Trinity Repertory Company - Executive Director - Trinity Repertory Company

Organization

Founded in Providence in 1963 as the city’s first professional resident theater company, Trinity Repertory Company (Trinity Rep) has grown to become Rhode Island’s largest nonprofit arts organization and one of the country’s leading and most respected regional theaters. With a reputation for its commitment to the development of new artistic works, Trinity Rep has received numerous awards, including the Tony Award for Outstanding Regional Theater Company. Trinity Rep houses two performance spaces in the Lederer Theater Center in downtown Providence: the more than 500-seat Elizabeth and Malcolm Chace Theater and the more than 250-seat Sarah and Joseph Dowling, Jr. Theater, as well as a flexible theater space of up to 250 seats in the Pell Chafee Performance Center.



Trinity Rep’s mission is to reinvent the public square with dramatic art that stimulates, educates, and engages its diverse community in a continuing dialogue. This is achieved through nationally recognized productions, innovative arts education programs for adults and K-12 students, graduate training programs in partnership with Brown University, and community engagement programs. Trinity Rep also embodies its mission through a deep commitment to equity, diversity, inclusion, access, and anti-racism work.



Since its inception, Trinity Rep has employed a resident acting company to present theater that is bold, exciting, and thought-provoking. This group of artists includes playwrights and directors who work together to develop new work and re-imagine classics. The public square is used as a cultural resource where ideas and issues presented on their stages can be discussed.



Ensuring that theater is accessible to all is a key pillar of Trinity Rep’s values. Trinity Rep has received substantial funds to allow high school students from all over Rhode Island to attend professional performances at no cost. Project Discovery is a student matinee program founded in 1966 that has allowed nearly 1.5 million students to experience theater. Trinity Rep enjoys a longstanding and successful relationship with Brown University and has a tuition-free Brown/Trinity Rep MFA program. A leader in graduate education for actors and directors, it has become one of the most prestigious graduate studies programs in the country by offering in-depth training in conjunction with a professional theater. In addition, Trinity Rep offers educational courses for adults and children of all ages.



To develop the future leaders of American theater through professional training, Trinity Rep offers apprenticeships every year. Students spend 35 weeks working alongside staff in administration, production, and artistic work. All apprentices are provided with furnished housing, salary, professional development seminars, and complimentary tickets to performances.



Acknowledging its participation in the inequitable structures within the theater community, Trinity Rep has made a series of pledges to address equity, diversity, and inclusion. This includes a pledge to tell stories that reflect Trinity Rep’s community, to be inclusive at every level of the organization, and to welcome people from all backgrounds into the Trinity Rep family.



Trinity Rep is governed by a 34-member board of trustees, led by Chair Louis Giancola. The company employs more than 100 artistic and administrative staff members, including 61 full-time employees. In a typical year, Trinity Rep's operating budget is $9.7 million, with $7.5 million from earned revenue and $2.2 million from contributed income. The present value of its endowment is just under $5 million. The company is currently conducting a capital campaign to raise $10.5 million to renovate the Chace Theater and restore the historic facade of the Lederer Theater Center. The project is slated to begin in January 2023.



Community

Founded in 1636, Providence is the capital and largest city in the state of Rhode Island. Located at the mouth of the Providence River, it is the third most populous city in New England, with a population of nearly 1.6 million people in the metropolitan area. Once recognized mainly for its industrial contributions, Providence has more recently become known as the “Creative Capital” due to its innovative approach to investing in the city’s cultural landscape, with programs ranging from city-wide mural projects to tax incentive offerings for local artists. The epicenter of Providence’s downtown area is Waterplace Park, the four-acre urban park that features an amphitheater, landscaped terraces, and boat landings, which connect the city’s downtown area to the historic East Side with a series of picturesque Venetian bridges.

Providence has a flourishing community of academic institutions, with seven colleges and universities, including the Ivy League Brown University, Providence College, Rhode Island College, and Rhode Island School of Design (RISD). The world’s largest culinary educator, Johnson & Wales University, is also located in the city. There are eight hospitals in Providence, including the Rhode Island Hospital, which features the Hasbro Children’s Hospital and Women & Infants Hospital.



Providence has a rich arts community. In addition to Trinity Rep, the city is home to the historic Providence Performing Arts Center, which features Broadway musicals, plays, ballets, operas, and performances for children. There is an ever-growing movement in the city to celebrate the multicultural, creative community. Organizations such as AS220, Mixed Magic Theatre, The Steel Yard, and Rhode Island Latino Arts continue to have a profoundly transformative impact on the city and surrounding communities. Other cultural institutions include the Rhode Island Philharmonic Orchestra & Music School, Festival Ballet, Providence Children’s Museum, The John Brown House Museum, and RISD Museum, which has more than 100,000 works of art and design in its collection. A cultural highlight of the year is the WaterFire art installation, a free event in which approximately 100 bonfires blaze above the rivers that pass through downtown Providence, illuminating nearly two-thirds of a mile of public spaces and parks. Other outdoor activities include kayaking, boating, or gondola trips along the river. The Roger Williams Park Botanical Center and Roger Williams Park Zoo & Carousel Village offer entertainment for children and families.



Sources: goprovidence.com; visitrhodeisland.com; ri.gov; census.gov



Position Summary

Reporting to the board of trustees, the Executive Director (ED) will lead Trinity Rep to ensure its flourishing artistic and financial future in partnership with the Artistic Director. The ED will have oversight of all administrative operations, including Trinity Rep’s fundraising, marketing, finance, human resources, facilities, and IT departments. Working with the board to cultivate and maximize human and financial resources, this individual will create and grow partnerships with philanthropic supporters, stakeholders, and audience members. They will energize board members in their role as fundraisers and community ambassadors. The ED will engage with and strategically position staff and board members for success, removing barriers to individual and organizational achievement. This individual will reinforce the pledge to tell stories that reflect the community while authentically emphasizing equity, diversity, inclusion, and anti-racism through words and actions related to recruitment, hiring, work environment, institutional planning, welcoming of audiences and students, and community engagement. The successful candidate will build an organizational culture of teamwork, accountability, and trust characterized by proactive decision making, open communication, and strategic fiscal management.



Roles and Responsibilities

Strategic Vision and Leadership

 Establish the organization’s strategic direction, in tandem with the Artistic Director, and promote and maintain an organizational culture that values the highest standards in executing the artistic vision and in management practice.



 Serve as a visionary and accessible leader for Trinity Rep, with a true connection to the organization’s resident company and the broader community of artists, audiences, and donors.



 Demonstrate a collaborative leadership style with the Artistic Director that encourages artistic innovation and fiscal responsibility and provides consistent and transparent leadership across the organization.



 Oversee Trinity Rep’s historic facility renovation, working closely with contractors, engineers, and vendors to complete the project within established budgets and schedules.



 Develop strategic partnerships and alliances with mission-compatible organizations to expand programs, diversity of audiences, and inclusivity of community.



 Prioritize equity, diversity, inclusion, access, and anti-racism work in all aspects of artistic and management decisions to ensure an organizational culture that respects different perspectives and nurtures an environment of empowerment at all levels.



 Nurture ongoing relationships and manage contract negotiations with significant partners, including theatrical unions (Actors' Equity Association, Stage Directors and Choreographers Society, United Scenic Artists), League of Resident Theatres, and Brown University.



 Initiate activity to stay current with industry trends and best practices, including participating in industry conferences and other professional development opportunities.



 Engage internal and external stakeholders in representing Trinity Rep as a Rhode Island arts leader.

Fiscal Responsibility and Oversight

 Demonstrate solid fiscal and business acumen and ensure the highest levels of financial accountability.



 Maximize income and control expenditures without jeopardizing the quality of work, achievement of mission, or the reputation of Trinity Rep.



 Lead the development, implementation, and management of organizational budgets.



 Develop, maintain, and implement internal controls to ensure Trinity Rep's operational and fiscal integrity.



 Provide financial analysis, develop earned and contributed revenue forecasting models and scenario plans, and make recommendations to support decision making.



 Manage financial reporting systems to ensure that all staff have the data they need to manage their individual budgets.



Fundraising and Earned Revenue Management

 Partner with the Artistic Director as co-lead fundraisers along with the board and development staff, creating opportunities for broadening the donor base and increasing overall contributed revenue.



 Provide strategy and leadership to the board and development staff in order to complete the capital campaign supporting the renovation of Trinity Rep’s facility.



 Serve as Trinity Rep’s ambassador to the public, supporting donor cultivation and customer service.



 Join forces with the Artistic Director and marketing team to create enhanced and innovative sales strategies and brand messaging to maximize earned revenue.



Community Engagement

 Lead efforts to embrace diversity and inclusion as a key element of community engagement, including the areas of audience development, workforce vitality, board participation, vendor access, and programmatic vibrancy.



 Encourage engagement with Trinity Rep by intensifying outreach to communities underrepresented in its audience.



 Represent the organization throughout the many diverse parts of the community, engaging actively with civic and organizational partners, elected officials, media, and other external stakeholders.



 Create and maintain strong ties with community decision makers, government leaders, audiences, and the arts community and work together to achieve mutually beneficial outcomes.



Board Governance

 Cultivate a board culture of deep engagement, effective recruitment, and an expanding network of relationships and resources.



 Develop executive committee and board agendas that engage the trustees in meaningful discussion of important political and strategic issues facing Trinity Rep.



 Expand, diversify, and manage the board of trustees by ensuring that current board members are best engaged according to their skills, interests, and the needs of the organization.



 Regularly keep board members updated, acting as a liaison between board committees, staff, and the Artistic Director.



Administrative and Organizational Excellence

 Continue to grow a positive culture and work environment that supports cohesive, creative, and inclusive work, where all departments are equally valued and staff of all genders, ethnicities, and backgrounds are appreciated.



 Regularly review organizational policies and procedures to ensure they are serving the organization fully.



 Oversee human resources functions, including the hiring of key positions and implementing new policies, systems, and procedures that are in alignment with the organization’s mission and values.



 Advance the implementation and integration of evolving technology systems, including those used for production, operations, communications, and customer service.



 Establish regular and recurring interaction with all departments to ensure that their goals are understood, planned, and achieved.



 Build and implement communication structures that elevate service and support to the staff, external partners, and audiences.



 Verify that projects are managed in compliance with contractual agreements, ordinances, regulations, laws, and other requirements.

Traits and Characteristics

A people-, purpose-, and goal-focused leader, the ED will be a resourceful and highly organized leader who values teamwork and collaboration. An active member of the local and national arts communities, this individual will engage others and will be receptive to new ideas, methods, and opportunities for problem solving. Intellectually nimble, this individual will be a tenacious, innovative, and harmonious professional with a proven track record of success. This self-starting leader and detail-oriented executive will value dynamic teamwork, practical results, and transparent communication.



Other key competencies include:



 Diplomacy – The ability to manage challenging issues in a manner that demonstrates sensitivity, respect, and openness to differences while preserving relationships.



 Personal Accountability – The capacity to accept responsibility for one’s own actions and results, apply feedback in self-evaluation, and envision new possibilities in personal performance.



 Planning and Organizing – The dexterity to navigate traditional systems while forming realistic action plans that prioritize work, assess variables and risks, allow for recalibration, lead to increased efficiency, and minimize wasted resources.



 Problem Solving – The acumen to identify, understand, and define problems and obstacles and formulate actionable, well-thought-out solutions based on evaluation, impact, and costs, both human and financial.



Qualifications

Trinity Rep does not require specific educational requirements for this position. Credentials in arts administration, nonprofit management, business, or a related field are required. Theater management experience is preferred. An experienced project manager and fundraiser, the selected candidate will bring a balance of professional expertise, credibility, and interpersonal skills, along with a strong capacity for the highest levels of personal accountability. Previous senior management experience is required, with a background that includes overseeing finances and budgets, fundraising, managing staff, and building and strengthening strategic partnerships. Experience running a capital campaign and overseeing facility renovation/expansion is preferred. The successful candidate must have a deep passion for the performing arts and a commitment to equity, diversity, inclusion, and anti-racism. Exceptional writing abilities and verbal presentation skills are expected.



Compensation and Benefits

Trinity Rep offers competitive compensation, with an expected salary range between $185,000 and $200,000 and a benefits package that includes health, dental, vision, long-term disability insurance; 401(k) retirement plan; paid-time-off and holidays; and an employee well-being assistance program.



Application and Inquires

To submit a cover letter and resume with a summary of demonstrable accomplishments, please click here or visit artsconsulting.com/employment. For questions or general inquiries about this job opportunity, please contact:



Jenna Deja, Vice President

Arts Consulting Group

201 West Lake Street, Suite 133

Chicago, IL 60606-1803

Tel: (888) 234.4236 Ext. 227

Email: TrinityRep@artsconsulting.com



Trinity Repertory Company is an equal opportunity employer dedicated to building a culturally diverse, equitable, and anti-racist environment. For information about Trinity Rep’s commitment to antiracism, please visit trinityrep.com/antiracism.


Salary: $185,000 - $200,000