Director of Venue Operations

FLSA Status: Exempt

Compensation: 68,800-75,000 annually

Category: Full-time (~40 hours per week; includes some evenings and weekends)

Reports to: Executive Director

Direct Reports: Events Manager; Ticketing Services Manager

Summary:

As the Director of Venue Operations, you'll be at the heart of operations, business development, and technology. You'll lead the financial performance, client experience, and front-of-house operations for the Tower Theatre Foundation's venues. You'll manage the facility calendars, ensuring every event is a great mix of artistic vibrancy, community access, and financial sustainability. This role is perfect for a tech-savvy leader who wants to make a real impact at one of Bend, Oregon's most iconic theatres!

Essential Duties:

Leadership and Strategy

• Lead, mentor, and support a mission-driven operations team, fostering a culture of clear expectations and collaboration.
• Be a key member of the TTF leadership team, working with colleagues across various departments to ensure aligned messaging and strategies.
• Collaborate with Finance to build and monitor the budget.
• Provide regular progress reports to the Executive Director.

Calendar Stewardship & Venue Strategy

• Own the facility calendars for the Tower Theatre and Encore, ensuring scheduling reflects TTF's artistic vision and community commitments.
• Optimize calendar utilization to maximize yield while supporting TTF's mission.
• Partner with the Director of Production to incorporate technical needs into scheduling.
• Use data to reduce dark days and improve long-range calendar performance.

Financial Oversight & Business Intelligence

• Track venue performance through dashboards for utilization, rental margin, ticketing performance, and concessions profitability.
• Work with Finance to manage rental and front-of-house budgets, including forecasting.
• Use data and tech to streamline workflows and support decision-making.
• Contribute to monthly financial reviews, sharing insights and recommendations.

Rental Revenue & Client Experience

• Lead rental revenue strategy and contract negotiations for over 150 annual events.
• Build long-term partnerships with rental clients and nurture repeat business.
• Grow ancillary revenue through concessions and hospitality packages.
• Monitor event-level profitability with Finance.

Ticketing & Front of House

• Oversee ticketing operations, including pricing structures and system optimization.
• Set and monitor KPIs for Front of House operations, ensuring professionalism and efficiency.
• Manage concessions and hospitality performance, focusing on service quality.
• Act as a senior escalation point for patron and risk management issues.

Additional Responsibilities

• Perform other duties as needed to support departmental and organizational goals.

Qualifications:

• Education: Bachelor's or Associate's degree in business administration, arts administration, hospitality, venue management, or a related field; or equivalent experience.
• Certifications: Current or ability to obtain First Aid/CPR and OLCC Alcohol Service Permit.
• Experience: Minimum 5 years in performing arts venue operations or related fields.
• Leadership: Experience leading and developing staff across multiple functions.
• Technical Skills: Hands-on experience with ticketing and event management platforms.
• Integration Experience: Familiarity with middleware platforms like Zapier is a plus.
• Organizational Skills: Strong project management skills to prioritize tasks and meet deadlines.
• Driver's License: Valid Oregon driver's license and proof of current automobile insurance.
• Background Check: Ability to pass a criminal background check.

Working Conditions

Environment

• Work is mainly in indoor office and theatre settings.
• Regular evening and weekend work is required.
• Occasional exposure to loud noise.

Physical Requirements

You'll need to meet the following physical requirements to perform this role:

• 50% standing/moving and 50% sitting.
• Ability to bend, kneel, and climb stairs frequently.
• Ability to lift up to 50 pounds occasionally.

Travel Requirements:

Occasional local travel and infrequent overnight travel for professional development or industry conferences.

To Apply:

Send your resume and any additional info to recruiting@towertheatre.org. We can't wait to hear from you!