Playwrights Horizons is a writer’s theater dedicated to the support and development of contemporary American playwrights, composers, and lyricists, and the production of innovative new works. Since its founding in 1971, Playwrights’ production history includes more than 400 new plays and musicals, including seven premieres that earned the Pulitzer Prize. A Strange Loop, which won the Tony for Best New Musical in 2022, and Stereophonic, which became the most Tony Award-nominated play of all time in 2024, both premiered at Playwrights Horizons.

Playwrights is now in a period of creative and strategic evolution and growth with the appointment of Artistic Director Adam Greenfield in 2020 and Casey York joining the company as Managing Director in August 2024. While not immune to the volatile financial realities of producing in a post-COVID theatrical landscape, Playwrights Horizons has benefited from the prudent and resourceful stewardship of its Executive and Board Leadership in recent years, leaving the company in a relatively strong financial position as it approaches its next chapter. Its continued stability will require continued creativity, fiscal discipline, and cross-departmental collaboration to meet the demands of the current moment for the field and the artists served.

Chaired by Sam Gonzalez, Playwrights is led by a 30-member Board of Trustees and has a full-time staff of 47 and a theater school faculty of 37. In addition to its Off-Broadway season which plays to over 33,000 audience members a year, Playwrights offers affordable rental spaces for the arts community, and training programs for the next generation of artists and arts managers through their Theatrical Fellowship Program and the Playwrights Horizons Theater School, in partnership with NYU’s Tisch School Undergraduate Drama Department. All of these components are critical expressions of Playwrights Horizons’ centrality to the New York theatrical landscape, and its singular contribution to the continued health of the city and the country’s cultural and theatrical ecosystem.

Playwrights Horizons, one of the most prolific Off-Broadway theaters in New York, is seeking a creative and strategic Director of Marketing and Communications to lead marketing and audience development efforts that deliver on the goals of the company and continue to position Playwrights at the center of the New York and National theatre landscape.

The ideal candidate has a passion for theater and will apply this passion to developing marketing campaigns and content that are as creative as the work on Playwrights stages. The Director of Marketing and Communications will lead efforts to drive engagement, diversify audiences, expand attendance, and meet ticket sales goals. Alongside creativity, the ideal candidate also possesses analytical skills, understanding how to leverage data to maximize the impact of campaigns and ensure that Playwrights is reaching its intended audiences.

The Director of Marketing and Communications leads an in-house team of three and manages external vendors to deliver marketing campaigns, content, and communications that align to and deliver on the company’s objectives. This role also works closely with colleagues from across the company to ensure institutional branding and communications are reflective of the mission and values of Playwrights.

Marketing and Communications Strategy

• Develop the institution’s communications strategy and marketing objectives, strategy, and tactics, while fostering buy in from executive leadership and the marketing team
• Collaborate with the leadership team and department heads to ensure that all projects have strategic marketing and communications components and support, in consideration of project goals, audience, and resources

Team Leadership

• Identify, anticipate, and resolve challenges for the marketing team across all its functions – from copywriting to design, ticketing to website management
• Ensure timely and successful execution of all team deliverables

Content Strategy

• Serve as chief wordsmith for the company, generating and editing strong short- and long-form copy for use across all channels and applications
• Oversee the company’s content calendar, including email, social media, direct mail, etc., to ensure streamlined and effective messaging to all audience constituencies
• Oversee the company’s digital presence, including the website, email communications, and social media

Sales and Audience Development Strategy

• Direct the company’s ticket sales strategies, including leading the annual season package campaign, setting ticket pricing, and devising impactful single ticket sales campaigns
• Establish and track key performance indicators and goals across all channels and audience segments
• Set, track, and analyze clear and measurable metrics to regularly inform marketing and sales strategies
• Collaborate with Artistic staff members to identify and activate opportunities to build community and increase diversity among show audiences and institutional advocates

Digital Programming

• In partnership with Artistic staff, manage the creative, technical, and budgetary process for the development and production of digital-native artistic programs and content, as well as other dramaturgical, documentary, and educational media

Qualifications and Attributes:

• 5+ years of marketing experience, preferably for a performing arts organization, agency, or similar
• A strong track record of accomplishments that show increased responsibility and the ability to successfully deliver complex projects
• Exemplary written and oral communication skills
• High aptitude and curiosity for CRM systems and data analysis (familiarity with Tessitura a plus)
• Proficiency in digital metrics and analytics
• Familiarity with Excel and/or other quantitative tools
• Strong organizational, multi-tasking, prioritization, and time management skills
• Strong interpersonal skills, including the ability to build relationships and relate well to people across the organization
• Collegiality, collaboration, patience, and a sense of humor

To apply, visit the online application (https://tinyurl.com/2kvu4jr9) and submit your materials.

The priority application deadline for this search is August 30, 2024. Applications received by this date will be given priority consideration. While we will still accept and consider applications received after this date, we encourage you to apply as early as possible for the best chance at being considered for the position. Please note that meeting the priority deadline does not guarantee an interview.

Playwrights Horizons is committed to building a more just future for everyone – particularly those from historically oppressed communities, by employing a broad spectrum of voices that will enrich the quality and vitality of our work. Playwrights Horizons is an equal opportunity employer that has a strong institutional commitment to uprooting all systems of oppression by demonstrative equitable and inclusive practices.