Associate Director of Visitor Experience & Ticketing

Spoleto Festival USA • Charleston, SC

9h • Onsite

About The Position

Spoleto Festival USA seeks a year-round, full-time Associate Director of Visitor Experience & Ticketing to lead the guest, patron, and audience experience across the Festival’s call center, box office and kiosks, online channels, and venues. This role leads and motivates the ticketing and visitor experience team and sets the direction for ticketing, guest experience, box office, group sales, and front-of-house operations. It is the Festival’s subject matter expert on these areas within Tessitura.

The position combines strategic leadership with hands-on operational work, including analyzing patron data, managing budgets, overseeing the setup of more than 100 performances per season, and managing dynamic pricing. The Associate Director partners across departments to support attendance, retention, earned revenue, accessible service, and consistent processes and training. The role also directs merchandise fulfillment and inventory management and guides group sales and digital ticketing communications, including know-before-you-go messaging.

The position is based onsite in Charleston, South Carolina, with regular presence at Festival venues. It requires evening, weekend, and holiday availability, as well as on-call hours during the Festival season in May and June. Regular standing and walking between venues are required, along with occasional lifting of up to 50 pounds. Applicants must be legally authorized to work in the U.S., pass a background check, and hold a valid driver’s license.

Requirements

• At least 5 years of progressive experience in box office, ticketing, or visitor experience, including leadership or supervisory experience.
• A proactive, organized, process-driven approach, including the ability to build systems where none exist.
• Strong analytical skills and comfort managing budgets and revenue reporting.
• Excellent communication and sound judgment when handling sensitive patron, donor, and personnel matters.
• Working knowledge of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) as it relates to accessible seating, entry, and patron service.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office, especially Excel and Outlook, and comfort learning new systems.
• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience.
• Legally authorized to work in the U.S.; the employer participates in E-Verify.
• Ability to pass a background check and hold a valid driver’s license.
• Ability to meet the role’s physical requirements, including regular standing, walking between venues, and occasional lifting up to 50 lbs.
• Availability for evenings, weekends, and holidays, including on-call hours during the Festival season in May–June.
• Ability to work onsite in Charleston, SC, with regular presence at Festival venues.

Nice To Haves

• Hands-on Tessitura experience, including building more than 100 performances a season, seat maps, pricing, and packages.
• Nonprofit arts or festival experience.

Responsibilities

• Own the guest, patron, and audience experience across the call center, box office and kiosks, online channels, and Festival venues.
• Set the strategy for ticketing, box office, and front-of-house operations as the Festival’s subject matter expert and Tessitura super user.
• Oversee the build of more than 100 performances per season and manage dynamic pricing.
• Lead and motivate a team of full-time, seasonal, and volunteer staff, including House Managers, ticket agents, and apprentices, in partnership with department managers.
• Drive attendance, retention, and earned revenue through ticketing strategy, accessible service, and cross-departmental partnerships.
• Guide the development of systems, processes, and training to bring consistency to a growing department.
• Direct merchandise fulfillment and inventory management.
• Guide group sales and digital ticketing communications, including know-before-you-go messaging.
• Analyze patron data and manage budgets and revenue reporting.

Benefits

• Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision insurance.
• 401(k) retirement plan with employer match.
• Paid vacation days and paid office closures (11 holidays and 23 office closures).
• Health Savings Account.
• Life and disability insurance.
• Employee Assistance Program.
• Complimentary Festival performance admission for staff and a guest.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior