Washington Performing Arts seeks a dynamic, creative, and collaborative marketing professional to join our Marketing, Communications, & Creative Media team. This is an exciting role offering excellent opportunity to work with a cooperative, supportive, and passionate team, which enriches our D.C. community with vibrant performing arts experiences.
The Senior Manager, Marketing & Publications has a strong understanding of and experience with project management and marketing. In partnership with the Director of Marketing, Communications, & Creative Media, this role collaborates with cross-functional teams to develop and execute copy and design strategies for multi-channel marketing assets, including website copy, email campaigns, advertising, social media, and performance and event program content. Qualified candidates have an established understanding of SEO principles and the ability to create SEO-friendly content.
The Senior Manager, Marketing & Publications handles multiple priorities simultaneously as the lead liaison for the consulting graphic designer and program writer and communicates regularly with advertisers and artist managers. The ideal candidate is a communicative self-starter, detail-oriented writer and editor, and highly organized with the ability to meet deadlines. They have a curious mindset, and a penchant for honing and improving ideas with deep dives into data.
Position Summary/Purpose:
Under the supervision of Washington Performing Art’s Director of Marketing, Communications, & Creative Media (MCCM), the Senior Manager, Marketing & Publications contributes to the department's efforts to:
● Enhance the public’s awareness and understanding of Washington Performing Arts’s mission, values, and institutional identity
● Increase a diverse public’s participation in Washington Performing Arts’s wide range of artistic, education, and community programs
● Design communications/marketing/sales campaigns that are attention getting and impactful, strategic and forward thinking, cost-effective and grounded in data analysis, and demonstrate a spirit of innovation and improvement, accessibility and inclusivity.
● Reach Washington Performing Arts’s annual earned revenue goal
Essential Duty #1:Project & Systems Management
Percentage:50%
Marketing and Institutional Collateral:
● Oversee the production and dissemination of all Washington Performing Arts seasonal and institutional printed collateral (season brochures, fliers, poster, postcards, banners, etc.) created by all departments for promotional, fundraising, educational, informational, and other purposes. Provide writing, proofreading, edit routing, and other assistance for all communications, including e-newsletters, web copy, printed and digital playbills, and social media.
● Serve as an editorial expert, highly competent in syntax, diction, style, and grammar.
● Lead liaison for consulting graphic designer and program writer. Super-user for Asana project management software.
● Related duties include convening internal project meetings; in-house creative and production-related consultation; management of graphic design process; securing of print and fulfillment bids; and managing of printer and mail house relationships.
Advertising:
In collaboration with Director of Marketing, Communications, & Creative Media, plan and implement booking, creation, submission, invoicing, and budgetary tracking of print, broadcast, and digital advertising. Maintain advertising relationships. Apply evolving marketing and communications principles, theories, and concepts consistently, and strive for progress and growth.
Departmental Budget:
In collaboration with Director of Marketing, Communications, & Creative Media and other department staff, monitor and report on expenditures on an ongoing basis; forecast and report on potential budgetary needs, savings, or overruns; process departmental invoices; and assist with department accounting records.
Special Projects:
As assigned by Director of Marketing, Communications & Creative Media, serve as primary department liaison on major organizational projects and productions (e.g., multi-event thematic projects, brand/identity initiatives, Young Patrons Subscriptions).
Essential Duty #2:Creative Media Management
Percentage:20%
●Video and Photography:Liaise with artist management, and internal staff to source video, photo, and audio assets for promotions and advertising. Provide support for internal and external video creators, including sourcing and organizing of materials/components, ensuring quality control for video closed captioning, and providing writing and editing for public-facing video titles, summaries, etc.
●Institutional E-mail Campaigns:Draft copy for monthly E-News, Performance Reminder and Feedback emails and surveys, event appeals, and other promotions.
●Social Media:With Digital Content Manager, create occasional content for institutional, seasonal, and project-based planning on Washington Performing Arts’s social media platforms.
●Data Analysis/Interpretation:In collaboration with the Creative Media & Analytics Manager and Digital Content Manager, monitor analytics of institutional media platforms/projects, including Google properties, providing summaries and recommendations to the Director of Marketing, Communications & Creative Media and other staff.
Essential Duty #3: General Communications & Creative Media Support
Percentage:20%
● Participate actively in departmental and cross-departmental discussions and project teams, contributing creative ideas and approaches to new and ongoing projects and programs.
● Maintain a consistent brand voice across all communications channels.
● Assist in developing and managing strategic marketing initiatives that promote subscriptions and single ticket sales and increase organizational visibility and brand awareness.
● Collaborate with department staff to monitor and enhance all departmental initiatives and operations for adherence to principles and best practices of diversity, equity, inclusion, and access.
● Serve as a department liaison to other departments via weekly Interdepartmental meetings and project-based task forces (as assigned).
● Provide staff support to the Philanthropy & Patron Engagement Committee of the Board of Directors.
● Represent the department and the organization at performances and other events, as assigned.
Essential Duty #4:Supervision of Staff & Consultants
Percentage: 10%
● Foster an inclusive environment that promotes active engagement, cross-departmental collaboration, and skill enrichment
● Mentor and directly manage communications interns
● Serve as primary staff contact for the following regular consultants for Washington Performing Arts:
o Graphic designer
o Program-notes writer
Minimum Qualifications:
● Minimum five (5) years' work experience in a marketing or content strategy role, with an established understanding of digital mediums, channels, SEO principles, and trends. Degree in marketing or communications a plus.
● Outstanding organizational, editorial detail, and focus skills. Demonstrated ability to communicate professionally and manage multiple tasks and relationships. Proven record with time management, overseeing complicated projects, and meeting deadlines.
● Strong understanding of D.C.’s advertising marketplace across radio, TV, print, and digital. Proficient use of Microsoft Office, Adobe Acrobat, Asana, and Meta Business Suite.
Essential Capabilities & Preferences
● Aptitude for collaboration, both in-house and with external partners.
● Experience with project- and team leadership
● Results-oriented problem solver, addressing obstacles and providing guidance throughout the project management process
● Detailed, editorial eye
● Background in the performing arts (as practitioner, staffer, scholar, and/or enthusiast)
● Facility with major social media platforms (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram)
● Appreciation for and understanding of a variety of musical genres including classical, jazz, global music, gospel music, and more
● Ability to lift up to 20 lbs.
● Tessitura experience a plus
Specific Conditions of Work
● Ability to work a Monday-Friday regular schedule, minimum three days in office. Flexibility to work performance events on weekends, and evenings.
● In-person attendance of various performance, education, and community events
Benefits:
This position is eligible for Full-Time employee benefits. Washington Performing Arts offers a generous benefits package which includes Health, Dental, Life & Long-Term Disability Insurance, 403(b) Retirement Savings plan, and paid Holiday, Vacation, Sick, and Personal time off.
Organizational Diversity & Inclusion
Washington Performing Arts is committed to diversity, equity, inclusion, and access in all aspects of our work. In keeping with our mission and guiding principles, we seek, represent, and welcome a multiplicity of voices in everything we do from programmatic content to the composition of our board and staff.
Equal Employment Opportunity Statement
Washington Performing Arts subscribes to a policy of Equal Employment Opportunity and will not discriminate against any employee or applicant because of race, age, sex, color, sexual orientation, physical or mental disability, protected veteran status, religion, ancestry or national origin, marital status, genetic information, political affiliation, and gender identity or expression.
Requirements
How to Apply:
● Send cover letter and resume (in attachment format) to hr@washingtonperformingarts.org with position title in subject line.
● For best consideration, please send applications by January 1, 2025.