytelling and impactful theatre that will move, touch, and inspire audiences.
With an ongoing commitment to Existing Works in addition to New Works and New Voices, Theatre Calgary is dedicated to the development of original plays and musicals, to premiering them on our stage, and to amplifying them across the globe.
Past collaborators have included companies such as the Shaw Festival, the National Arts Centre, and the American Conservatory Theater. Recently, we showcased The Louder We Get with Broadway and Emmy Award winning director, Lonny Price leading a stellar team with creatives all the way from Calgary to the West End.
Theatre Calgary is deeply committed to featuring our city’s theatre community of artists.
We provide opportunities to perform not only on our main stage, but also through Spotlight at the Eddy (a showcase for local musical theatre performers) and TC Out Loud (a reading series for local writers). Other initiatives to support young artists include: Shakespeare by the Bow, which features emerging Alberta actors performing the bard each summer in Prince’s Island Park; TC Mentors, which provides on-the-job work experience in an A-house theatre; and High School in Residence, which partners Theatre Calgary with one high school for an entire season, offering students an inside look at a professional theatre company.
Theatre Calgary is a model of strong fiscal management in the Canadian arts sector. Theatre Calgary’s Endowment has been built on this premise and is stewarded by a separate Board.
THE POSITION
This is a unique opportunity to co-lead one of Canada’s most dynamic and successful theatre companies. Theatre Calgary (TC) is seeking an inspiring and visionary Executive Director (ED) to work in collaboration with Artistic Director (AD), Stafford Arima, to achieve the company’s prominence amongst international theatre companies.
Working with the Board of Directors, the ED will develop a forward-looking vision that both increases audiences, deepens their engagement with TC, and develops future audiences. Confronting current challenges, the ED will consider new and innovative business models that attract both audiences and support from sponsors, donors, and subscribers.
With bold aspirations for the future and together with the AD, the ED will lead TC to a new level of engagement with audiences and increase TC’s impact on the life of Calgarians.
The ED shares responsibility for the overall strategic management of the organization and is wholly responsible for providing leadership of the administrative, financial, and general operations of the company, including oversight of the Finance, Marketing and Audience Development, Fund Development, Community Engagement, and Administrative departments.
RESPONSIBILITIES
Organizational Leadership
- In partnership with the AD and as approved by the Board, lead the company forward in the execution of the current strategic plan (2019-2024) with a compelling company vision that inspires and motivates.
- In collaboration with the AD, ensure an administrative organizational structure is in place that has the capacity to execute the strategic plan.
- Semi-annually evaluate the advancement of the strategic plan and adjust accordingly.
- Develop and foster a workplace culture that maintains the highest standards of excellence, equality, creativity, collaboration, inclusiveness, and fiscal, operational, and organizational integrity. Ensure compliance with labour, occupational health and safety and human rights standards.
- Provide inspirational leadership to staff and volunteers to deliver results in accordance with the strategic plan.
- In partnership with the AD, represent TC with key local, provincial and national government officials, industry executives, strategic partners, donors, members, patrons, and other relevant sectors including public and private speaking opportunities.
- Successfully manage all aspects of the relationship with Arts Commons to achieve the most beneficial relationship with this key stakeholder.
- Establish a strong, collaborative and respectful working relationship with the Chair(s), the Board of Directors for the Society and the Theatre Calgary Endowment Foundation Board (Endowment Board) to maximize the value of the Board to the organization.
- Work transparently with these Boards to allow them to successfully perform their fiduciary duties.
- Contribute as a non-voting ex-officio on Board committees and on the Endowment Board.
Financial Oversight
- Responsible for developing an overall financial strategy for the organization in consultation with the AD and the Board that provides funding to advance the strategic plan, the artistic vision and longer-term capital projects and ensures financial sustainability.
- Assume responsibility of the direct fiscal management of the organization within the approved budget, ensuring optimized resource utilization, and maintaining a positive financial position including the management of cash flow and approval of capital expenditures and acquisitions.
- Provide leadership to Finance and Administration, ensuring sound financial structures, regulatory practices and accurate reporting systems are in place including preparing the audited financial statements of both organizations.
- Lead Finance and Administration, as well as all members of TC senior management in developing a business plan and an annual budget that achieves the advancement of the artistic vision and the strategic plan for the approval of the Board of Directors.
- In conjunction with Finance and Administration leadership, prepare appropriate financial reporting regarding the fiscal management for the review of the Chair, the Chair of Audit and Finance, the Audit and Finance Committee and the Board as a whole.
Fund Development
- Lead fund development strategies ensuring alignment with the artistic vision and the strategic plan.
- Provide leadership to the Development Department to enable the creation and implementation of an annual fundraising strategy and campaign, including working collaboratively with the department, the organization as a whole, the Board and the Board’s Development Committee.
- Secure a robust and diverse support base for TC by supporting the Development Department in establishing, managing and enhancing existing and new relationships with key sponsors and donors, including governments, to facilitate the creation of new and renewed sources of major gifts, sponsorships and grants.
Branding and Market Positioning and Communications
- In collaboration with the AD, lead the creation of the overall marketing and communications strategy to ensure continued and expanding engagement with audiences and external communities.
- Working with the AD, provide leadership to Marketing in the development, implementation and analysis of leading-edge marketing and branding for TC using both traditional and advanced digital strategies and advanced analytics.
- Alongside the AD, provide leadership to the Communications Department in developing and implementing strategies to ensure patrons, funders, donors, business/community leaders, elected officials and the public understand TC’s role, value, and contributions locally, nationally and internationally through traditional media, the website and advanced use of social media.
- Establish and oversee communications protocols internally and externally that both serve the mandate of the Theatre as well as work to promote awareness and growth of the organization.
Audience Development and Community Engagement
- Lead TC’s overall strategies to develop audiences and engage with communities as outlined in the strategic plan and identify the appropriate metrics.
- Provide leadership to Audience Services in developing and implementing a tactical plan to achieve the goals set out to secure budgeted results for subscriptions, single ticket and school sales using best practices and innovation to maximize the patron experience.
- Work directly with the Learning and Engagement area to develop and implement the Theatre’s audience development, learning/education and engagement strategies and tactical plan.
Front of House
- Develop and set goals for the organization to achieve in delivering world-class experiences for Theatre Calgary patrons.
CANDIDATE QUALIFICATIONS
- Minimum ten years’ experience in progressively senior roles. Successful leadership of a performing arts organization or other relevant experience, with a demonstrated track record of achieving financial sustainability and audience growth.
- Inclusive and strategic leadership, vision, collaboration and team building.
- Minimum ten years’ experience in progressively senior roles.
- A track record of senior management role(s) at prominent international arts organization(s).
- Strong financial management skills and experience in creating, managing, presenting and interpreting budgets.
- Proven ability to successfully develop and implement long-term strategic and annual tactical plans and measure the advancement.
- Experience and knowledge in marketing, advertising and public relations; particularly as they relate to growing ticket and other earned income revenue. This would include an understanding and awareness of the uses of social media, data analytics and the digital world in building brand and engagement.
- Familiarity with Tessitura or other enterprise applications used by performing arts and cultural organizations to manage their activities in ticketing, fundraising, customer relationship management and marketing is an asset.
- Knowledge and experience of the international performing arts sector.
- Excellent stakeholder management skills with experience reporting to a Board of Directors.
- Experience in leading, managing fundraising strategies and campaigns and identifying new sources and increased levels of contributed income.
- An extensive network of key theatre organizations abroad that contributes to potential international co-productions for TC.Outstanding communication and presentation skills. Able to speak and write persuasively and serve as a spokesperson for the company in public and in the media.
- Demonstrated engagement and cultural leadership in the wider community.
- Experience building and effectively managing government and community relations.
- Experience in dealing with facility management including negotiations of leases, ongoing landlord stewardship, as well as project management of renovations, leasehold improvements and maintenance.
- Knowledge of theatre activity: locally, nationally and internationally is an asset.
- Relevant undergraduate degree or experiential equivalent.
CANDIDATE ATTRIBUTES
- Natural leadership skills; a proactive and dynamic professional who inspires confidence and credibility; has a strategic orientation and an honest, transparent and collaborative leadership style.
- A genuine commitment to establish an internal culture that values people and provides an opportunity for everyone to flourish.
- Authentic and genuine communication skills and public speaking abilities.
- The personal stature to inspire the organization, the Board and the stakeholders by representing the Theatre with integrity.
- Dedicated to the principles of equal opportunity, cultural diversity, and broadening access to the arts.
- A confident, calm, and tactful professional approach that demonstrates EQ with an ability to deal with a wide variety of people and with changing internal and external conditions.
- A pragmatic and effectiveproblem-solver.
- A commitment to contribute to the leadership of the wider Calgary community.
Please submit your application by emailing your cover letter and résumé no later than Friday, July 10th, 2020 to: TC@searchlightpartnersgroup.com
Theatre Calgary is an equal-opportunity employer committed to reflecting our country’s diversity. We encourage candidates of all backgrounds to apply.
We thank applicants for their interest, however, only those advancing in the process will be contacted.