General Director
The Atlanta Opera • Full-Time
http://www.atlantaopera.com
Atlanta, GA

The Atlanta Opera, Inc. (TAO) invites applications and referrals for the position of General Director.

The Position:
Reporting to the Board of Directors, the General Director serves as the Chief Executive Officer of The Atlanta Opera, and, as such, is responsible for directing and managing the organization’s artistic, business and development, and community engagement activities within established budgetary parameters.

The Atlanta Opera’s current budget is approximately $5.2 million (Level II at OPERA America).  The 2012/13 season comprises three productions at the 2,636-seat Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre: four performances each of CARMEN, LA TRAVIATA, and THE ITALIAN GIRL IN ALGIERS, as well as community and school performances of STONE SOUP.      

With energetic management and artistic teams and highly committed board leadership, The Atlanta Opera has developed into one of the finest regional opera companies in North America and is poised for future growth and development.

The General Director formulates and articulates artistic goals, quality standards and policies; engages actively in advancement and development work; oversees the strategic development and growth of The Atlanta Opera;  serves as the public face of TAO; provides operational management of the organization; and contributes to policy discussions and decisions as an ex-officio member of TAO’s Board of Directors.     

The Organization
Atlanta’s taste for opera began with the Metropolitan Opera’s annual tours in 1910. As the Metropolitan Opera’s national touring program began to draw to a close, local volunteers and civic leaders joined forces to continue live opera performances in Atlanta. In 1979 the Atlanta Civic Opera was born; in 1985 the company was renamed The Atlanta Opera.

The Atlanta Opera became the first resident company of the new Cobb Energy Centre, opening its 2007/08 season in that facility with TURANDOT. 

Throughout the years, The Atlanta Opera has been an integral part of a growing and thriving metropolitan area, serving approximately 100,000 residents annually through its main-stage and community engagement activities.  TAO prides itself on fostering the development of young international, national, and local talent, both on the main stage and through activities such as TAO’s High School Opera Institute.  Arthur Fagen has served as music director since 2010. The Atlanta Opera Chorus, led by Chorus Master Walter Huff, is widely regarded as one of the top opera choruses in the country.  

In June 2012 the Atlanta Opera’s board approved a new strategic plan, underscoring the organization’s commitment to producing high quality main-stage seasons of core repertoire, programming impactful community engagement experiences, operating with fiscal responsibility, and developing a loyal audience of patrons who will sustain and grow TAO. The Atlanta Opera’s board is committed to growing the company, including the number of mainstage productions and performances and the scope of its other activities, as growth in revenue allows.

Candidate Profile:
We seek a highly motivated individual with a thorough knowledge of opera production and repertoire, superb written and oral communications skills, as well as leadership experience in responsible fiscal stewardship and in building, maintaining and effectively managing a high-performing staff.  A strong track record in fund-raising is essential.

The General Director must be comfortable serving as the public face of the organization, able to engage with all audience segments in a growing and diverse Atlanta and to speak eloquently, knowledgeably and passionately about the art form and the organization.

The ideal candidate will have senior management experience in the opera field and a strong contact network throughout the opera industry.  He/she will have the ability to work cooperatively with a volunteer board of directors, a professional management team, and artistic staff.  (All employees of TAO report directly or indirectly to the General Director position.)    

Other necessary skills include (1) the successful recruitment and supervision of staff, (2) experience in developing and managing budgets, (3) a knowledge of marketing, artistic operations, and educational and community engagement programming, and (4) an excellent grasp of strategic planning and implementation.

The position requires the ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with artistic personnel, board members, administrative staff, funders, corporate and individual donors, the opera community, the media, and the audience.  Experience in reaching out to new donors and growing institutional revenues is essential.    

Training in opera/music and arts management is desirable.  

Salary commensurate with experience.   

How to Apply:
Please send resume and cover letter with salary requirements and a list of references by Friday, January 25, 2013 to: