Director of Marketing and Communications

About the Role

ACT Contemporary Theatre (ACT) is in the midst of a transformative organizational change as we greatly anticipate and plan for an upcoming merger with Seattle Shakespeare Company, effective July 2025. We are excited to announce this phenomenal opportunity for a highly skilled and motivated Director of Marketing & Communications (DMC) to join our dedicated, creative, and collaborative team, at a crucially important time in our shared journey.

The DMC strategically and collaboratively creates the most compelling narrative and branding strategy to support ACT & Seattle Shakespeare. They will build brand and mission awareness for the soon to be merged companies, as of July 2025, drive earned revenue through ticket sales and create strategies to maximize community interest in the groundbreaking work of ACT & Seattle Shakespeare.

The DMC is a visionary and inclusive bridge builder that works diligently to develop an audience as diverse as our larger community by the ability to effectively communicate to all potential patrons via culturally relevant and aware marketing materials, social media platforms, and press strategies. This position leads innovative and talented Marketing and Box Office departments and is responsible for the planning, implementation, and promotion of multiple subscription campaigns, single tickets promotions, and advertising. They meaningfully partner with the Director of Development to ensure that all advertising campaigns, public relations, and messaging fully represent the mission, vision, and values of the organization to our larger community.

Responsibilities include:

• Develop and implement effective and creative marketing strategies to increase brand awareness, brand engagement, and reinforce ACT & Seattle Shakespeare’s values, mission, and commitment to groundbreaking theatre
• Create brand awareness strategies to reach different customer segments; leverage user research, market insights, and an understanding of our industry to identify, attract, educate, and retain patrons
• Provide inspirational leadership in the creation of visual assets in partnership with the Creative Brand Manager that dynamically tells the story of ACT & Seattle Shakespeare’s season, programming, and/or other campaigns
• Create and direct the implementation of an integrated marketing strategy and sales plan to support subscription, single ticket, and group sales goals
• Support marketing and communication efforts across the organization, including development, education, and community partnership needs
• Grow the organization’s visibility in the arts and entertainment space, optimize ROI, and meet or exceed annual sales goals
• Develop pricing and inventory management systems that maximize revenue potential
• Oversee access opportunities such as Pay What You Choose, Rush, TeenTix, groups, and other discount programs
• Expand ACT & Seattle Shakespeare’s audience base by intentionally engaging with people of diverse backgrounds, life experiences, socio-economic status, and accessibility needs; engage underrepresented and marginalized audiences that reflect the diversity of our community by centering on a feeling of belonging and cultivating opportunities that serve diverse backgrounds
• Supervise sales projections and corresponding pricing and inventory strategies to maximize revenue; recommend appropriate demand-based pricing adjustments resulting from sales analysis
• Support the implementation of customer service training, policies and procedures that incorporate ACT & Seattle Shakespeare’s values around Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, Accessibility and Belonging
• Establish audience satisfaction benchmarks and a system for continuous feedback from audience members to support a service-oriented experience that spans all audience touchpoints
• Regularly conduct and analyze audience and market research to assess audience satisfaction and use data to refine tactics for increasing audience size and market footprint
• Responsible for developing and overseeing departmental annual operating expense
• Monitor sales and forecast revenue; provide analysis of subscription and single ticket sales throughout the season
• Fully utilize the CRM system (Tessitura) ensuring the data integrity of subscription, ticket, and group sales information and records management
• Collaborate with the Director of Development on the analysis, strategy, and execution of donor appeals, as well as planning and execution of donor communications
• Lead the integration of marketing messaging and campaigns internally and externally
• Establish internal, external, and end-to-end customer and patron-facing calendars for all ACT campaigns, promotions, subscriptions, messaging, advertising, and sales initiatives
• Approve copy and creative direction for emails, internal and external facing publications, social media marketing, marketing automation, content writing, website, etc.
• Partner with PR consultant on press activities and engagement, media opportunities, and external communications
• Guide all media relations, including editing and approving press releases, providing timely responses to media requests, and building local, regional, and national media interest
• Establish and cultivate collaborative community relationships with industry leaders, board members, media, government and city officials, key business partners, promotional partners, performing arts organizations, and community leaders
• Inspire a team centric and results-driven environment for Marketing & Box Office teams by utilizing performance management best practices, supporting continuous learning opportunities, sharing research and results, and building rapport while demonstrating a genuine interest in the professional success of others
• Participate in intentional learning efforts, including events relating to understanding institutional racism, building cultural competency, and exhibiting a commitment to Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, Accessibility, and Belonging
• Collaborate with the Director of Development and our Development department to integrate organizational strategy and customer relationship management in marketing and fundraising efforts

Qualifications

• 5 years of increasingly responsible and successful experience in marketing, sales, and communications within the arts cultural community, with a proven track record in audience development
• Demonstrated leadership skills and experience managing a Marketing team, with an inclusive and collaborative approach with the ability to role model strategic and solutions-focused thinking, provide and receive feedback effectively, generate new ideas, and set priorities
• Outstanding interpersonal and communications skills – demonstrated by active listening skills, speaking and writing effectively, an empathic and relationship-building communication style, and a strong commitment to audience centric communication and community building
• Proven leadership ability in creative and brand strategy
• Solid understanding of traditional methods of marketing and ticketing, balanced with strong interest and experience in cutting edge methods to engage customers and build community
• Demonstrated ability to grow an audience in a highly competitive marketplace
• Experience managing audience research studies, digital marketing campaigns, brand management, loyalty and retention programs, as well as audience growth initiatives
• Experience managing multiple projects, overlapping events and sales campaigns with demonstrable project management skills
• Extensive knowledge of data analytics and tracking systems
• Strong relationship building skills with an ability to prioritize, negotiate, building trust and rapport, and work with a variety of internal and external stakeholders
• Flexible and calm under pressure
• Excellent attention to detail, with strength in organization and prioritization
• CRM software experience required
• Knowledge of theatre in Seattle preferred
• Ability to attend evening and weekend events as needed
• Ability to pass a background check process that complies with the Fair Chance Employment Ordinance

Physical Skills/Work Environment

Work is performed primarily in an office setting. Primary functions require ability to work in an office setting, to operate office equipment requiring repetitive hand movement and coordination including use of a keyboard and to communicate effectively both verbally and in writing. Vision and hearing are sufficient, with or without correction, to read screens, printed documents, and to operate assigned equipment.

To Apply

Please submit a cover letter and resume. Include in your cover letter any training or experience relevant to the position that you would like to highlight and specify why you are interested in joining ACT & Seattle Shakespeare.

If you are not sure if you meet all our qualifications but believe you could excel in the role, you are encouraged to apply. We are committed to considering a wide range of applicants, including those with diverse experience and backgrounds. If reasonable accommodation is required to participate in the job application or interview process, please contact astrid.helgeson@acttheatre.org.

Job Type: Full-time

Pay: $120,000.00 per year

Benefits:

• Dental insurance
• Health insurance
• Life insurance
• Paid time off
• Retirement plan
• Vision insurance

Schedule:

• Monday to Friday

Ability to Relocate:

• Seattle, WA 98101: Relocate before starting work (Preferred)

Work Location: Hybrid remote in Seattle, WA 98101

Salary : $120,000