Executive Director , Grand Theatre of London

2022-01-07

POSITION:                                                     Executive Director (ED)

LOCATION:                                                   London, Ontario           

POSITION DETAILS:                                 Full Time, Permanent

REPORTS TO:                                               Board of Directors

NUMBER OF DIRECT REPORTS:        Eight

WEBSITE                                                       https://www.grandtheatre.com/

CITY OF LONDON:                                      https://www.londontourism.ca/  or : https://london.ca/

 

THE ORGANIZATION

World Curious. London Proud. The Grand is building a bold future with daring new projects, inspiring new programs, and a captivating new direction.

A leading cultural hub, the Grand is proudly located in the heart of downtown London, in southwestern Ontario. We are a place for all Londoners, for everyone, to gather, celebrate, and be inspired by exceptional theatre experiences.

We bring the world to London with diverse, relevant, and original stories from around the globe, and through collaborations with exceptional national and international performing arts organizations.

And we bring London to the world stage with a commitment to developing, producing, and premiering new and original stories through our new play development program. In partnership with artists and playwrights from around the world and around the corner, we present relevant, provocative, and entertaining stories that remind us of our collective humanity.

The Grand’s commitment to educational programming and youth mentorship is exemplified by The High School Project, the only project of its kind in North America. An award-winning community outreach initiative launched as part of the 2017-18 Season, 100 Schools, demonstrates our commitment to engage children at the youngest ages to all aspects of live theatre.

A not-for-profit regional theatre, The Grand produces and presents professional theatre on two stages: the Spriet Stage (839 seats) and the Auburn Stage (144 seats). The Grand season runs from September to May with a subscription series on both stages.

THE POSITION

The Executive Director (ED) role presents an opportunity to continue the impact of this major regional theatre in its community and beyond. The Grand seeks an inspiring leader with exceptional operational experience and people skills to partner with Artistic Director (AD) Dennis Garnhum.

The Grand Theatre is in a strong position as it emerges from COVID as London’s most ambitious, successful regional theatre with a commitment to its artistic and social principles. The ED will lead the strategic planning with a particular focus on creating long-term revenue, while ensuring the Grand upholds its key values: increasing representation, community engagement, and impactful programming. Working in conjunction with the AD, The Board and other stakeholders, the ED will develop and implement the Grand’s new strategic plan to guide the company into the mid-2020s.

Providing strategic vision and financial oversight, the ED will be responsible for the organization’s operations, including administration, audience outreach, strategic business planning, and fundraising. The ED shares with the AD responsibility for bringing productions to the stage and to audiences in a way that enables and challenges staff and creative teams to do their best work. A major component of the role is the support and development of a talented senior team, working closely with them to create an open and welcoming culture which reaches everyone engaging with the Grand Theatre.

A dynamic and collaborative inspirational leader, the ED is a champion of equity, diversity and inclusion. The ED thrives in building positive and authentic relationships with staff, artists, Board members, audiences, donors and community members to support The Grand’s strategic and operational goals.

RESPONSIBILITIES

Organizational Leadership

  • In partnership with the AD and the Board; lead the company forward in the development and execution of a new strategic plan with a compelling company vision that inspires and motivates staff, stakeholders, and others in the London community.
  • Develop and implement measurable plans to improve Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion in all aspects of the operation while addressing The Grand’s commitment to anti-oppression.
  • The ED will bring an innovative and fresh approach to connect with the broader communities of the region with the goal of increasing audiences and community engagement through innovative and entrepreneurial ideas and actions.
  • In collaboration with the AD, ensure an administrative organizational structure is in place that has the capacity to execute the strategic plan while maintaining high engagement levels with staff and volunteers.
  • 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 AD, represent The Grand 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(s), the Board of Directors, and the Foundation Board to maximize the value of the Board(s) to the organization.

Financial Oversight

  • Responsible for developing an overall financial strategy for the organization in consultation with the AD 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 AD 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.

Fund Development

  • Lead fund development strategies ensuring alignment with the artistic vision and the strategic plan.
  • Provide leadership to the staff to enable the creation and implementation of appropriate fund-raising strategies to increase financial support for The Grand. This includes directly connecting with supporters, potential donors, partners and government officials and agencies,
  • Secure a robust and diverse support base for The Grand 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.

Marketing, Communications, and Digital Strategy

  • In collaboration with the AD, lead the creation of the overall marketing and communications strategy to ensure continued and expanding engagement with audiences and external communities.
  • Working with the AD, provide leadership to Marketing in the development, implementation and analysis of leading-edge marketing and branding for the Grand using both traditional and advanced digital strategies and advanced analytics.
  • Alongside the AD, develop and implement strategies to ensure patrons, funders, donors, business/community leaders, elected officials and the public understand The Grand’s role, value, and contributions.
  • Establish and oversee communications protocols internally and externally that both serve the mandate of the Theatre as well as work to promote awareness and growth of the organization.

Audience Development and Community Engagement

  • Lead The Grand’s overall strategies to develop audiences and engage with communities as outlined in the strategic plan and identify the appropriate metrics.
  • Provide leadership to Audience Development 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.

Front of House

  • Develop and set goals for the organization to achieve in delivering world-class experiences for patrons.

CANDIDATE QUALIFICATIONS

  • Experience in progressively senior roles, including successful leadership in a performing arts organization or other relevant experience.
  • Strong financial management skills with experience in creating, managing, and presenting budgets.
  • Proven ability to successfully develop and implement long-term strategic and annual operational plans and assess appropriate key indicators of progress.
  • Proven success in fundraising with individual donors, sponsors, and funders.
  • Track record of deepening involvement and increasing engagement with wider communities.
  • Demonstrated understanding of and proven commitment to the values of equity, inclusion, and diversity in every facet of the operations of a theatre company.
  • Strong interpersonal skills: 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.
  • Strong organizational management skills and business acumen, detail-oriented and strategic, creative, entrepreneurial, and disciplined.
  • Experience and knowledge in marketing, advertising, and public relations; particularly as they relate to growing ticket and other earned revenue.
  • Experience in using social media, data analytics and the digital world in building brand and engagement.
  • Familiarity with Tessitura or other enterprise applications used by performing arts organizations.
  • Excellent stakeholder management skills with experience reporting to a Board of Directors.
  • Outstanding communication and presentation skills. Able to speak and write persuasively and serve as a spokesperson for The Grand in public and in the media.
  • Experience building and effectively managing government and community relations.
  • Experience with facility management.
  • Demonstrated commitment in co-leadership; able to collaborate with The Grand’s AD to support the development and execution of the organization’s artistic vision and goals.
  • A strong talent manager who invests in skill building, celebrates success, and is an open and accessible coach and mentor.
  • Knowledge of theatre activity: locally, nationally, and internationally is an asset.
  • Relevant undergraduate degree or experiential equivalent.

CANDIDATE ATTRIBUTES

  • Natural leadership skills: a proactive and dynamic professional who inspires confidence and credibility; has a strategic and entrepreneurial orientation, and an honest, transparent and collaborative leadership style.
  • A generous and kind leader with a commitment to establish an internal culture that values people and provides an opportunity for everyone to flourish.
  • Dedicated to the principles of equal opportunity, cultural diversity, and broadening access to the arts.
  • Authentic and genuine communication skills and public speaking abilities.
  • A confident, calm, and tactful professional approach that demonstrates EQ with an ability to deal with a wide variety of people and with changing internal and external conditions.
  • A pragmatic and effective problem-solver.
  • A commitment to contribute to the leadership of the wider London community.
  • Highly collaborative. A consensus builder with the ability to delegate, inspire and manage.

THE GRAND THEATRE’S COMMITMENT TO ANTI-OPPRESSION

The Grand values the significant historical and contemporary contributions of local and regional First Nations, and all of the Original Peoples of Turtle Island (also known as North America). The Theatre Company acknowledges the traditional lands upon which it operates, as well as all the sacred waterways.

The Grand is committed to ongoing Anti-Oppression work as outlined in this statement: “The Grand Theatre has a responsibility to take decisive action to ensure that the Theatre is an inclusive and accessible place. To this end, we will name, address, and eliminate harmful behaviours, practices, and inequities that we have both produced and reproduced. Our Anti-Oppression work will examine how race, gender, class, region, religion, ethnicity, sexuality, ability, and all intersections of those categories interact with our organizational processes, so that we do not reproduce harm in our hiring, programming, and daily business operations…We commit to building and fostering authentic and sustained relationships with the communities we value but have excluded.”

COMPENSATION

A competitive compensation package will be offered, complete with salary and benefits.

HOW TO APPLY

Please apply by email with your cover letter and resume by no later than February 18th, 2022. Send to: Grand@searchlightpartnersgroup.com

The Grand Theatre is an equal-opportunity employer and committed to fair and accessible employment practices. We are committed to building and maintaining an inclusive work environment that reflects the diversity of the audiences we serve.

We encourage applications from all qualified candidates and equity seeking groups, including from racialized persons/persons of colour, Indigenous persons, and persons with disabilities.

We thank all applicants for their interest; however, only those being considered for interviews will be contacted by Searchlight Partners.