Texas Performing Arts (TPA) is the professional arts presenting and producing program of The University of Texas at Austin. One of the largest and most active university-based performing arts centers in the U.S., TPA is an anchor institution in Austin’s arts, cultural, and entertainment landscape. With a population of nearly 1 million people, Austin is one of the fastest growing cities in the country. UT Austin is the state’s flagship university and the #7 ranked public university in the country.

TPA hosts performances across multiple venues at the university and throughout the city. Opened in 1981, Bass Concert Hall is the flagship theatre of TPA and also the largest in Austin with seating for 3,000. Presenting programs include Broadway in Austin, the Texas Welcomes series of national touring artists, and a curated Performing Arts Season of international theatre, music, dance, and more. TPA is also a home for the development of new performances, offering creative opportunities to both local artists and national productions. TPA is part of UT’s College of Fine Arts and fulfills the university’s public service, research, and educational missions. More than twenty thousand students throughout Central Texas and across the university experience the arts through TPA’s extensive educational programs.

The Managing Director leads Texas Performing Arts’ finance, operations, and administration. As a senior member of the organization’s leadership team, the director plays a key role in advancing TPA’s mission to connect people through live performance and fulfill its goal to be the country’s highest impact university-affiliated arts organization. Reporting to the Executive & Artistic Director, the Managing Director creates professional excellence across all TPA’s programs and events.

The Managing Director is both a cross-organizational strategic leader and an active, hands-on contributor. Key areas of responsibility are oversight of business operations (finance, human resources, accounting, legal); facilities (including capital projects); production (with departments that serve both professional and academic presentations); event operations; and guest experience (front of house, parking, and food & beverage). The position works closely with colleagues across the university and engages extensively with the university’s centralized systems and policies.

About Texas Performing Arts

Our Purpose: Texas Performing Arts transforms lives by creating, presenting, and connecting people through live performance.

Our Values

Equality: We value all types of live performance, offer a wide range of arts experiences, and welcome all.
Excellence: We continually seek to improve in our work to create and share experiences that are inspiring, impactful, innovative, and relevant.
Learning & Discovery: We enrich our world and expand the possibilities of the live arts through creative research and development, sharing knowledge, and creating dialogue.
Connection: We believe in the irreplaceable quality of shared experiences, the joy of live performance, and the power of collaboration.

Our Vision: We aspire to be the highest impact university-based arts organization in the country.

TPA is regularly among the top busiest performing arts centers of its size in the country and worldwide. TPA welcomed nearly 400,000 people in 2023/24, a 40% increase from the previous high attendance record in 2018/19. The organization is distinguished by its wide variety of professional productions, from a robust Broadway series to experimental performance; its extensive educational programs for students of all ages; and its partnerships with local and national arts and cultural organizations.

About Austin:

Texas Performing Arts is located in Austin, the capital of Texas. Known as the “Live Music Capital of the World,” Austin is known for its incredible arts and music scene, with over 250 live music venues throughout the city. Along with the bustling entertainment, Austin is also home to a vibrant food scene including Michelin-starred Tex-Mex and barbecue. For those who enjoy the outdoors, Austin offers a variety of recreational opportunities such as hiking, kayaking, and swimming in the numerous parks and trails. Dedicated sports fans cheer on the Texas Longhorns championship teams, enjoy F1 racing at Austin’s Circuit of the Americas, or attend Austin FC’s Major League Soccer matches. The world comes to Austin for annual events such as South by Southwest and the Austin City Limits Music Festival.

More information about Austin:

https://austinrelocationguide.com/

Job Description

The Managing Director serves as Texas Performing Arts’ “number two” administrative officer, reporting to the Executive & Artistic Director while leading the administrative, financial, and operational aspects of the organization.

Responsibilities

Leadership: Provide leadership and support to area Directors of Business Operations, Guest Experience, Production, and Fabrication & Academic Production so they and their teams meet and exceed TPA’s business and impact objectives.
Supervise TPA’s Human Resources, Facility, and Senior Event Managers. Develop and implement strategies that align TPA’s impact goals with people, processes, and systems.
Ensure TPA’s long-term financial sustainability.
Apply entrepreneurial, insightful, and solution-oriented thinking to carrying out TPA’s programs within a complex university environment.
Build and sustain strong relationships with counterparts in the College of Fine Arts, throughout UT, and with external partners.
Act as a trusted and respected leader within the organization and industry.
Participate in organizational reporting to and planning with TPA’s Leadership Board.
Financial Management: Lead organization-wide financial planning and management that sustains and increases TPA’s fiscal health on both an annual and long-term basis.
Oversee budget development, forecasting, and reporting.
Ensure that TPA’s financial systems meet the needs of all users.
Develop a strong knowledge of and maintain compliance with university finance policies and procedures.
Operational Management: Create operational excellence across the organization. Ensure that TPA’s values are upheld in its day-to-day operations.
Create and maintain business processes that enable and enhance fulfillment of TPA’s mission.
Ensure the successful presentation of TPA’s programming through production and event operations that allow artists to do their best work.
Provide a welcoming and safe environment for audiences with best-in-market guest experience.
Supervise general management functions including contracting, purchasing, and information technology.
Lead organization-wide, cross-functional teams on key initiatives.
Develop a strong knowledge of and maintain compliance with university operating policies and procedures.
Human Resource Management: Lead strategic human resources planning that creates conditions for TPA team members to do their best work.
Provide high level support to recruiting, retention and employee relations in collaboration with college and university counterparts.
Develop knowledge of and maintain compliance with university HR policies and procedures.
Facility Resource Management: Lead strategic facility resource planning that creates conditions for TPA to serve its communities and clients at the highest possible level.
- Provide high level support to recruiting, retention, and employee relations in collaboration with college and university counterparts
- Develop knowledge of and maintain compliance with university facilities policies and procedures.
Other duties assigned.

Required Qualifications

At least ten years of increasingly responsible experience in the arts or entertainment industries.
Demonstrated fluency in all facets of performing arts center operation, including programming, development, education & engagement, ticketing, marketing & communications, guest experience, and production.
Demonstrated success achieving impactful results in a complex organization.
Demonstrated ability to solve complex problems within standardized policies and procedures.
Demonstrated ability to foster a positive, supportive workplace culture.
Demonstrated ability to communicate effectively to a range of audiences regarding a variety of projects and programs.
Demonstrated experience maintaining productive relationships across an organization’s internal departments to ensure that an organization’s goals are achieved.
Demonstrated experience in recruiting, developing, managing, and retaining high- performing team members.
Strong interpersonal skills, including exceptional written and spoken communication and presentation skills.

Relevant education and experience may be substituted as appropriate.

Preferred Qualifications

General manager, managing director, or COO/CFO experience in a performing arts center, performing arts organization, theatrical production, or live event business.
Experience in a public or highly complex organization such as an institution of higher education or municipally owned venue.
Working knowledge of databases and experience with accrual and cash accounting systems.
Experience leading a budget development process and the use of dashboards and other analytical tools.
Familiarity with and passion for TPA’s purpose, values, vision and programs.
Past accomplishments utilizing administrative and operational skills to advance a mission-based organization.
Demonstrated fluency in the use of current technology and commitment to adopting new technology.
Relevant professional education or credentials.

Working Conditions

This position is based in Austin, Texas and requires residence in the greater Austin area. The work location is 100% on-site at Texas Performing Arts.
Repetitive use of a keyboard at a workstation.
Prolonged screen time.
Use of manual dexterity.

Work Shift

Evening, weekend, and holiday work, including “on-call” times, are required in connection with performances and events. Working shifts may include extended daily hours in connection with performances and events. Work will exceed 40 hours per week at peak times. A compensatory time program is provided.

Compensation

Salary: $145,000 + depending on qualifications

UT Austin provides an outstanding benefits package, including but not limited to:

Competitive health benefits (employee premiums covered at 100%, family premiums at 50%)
Voluntary Vision, Dental, Life, and Disability insurance options
Generous paid vacation, sick time, and holidays
Teachers Retirement System of Texas, a defined benefit retirement plan, with employer matching funds
Additional Voluntary Retirement Programs: Tax Sheltered Annuity 403(b) and a Deferred
Compensation program 457(b)
Flexible spending account options for medical and childcare expenses
Robust free training access through LinkedIn Learning plus professional conference opportunities

For more details, please see:

Application Instructions

The search for the Managing Director at Texas Performing Arts is being supported by Tom O'Connor Consulting Group, a New York-based executive search and consulting firm specializing in the arts and culture industries. Cynthia Fuhrman, Vice President/Executive Search, is leading the search process for TOCG.

If you believe that you could excel in this role, we encourage you to apply. We are dedicated to considering a broad array of candidates, including those with a range of workplace experience and backgrounds in the performing arts or non-profit space. So, whether you're returning to work after a gap in employment, simply looking to transition, or taking the next step in your career path, we will be glad to have you on our radar.

Applications are to be submitted via the University of Texas at this link (https://tinyurl.com/49a3dm9p). Please include:

A letter of interest; please use this letter to tell us about what you hope to bring to this role, and how your background and experience responds to the desired skills and qualities.
A current Resume/CV
3 work references with their contact information; at least one reference should be from a supervisor. References will not be contacted without prior consultation with the candidate.
Work samples may be requested if the applicant advances to the interview stage

For best consideration, please apply by May 3, 2025. While we will still accept and consider applications received after this date, we encourage you to apply as early as possible for the best chance of being considered for the position. Please note that meeting the priority deadline does not guarantee an interview. No phone calls, please.

From the University

Important for applicants who are NOT current university employees or contingent workers: You will be prompted to submit your resume the first time you apply, then you will be provided an option to upload a new Resume for subsequent applications. Any additional Required Materials (letter of interest, references, etc.) will be uploaded in the Application Questions section; you will be able to multi-select additional files. Before submitting your online job application, ensure that ALL Required Materials have been uploaded. Once your job application has been submitted, you cannot make changes.

Important for Current university employees and contingent workers: As a current university employee or contingent worker, you MUST apply within Workday by searching for Find UT Jobs. If you are a current University employee, log-in to Workday, navigate to your Worker Profile, click the Career link in the left-hand navigation menu and then update the sections in your Professional Profile before you apply. This information will be pulled into your application. The application is one page, and you will be prompted to upload your resume. In addition, you must respond to the application questions presented to upload any additional Required Materials (letter of interest, references, etc.) that were noted above.

Employment Eligibility:

Regular staff who have been employed in their current position for the last six continuous months are eligible for openings being recruited for through University-Wide or Open Recruiting, to include both promotional opportunities and lateral transfers. Staff who are promotion/transfer eligible may apply for positions without supervisor approval.

Retirement Plan Eligibility:

The retirement plan for this position is Teacher Retirement System of Texas (TRS), subject to the position being at least 20 hours per week and at least 135 days in length. This position has the option to elect the Optional Retirement Program (ORP) instead of TRS, subject to the position being 40 hours per week and at least 135 days in length.

Background Checks:

A criminal history background check will be required for finalist(s) under consideration for this position.

Equal Opportunity Employer:

The University of Texas at Austin, as an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer, complies with all applicable federal and state laws regarding nondiscrimination and affirmative action. The University is committed to a policy of equal opportunity for all persons and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, marital status, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, disability, religion, or veteran status in employment, educational programs and activities, and admissions.

Pay Transparency:

The University of Texas at Austin will not discharge or in any other manner discriminate against employees or applicants because they have inquired about, discussed, or disclosed their own pay or the pay of another employee or applicant. However, employees who have access to the compensation information of other employees or applicants as a part of their essential job functions cannot disclose the pay of other employees or applicants to individuals who do not otherwise have access to compensation information, unless the disclosure is (a) in response to a formal complaint or charge, (b) in furtherance of an investigation, proceeding, hearing, or action, including an investigation conducted by the employer, or (c) consistent with the contractor’s legal duty to furnish information.

Employment Eligibility Verification:

If hired, you will be required to complete the federal

Employment Eligibility Verification I- 9 form. You will be required to present

acceptable and original documents (https://tinyurl.com/3h4kevcr) to prove your

identity and authorization to work in the United States. Documents need to be

presented no later than the third day of employment. Failure to do so will

result in loss of employment at the university.

E-Verify:

The University of Texas at Austin use E-Verify to check the work authorization of all new hires effective May 2015. The university’s company ID number for purposes of E-Verify is 854197. For more information about E-Verify, please see the following: