Title: VP, Marketing & Communications

Organization: Theatre Development Fund (TDF) 

Website: www.tdf.org

Location: New York, NY

Position Type: Full Time Permanent

About Theatre Development Fund

Theatre Development Fund, Inc. (“TDF”), TDF is dedicated to bringing the power of the performing arts to everyone. As one of the only arts service organizations whose membership is the audience, our mission is to remove the financial, physical, and invisible barriers to access to the performing arts. Our vision will be complete when EVERY New Yorker (and visitor to NYC) feels ownership of and belonging in the live performing arts. 

With an annual operating budget of $17,000,000, TDF fulfills its mission through two key areas of work: 

1. TDF’s mission-driven ticketing programs provide broad access to audiences for whom price is a barrier to entry. Through the iconic TKTS Booth in Times Square and Lincoln Center, and through TDF’s membership programs, the organization serves over 1M audience members per year.

2. TDF’s Community Programs remove financial, physical, and invisible barriers to attendance for the communities that need it most. These programs serve close to 50,000 audience members annually, particularly those members impacted by hearing loss and deafness, vision loss and blindness, mobility loss, or by intellectual and developmental disabilities. Further, TDF serves 10,000 high school students every year and over 150 community organizations, including veterans, seniors, and other underserved communities. Our methodology includes both access to discounted/free tickets, and the curation of an environment at the theatre where audiences can feel comfortable, safe, and can experience the show on their own terms. 

About the Position

After 22 years, TDF welcomed a new executive director in 2023, with a mandate to modernize and become a technology-forward non-profit. The VP, Marketing & Communications will work closely with the Executive and Managing Director and the team to define the department, the roles, and the resources needed to successfully deliver on and exceed earned revenue outcomes, expand TDF’s audiences, and evolve and enhance the reputation of the TDF and TKTS brands. As part of the senior leadership team, the VP Marketing & Communications will be a thought leader and advisor to executive leadership and a leading voice for the organization. 

The VP, Marketing & Communications will lead a combined department of marketing and digital strategy, which are currently two departments, while also building out the brand and communications, and grassroots marketing capabilities of the team. This role will also manage the work of an outside press agency and other marketing consultants and contractors as needed. Working with the Technology department, this role will be central to the evaluation and evolution of our current tech stack to better serve our needs and will work closely on consumer-facing technologies. 

YOUR KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

Duties and responsibilities are non-exhaustive but include the following key elements:

Team & Organizational Leadership

• Lead the organization’s strategy as part of the senior leadership team, providing thought leadership for this group and counsel to the Executive Director

• With the senior leadership team, share ownership and drive the implementation of a strong data infrastructure, including evaluating and managing our database and business intelligence tools

• Create a data-driven strategy around resources and structure to best serve the organizational and departmental goals 

• Train, motivate, and inspire department members to bring out the best in your colleagues and teammates and to offer progressive opportunities for professional development

• Create forward-thinking revenue and expense forecasts that advocate for resources while delivering on and exceeding ROI benchmarks

Institutional Marketing & Communications

• Lead the evolution and expansion of the organization’s two brands: the iconic, globally-renowned TKTS, and the organization’s mainstay: TDF

• Drive a process to re-envision the brand narratives and create a cohesive, unified story for all TDF’s programs and services

• Ensure the brand integrity and messaging consistency through all communications, within the organization and externally

• Own all consumer-facing digital assets, continually iterating through a data-driven approach

• Create, execute, and iterate on year-long institutional media and comms plans to drive awareness of and engagement with the TKTS and TDF brands

• Work with an outside press agency to keep TDF and TKTS in the press with both articles about our work, and as industry experts in articles about the state of the field 

• Expand our reach beyond the arts media through coverage in the mainstream press

• Drive a thought-leadership strategy for senior leadership to amplify TDF’s reach and reputation

Growth marketing and Earned revenue 

This role is responsible for the financial and audience growth of TDF’s earned revenue programs (TDF Memberships and TKTS) and the marketing of community programs, and rentals from the Costume Collection

• Develop, implement, and iterate on an omni-channel acquisition strategy to most efficiently reach those audiences who would be most served by our programming, including grassroots marketing, brand partnerships, product development, CRM/Email, SEO, out-of-home, social, and paid digital marketing 

• Work with the Technology department to drive delightful digital user experiences that encourage brand loyalty and engagement with our products and service suite

• Work with the Executive and Managing Directors to build and market ancillary revenue lines 

• Inform the work of ticketing, community programs, and the Costume Collection with strategic, analytical program improvements that can drive ROI.

QUALIFICATIONS

• 10 years in leadership, including senior management experience

• 10 years in marketing and communications, growth marketing, and/or digital strategy

• Passion for the arts and social impact

• Strong business acumen, including exceptional strategic, analytical, and problem-solving skills

• Compassionate and collaborative colleague and leader with excellent interpersonal and people management skills

• Transformational mindset which includes leading through unknowns, being adaptable to change, staying resilient through transition, and having some level of comfort with failure and learning

• Driven by results, measurement, and refinement 

• Persuasive communication and presentation, with strong written and verbal skills 

Compensation and Benefits

This is a full-time permanent role, and the salary range is $175,000 - $200,000. In addition, TDF offers excellent benefits including:

• Medical, dental and vision

• Short- and long-term disability

• Life insurance

• Company contributions to 401(k)

• Commuter benefits

• Professional development

• A generous Paid Time Off policy

TDF is a hybrid-onsite organization, and staff are encouraged to be in-office 2-3 days a week. This role is a hybrid-onsite position with flexibility for agreed upon remote work. 

To Apply:

At TDF, we serve many communities who are historically excluded from the performing arts, and we are committed to diversity of experience in our workplace also. We encourage applicants with diverse cultural perspectives, including race, ethnicity, gender identity or expression, class, physical ability, sexual orientation, or educational background to apply. Additionally, whether you’re returning to work after a gap in employment, simply looking to transition, or taking the next step in your career path, we will be glad to hear from you. If you believe that you could excel in this role, we encourage you to apply, even if you are not sure you meet 100% of our qualifications. 

To apply, please send your resume and a cover letter telling us what you hope to bring to this role to resumes@tdf.org. 

Start Date: Mid July 2024

TDF is an Equal Opportunity Employer (EOE). We are committed to diversity in all areas of our

work, both in our programs and in our workplaces. We encourage applicants with a unique cultural perspective inclusive of race, ethnicity, gender identity or expression, class, physical ability and sexual orientation.