Executive Director

Company Overview

About Neptune Theatre

Neptune Theatre is located on sacred land that has been the site of human activity since time immemorial. We are in Mi'kma'ki, the ancestral and unceded territory of the Mi'kmaq people, and we acknowledge them as the past, present and future caretakers on this land.

Neptune Theatre is Atlantic Canada’s premier destination for live, professional theatre. Our roots are deep in this region. Proudly celebrating our Diamond, 60th Anniversary, Neptune is committed and connected to our local community. Our values are grounded in the belief that the power of live theatre can transform and connect. With a mindful and inclusive approach, we are committed to bringing stories that represent the history and diversity of our region and its people to life on our stages.

Job Description

The Position         

Accountable to the Board, the Executive Director works in partnership with the Artistic Director to promote and realize the Theatre’s strategic vision and to lead and manage the Theatre. The Executive Director is responsible for the Theatre’s operations, including administration, audience outreach, strategic business planning, and fundraising.

Priorities for the Executive Director

The Executive Director’s Year 1 priorities are:

•           With the Board and Artistic Director, design and facilitate the development of a new strategic plan for Neptune that is ready to be actioned in summer/fall 2023 to guide 2024/25 budget and playbill
•         Ensure Neptune is staffed and operated within the budget parameters outlined in the 2023/24 budget including optimizing staff engagement and staffing vacant positions
•          Develop and execute marketing/partnership plans that support the financial success of 2023/24’s program and, in collaboration with the Artistic Director, ensure that audience participation supports budget and production targets
•         Strengthen and optimize funder, fundraising and donor engagement and stewardship
•          With the Artistic Director, develop a 2024/25 budget and playbill that are aligned with the new strategic plan

The Executive Director’s Year 2 & 3 priorities are:

• With the Artistic Director, develop budgets/playbills (2024/25 and 2025/26) that align with the new strategic plan and realize the objectives set out in that plan
• Develop and execute a marketing and partnership development strategy that supports and reflects the artistic objectives of the Theatre and builds audience base to support the growth and sustainability of the Theatre
• Develop and implement a multi-year financial plan that sees Neptune operate sustainably, eliminate its accumulated deficit, and reduce its mortgage.

Job DescriptionOrganizational Leadership

•        Working in conjunction with the Artistic Director and the Board; lead the Theatre forward in the development and execution of a new strategic plan with a compelling vision that inspires and motivates staff, stakeholders, the theatre community, and the broader community.
•          Collaborate with Neptune’s Artistic Director to support the development and execution of the organization’s artistic vision and goals.
•          Develop and implement measurable plans to improve Equity, Diversity, Inclusion and Access in all aspects of the operation while addressing Neptune’s commitment to anti-oppression/anti-racism.
•          Increase audiences and community engagement by creating, expanding and implementing an innovative and fresh approach to connecting with the broader community.
•          In collaboration with the Artistic Director, ensure Neptune has the organizational structure and capacity to execute the strategic plan.
•          Develop and foster a workplace culture that maintains the highest standards of excellence, equality, creativity, collaboration, inclusiveness, and fiscal, operational, and organizational integrity.
•          Ensure compliance with labour, occupational health and safety and human rights standards.
•          In partnership with the Artistic Director, represent Neptune with key local, provincial, and national government officials, industry executives, strategic partners, donors, members, patrons, and other relevant sectors as a spokesperson.
•          Establish a strong, collaborative, and respectful working relationship with the Chair and the Board of the Neptune Theatre Foundation to maximize the value of the Board to the organization.

Marketing, Communications, and Digital Strategy

•          In collaboration with the Artistic Director and Manager of Marketing and Sales, oversee the creation of the overall marketing and communications strategy to ensure continued and expanding engagement with audiences and external communities.
•          Alongside the Artistic Director, develop and implement strategies to ensure patrons, funders, donors, business/community leaders, elected officials and the public understand Neptune’s role, value, and contributions to the social, economic and cultural wellbeing of the province and the region.

Audience Development and Community Engagement

•          In support of the Director of Education and Manager of Marketing and Sales, lead Neptune’s overall strategies to develop audiences and engage with communities as outlined in the strategic plan and identify the appropriate metrics.
•          Provide leadership to the Box Office in developing and implementing a tactical plan to achieve the goals set out to secure budgeted results for subscriptions, single ticket and school sales using best practices and innovation to maximize the patron experience.

Fund Development

•          In collaboration with Neptune’s Director of Development and Partnerships, oversee and participate in fund development strategies ensuring alignment with the artistic vision and the strategic plan.
•          Secure a robust and diverse support base for Neptune by establishing, managing, and enhancing existing and new relationships with key sponsors and donors, including governments, to facilitate the creation of new and renewed sources of major gifts, sponsorships and grants.

Front of House

•          Support the Senior Front of House Manager in hiring and training Neptune’s Front of House team.
•          Develop and set goals for the organization to achieve in delivering world-class experiences for patrons.
•          Ensure safety procedures and directives for the service of alcoholic beverages are compliant with relevant legislative and regulatory requirements. 
•          Ensure training manuals are reviewed and updated and the testing of evacuation procedures is conducted regularly.

Financial Oversight

•          Develop an overall financial strategy for the organization in consultation with the Artistic Director, Director of Finance and the Board to advance the strategic plan, the artistic vision, and any longer-term capital projects while ensuring financial sustainability.
•          Assume responsibility of the direct fiscal management of the organization within the approved budget, ensuring optimized resource utilization, and maintaining a positive financial position including the management of cash flow and approval of capital expenditures and acquisitions.
•          Provide leadership to Finance and Administration, ensuring sound financial structures, regulatory practices and accurate reporting systems are in place including preparing the audited financial statements.
•          Working with the Artistic Director and senior management develop a business plan and an annual budget that advances the artistic vision and the strategic plan.
•          Maintain sound financial management including financial reporting, forecasting and analysis, accurate cash flow projections and compliance.

 

Candidate Profile

Consistent with the priorities for the Theatre and this role, and with the responsibilities of the job description, the next Executive Director should possess the following experience and demonstrate the following competencies.

Experiential Qualifications

The next Executive Director must bring:

•          Leadership experience gained through having led and managed a comparable organization or a significant functional area within a comparable organization
•          Experience leading and executing strategic planning
•          Experience setting and managing budgets, making financial decisions, reading financial statements, and explaining financial circumstances.
•          Experience leading the development and execution of a marketing strategy for an ‘experience’ or event-based offering including experience analyzing and applying data to inform development and execution of marketing plans
•          Partnership, government, community, granting agency and donor relationship development and stewardship experience
•          Experience leading or participating in significant organization growth
•          Experience leading, managing and mentoring people and developing and fostering healthy organization culture and strong team engagement
• Ideally, the next Executive Director would also bring:
•          Experience leading or working in a performing arts organization
•          Experience working with a board of directors
•          Experience in fund raising through grants, individuals, and/or government sources
•          Experience in facilities management  

Competencies/Attributes

The next Executive Director should demonstrate:

•          Appreciation for and an understanding of the performing arts
•          An entrepreneurial orientation/growth mindset
•          Strong interpersonal skills including unquestioned integrity, demonstrable respect for colleagues and stakeholders, and the ability to build trust through consistently open and honest communication across all levels of the company
•          Understanding of and proven commitment to the values of equity, inclusion, diversity and access in every facet of the operations of a theatre organization
•          An ability to deal with a wide variety of people and changing internal and external conditions
•          Natural leadership skills characterized by a mature, transparent, and collaborative leadership style that inspires confidence and credibility
•          Outstanding communication and presentation skills with the ability to speak and write persuasively and serve as a spokesperson for Neptune in public and in the media
•          A pragmatic and effective problem-solving approach and the ability to build consensus and to delegate, inspire and manage people.
• Ideally, the next Executive Director should also demonstrate a knowledge of theatre activity locally, nationally, and internationally.