Opportunities

Description

UrbanArias seeks a dynamic, collaborative Executive Director to provide development and strategic leadership at a critical moment in our company’s history.

Now in its 13th season, UrbanArias is the Washington, DC area’s contemporary opera company. Our focus is short, contemporary operas in English. Since 2011 we have produced over 30 operas, 14 of which were world premieres and 10 of which were UrbanArias commissions. Additionally, we produced and released a professional recording in 2019, which was cited by Opera News as one of their top 5 new works albums. Our annual operating budget is currently in the $250,000 - $300,000 range, and we are poised for growth.

The Executive Director will help facilitate that growth by taking the lead in fundraising and development, and will work collaboratively with the General and Artistic Director on strategic planning and implementation. The ideal candidate will be enthusiastic about understanding and developing operatic audiences.

Reports to: General and Artistic Director

Duties and Responsibilities

Devise and implement a robust fundraising program, including events and individual solicitations
Expand our in-person audience through planning and implementing outreach events
Expand our online audience through increased and targeted promotion
Develop corporate relationships which can lead to sponsorships
Take the lead in grant writing
Help develop a young professionals group
Help develop and expand our Board of Directors and Advisory Board
Work with the General and Artistic Director and Treasurer to develop and implement annual budgets and ensure sound financial practices
Manage our CRM
Be a prominent and consistent community presence to raise awareness of our work and mission

Qualifications

At least three years of professional experience in arts administration
Demonstrated success at fundraising, whether in a development position or otherwise
Excellent communication and organizational skills
Ability to work collaboratively and supportively as an executive partner to the General and Artistic Director
Ability to execute projects without supervision
Familiarity with opera and contemporary classical music
Familiarity with the needs of performing arts organizations
Comfort with public speaking

Preferences

A robust professional network in the greater DC area
Experience with grant writing
Experience on a development staff or in an executive-adjacent capacity
An undergraduate or graduate degree in Arts Management or a related field, or the equivalent professional experience.
Already located in the DMV area

Compensation

Competitive salary commensurate with experience.

Applications

Please submit a letter outlining specific interest in and qualifications for the position with a resume or CV, and contact information for three professional references to: Robert Wood, General and Artistic Director, at rwood@urbanarias.org. The deadline for submissions is May 26, 2023.

Please limit submissions to five pages or less; all applications should be submitted electronically.

UrbanArias is an Equal Opportunity Employer