VP of Programming & Community Impact

Ordway Center for the Performing Arts / Saint Paul, MN

Compensation

$96,000 ‒ $106,000 Annually

The Ordway: The Ordway is the arts epicenter of Saint Paul, Minnesota, and one of the leading nonprofits performing arts centers in the country. Founded on the belief that performing arts should be wide-ranging and accessible to all, the Ordway is home to a variety of performances that encompass the finest in Broadway musicals, concerts, dance and vocal artists. Known as the most comfortable place to catch a show in Minnesota, the Ordway includes a magnificent 1,900-seat Music Theater, a state-of-the-art 1,100-seat Concert Hall and spacious lobbies. The Ordway aims to reflect the communities it serves and address barriers to ensure everyone can experience the power of the performing arts.

Each year, the Ordway presents and produces Broadway shows, concerts, and acclaimed local, national, and international artists and hosts performances by the Arts Partners and other arts organizations. The Ordway’s Presenting series has featured artists such as Emmylou Harris, Sounds of Blackness, Gladys Knight, Omara Portuondo, and Terence Blanchard. The Ordway serves tens of thousands of children each year through its education programs and presents the annual Flint Hills Family Festival. The Ordway is a member of the Arts Partnership, a unique collaboration comprising the Minnesota Opera, Ordway, The Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra, and Schubert Club. The Ordway aims to reflect the communities it serves and address barriers to ensure everyone can experience the power of the performing arts.

Job summary: Ordway Center for the Performing Arts seeks an energetic, entrepreneurial, and collaborative leader to spearhead programming for Ordway Presents and Flint Hills Family Festival, and to lead a team responsible for engaging 45,000 students throughout Greater Minnesota. The successful candidate will have a demonstrable commitment to equity, diversity, and inclusion, and a proven track record of curating innovative and relevant programming for and in partnership with communities. Learn more about this exciting opportunity at Ordway.org.

Position Purpose: Reporting to the President & CEO, the VP of Programming & Community Impact is responsible for leading and executing programming vision, strategy, and cross-departmental collaboration for Ordway Presents concerts, Flint Hills Family Festival, and strategic community-centered initiatives, with a keen focus on attracting and retaining new audiences, increasing community access to arts through education, and meeting budget goals. The VP of Programming & Community Impact is a member of the Ordway’s leadership team, oversees the education and community engagement team responsible for reaching 45,000 students through the diverse programming of the Education Series and Family Festival programming, and provides thought leadership to ensure the Ordway’s can continue to deliver on its mission, vision, and values in a fiscally responsible manner to create the greatest impact for the communities it serves.

Position Details:

  • Posting Date: 1/25/23
  • Closing Date: The Ordway is dedicated to building an equitable environment and strongly encourages applications from Black, Indigenous, People of Color, women, transgender, and non-binary candidates. This position will remain open until a diverse and qualified pool of candidates is identified. Applicants from populations underrepresented in the theater field are strongly
    encouraged to apply.
  • Employee Type: Exempt, Full-time
  • Pay: $96,000 – $106,000
  • Department: Programming and Education
  • Reports to: President and CEO

Key Performance Areas:

  • Provide overall leadership and management of concert, comedy, dance and family programming, and select programming partnerships, as well as arts education and community engagement, to support the achievement of the Ordway’s mission and goals and the department’s goals.
  • As a member of Ordway’s Leadership Team, provide strategic direction and leadership to support and further the Ordway’s mission, centering Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion.
  • Participate on committees and project teams that support the Ordway’s mission to result in enhancement of partnerships, increased revenues, reduction of risk, optimum customer service, and positive employee engagement in support of the Ordway’s mission.
  • Research, identify, and negotiate with representative agents and secure artists for aforementioned programming while adhering to strict budgets.
  • Lead, inspire, evaluate, coach, and develop employees to result in the motivation, recognition and retention of high performing employees that meet the Ordway’s business needs.
  • Expand and maintain Ordway’s local, national, and international profile for related programming.
  • Collaborate organizationally for stewardship and marketing purposes.

Other Qualifications:

  • BA or BS degree with major course work in theater, arts administration or education, or equivalent work experience.
  • At least ten years of experience in management within a theater or nonprofit cultural environment, with at least five years at a senior management level and supervisory position, required.
  • Prior responsibility for multi-cultural youth and family and educational programming, including experience with international artists, highly desirable.
  • Experience in fundraising and demonstrated ability to obtain sponsorship for program activities.
  • Experience in developing and maintaining a budget.
  • Previous experience as a presenter or artist preferred.
  • Proven success working with diverse communities, and effectively building relationships across a broad spectrum.
  • Knowledge of Ordway Education and Community Engagement programming highly desirable.
  • Ability to inspire, convince, persuade, probe, negotiate, position and communicate information in a presentation/public setting.
  • A demonstrable commitment to equity, diversity, and inclusion is essential.
  • Demonstrated ability to work well in a team setting and collaborate across departments and teams through communication, modeling appropriate behavior, optimism and high achievement.
  • Ability to successfully present projects and programs to prospects, donors and Ordway leadership.
  • Prior responsibility in P&L management and budget departmental budget oversight.
  • Ability to communicate with diverse employee base as well as designers, directors, technical crews and theatre management.
  • Proficient in Microsoft Office Suite (Excel, OneNote, Outlook, PowerPoint, Publisher and Word).
  • Ability to give others work direction and/or set priorities for others.
  • Ability to work with visas and contracts and basic employment law understanding.
  • Ability to handle agency relations and contract negotiation and specifics.
  • Ability to develop an annual operating budget projecting income and expenses and to monitor and report on that budget in a monthly and quarterly report as a cost center Manager.
  • Ability to research, gather data/information for others to use in budget development.
  • Knowledge of local, national and international multi-cultural and children’s performing arts companies and programs.
  • Ability to work a flexible schedule, including evenings and weekends.
  • Ability to travel as needed.

The Ordway requires all employees to present proof of either full COVID-19 vaccination or a negative COVID-19 test results taken within 72 hours prior to entering our building. The Ordway is an equal opportunity employer and will consider requests for reasonable accommodation for employees and applicants based on disability or sincerely-held religious beliefs.

To Apply: For more information or to apply, visit ordway.org/employment.

Ordway is an equal opportunity employer. All applicants will be considered for employment without attention to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, creed, marital status, familial status, public assistance status, age, local human rights commission activity, national origin, and veteran, or disability status. The Ordway Theater and administrative office are wheelchair accessible and service animals are welcomed. All applicants who have questions or needs regarding access accommodations or interpreting assistance for job interviews are encouraged to reach out to Human Resources.

We know there are great candidates who may not fit into the criteria we’ve outlined here, or who have important skills we haven’t listed. If that’s you, please don’t hesitate to apply anyway and tell us about yourself.