Description
Chief Marketing Officer
Position Profile
About the Opportunity
Seattle Rep—one of the nation’s leading regional theaters—is experiencing a dynamic new chapter. With a strong artistic foundation, a reputation for and commitment to innovation, and a renewed sense of organizational and artistic momentum, Seattle Rep is poised to deepen its community impact and connection and excite audiences with an ever expansive artistic energy and focus.
The Chief Marketing Officer will play a defining role in this next phase. As a key member of the senior leadership team, the CMO will shape how the organization connects with audiences—driving revenue, elevating brand visibility, and advancing a modern, data-informed approach to marketing in the performing arts. This is a rare opportunity to lead marketing for a major American theater at a moment of both stability and ambition—where thoughtful strategy, creative energy, and institutional alignment can meaningfully expand impact and reach. The CMO will join a senior leadership team committed to collaboration around strategies designed to support a thriving theater organization keenly focused on fulfilling its mission through excellence, excitement, and innovation. This is an opportunity for a marketing and communications professional who is excited to join a team that is passionate about the future of this company; who brings ambition and vision; who is able to work within the realm of possibility while also anchoring the work in data and understanding; and who is eager to embrace the realities and potential of 21st century marketing tools.
About Seattle Rep
Seattle Rep puts theater at the heart of public life. Founded in 1963 and winner of the 1990 Tony Award for Outstanding Regional Theatre, Seattle Rep is led by Artistic Director Dámaso Rodríguez and Managing Director Jeffrey Herrmann. Over a season and throughout the year, Seattle Rep collaborates with extraordinary artists to create productions and programs that reflect and elevate the diverse cultures, perspectives, and life experiences of the Pacific Northwest. Seattle Rep enjoys a celebrated national reputation based on its commitment to excellence on stage, its continuing commitment to developing new work and investing in national and local artists, and its place as the premiere regional theater in the Pacific Northwest.
Seattle Rep is set in the unique park-like environment of Seattle Center, a public space developed as part of the World’s Fair in 1962. Overlooked by the Space Needle, Seattle Rep shares this extensive cultural campus with the Opera House (home to both Seattle Opera and Pacific Northwest Ballet), the Chihuly Garden and Glass Museum, Seattle Children’s Theatre, and more, as well as open spaces that draw Seattle residents and visitors to numerous festivals and events throughout the year. Seattle Rep’s building houses two theaters – the Bagley Wright Theater, with a current capacity of 673; and the 282 seat Leo K. Theater. In addition, the Poncho Forum is a flexible space used for everything from rehearsal studio to educational programs space to public programs and readings. Seattle Rep’s production shops and administrative offices are also located within this building, creating opportunities for company collaborations and communications that are rare in a large theater organization.
Learn more about Seattle Rep here. https://www.seattlerep.org/
About Seattle
Seattle, Washington, is a city with perhaps the most beautiful setting in the United States. Known as the Emerald City because of its connection and access to nature – the city is filled with parks and green spaces – Seattle sits on the shores of Puget Sound, with the Cascade Mountains in view to the east, and the Olympics of the Peninsula to the west. Water views come into focus at almost every turn, with the Sound and Lakes Union and Washington defining the topography of this city of hills. For many centuries the area has been home to a large number of indigenous communities, including the Duwamish and Suquamish tribes, and is still home to one of the largest populations of urban native peoples in the country. As a Pacific rim city, Seattle also enjoys the influence of citizens of Asian ancestry, and the area’s reputation as a technology center continues to draw a diverse population to the city and environs.
Seattle’s evolution from timber and fishing economies, to aerospace and technology pioneers, to progressive eco-centric entrepreneurism has created a city with a distinct personality, where everyone from multinational corporate workers to maker-culture artisans benefit from the diverse food, art, and outdoor scene that represents the city’s unique story.
Culturally, Seattle is an exciting city that has impacted not only its citizens but the national culture as well. In music, through its reputation as a city who nurtured legends from Ray Charles and Quincy Jones to Jimi Hendrix to Nirvana; in visual art, through artists from Mark Tobey and Morris Graves to Fay Jones and Dale Chihuly; and through its history of cultivating a vibrant live theater scene. Seattle was a center of vaudeville in the early 20th century, and one of the leaders of the resident theater movement in the 60s as the Seattle Rep opened its doors, and for the next half century the theater community grew and evolved, as nationally celebrated playwrights from Steven Dietz to Cheryl L. West to August Wilson called Seattle home.
Job Description
The Chief Marketing Officer leads the strategy, execution, and performance of all marketing, communications, and audience engagement efforts at Seattle Rep. This role oversees a broad portfolio spanning brand, sales, digital strategy, communications, and patron experience, and is responsible for delivering both immediate revenue results and long-term audience growth.
Key Responsibilities
- Accelerate revenue growth through effective subscription, single ticket, and group sales strategies
- Reinforce audience engagement in a post-pandemic environment, with a focus on long-term loyalty and growth
- Evolve a contemporary marketing model, incorporating new technologies, platforms, and audience behaviors
- Help strengthen alignment across revenue functions, particularly between Marketing and Development
- Clarify and amplify the Seattle Rep brand, both institutionally and across individual productions and events
Strategic Leadership
- Lead and mentor a multidisciplinary team spanning marketing, communications, patron services, and front-of-house operations
- Set clear priorities, goals, and performance expectations for the department
- Manage budgets, timelines, and resources to align ambition with execution
- Foster a collaborative, creative, and accountable team culture
Specifically, provide leadership and strategic direction of Seattle Rep marketing/communications/patron services teams in the following areas:
Marketing & Sales
- Develop and oversee subscription, single ticket, and group sales campaigns across all productions and programs
- Develop and implement dynamic pricing strategies and audience segmentation models
- Forecast, analyze, and respond to ticket sales trends to maximize revenue and attendance
- Oversee the planning and execution of show-specific campaigns for both produced and presented work
- Continuously refine the customer journey—from first interaction through post-show engagement—to drive loyalty and retention
Digital & Content Strategy
- Oversee all digital platforms, including website, email, SMS, social media, and paid advertising
- Partner with internal teams and external agencies to develop compelling, audience-centered content and campaigns
Leverage data and analytics to inform strategy and optimize performance
Stay at the forefront of digital innovation, evaluating new tools, platforms, and technologies to expand reach
Communications & Brand Management
- Steward and evolve the Seattle Rep brand across all external touchpoints
- Oversee public relations, media strategy, advertising, and community engagement efforts
- Serve as a key storyteller for the organization, shaping narratives that resonate with diverse audiences and stakeholders
- Ensure consistency, clarity, and impact across all communications
Patron Services and Front of House
- Ensure best practices in patron relationship building
- Support and advise on customer service policies and practices that remove barriers and encourage loyalty
- Work with the front of house team and other departments that impact audience experience, evaluate customer door-to-door experiences, and create opportunities and solutions to provide a best-in-field experience
- Support FOH teams in managing audience challenges, with training and solutions to empower them and build confidence
Lobby and Events
- Oversee the lobby and events team in managing the public spaces at Seattle Rep, ensuring the highest level of visitor experience and optimizing revenue opportunities from rentals, food and beverage operations, and merchandise
Leadership Profile
Seattle Rep is seeking a leader who combines strategic rigor with emotional intelligence—someone who can deliver results while building strong relationships and a sense of shared purpose across the organization.
The successful candidate will be a visible and engaged presence, someone who leads from within the organization rather than at a distance. They will build trust through consistency, accessibility, and a genuine investment in the people and work around them.
They will bring a collaborative, enterprise-wide mindset, working fluidly across departments to align audience and revenue strategies. This includes strengthening the partnership with Development and other key teams, ensuring that marketing is fully integrated into broader institutional goals.
The ideal candidate will demonstrate confidence without ego—a leader who can operate as a strong peer at the senior level, advocate for ideas, and navigate complex dynamics with diplomacy and respect.
They will be both creative and disciplined: energized by new ideas, open to experimentation, and curious about the future of audience engagement, while also grounded in data, structure, and execution.
This is a role that requires resilience and steadiness. The pace of work is high, and the CMO must be able to manage pressure, support their team, and maintain focus in a dynamic environment.
Equally important is the ability to balance ambition with sustainability—championing bold goals while ensuring that strategies are realistic, priorities are clear, and teams are set up for success.
The CMO will bring energy, curiosity, and optimism—helping to shape a marketing function that not only drives revenue, but also contributes to the spirit, momentum, and forward-looking identity of Seattle Rep.
Preferred Qualifications
- 10+ years of progressive experience in marketing, communications, sales, and audience engagement, ideally within performing arts, entertainment, or live events
- Demonstrated success leading integrated marketing strategies that drive measurable revenue growth
- Strong expertise in digital marketing, analytics, audience segmentation, and campaign optimization
- Experience managing ticket sales campaigns, pricing strategies, and revenue forecasting
- Proven ability to lead teams and collaborate cross-functionally in complex organizations
- Strong financial and operational acumen, including budget management
- Excellent communication and storytelling skills, with a refined sense of brand and audience
- Experience managing external vendors and agency partners
- Familiarity with CRM systems (Tessitura preferred)
- Ability to thrive in a fast-paced, evolving, and collaborative environment
Compensation
Seattle Rep offers a salary range of $145,000 to $185,000 based upon experience, and a comprehensive benefits package, including health, dental, and vision insurance; retirement plan options; and paid time off.
Application Instructions
The Chief Marketing Officer search is being conducted on behalf of Seattle Rep by TOC Arts Partners, a national consultancy aligning strategies, structures, and leadership toward a thriving cultural sector. The search is being led by VP of Executive Search Cynthia Fuhrman, in consultation with and support from the TOC Arts Partners search team.
To apply, visit the online application 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. Applications will be accepted until this role is filled.
For general questions or nominations of prospective candidates, please contact searchteam@tocartspartners.com. We kindly request no phone calls.
Specific questions about the position may be directed to:
Cynthia Fuhrman
VP, Executive Search
cynthia@tocartspartners.com
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.
