Managing Director
Studio East Training for the Performing Arts is excited to announce an opening on its executive team at a dynamic and potent time in our growth. We are looking for an accomplished Managing Director to replace our founding managing director who is retiring after more than 25 years of dedicated service.
Studio East works to create confident, compassionate, responsible young people through training in the art and craft of theater. We are one of the largest children’s theater programs in Washington, serving the greater Seattle community for over 25 years. Each year the Studio challenges over 3,000 children from ages 4-19 through a comprehensive program of year-round theater classes, home school classes, summer theater camps, student productions, and after school outreach programs at local schools, giving youth the tools they need to succeed. The Studio also produces StoryBook Theater, an adult professional touring troupe that presents original musicals for young children throughout the Puget Sound area and performs for an audience of over 65,000 each year.
Studio East operates with a budget of just over 2 million and has a fulltime staff of 15. We rent our 14,000 sq. ft. space and are in the beginning stages of finding a permanent home. Our current facility includes office space, 3 classrooms, a costume/set shop, some storage and a 150- seat theater with dressing rooms and lobby. We rent storage space as well as other performance spaces for StoryBook Theater.
The ideal candidate will be able to start in the fall of 2019. Salary range $70,000-$85,000 DOE. Applicants, please reply to Jobs@Studio-East.org with cover letter, resume and/or link to LinkedIn profile outlining demonstrable accomplishments and a verifiable track record of results. Use MANAGING DIRECTOR in the subject line. No phone calls.
The Executive Team
The Executive Team of Studio East reports directly to the Board of Directors and is comprised of the Managing Director (MD) and the Founding Artistic Director. The two collaborate to lead this dynamic organization, sharing strategic, operational, and supervisory responsibilities for the Studio’s nonprofit staff, facility, programs, faculty, expansion, profit/loss, and execution of its mission.
Specific responsibilities of the Managing Director
- Design the strategic business plan that will drive business profitability, expansion and create a strong foundation for the future that will increase the impact and visibility of the Studio across the region. This includes the planning and funding for a permanent facility.
- Ensure a rigorous program evaluation and consistent quality of finance and administration, fundraising, and communications; recommend timelines and resources needed to achieve strategic goals.
- Create effective systems to track scaling progress and accountability, and regularly evaluate program components, to measure successes that can be effectively communicated to the board, funders, and other constituents.
- Direct the finance department to develop the annual budget; provide monthly financial reporting and forecasting, cash flow management, capital spending and expenditures review and approval.
- Lead, coach, develop, and retain Studio East’s high-performance team and help recruit strong team members that further the Studio’s mission.
- Develop, maintain, and support a strong Board of Directors; serve as ex-officio of each committee; seek and build board involvement with strategic direction for both ongoing local operations and long-term viability.
- Actively engage and energize Studio East volunteers, board members, event committees, alumni, partnering organizations, and funders to build a successful and thriving Studio East Community.
- Partner with the Founding Artistic Director to ensure programmatic excellence that will attract young people, talented directors, and school and public audiences, to expand the reach and impact of the Studio in the Seattle area.
- Expand local revenue generating and fundraising activities to enable existing program operations to reach profitability while generating reserves for future growth/expansion.
- Deepen and refine all aspects of communications—from web presence to external relations with the goal of creating a stronger brand that has strong name recognition in the community.
- Be a strong presence in the community and foster relationships that will attract new families, funders (individuals, small businesses and corporations), and community organizations (Kirkland Performance Center, Kirkland Arts Council) to become active members of the Studio East community.
- Maintain a positive work environment where staff are empowered to share ideas, be creative, and develop their professional skills and interests while maintaining a level of accountability that meets the needs of the Studio’s business goals.
Qualifications:
The MD will be thoroughly committed to Studio East’s mission with proven business and finance skills, leadership, coaching, relationship management and human resource experience.
Qualifications include:
- Advanced degree, MBA preferred, and significant senior management experience
- Proven track record of effectively leading and scaling an organization and staff to a level with a strong profit/loss statement and long term viability
- Demonstrated business sense and an understanding of key performance indicators, financial statements and accounting, compliance and permitting issues
- Unwavering commitment to quality programs and data-driven program evaluation
- Excellence in organizational management with the ability to coach staff, manage, and develop high-performance teams, set and achieve strategic objectives, and manage a budget
- Demonstrated success working with a Board of Directors; the ability to cultivate board member relationships
- Strong marketing, public relations, and fundraising experience; the ability to engage a wide range of stakeholders and cultures
- Strong written and verbal communication skills; a persuasive and passionate communicator with excellent interpersonal and multidisciplinary project skills
- Action-oriented, entrepreneurial, adaptable, and innovative approach to business planning
- Ability to work effectively in collaboration with diverse groups of people
- A passion for the theater/performing arts
- Idealism, integrity, positive attitude, mission-driven, and self-directed
