Chief Marketing Officer

Description:

Overview:

• Oversight of Seattle Symphony and Benaroya Hall’s (SSO|BH) institutional marketing, brand, digital, communications, and public relations strategy, both external and internal.
• Implementation and direction of a new vision that aligns overarching institutional brand, audience, and marketing goals with specific objectives for increasing loyalty amongst new audiences, building new patron paths for various demographics, and generating additional revenue.
• Directing the efforts of the marketing, communications, digital, and graphic design staff; and coordinating at the strategic and tactical levels with other departments and functions of the organization.
• The CMO is a key member of SSO|BH's senior leadership team and reports to the CEO. As a member of the senior leadership team, the CMO will be a key voice in relation to the organization’s strategy, direction, and growth. This exciting role requires a unique combination of strategic and creative vision, revenue planning and growth, data analysis, and leadership skills.
• The CMO is responsible for oversight of annual earned revenue goals, beginning at $13.4M with an expected 5% growth each year in new audience development.

Roles and responsibilities:

Strategic Leadership:

• Lead, oversee, implement, and measure the success of an ambitious and integrated marketing, digital, communications, and public relations plan, with clearly defined goals, objectives, timelines, and assignment of responsibilities to achieve and support initiatives within the organization’s new strategic vision.
• Collaborate closely with SSO|BH’s Development leadership to align marketing, messaging, and communications, and to develop a coordinated patron growth plan from single ticket buyer to subscriber to donor.
• Build a long-term audience development strategy to connect to SSO|BH’s strategic vision; conduct market research and audience engagement strategies to optimize and broaden the organization’s reach.
• Lead brand repositioning effort, including website redesign and expansion of marketing materials and building signage to be comprehensive.
• Collaborate internally on institutional projects and initiatives, such as special events, anniversary celebrations, and organizational milestones.
• Maintain a strategic knowledge of best practices and significant trends in marketing, communications, membership, and audience development, and adapt strategies as necessary.

Earned Revenue Maximization and Audience Engagement:

• Drive ticket sales and attendance growth with a focus on new demographics and increased retention through a variety of methods including external marketing campaigns, digital marketing, loyalty programs, and strategic use of audience survey data and research.
• Collaborate with the Senior Team to develop and drive annual earned revenue goals and guide investments in capacity building for revenue generation.
• Plan and conduct major marketing, promotional, and public relations campaigns aligned with SSO|BH’s overall audience development and patron growth strategy.

Institutional Branding, Public Relations, and Communications:

• Manage SSO|BH’s brand identity through the repositioning and rollout, ensuring the articulation of the organization’s desired image and position throughout the institution. Oversee the creation of marketing and branding content to raise awareness, target audiences and drive attendance.
• Oversee the coordination of media interest in SSO|BH and act as a key media spokesperson for SSO|BH by developing and maintaining effective working relationships with media representatives, the community at large, and special interest groups.
• Lead the digital team, including external consultants, to present SSO|BH’s brand, programs, and revenue channels on the web, social, and digital platforms.
• Oversee various marketing channels, including email and print, and work with outside agencies as needed to develop and implement marketing strategies.

Board Engagement:

• Serve as liaison to the Board for audience development and growth and new marketing initiatives within the strategic vision.
• Devise strategies with Board members that create meaningful paths for the engagement in audience development strategies.
• Guide Board engagement in institutional reputation management and crisis communications when required.

Team and Organizational Oversight:

• Guide the day-to-day operations of the marketing and communications team to ensure that all administrative and operational aspects are executed at a high level of quality and efficiency.
• Guide creation of reports that track progress on audience development and growth as well as tracking effectiveness and progress of strategic vision tactics.
• Guide creation and analysis of audience surveys and feedback to regularly assess patron experience, product relevancy, marketing strategies, etc.
• Recruit, diversify, coach, inspire, and motivate a strong team that represents the community that BH|SSO serve.
• Set performance standards for the team and provide timely, constructive feedback while supporting opportunities for professional development.
• Support collaborative work with the development team in guiding patron path and furthering engagement opportunities.

Requirements:

Qualifications:

• A bachelor’s degree in marketing, public relations, communications, business, or a related field from an accredited college or university is preferred.
• A minimum of 10 years in institutional and direct consumer marketing is required, preferably in a performing arts, museum, or similar nonprofit organization.
• Significant supervisory, managerial, and budgetary responsibility experience, as well as public relations, crisis management, and corporate communications experience, is needed. Exceptional written and interpersonal skills, a genuine enthusiasm for and knowledge of music, and a high degree of professionalism and integrity are needed.
• Educational credentials supporting leadership acumen, organizational growth, arts and culture experiences, and community engagement are highly desired.
• Experience using and analyzing data, CRMs, and audience research is critically important.

Physical Requirements:

The physical requirements described here must be met by the employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• The functions of this position are performed primarily in an office environment.
• Regular activities include frequent sitting, standing, walking, reaching and bending.
• This position may require occasional pulling, lifting and climbing stairs.
• Ability to speak, hear and communicate clearly while handling staff inquiries, telephone calls and customer requests.
• Specific vision abilities require close visual acuity for viewing a computer screen and reading, preparing, entering and/or analyzing data.
• This position requires repetitive motions of the wrists, hands and fingers for typing at a standard keyboard and regular pinching, picking up and holding pencils and other desk tools.
• Must have the ability to lift 30 pounds as needed.

Benefits:

• Excellent Medical, Dental and Vision Insurance program (PPO, low deductible)
• Employer paid Long-Term Disability, AD&D and Life Insurance
• 403b retirement savings plan with employer matching at 1 year
• 4 weeks Vacation Time, 10 days Sick Time
• 2 personal days
• 11 holidays per year
• Your birthday off!
• Employee Assistance Program
• Choice of free on-site parking or ORCA pass

The Seattle Symphony values diversity and inclusiveness in the workplace. Individuals who bring diverse backgrounds and perspectives are encouraged to apply. It is our policy to provide equal employment opportunity (EOE) to all persons regardless of age, color, national origin, citizenship status, physical or mental disability, race, religion, creed, gender, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity and/or expression, genetic information, marital status, status with regard to public assistance, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local law. In addition, the Seattle Symphony will provide reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals with disabilities.