Director of Marketing and Communications
Position Profile
About the Opportunity
Hudson Valley Shakespeare (HVS) is in the midst of a transformational moment as an organization. After undergoing tremendous artistic and programmatic evolution in recent years, following the successful transition from a founding leader to the installation of Artistic Director Davis McCallum in 2014 and Managing Director Kendra Ekelund in 2022, HVS is in a place of great strength in terms of its mission, work, and leadership. At the same time, HVS (known as Hudson Valley Shakespeare Festival, until recently) has just broken ground on building a new permanent home in Garrison, NY, a LEED Platinum certified open-air theater, to be named the Samuel H. Scripps Theater Center. The new theater will be located on 98-acres of land overlooking the Hudson River, conveyed to the organization by philanthropist and longtime conservationist, Christopher Davis, and providing the organization the opportunity to evolve from a seasonal festival to a cultural anchor for the Hudson Valley and an enduring destination for arts lovers nationally and globally. Now in the public and final phase of a triumphant $58 million capital campaign to complete this project, HVS is poised to assemble a stronger staff infrastructure, provide increased resources to artists, and elevate its presence with the local community and national theater landscape.
To meet this moment and seize its many opportunities, HVS seeks a highly motivated, skilled, and experienced Director of Marketing and Communications (DMC) to join the team and build comprehensive marketing and communications plans. They will work in close partnership with the Artistic Director, Managing Director, an engaged Board, and dedicated staff to strengthen the organization’s brand and outreach. They will be an individual who is enamored with the region, committed to fostering strong connections with the community, and determined to grow a vibrant and diverse audience base. The DMC will oversee a part-time Marketing Manager for most of the year and both an Audience Services Manager and a Box Office Manager during the production season. At this moment of institutional growth, HVS will also hire a Director of Development, who will be a key collaborative partner to the new DMC and leadership. Both leaders will have the rare opportunity to start their journey with the organization concurrently and thereby, establish strategies and practices collectively from the outset. Together, as a team, they will find innovative ways to celebrate the organization’s beloved reputation, promote both the incredible productions and unique experience of Hudson Valley Shakespeare, and fortify its audience base for long-term success.
About Hudson Valley Shakespeare
HVS Mission: Rooted in the landscape of the Hudson Valley, with the plays of William Shakespeare as our touchstone, HVS engages the widest possible audience in a theatrical celebration of our shared humanity.
HVS Core Values: Excellence, Inclusion, Playfulness, Generosity, Sustainability
HVS Now: Located eighty minutes north of Manhattan, Hudson Valley Shakespeare (HVS) is a professional non-profit theater company that presents a rotating repertory season of both Shakespeare and more contemporary plays and musicals in an open-air theater overlooking the Hudson River. Founded in 1987, HVS’s critically acclaimed body of work is forged from the most essential of elements – actors, audience, language, and landscape. The company’s spectacular 98-acre campus serves as a vibrant hub for the local community, a cultural and educational anchor for the region, and a national model for environmental sustainability in the performing arts. It encompasses publicly accessible spaces where visitors can picnic and walk, rehearsal studios and production shops where artists carry out creative work, and also houses a successful for-profit restaurant and event space, called The Garrison, which is a wholly-owned subsidiary of the non-profit theater company. After 38 years of performing in a seasonal tent, in the summer of 2026, HVS will welcome audiences to its first-ever permanent home – the Samuel H. Scripps Theater Center, designed by the celebrated architecture firm Studio Gang. Protected from the elements but open to the landscape, the Scripps Theater Center will be the first purpose-built LEED Platinum theater in the United States.
HVS History: HVS was founded by Melissa Stern and Terry O’Brien in September 1987 with an outdoor production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream at Manitoga, home of industrial designer Russell Wright, in Garrison, NY. O’Brien led the theater for 27 years, directing more than 30 productions, and stepped down as Artistic Director in December 2013. After a nationwide search for his successor, HVS’s Board appointed Davis McCallum as Artistic Director in May 2014. Under McCallum’s leadership, HVS established HVStories, a multi-year exploration of the people, history, and culture of the Hudson Valley, and Full Circle, a community engagement program inspired by 2016’s citizen-driven production of Our Town. In 2017, HVS produced its first ever world premieres — Kate Hamill’s Pride and Prejudice (a co-production with Primary Stages in New York) which went on to be one of the most-produced plays in the country, and Lauren Gunderson’s The Book of Will (produced in partnership with the Denver Center for the Performing Arts). Recent seasons have balanced bold productions of Shakespearean classics with contemporary plays by writers such as James Ijames, Anne Washburn, Madeline Sayet, Whitney White, and Heidi Armbruster. Over the last two seasons, HVS has continued to break ground with new world premiere productions Penelope, a musical re-imagining of The Odyssey; and Medea: Re-Versed, a brand-new hip-hop version of Euripides’ classic, written by Luis Quintero and co-produced with Red Bull Theater and Bedlam.
Critics from the New York Times, The New Yorker, and The Wall Street Journal have applauded the clarity, energy, wit, and imagination of our productions, and the unique and playful nature of the actor-audience relationship under the tent. By reaching over 35,000 audience members and more than 15,000 students and educators annually, as well as transferring productions to other regional theaters, engaging our community through radically participatory art-making, and connecting
with area schools through year-round education programming; the impacts of our work are broadly felt throughout the tri-state region.
About Philipstown, Hudson Highlands, and the Hudson Valley
Hudson Valley Shakespeare is located in Garrison, NY (a hamlet in the town of Philipstown), amidst the spectacular scenic beauty of the Hudson Highlands. Approximately 50 miles north of New York City, the theater is a 70-minute train ride to Grand Central Terminal and all of the city’s theatrical and cultural offerings. The gateway to the Hudson Valley, the Hudson Highlands region is distinguished by its dramatic landscapes, its long history of land conservation and environmentalism, and its own cultural vibrancy.
In addition to HVS, other local anchor arts organizations include Dia: Beacon, Maggazzino Italian Art, Jacob Burns Film Center, Storm King Art Center, Caramoor, and many more. A short drive from the theater are the towns of Peekskill, Cold Spring, and Beacon, which each have thriving downtowns, including thriving communities of local artists.
More resources about the Hudson Valley and local community:
Cold Spring Chamber of Commerce: https://www.coldspringnychamber.com/
Travel Hudson Valley: https://travelhudsonvalley.com/
The NY Times, Living in: Garrison, NY (2018): https://www.nytimes.com/2018/01/24/realestate/living-in-garrison-ny.html
The NY Times, Living in: Cold Spring, N.Y.: A Sylvan Village That Beckons City Commuters (2019):
https://www.nytimes.com/2019/04/10/realestate/cold-spring-ny-a-sylvan-village-that-beckons-city-commuters.html
Job Description
Reporting jointly to the Managing Director and the Artistic Director, the Director of Marketing and Communications (DMC) is a full-time, year-round senior staff leadership position responsible for moving the Hudson Valley Shakespeare’s mission forward by cultivating new and existing audiences through marketing and communications campaigns and promoting HVS as a destination regionally, nationally, and globally. This role oversees the creation and implementation of strategies designed to increase awareness of and generate excitement about the organization, its work, and the rare and unique outdoor experience it offers to patrons. Pre-pandemic, HVS’s annual earned revenue target (box office as well as other earned revenue) approached $1.5 million, and once the Scripps Theater Center opens in 2026, the goal is for earned revenue to reach $1.75 million. The DMC will be firmly committed to elevating the Hudson Valley region and HVS's new campus as a cultural destination. The strategies enacted will be designed to both build new audiences and deepen relationships with existing audiences, thereby increasing earned income and improving brand position. Additionally, the DMC will participate as a member of the HVS leadership team and assist in strategic thinking and long-term planning for the institutional brand and vision of the company.
Duties & Responsibilities
Institutional Marketing and Communications Strategy
• Craft a multi-channel marketing strategy for the institution that acknowledges and speaks to its distinct segments of constituents, building a year-round relationship that builds loyalty beyond ticket purchase
• Plan, develop, and execute an annual marketing plan, which celebrates HVS’s brand and encompasses the needs of both the seasonal productions and the year-round institution
• Oversee and manage HVS’s relationship with its press representation to build and maintain relationships with local and national media contacts, ensuring comprehensive press coverage in local, regional, and national markets
• Develop promotional partnerships and advertising deals throughout the region, including maintenance of relationships with local businesses that advertise in the organization’s season program book
• Analyze audience and marketing research to assess audience engagement, understand demographic profiles, and develop and implement appropriate audience development strategies, to continually ensure that HVS’s programming is reaching a robust audience
• Represent HVS locally, regionally, nationally, and internationally
Performance Marketing
• Oversee all audience development campaigns, including print (season brochure, postcards/flyers, season program book, education and development brochures, etc.), email, blog, digital display, website, press, with an eye toward consistency of the brand voice
• Create and publish all social media and blog content; conceive of digital collaborations with artists and team members that will generate more online attention for the organization
• Plan and execute strategic promotional events, both on-site and throughout the region
• Plan and execute photo and video shoots, with professional photographers and videographer and in collaboration with HVS staff
• Oversee and manage all vendor and marketing-focused consultant/contractor relationships and deliverables
Audience Services
• Hire, oversee and manage the Box Office Manager and Audience Services Manager to train and supervise a professional, warm, and engaged Front-of-House staff
• Encourage staff to build an atmosphere that is warm, welcoming, and instills pride in attendees and the organization’s faithful fans, building strategies to enhance the visitor experience in all aspects of campus in order to encourage repeated patronage
• Work in collaboration with the marketing team of the on-campus for-profit hospitality and wedding business, to maximize synergy and seize opportunities for cross-promotion and advancement
Organizational Leadership
• Collaborate with HVS’s Managing and Artistic Directors to strategize about all public facing communications
• Build and monitor the Marketing and Communications expense budget and Audience Services/Front-of-House expense budget, in collaboration with the Finance department and Managing Director, and with input from the Box Office Manager and Audience Services Manager
• Build and monitor predictive ticket sales income forecasts and ticket pricing models as a part of the annual budgeting process, in collaboration with the Box Office Manager, Finance Department, and Managing Director
• Prepare quarterly reports for HVS’s Board of Directors, attend Board meetings when appropriate, and engage with Board members when needed to further audience development strategies
• Collaborate with Director of Development on the strategy, execution, and analysis of donor appeals, as well as planning and execution of donor communications
• Uplift HVS’s work to be an anti-racist organization, participating in regular staff sessions to identify and address issues of structural racism in our organization, and supporting public communication about our efforts to increase diversity, equity, access, and inclusion, and nurture our audiences and community with dignity and true belonging
• Manage the hiring, onboarding, and performance review processes for Front of House leadership (Box Office Manager and Audience Services Manager) and provide support, guidance, and management to front of house team members, to encourage positive audience experience on the campus
• Ensure compliance with HVS’s style guide, both internally and with external marketing and design consultants
Qualifications
• Proven experience leading a marketing team, directing campaigns, and centering strategic thinking in plan conception and implementation
• Strong analytical, problem-solving, organizational, budgeting and financial management skills, and judicious prioritization
• Knowledge of the Hudson Valley and familiarity with the geography and press distribution of local communities
• Sophisticated approach to interacting with high-level contacts, including artists, community leaders, donors, and patrons
• Confidence in training and supervising staff and interns and a commitment to fostering positive team environments
• Excellent organizational, written/oral communication, and interpersonal skills
• Strong design sensibilities and ability to communicate abstract concepts to designers and contractors
• Familiarity with Ticketing/Donation Platforms (such as Spektrix); Project Management Platforms; WordPress and iFrame or API integrations, as well as basic styling; Adobe Suite or comparable design software; Microsoft Office; and Google Suite
• A high level of creative energy, self-confidence, integrity, humor, and generosity
• Excellent judgment, deep listening, and attention to detail
• Ability to work calmly, effectively, and flexibly in high-pressure situations with artists, administrators, and audiences
• Experience in theater and/or multi-arts marketing planning, strategies, and tactics a plus, but not required
• Appreciation for the beauty of the HVS environment and passion for sustainable practices
Not sure you meet 100% of our qualifications? Research shows that cis men apply for jobs when they fulfill an average of 60% of the criteria, while others tend only to apply if they meet every requirement. If you believe that you could excel in this role, we encourage you to apply.
We are dedicated to considering a broad array of candidates, including those with diverse workplace experiences and backgrounds. So, whether you're returning to work after a gap in employment, simply looking to transition, or taking the next step in your career path, we will be glad to have you on our radar.
Please use your cover letter to tell us about what you hope to bring to this role.
Compensation
The salary for this position is $100,000-120,000. Hudson Valley Shakespeare provides comprehensive benefits, including providing access to insurance (health, dental, vision, life, long and short-term disability upon eligibility); offers paid time off; and parking. Employees contribute to their health insurance coverage.
HVS offices are located within a renovated cottage on the new property, located at 2015 Route 9 in Garrison NY. Team members work onsite in the office four days of the week, with some flexibility as needed.
HVS is an equal opportunity employer dedicated to building a culturally diverse and equitable environment, and we strongly encourage applications from people of color and women. Candidates from populations underrepresented in the theater field are strongly encouraged to apply.
Application Instructions
The Director of Marketing and Communications search is being conducted on behalf of Hudson Valley Shakespeare by Tom O’Connor Consulting Group, a New York-based executive search and consulting firm specializing in the arts and culture industries. The search is being led by Search Consultant Brenna Thomas, in consultation with and support from the TOCG search team.
To apply, visit the online application (https://tinyurl.com/2rxkudjj) and submit your materials. Your cover letter should include any training or experience relevant to the job profile that you would like to highlight, why you consider yourself a good fit for this opportunity, and anything else you’d like us to know about your qualifications that may not be present in your resume.
The priority application deadline for this search is November 21, 2024. Applications received by this date will receive priority consideration. While we will still accept and consider applications after this date, we encourage you to apply as early as possible for the best chance at being considered for the position. Please note that meeting the priority deadline does not guarantee an interview.
