Associate Director of Marketing & Programming

Chapman University Careers•Irvine, CA

8d•Onsite

About The Position

Reporting to the Director of Operations & Administration, the Associate Director provides strategic leadership for Musco Center’s programming, marketing, communications, audience development, and educational initiatives. The position supports seasonal planning and serves as Musco Center’s lead booking representative, overseeing programming research, artist selection, scheduling, negotiations, contracts, and related artistic administration. The role ensures programming and marketing strategies align with Musco Center’s mission and revenue goals and the artistic vision of the Dean of the College of Performing Arts. The Associate Director oversees the Marketing and Communications team, directly supervising the Marketing Manager and Programs Project Specialist. The position leads data-informed marketing and audience-development efforts, using audience insights and measurable outcomes to expand reach, engagement, ticket revenue, and philanthropic support. Through direct reports and personal participation as appropriate, the Associate Director provides strategic oversight of educational programming, artist services, partnerships, and interdisciplinary initiatives that extend Musco Center’s impact across the University and broader community. The role also supports the Dean and Musco Center leadership through industry relationships, University and community engagement, and other strategic initiatives. Chapman University emphasizes the value of an in-person workforce, noting that being present fosters collaboration, strengthens departmental relationships, supports coworkers, and contributes to the student experience.

Requirements

Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Fine Arts degree concentrating in Music, Theatre, Dance, Arts Management, Marketing, Communication, or a closely related field, or an equivalent combination of education and related experience.
Three to five years of progressively responsible experience in performing arts programming, presenting, or marketing.
Progressive related experience working with performing arts industry professionals, including agents, promoters, and presenters.
Experience cultivating, negotiating, implementing, and evaluating successful performing arts programming seasons and contracts.
Experience developing and collaborating on educational arts programming in a student learning environment.
Experience producing special events and knowledge of event planning principles.
Experience with marketing principles and collaboration across marketing teams in a complex or performing arts organization.
Knowledge of performing arts contexts within a higher education environment.
Knowledge of the arts and culture community in Orange County and local promotional and media vehicles.
Leadership skills to engage and motivate teams, evaluate performance, improve services, and connect across diverse teams and work groups.
Ability to address diverse problems, define relevant issues, draw sound conclusions, and make responsible decisions.
Familiarity with safe practices when working in a theater.
Experience carrying out duties amid interruptions, distractions, and fluctuating workloads in a timely manner.
Experience managing revenue and expense budgets, including preparing, monitoring, and reconciling budgets and expenses.
Strong time and project management skills; ability to manage competing timelines and priorities accurately and efficiently in a busy, changing environment.
Strong analytical skills, including the ability to evaluate and understand data, identify key areas, develop solutions, achieve goals, and meet deadlines.
Excellent oral and written communication and interpersonal skills to interact with, communicate with, and persuade diverse groups and individuals at all levels.
Strong organizational and problem-solving skills, with the ability to make independent decisions where appropriate.
Ability to work independently and as part of a team, secure information and data, and make recommendations based on information and data gathered.
Computer skills in word processing, spreadsheets, presentations, in-depth internet research, and electronic mail; Microsoft Office applications are preferred.
Work history demonstrating commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, and access.
Ability to collaborate effectively in a complex organization and solve problems effectively.
Ability to be creative, innovative, even-tempered, and flexible.
Ability to use tact and diplomacy and maintain a high level of confidentiality.
Ability to learn and interpret University policies and procedures pertaining to the position’s duties.

Responsibilities

Oversee and mentor the marketing and communications team, including direct supervision of the Marketing Manager and Programs Project Specialist.
Foster a collaborative, creative team culture that values innovation, data-driven decision-making, and audience-centered thinking.
Conduct regular performance evaluations, establish professional development goals, and create growth opportunities for marketing and programming team members.
Manage departmental budgets in coordination with the Director of Operations & Administration.
Manage resource allocation and vendor, artist, agent, and presenter relationships.
Support seasonal planning, including programming research, risk analysis, selection recommendations, and advancement.
Serve as lead booking representative for upcoming artistic seasons, including scheduling, booking artists, negotiating offers and contracts for leadership approval, and handling artistic administration.
Represent Musco Center at annual trade conferences as needed.
Collaborate with the Dean to align programming selection and marketing goals and objectives to maximize ticket revenue and Musco Center’s visibility.
Partner with Musco’s leadership team to establish annual marketing priorities aligned with the organization’s mission and revenue goals.
Develop comprehensive marketing strategies across digital, print, and experiential channels for season programming and special events.
Establish KPIs and success metrics for marketing initiatives, including ticket sales, audience engagement, brand awareness, and ROI.
Conduct quarterly strategic reviews of campaign performance and adjust tactics as appropriate.
Analyze historical attendance data, demographic trends, and campaign performance to inform strategic planning.
Present data-driven insights and recommendations to leadership.
Lead audience cultivation strategies to deepen engagement with current patrons and expand reach to new demographics.
Create and implement patron journey mapping to enhance the experience from awareness through post-event engagement.
Identify and develop targeted campaigns for underrepresented audience segments, including young professionals, families, and diverse communities.
Collaborate with the Dean on integrated marketing campaigns that drive ticket revenue through subscription opportunities and philanthropic support.
Provide strategic oversight of educational programming, artist services, partnerships, and interdisciplinary initiatives.
Support the Dean and Musco Center leadership through industry relationships, University and community engagement, and other strategic initiatives.