The Opportunity

Opera Parallèle (OP) is looking for an innovative, creative professional to manage OP’s marketing and branding activities as a member of OP’s administrative leadership team. The Marketing Director will report to the Managing Director (MD), oversee the part-time Marketing Associate (MA), and work directly with the General and Artistic Director, Artistic Producer & Community Director, publicity consultant, and all administrative staff. The Marketing Director will play an important role in ensuring that the organization meets our earned revenue goals and provides regular communication with our patrons and social network community. The Marketing Director will be responsible for strategic oversight, planning, branding, and execution of all marketing campaigns, communications strategies, and publications. This position will provide strategic leadership and oversee staff, while also rolling up their sleeves as a hands-on practitioner.

Who We Are

Based in San Francisco, Opera Parallèle (OP) is an award-winning, female- and artist-led contemporary opera company. Collaboration is in our DNA, as well as a drive to create and keep opera relevant and accessible for our diverse modern world.

Since 2010, Opera Parallèle has become one of the foremost presenters of new opera in the country. A dedication to current issues, 20th- and 21st-century composers, immersive opera experiences, and hands-on, intergenerational community engagement puts OP at the vanguard of making opera meaningful for today’s audiences. OP is on a growth trajectory, with increasing national visibility and a current organizational budget of about $1 million. OP is governed by a 17-member Board of Directors passionate about innovation in the arts.

OP’s core expertise is in staging new opera and creating chamber (slimmed-down) orchestrations of larger operas adaptable to many venues, giving many works an afterlife and accessibility beyond their initial run. OP enjoys close relationships with creators and producing partners working in opera, the performing arts, and visual art, and is often sought by today’s top composers to develop the chamber premiere of operas they debuted at top international houses.

OP is committed to being an inclusive work environment through diversity of people, ideas, talents, and experiences. We are committed to providing a culturally safe workplace, and we recognize that this looks different for everyone. We will work with existing staff and new hires to identify and ensure respect for cultural safety needs and develop opportunities for all staff to connect, engage, and thrive. OP is actively working on increasing fluency in equity issues, and is participating in ongoing organization-wide assessment and training in equity, diversity, and inclusion. We welcome open dialogue about how we can continually improve our support for our community in all aspects of our work.

Please visit our about us page to learn more about who we are, what we do, and the values we embrace.

Who We’re Looking For

This section describes the skills and experience that are most important to this position. We realize not everyone will be equally strong in all of these areas. We also know you can bring strengths and talents beyond what we’ve described. If you are excited about this role and our mission, we welcome your application!

• Prior non-profit arts marketing and communications leadership experience
• Experience developing and implementing successful branding and communications strategies
• Familiarity with and interest in online and digital marketing trends (web, e-mail, social media)
• Strong writing (institutional, fundraising, and marketing), editing, and proofreading skills
• High level of proficiency with word processing and spreadsheet software (OP uses Google Suite—Google Drive, Docs, Sheets, etc.—mostly on a Mac platform)
• Proficiency with web platforms and software necessary to maintain OP’s website, including HTML and WordPress
• Comfort using design software (Adobe Photoshop/InDesign, Canva, or similar)
• Experience with donor management software a plus (OP uses DonorSnap)
• Innovator, team player, and consensus builder with a collaborative spirit, good listener
• Strong relationship builder and manager, with co-workers and external producing and community partners
• Comfort with self-starting in a fast-paced environment and working independently
• Interest in and basic knowledge of classical music, especially opera, and/or contemporary music/art, music education, other performing arts
• Respect for diverse backgrounds and voices and a commitment to inclusion, accessibility, and equity
• Experience working and communicating with intergenerational and diverse racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic backgrounds
• Knowledge of San Francisco and other Bay Area communities
• Sense of humor a plus!

Key Responsibilities

General Marketing & Communications

• Creating an annual, year-round marketing campaign to broaden OP’s visibility, developed and implemented in collaboration with the MD, Artistic and Development team leaders, and the Marketing Committee made up of board, community, and staff members
• Developing a compelling narrative and brand that most effectively tells the OP story, while serving as the brand manager to build brand and mission awareness and deliver key messages through all of OP’s external communications
• Creating and articulating comprehensive marketing plans and budgets designed to achieve earned revenue goals (ticket sales, co-productions and rentals) for each production
• Project managing all printed publications, including program books and marketing and development collateral; designing, writing, and/or curating content
• Interfacing with public relations (PR) consultant(s)
• For each production, selecting (if there is a choice) and supervising the ticketing service and box office provider, and creating ticket price strategies and audience and trend analyses
• Hiring and providing direction to OP’s graphic designer and any other necessary staff, subject to approval by MD, staff, and consultants
• Supervising and mentoring the part-time Marketing Associate
• Working with Development Director to create and deploy membership content

Digital Marketing

• Maintaining OP’s website and regularly updating content
• Ensuring the website is accessible to people with disabilities
• Creating e-communication and external communication content (currently using Constant Contact)
• Developing and expanding OP’s online presence, and promoting the OP brand, through social media, email, web advertising, and other sources
• Creating engaging and culturally appropriate content for website and social media platforms
• Coordinating with other staff members to ensure active promotions and campaigns are well represented online

Data and Reporting

• For each production, serving as primary liaison to box office venues/partners to generate updated reports and reconciliation of box office transactions post-closing night
• Providing regular internal reports on Google analytics, web traffic, and social media metrics
• Providing support and data for grant materials and Data Arts, as needed

Administration

• Oversee mailings (e.g., coordinating with mailhouse, conducting mail merges and list selection/segmentation)
• Providing support for board, performances, and events, as needed

These tasks represent baseline responsibilities for this position. As OP grows, there may be opportunities (and sometimes the need to) add new responsibilities and areas of work. We are a small (but growing!) staff, so an openness to supporting other areas of work is essential for every member of our team.

Location, Schedule, and Physical Requirements

• OP’s administrative offices are located on the fourth floor of 44 Page Street in San Francisco, close to public transportation (BART and MUNI) and accessible by one set of stairs and one elevator.
• The OP administrative workday is generally Monday to Friday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. We’re happy to accommodate a partial remote work schedule but prefer a candidate who can work in our office at least 2 days a week, as well as be present on weekends and evenings for events and performance support, as needed.
• This position requires the ability to sit at a computer, speak, and type for extended periods of time. Duties of this role may also include lifting, bending, and pulling furniture to set up, configure, and break down event spaces.

Equal Opportunity Employer

Opera Parallèle is committed to providing equal employment opportunities to all qualified applicants and maintains a policy of non-discrimination with respect to employees and applicants for employment. No aspect of employment will be influenced in any matter by race, color, ethnicity, national origin, religion, gender identity and/or expression, sexual orientation, age, marital or parental status, pregnancy, disability, medical condition (including HIV or AIDS status), genetic information or characteristics (or those of a family member), veteran status, or any other basis prohibited by applicable law.

We value a strong, diverse team, and women, trans- and gender-nonconforming folks, queer people, BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, People of Color), and individuals with disabilities are strongly encouraged to apply. We acknowledge this list is incomplete and encourage you to apply if your lived experience informs your desire to support our commitment to telling diverse, relevant stories through contemporary opera.

Compensation and Benefits

This position is part-time, 32 hours per week, and exempt. The hourly rate for this position is $40–$45 per hour, for an annual salary of $66,560–$74,880.

This position also includes the following benefits:

• Health care allowance of $500 per month
• 12 paid public holidays
• Paid vacation of 8 days (64 hours) per year, accrued at 2.664 hours per bi-monthly pay period
• Paid sick leave of 8 days (64 hours) per year, accrued at 2.664 hours per bi-monthly pay period
• Funds for professional development opportunities

To Apply: Send your resume and a one-page cover letter explaining your interest and why you are a great fit for this position to employment@operaparallele.org, with “Marketing Director” in the subject header. Due to the volume of applicants, only candidates who will be invited to interview will be contacted.