Career Center

Position Title:            Vice President of Marketing & Communications

Department:              Marketing & Communications

Location:                    Santa Barbara, CA

Status:                        Full-Time, Exempt

Position Description

The Music Academy seeks a visionary Vice President of Marketing & Communications to tell our unique story of artistic innovation and to drive revenue-generating strategies to support the organization’s Summer Festival and year-round programming. The VPMC is a key member of the Academy’s senior management team and reports to the President & CEO. The VPMC manages a team (3 year-round and approximately 8 summer seasonal employees) overseeing print and digital marketing, ticketing, front of house operations, venue rentals, volunteers, communications and public relations. The ideal candidate will have a track record of success and growth, enthusiasm to innovate and lead, and passion for shaping the classical music industry to be more inclusive and engaging for audiences and young musicians.

Position Responsibilities

• Develop dynamic and engaging storytelling to promote the Music Academy as a thought leader and change maker in classical music
• Lead marketing & communications strategies across all Music Academy programs, including Summer Festival, Sing!, Innovation, community outreach, and fundraising
• Drive earned revenue strategies including ticket sales, program ads, and venue rentals
• Manage revenue and expense budgets (approximately 15-20% of total operating budget), tracking variance to goals and designing new strategies as needed
• Advance new brand identity and cultivate local, national, and international media relationships to promote the Music Academy to the broadest audiences possible, to reflect the broad reach of our fellows, alumni, teaching artists, and community
• Oversee collateral, social media, advertising, institutional writing and editing
• Develop strategies to increase diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging of audiences in community engagement and programming, particularly for our local Spanish-speaking community
• Collaborate with Student Services on fellow and summer staff recruitment strategies
• Lead the Academy’s partnership with the volunteer Auxiliary to optimize engagement, growth, and evolution in support of our programs and objectives
• Collaborate with Advancement on fundraising communications
• Facilitate internal communications and collaboration among departments to achieve shared goals
• Cultivate relationships with Music Academy board, board committees, consultants, community partners, peer organizations, and other constituents
• Oversee technology for audience communication including website, digital advertising, email campaigns, and patron database
• Analyze data to test existing strategies and identify new tactics for advertising and audience development
• Maintain institutional archives and relationship with UCSB Library Special Collections
• Other duties as assigned

Candidate Profile

The Music Academy values colleagues with diverse perspectives who thrive in a collaborative, highly communicative workplace. Our administration collectively informs and agrees upon the organization’s expectations for teamwork, including a positive, goal-oriented environment that positions every employee for success.

The ideal candidate will demonstrate some, if not all, of the following:

• Applicable experience in a marketing and communications leadership role including branding, research, ecommerce, CRM, public relations, strategy and planning
• Engaging and compelling storytelling with a passion for classical music and developing artists and audiences
• Comprehensive understanding of changing market dynamics and new tools available to help marketing achieve its goals
• Strong leadership skills and demonstrated experience managing a team
• Demonstrated track record managing budgets and tracking revenue goals
• Commitment to developing programs and opportunities that support diversity, equity, access, and belonging
• Excellent listening, interpersonal, and communication skills
• Excellent judgment, accountability, and discretion with sensitive information
• Strong critical thinking, strategic planning, and problem-solving skills
• Superior organizational skills and attention to detail
• The ability to work on a team collaboratively or with minimal supervision and adapt to changing work priorities and schedules

Additional Information

• Intensive 2024 Summer Festival scheduled June 8 -August 4

Compensation and Benefits

This is a full-time, exempt position. Compensation is $170,000-$190,000, commensurate with skills and experience. Music Academy provides a comprehensive benefit package for full-time employees, which includes health and dental coverage, life insurance, paid vacation and sick leave and a 403(b) plan.

Application Process

Please email a letter of interest and current resume to hr@musicacademy.org, using the subject header VP of Marketing & Communications. PDF format only. No phone calls, please.

The Music Academy is an equal opportunity employer. We aim to create a diverse and inclusive work environment and we value each employee’s unique experiences and perspectives.

About the Music Academy

Located in Santa Barbara, the Music Academy creates a space where exceptional talent can thrive by encouraging artists to stretch, experiment, improvise, and play. The Music Academy provides artists with the tools they need to become not just great musicians but great leaders. The Music Academy’s programs are: the annual eight-week Summer School & Festival which trains up to 140 fellows ages 18-34 and presents more than 120 performances and events, competitions, and a fully staged opera; Sing!, a children’s choir free of charge for all participants that performs with local, national, and international partners; the MAX (Music Academy Exchange) partnership with international orchestras; the Innovation Institute’s Alumni Enterprise Awards; and the Mariposa Series of concerts by Academy-affiliated artists.

For more information, please visit musicacademy.org.

About Music Academy of the West

Located in Santa Barbara, the Music Academy creates a space where exceptional talent can thrive by encouraging artists to stretch, experiment, improvise, and play. The Music Academy provides artists with the tools they need to become not just great musicians but great leaders. The Music Academy’s programs are: the annual eight-week Summer School & Festival which trains up to 140 fellows ages 18-34 and presents more than 120 performances and events, competitions, and a fully staged opera; Sing!, a children’s choir free of charge for all participants that performs with local, national, and international partners; the MAX (Music Academy Exchange) partnership with international orchestras; the Innovation Institute’s Alumni Enterprise Awards; and the Mariposa Series of concerts by Academy-affiliated artists. For more information, visit musicacademy.org.

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