Marketing & Community Engagement Director
Gulf Coast Symphony Orchestra (Fort Myers, Florida)
Type of Employment: Salaried (Full-time, exempt)
Reports to: Music & Executive Director
Manages: Interns & Core Symphony Volunteers.
The Gulf Coast Symphony (GCS) is one of the most dynamic and innovative community orchestras in the United States. Professionally managed and led, it produces twelve to fourteen concerts each season, educational outreach events, chamber music concerts and other activities each year in the premiere performing arts venue in Lee County, Florida, the Barbara B. Mann Performing Arts Hall. The GCS is committed to performing a broad variety of concerts and creating a diverse, innovative and balanced program of performances, events, community and education projects which reaches the widest possible public. The Gulf Coast Symphony is recognized for its high-quality symphonic performances and its history of active community engagement and commitment to arts education. The primary goals of the Gulf Coast Symphony are: to help build general arts awareness in Lee County; to develop new audiences for the arts in our community; and to assist in the development of potential future performers.
Important Relationships: Music & Executive Director; Development Associate; Board President; Chair of the Community Engagement & Outreach Committee; and Chair of the Community Image Committee
Central Role: To work with Music & Executive Director to develop a strategic advertising, direct marketing, and online marketing campaign, as well as lead the grassroots sales efforts of the Gulf Coast Symphony in the areas of subscriptions, single tickets and group sales through management of advertising, promotions, direct mail and online marketing. Use all forms of media and communication to build, maintain and manage the reputation of the Gulf Coast Symphony. Position includes the management of our Musical Legacy Society (our highest value donors and performance sponsors) concert receptions and special ticket requests.
Primary Responsibilities:
Advertising & Promotions
- Develop strategic advertising campaign.
- Collaborate on media buying and project management for radio, television and print advertising placements.
- Copywriting support for radio, television and print advertising.
- Creative development of promotions with community partners to drive sales.
Direct Marketing
- Develop direct mail campaign strategy.
- Plan and administer list management process for direct marketing campaign. Work with list co-op and in-house database to create a plan for lead generation and database clean-up, as necessary, to carry out the direct mail and telemarketing campaigns.
- Act as project manager for direct mail pieces, interfacing with staff and volunteers, creative design and print firms, and direct mail house.
- Plan and execute telemarketing campaigns.
- Responsible for marketing budget
Online Marketing
- Create and send weekly e-newsletters and e-ads campaigns to support sales efforts.
- Website management, including content creation and management.
- Assist in the creation of Web 2.0 content, including blog & podcasts
- Track and analyze results of online marketing efforts.
Group and Specialty Sales
- Supervise prospecting of potential groups for subscription and single ticket sales.
- Work with Board to maximize specialty/niche campaigns.
- Conduct onsite visits/meetings with Group Sales prospects when deemed appropriate.
Public Relations:
- Develop a public relations/marketing plan
- Researching and evaluating the target audience's perceptions of organization and proposed PR campaign;
- Co-coordinating focus groups and co-coordinating surveys
- Maintain a clipping file of all relevant PR and articles
- Initiating and planning PR campaigns
- Writing and editing press releases, newsletters, and articles;
- Coordination and updating of information on an organization’s website;
- Preparing and supervising the production of publicity brochures, handouts, direct mail leaflets, promotional videos, photographs and annual reports;
- Answering enquiries from individuals, journalists and other organizations;
- Speaking in public at presentations, press conferences, radio and TV interviews or meetings;
- Developing and maintaining good working relations with the media, including local and national newspapers, magazines, radio and television;
- Organizing special events, such as press conferences, exhibitions, open house days, and hall tours;
- Prepare and distribute all communications/promotional materials
Season Subscription Responsibilities:
- stewardship of our season subscribers
- oversight of annual subscription renewal campaigns
- development and oversight of subscriber cultivation events
- in partnership with development associate, assistance in corporate sponsorship solicitations, under the direction of the Music Director and Board President
Requirements:
- The ideal candidate will be strongly motivated; a self-starter; energetic and flexible; able to work in a fast-paced environment and maximize resources; extremely creative; highly analytical.
- Bachelors or advanced degree and at least two years experience in a marketing/sales capacity.
- Strong communication skills (oral and written) with great attention to detail.
- Complete capability in Microsoft Office and Excel.
- Evening/weekend performance and special event duty is required.
- Database management background helpful. (GCS uses Patron Technologies as its CRM; TRGArts provides our list management.)
- Comfort and capability with basic website development and social media suites. (Wordpress; Twitter; Facebook, etc.)
- Knowledge of video production and creative design (Adobe CS5 suite) is an asset.
- Knowledge of the arts and/or symphonic music is an asset.
- Valid Driver's License & Vehicle.
Disclaimer: This description should not be construed to contain every function or responsibility that may be required to be performed by an incumbent in this job. This job description is intended to be general and will evolve over time. The description is subject to periodic updating. At management’s discretion, the employee may be assigned different or additional duties from time to time.
MORE / LESSHOW TO APPLY
Application Instructions
APPLICATION PROCESS: Applicants should email a resume, list of references, and cover letter describing your interest and qualification for the position to: akurtz@gulfcoastsymphony.org with the subject line Marketing & Community Engagement Director.
APPLICATION DEADLINE: Applications accepted on a rolling basis until the position is filled; early applications encouraged. Please note that due to the volume anticipated, we will not be able to respond individually to each applicant. We kindly ask that you do not send duplicate applications via mail or email, and no phone calls please. Thank you.
The Gulf Coast Symphony is an equal opportunity employer.
