Director of Marketing & Communications en PORTLAND CENTER STAGE

Description

Portland Center Stage at The Armory is seeking its next Director of Marketing & Communications. PCS has an $8.5 million operating budget, two theaters (a 560-seat main stage and a flexible 180-seat studio), and ticket revenue of approximately $3.5 million annually. The Director of Marketing & Communications (DMC) oversees all marketing and communication efforts for Portland Center Stage, with a focus on audience development, community connection, and revenue growth. The DMC will champion PCS’s identity as Portland’s flagship theater through data-informed strategies, brand storytelling, and inclusive engagement that reflects the community.  The DMC is a member of the theater’s senior leadership team, which includes the Artistic Director; the Associate Artistic Director; the Director of Development; the General Manager; the Director of Finance; the Director of Education & Community Programs; the Director of Production; and the Director of People & Culture. 

In May 2025, PCS launched a transformational $9 million fundraising campaign, and the DMC will have the opportunity to play an important role in securing PCS’s future.  

*While the DMC is currently supervised by the Artistic Director, PCS will be hiring a new Managing Director during the 2025-26 season, after which the DMC will report to the Managing Director.

We will review applications and schedule interviews on a rolling basis; please apply promptly.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities 

• Campaign Planning, Implementation and Management
  • Create and execute audience development strategies and initiatives, including direct mail, radio, television, print, outdoor, grassroots, digital advertising and publicity.
  • Establish, implement and lead the marketing team to achieve campaign goals related to sales of season subscriptions, single tickets, and group tickets.
  • Work with the Patron Services team to develop and oversee the implementation of ticket pricing matrices and strategies, and consult on the management of ticket inventory to maximize revenue. 
  • Work closely and collaboratively with the Development Department to coordinate messaging; marketing; ticket-buyer-to-donor conversion; and overall patron loyalty, retention and service.
  • Oversee the solicitation and maintenance of media sponsorship and advertising trade agreements.
  • Lead the development and optimization of integrated marketing funnels using CRM and automation tools.
  • Oversee paid digital strategy across search, display, video, and social channels, managing media buying and performance tracking.
  • Set, track, and optimize key performance indicators (KPIs), including conversion rates, retention, and return on ad spend (ROAS).
  • Utilize A/B testing, heatmaps, and analytics platforms to evaluate campaign effectiveness and inform decision-making.
  • Ensure that PCS’s brand and messaging are maintained throughout the organization.

• Public Relations and Communications
  • Oversee media relations, including solicitation of feature coverage and reviews, production of promotional materials, and opening night planning.
  • Oversee public relations outreach initiatives to promote specific productions and the organizational brand as a whole.
  • Develop and oversee a comprehensive digital strategy, including the timely maintenance of PCS’s website and social media channels .
  • Oversee the development of PCS’s printed and electronic publications, including playbill preparation and electronic newsletter.
  • Develop and strengthen relationships and community partnerships with organizations in our region to benefit ticket sales and community building efforts.
  • Manage external and internal communications during periods of institutional change, financial difficulty, or public scrutiny; honor PCS’s value of transparency.

• Community Engagement and Equity
  • Design campaigns that center historically marginalized voices and align with PCS’s equity commitments.
  • Partner with community organizations and local businesses to increase relevance, trust, and attendance among new audiences.
  • Ensure accessibility in all communications, including visual representation, language, captioning, and content formats.

• Management and Administration
  • Work closely and collaboratively with the leadership team to meet and exceed earned income and overall organizational goals.
  • Establish aggressive but attainable goals for earned income, and create and manage departmental budgets and resources to achieve established goals.
  • Create, implement and analyze patron surveys and evaluation systems.
  • Analyze historical and current sales data and patterns to enable data-driven decision making and forecasting.
  • Track and report sales. 
  • Supervise all employees in marketing and communications.
  • Play a key role in season planning by reading all plays under consideration and contributing to the leadership team conversation around building a season that moves the theater’s artistic and organizational goals forward; contribute audience insights and revenue forecasts to shape programming decisions.
  • Work with the board of directors to keep the board apprised and engaged with marketing initiatives.
  • Serve as the marketing voice in cross-departmental leadership, aligning goals with Development, Education, and Artistic departments.
  • Play a key role in major organizational campaigns, such as urgent fundraising appeals or rebranding efforts.

• Patron Services
  • Partner with the Patron Services Manager to ensure the overall smooth operation, knowledge base and high customer service level of the Patron Services team, which includes House Managers. 

• Other duties as assigned.

• This position requires the flexibility to work occasional nights and weekends as needed to attend events, align department efforts with the production schedule, and serve the organization as a member of the senior leadership team.

Desired Qualifications

• Collaborative and entrepreneurial leadership style. Ability to lead a team of talented individuals to deliver their best work, encourage their creativity, and foster their professional growth while achieving company goals. Lead with trust and transparency. 
• View the role of the department as being in service to the entire organization, understanding the opportunities and the responsibilities in being one of the theater’s chief storytellers. 
• Experience owning responsibility for ticket sales and growth of earned revenue.
• Model a commitment to equity and inclusion.  
• Experience leading through change and uncertainty with a solution-oriented mindset, including staff turnover, budget shifts, or audience volatility.

• Bachelor's degree in a related field and 4+ years of related experience or equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Interest and/or involvement in an arts organization or mission-based organization.
• Communication skills to write reports, correspondence, and effective marketing materials. Ability to effectively present information clearly, and respond to questions from groups of managers, employees, board members, patrons and the general public in writing, by telephone, through face-to-face conversation and public speaking.
• Experience managing a budget and projecting future sales.
• Ability to interpret an extensive variety of data and effectively convey the conclusions of that analysis to your team, peers and supervisors.
• Knowledge of and comfort with: database software; Microsoft Office Suite, in particular spreadsheet and word processing software; web CMS experience; and digital media best practices and execution. Knowledge of email marketing platforms, CRM systems, Google Ads, social media ad managers, and web analytics tools such as Google Analytics or Looker Studio.

Physical Requirements and Working Conditions

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• Most work is performed in an office environment in a stationary position for up to 75 percent of the time; requires the ability to operate a computer and other office productivity machinery (i.e. a calculator, copy machine, computer printer)
• This position requires the ability to regularly move about inside office and theater spaces to collaborate with colleagues, converse with and greet patrons, attend events, etc.
• Must be able to exchange information, discuss ideas, express oneself and communicate effectively with a diverse group of community members.
• Must move objects weighing up to 25 pounds for office functions and event management/set-up.

Compensation & Benefits

• Full-time, exempt
• $90,000 annually
• Medical benefits, including health, dental and vision available 1st day of month following hire
• Generous paid time off policy
• 403(b) retirement plan with employer match 
• Complimentary tickets to all PCS productions

We will review applications and schedule interviews on a rolling basis; please apply promptly.

Portland Center Stage is committed to advancing equity and diversity in all that we do. PCS does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, marital or familial status, sexual orientation, gender identity, veteran status or any other basis prohibited by local, state, or federal law. We encourage people of all backgrounds to apply, including people of color, women, LGBTQ individuals, people with disabilities, veterans, and others who demonstrate the ability to help us achieve our vision of a diverse and inclusive community. Successful candidates will commit to an equitable and inclusive workplace, including but not limited to: racial equity, accessibility for individuals with disabilities, use of gender inclusive language, and cultural sensitivity. Learn more about our commitment and expectations at https://www.pcs.org/idea and https://www.pcs.org/social-justice-at-pcs-our-commitment-to-anti-racist-theater.