Managing Director, Sarasota Opera

Position
The Managing Director will serve as the organization’s senior administrative leader and key partner to General & Artistic Director Richard Russell. The Managing Director will provide financial, operational, and organizational leadership for an artistically ambitious opera company entering a period of significant capital activity and institutional growth. This newly defined role provides financial, operational, and organizational leadership for a mid-sized, artistically ambitious opera company as it navigates a period of significant capital activity and institutional growth.

Responsibilities
The Managing Director provides oversight and direction to finance, human resources, facilities, and administrative operations. Supports stewardship of the organization’s endowment, provides financial leadership for a major capital campaign, and collaborates closely with artistic, production, and facilities leadership on upcoming renovations. Supervises the finance department, including the Staff Accountant and the Accounts Payable/Accounts Receivable staff, who also serves as Payroll Manager. Leads the strategic and day‑to‑day oversight of all organizational finances, ensuring accuracy, transparency, and strict compliance with nonprofit accounting standards and industry best practices. Directs the annual budgeting process in collaboration with department leaders and the General & Artistic Director to deliver a balanced budget aligned with organizational priorities for Board approval. Serves as the primary staff liaison to the organization’s investment advisor to manage the financial health of an endowment valued at approximately $16 million. Leads the financial planning, budgeting, and monitoring for the organization’s $50 million capital campaign, provides clear financial reporting for campaign activity, including sophisticated cash‑flow planning and restricted fund tracking, and provides regular dashboards and updates for executive leadership and the Board. Provides expert guidance on financial, administrative, and operational matters to Board of Trustees; implements Board‑approved policies, strategic initiatives, and long‑range organizational plans. Serves as the organization’s primary human resources contact, overseeing payroll, benefits administration, and personnel policies. Ensures the company remains in compliance with all applicable employment laws and regulations while actively supporting a professional, collaborative workplace culture that advances artistic excellence and organizational effectiveness. Supervises the facilities department, oversees the maintenance, planning, and long‑term stewardship of all physical assets, liaises with an outsourced IT firm, manages key vendor relationships, oversees organizational risk management, and partners with the Director of Production and Director of Facilities on upcoming renovations. Works collaboratively with all department heads to align financial resources with operational and artistic needs, ensuring continuity of operations during the peak opera season and throughout major facility projects. Requires full‑time, on‑site presence with evening and weekend attendance at performances and events, especially during the opera season.

Candidate Profile
The ideal candidate is a leader passionate about opera, committed to nonprofit service, and excited to contribute to a collaborative organization at a pivotal moment in its evolution. The successful candidate will be a seasoned financial manager with seven to ten years’ senior‑level experience with a non‑profit performing‑arts organization, preferably with an annual operating budget of $10 million or more. Will be thoroughly familiar with nonprofit fund accounting, overseeing organizational finance, multi‑year budgeting, forecasting, cash‑flow management, financial reporting, audits, and internal controls. Demonstrated ability to provide strategic financial and operational leadership within an artistically driven, mission‑centered organization. Experience in a union environment with multiple collective bargaining agreements is highly desirable. Experience managing facilities renovations while maintaining ongoing performance operations is a plus. Knowledge of institutional planning, technology support for finance and operations, and human resources and benefits administration is required. Strong communicator and collaborator, experienced as a senior staff liaison to a Board of Trustees and staffing the Board’s finance, audit, and investment committees, and working with endowment and investment advisors. Preferred qualifications include an advanced degree such as an MBA or MPA and/or a professional credential such as a CPA or CMA. Will be able to accept a work schedule that includes performances and events on nights and weekends during production periods, and will welcome the opportunity to be an active participant in the Sarasota arts community and represent Sarasota Opera with the area business community.

Compensation
The annual salary for this position ranges from $160,000 to $180,000, plus a benefits package that includes paid time off, health insurance, life insurance, and a voluntary 403(b) retirement plan.

EEO Statement
Sarasota Opera welcomes recommendations, nominations, and applications from all qualified candidates regardless of race, religion, political affiliation, disability, sexual orientation, gender, national origin, or marital status, or any other basis protected by law. Candidates must be legally authorized to work in the United States.

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