Employment Opportunities — Washington Concert Opera

 Current Openings

Director of Marketing 

Advancement - Washington, D.C. (50/50 Hybrid/In-Person)

Classification  Full-time, Exempt

Reports To      Executive Director

Start Date       Spring 2025

About Washington Concert Opera
Founded in 1986, Washington Concert Opera has shaped the way concert opera is presented in the DC area.

Washington Concert Opera produces high quality, seldom performed masterpieces of the operatic repertoire in concert form at the company’s artistic home, Lisner Auditorium of George Washington University. WCO has been revered as, “integral to the musical fabric of the city” (The Washington Post) and praised by Opera News for, “performances of the highest order.” 

Washington Concert Opera has performed over 70 operas in concert format, with a roster of world-renowned artists including Lawrence Brownlee, Renée Fleming, Tamara Wilson, Angela Mead, Denyce Graves, Angel Blue, Ben Heppner, David Portillo and more.  

Scope & Principal Accountabilities
The Director of Marketing will play a critical role in the growth of Washington Concert Opera. This position is responsible for strategic oversight of the external-facing functions of the company — including Marketing, Communications and Patron Services — in achieving the revenue goals of the organization. Serving as a key partner to the Executive Director, the Director of Marketing works to create long term strategies for expanding the company’s audience base, while continuing to broaden the brand and reputation of the organization across the District of Columbia and throughout the opera industry. This position promotes deep collaboration between departments to engage people with the artform and to create greater impact in the community.

Essential Functions (80%)
Marketing, Sales

  • Lead and build strategic communications, and provide quality patron services In partnership with the Executive Director. Set and achieve revenue goals, create and implement strategies and tactics to regularly report progress, while balancing short- and long-term financial goals of the organization..

  • Lead strategic subscription and single ticket pricing to ensure capacity is optimized and ticket sales goals are achieved

  • Establish and maintain best practices and professional standards, policies and procedures in alignment with WCO’s priorities

  • Ensure brand cohesion and appropriate constituent/stakeholder messaging in external materials and events

  • Recommend and lead new branding efforts, as appropriate, for the advancement of the organization

  • Develop multi-year growth and sustainability plans, including marketing campaigns, to ensure the long-term fiscal health of the organization in collaboration and with the engagement of the Executive Director

  •  Act as liaison with all departments to facilitate the effective marketing of all company key initiatives,ensuring that patrons receive key messaging at the correct time

Development, Fundraising

  • Serve as a key team member for Washington Concert Opera and identify prospects in accordance with performance goals while adhering to the Association of Fundraising Professionals’ Code of Ethical Standards

  • Facilitate the successful stewardship of the Executive Director’s portfolio of donors through timely and strategic requests for support

  • In partnership with all staff, create and implement a comprehensive approach to audience, donor, community, and volunteer development, consistent with our values and goals, an annual work plan to support the operating and capital needs of WCO

Values-aligned Leadership (20%)

  • Serve as thought leader in partnering with other company leadership to align the opera’s programming and partnerships to its mission and vision, demonstrated by measurable positive impact for everyone we serve

  • Adhere to company, federal, state and local business requirements, and compel compliance

This position is a good fit for someone who

  • Possesses excellent computer literacy and broad-experience with Microsoft Office, Patron Manager and/or other fundraising and marketing technologies and integrated database systems.

  • Exercises good judgment; has marketing and/or development experience in the non-profit or arts sector; demonstrates an understanding of ethics related to revenue generation activities and community-centered practice; and uses discretion when building internal and external relationships

  • Has demonstrated experience in reaching revenue goals for non-profit institutions 

  • Is comfortable talking about money. Understands the complexity of financial planning and fiscal management, including grants management and restricted funds release management

  • Possesses exceptional interpersonal skills and the ability to interact effectively with senior leadership, prospects, donors, and board members and other volunteers in a wide range of roles in small and large groups; demonstrate patience with a wide variety of personality types and build effective long-term relationships

  • Expresses clearly and beautifully verbally and in writing

  • Exudes a positive attitude

  • Leads by example, consistently showing initiative, diligence and follow through

  • Enjoys their work as a team player, while balancing work independently and as a self-starter in a collaborative environment

  • Is knowledgeable about community-centered best practices in the field

  • Effectively manages multiple complex projects while meeting multiple deadlines

  • Fosters a cooperative work environment

  • Models integrity, openness, and trust

  • Is passionate about and committed to the performing arts and their importance in our world

WCO is willing to teach

  • Intricacies of opera as a collaborative artform

  • Industry-specific procedures around artmaking, staffing, and scheduling

special requirements

Ability to work some nights and weekends.

COMPENSATION

Salary is $75,000 - $90,000 commensurate with experience, plus benefits.
Washington Concert Opera offers a generous benefit package, including medical insurance, as well as paid vacation, holidays, and sick leave.  

TO APPLY:

Please send a cover letter and resume to employment@concertopera.org no later than April 21, 2025.