The Ordway: The Ordway Center for the Performing Arts is one of the leading performing arts centers in the United States and a catalyst for vibrant arts in Minnesota. Powered by hundreds of talented and dedicated staff members and volunteers, the Ordway is renowned for its multidisciplinary programming, welcoming atmosphere, and comfortable environment. The Ordway welcomes audiences of all ages and backgrounds for year- round eclectic and entertaining offerings, including Broadway musicals, concerts, dance, vocal artists, and new works. Performances take place in the 1,900-seat Music Theater and a 1,100-seat Concert Hall. The Ordway serves tens of thousands of students and families each year through its arts education and community impact programs, and is a proud member of the Arts Partnership, a collaboration comprising the Ordway, Minnesota Opera, The Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra and Schubert Club.
Position Purpose: The Vice President of Marketing and Sales is responsible for developing and leading sales strategies and campaigns that will achieve earned revenue goals ($10M in the 2024-2025 season) for Broadway @ The Ordway, Ordway Presents, and other programming or special events presented or produced by the Ordway. As part of the Ordway’s senior leadership team, this position will play a key role in advancing the Ordway’s mission and strategic plan, driving attendance, growing revenue, and overseeing internal and external communications.
Position Details:
Posting Date: 2/18/2025
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: $143,000-$179,000
Department: Marketing
Reports to: President and CEO
Key Performance Areas:
Provide strategic leadership to the Marketing, Sales, and Audience Development department to maximum ticket sales revenue. Develop and guide strategies and action plans that will result in additional income from existing programs, partners and venues; develop strategy to realize income from new programs that deepen existing audience/patron participation as well as create new and diverse audiences.
As a member of the Ordway’s Senior Leadership team, provide thought partnership and subject matter expertise, regular earned revenue updates, and leadership to advance the Ordway’s mission and vision.
Spearhead strategic sales strategy and vision for audience development that result in achieved revenue goals, retention of new audiences, and elevated profile as a leading cultural institution.
Raise the profile and image of the Ordway in the community resulting in the expansion of audiences, increased revenues that support the Ordway’s mission, and positions the Ordway as a leading cultural institution in the region and nation.
Develop, oversee, operationalize, and maximize an efficient and resourceful Marketing functions within budget to result in accurate, timely and meaningful quantitative and qualitative data that will support and provide rationale for strategic business decisions.
Collaborate with Advancement to align department goals and initiatives resulting in integrated departmental communication plans that increase giving, deepen patron involvement, and optimize the Ordway’s image.
Actively 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.
Oversee and provide leadership to the Marketing team to result in efficient operations, and motivation, recognition, and retention of high performing employees that support the Ordway’s mission.
Oversee work with the communications agency in designing and implementing communications strategies that generate positive media coverage of the Ordway’s activities, including productions, presentations, education and community engagement initiatives, and sponsorship partners.
Other Qualifications:
High school diploma or GED, bachelor’s degree in Marketing or related field required.
Minimum of five to seven years of progressive senior-level marketing and communication experience required.
Communication experience with a strong arts background preferred.
Proven results in achieving earned income goals, institutional branding and marketing. Ability to develop an annual operating budget projecting income and expenses and to monitor and report on budget.
Ability to collaborate, cooperate, convince, persuade, probe, negotiate, position and communicate information in a presentation/public setting.
Ability to communicate with diverse employee base as well as designers, directors, technical crews and theater management.
Proficient in Microsoft Office Suite (Excel, OneNote, Outlook, PowerPoint, Publisher and Word).
High degree of sensitivity for confidentiality.
Knowledge of and skill in researching customers (all key stakeholders) and competitors, knowledge of business regulations, market demographics, market size, trends and sociographics; trend analysis, quantitative and qualitative survey/data gathering methods, knowledge of demand model/estimates and ability to make recommendations based on data.
Knowledge of and ability to access and work with a wide array of media sources including press, critics, feature writers and news reporters.
Understanding of the mission, vision, values and strategic goals of the Ordway; ability to translate the strategic goals to departmental goals and metrics. Thorough understanding of organizational structure and functions, the inter-relationship of functions and how each impacts the other; knowledge of organizational reporting relationships. Ability to translate this information to staff.
An understanding of the organizational structure and functions and the inter-relationship of functions and how each impacts the other; knowledge or reporting relationships.
Knowledge of the performing arts and experience in attracting and sustaining diverse audiences for all genres of music, dance and theater.
Skill in public presentation including clear messaging with sensitive and diverse audiences.
Knowledge of and ability to apply various promotional/marketing techniques such as direct mail, telemarketing, SEO, email marketing and others. Skill in developing promotional partnerships and collaborations with sponsors, media and community organizations
Ability to compose, write and edit documents with appropriate grammar, punctuation, sentence structure, clarity and creativity.
Ability to operate software including basic email functions, managing calendar and contacts in Outlook and managing tasks and notes.
Ability to create compelling email marketing materials.
Ability to represent the Ordway in a professional manner.
Ability to work a flexible schedule, including evenings and weekends, as needed.
Ability to travel as needed.
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.
