Managing Director, Sarasota Opera

Overview

Sarasota Opera welcomes applications for the newly defined position of Managing Director, available in the summer of 2026. The Management Director will serve as the organization’s senior administrative leader and key partner to General & Artistic Director Richard Russell, providing financial, operational, and organizational leadership for a mid‑size, artistically ambitious opera company entering a period of significant capital activity and institutional growth.
Founded in 1959, Sarasota Opera is a nationally respected professional company recognized for artistic excellence, fiscal responsibility, and deep community engagement. Located in Sarasota, Florida, the Company presents a robust annual season of opera productions alongside education and community programs that advance opera as a vital and accessible art form.
Sarasota Opera performs in the historic Sarasota Opera House, a 1,119‑seat venue that has been hailed as "one of America's finest" by Musical America. The Company just marked the Centennial of the Sarasota Opera House and concluded its 67th season with a robust Winter Opera Festival.
With an $11 million annual operating budget, a $16 million endowment, and an active $50 million capital campaign dedicated to facilities renovations and long‑term sustainability, Sarasota Opera is entering a significant period of institutional growth. A year‑round staff of 30 expands to 200 during the peak winter season.
Position

The Managing Director is Sarasota Opera’s senior administrative leader, a key partner to the General & Artistic Director, and a member of the Company’s executive team. The role provides oversight and direction to finance, human resources, facilities, and administrative operations, supports stewardship of the organization’s endowment, and provides financial leadership for a major capital campaign.
Key responsibilities include:
Strategic and day‑to‑day oversight of all organizational finances, ensuring accuracy, transparency, and strict compliance with nonprofit accounting standards.
Directing 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.
Managing the financial health of an endowment valued at approximately $16 million and serving as the primary staff liaison to the organization’s investment advisor.
Leading financial planning, budgeting, and monitoring for the organization’s $50 million capital campaign, providing clear financial reporting, sophisticated cash‑flow planning, restricted‑fund tracking, and regular dashboards and updates for executive leadership and the Board.
Serving as the primary human resources contact, overseeing payroll, benefits administration, and personnel policies while ensuring compliance with all applicable employment laws.
Supervising the facilities department and overseeing maintenance, planning, and long‑term stewardship of all physical assets; liaising with an outsourced IT firm; managing key vendor relationships and overseeing organizational risk management.
Working collaboratively with all department heads to align financial resources with operational and artistic needs, ensuring continuity of operations throughout major facility projects and peak opera season.
This is a full‑time, on‑site position that requires evening and weekend attendance at Sarasota Opera performances and events, especially during the opera season.
Candidate Profile

The ideal candidate will be a leader passionate about opera, committed to non‑profit service, and eager to contribute to a collaborative organization at a pivotal moment in its evolution. A seasoned financial manager with seven to ten years of senior‑level experience with a non‑profit performing arts organization, preferably managing an annual operating budget of $10 million or more, is required.
Key qualifications include:
Thorough familiarity with non‑profit fund accounting and substantial experience overseeing organizational finance, including 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 working 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 and strategic plan implementation.
Strong communication and collaboration skills, with experience serving as a senior staff liaison to a Board of Trustees and staffing the Board’s finance, audit, and investment committees.
Experience 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.
Applicants must be able to accept a work schedule that includes performances and events on nights and weekends during production periods.
Compensation

Sarasota Opera offers a competitive compensation and benefits package. The annual salary range for this position is $160,000 to $180,000, plus benefits including paid time off, health insurance, life insurance, and a voluntary 403(b) retirement plan.
Applications

Interested candidates should submit a résumé and cover letter describing your specific interest in the mission and work of Sarasota Opera and your qualifications for the position as described in the candidate profile. On a separate sheet, provide the names and contact information for several professional references. All applications will be treated as confidential and references will not be contacted without the applicant’s knowledge and agreement.
Electronic submissions only: submit to the following email address as an Adobe Acrobat PDF attachment. All submissions will be screened for qualifications listed above.
Desired start date: July 1, 2026

#J-18808-Ljbffr