Communications Associate

Company Overview:

The 5th Avenue Theatre is one of America's leading musical theaters.

As a nonprofit company and our region's largest performing arts employer, we spread the joy of great musicals, enrich the community with this art form, and give the Pacific Northwest a front-row seat to original powerhouse productions that light up marquees and audiences all the way to Broadway. Through our nationally acclaimed education programs, we reach more than 75,000 young people with programs designed to develop new musicals and ensure the next generation of great musical storytelling.

We share a core belief that Musical Theatre is critical to uplifting and reflecting the humanity around us, and that The 5th Avenue is a vital resource for Seattle, Downtown, and The Pacific Northwest. Our diversity of people and talents are unified behind these truths, working hard to make great art and sustain a great work culture of belonging & inclusion.

Applications from those who have been traditionally underrepresented in the theatrical and/or IT industry are strongly encouraged. We are striving for our staff to be inclusive of a diverse and vibrant community that represents multiple identities, perspectives & influences.

Position: Communications Associate

Department: Marketing

Reports to: Associate Director of Communications and Media

FLSA Classification: Full-Time, Salaried, Non-Exempt

Compensation: $55,000-$64,000 DOE

Work Location: Downtown Seattle. The 5th Avenue Theatre administrative office located within Skinner Building (1326 5th Avenue, Suite 735). This position is required to be in-office four days minimum a week.

Position Overview:

The Communications Associate is responsible for supporting the creation and execution of email marketing campaigns and managing the production of The 5th Avenue Theatre’s Encore show programs. This role will work closely with internal teams (Philanthropy, Guest Services, Casting, Education, and Community Engagement) to deliver high-quality digital and print content, always ensuring that messaging aligns with the theater’s mission. Additionally, this role manages The 5th’s blog and other sections of the website.

To be successful in this role, you will need to be a flexible, adaptable self-starter who thrives in a fast-paced environment. This role requires a high degree of attention to detail, confidentiality, sound judgement, creativity, and the ability to handle changing priorities. You should be comfortable working in a lively workplace that merges the joy of musical theater with crucial administrative duties.

Principle Duties & Responsibilities:

• Email Marketing and Campaign Execution: develop, design, execute, and analyze email marketing campaigns to engage audiences and promote The 5th’s performances and programs. Support the development of email templates, list segmentation, and A/B testing to optimize performance. Coordinate all aspects of interdepartmental email vetting processes.
• Show Program Management: oversee the production of the Encore show program for mainstage performances, including content collection, stakeholder approvals, proofing, and print coordination. Ensure accessibility of all programs by coordinating large print, braille, and Encore+ versions.
• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Partner with Marketing, Philanthropy, Guest Services, Casting, Education, and Community Engagement teams to align messaging across various platforms. Coordinate with internal stakeholders to ensure consistency in tone and content for emails, newsletters, and website updates. Foster clear communication among team members to meet project deadlines.
• Content Creation and Management: Contribute to the creation of marketing materials, including email copy, website content, and blog posts. Ensure the tone and language are aligned with the theater’s branding and objectives. Support content development for special events and education programs.
• Campaign Analytics and Reporting: Monitor and report on email campaign performance metrics to guide optimization strategies. Work closely with the Associate Director of Marketing & Sales and Associate Director of Communications & Media to ensure data-driven decisions are made to improve audience engagement and subscription rates.
• Asset Coordination and Delivery: Manage content and updates for the website and blog. Coordinate delivery of the Encore show programs.
• Support departmental processes, including contributing to communications and public relations, and perform additional duties as assigned.

The 5th Avenue Theatre is a quick-moving, deadline driven environment. Staff members are often required to work in group settings and have regular contact with the general public. Office and Performance spaces are typically active and support a highly collaborative work environment. The duties outlined above are intended to identify general scope and requirements but additional duties, which support successful completion of this department’s objectives, may be required.

Essential Knowledge and Qualifications:

The ideal candidate for this position will possess most of the following skills and qualifications or relevant experience and achievements to help meet the role's needs:

• Bachelor’s degree or relevant experience in marketing and communications, with a focus on email marketing
• Strong organizational and project management skills with the ability to handle multiple projects simultaneously
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills, with experience writing and editing copy for various platforms
• Demonstrated ability to work collaboratively and build strong relationships with internal and external stakeholders
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office (Outlook, Word, Excel, and PowerPoint), Slack, Asana
• Experience using Tessitura (ticketing software), Prospect2 (email builder and database), and Umbraco (website management) or similar systems preferred, but not required
• Ability to thrive in a fast-paced, dynamic environment with frequent distractions and competing priorities
• Comfortable adapting to changing needs and priorities while maintaining a high degree of attention to detail
• Driven to improve and learn continually
• An overall professional presence that is warm and approachable; embodies the culture of kindness, respect, diversity, equity, inclusivity, and openness; a sense of humor
• Interest or passion for musical theater is a plus
• This position requires attendance at occasional evening and weekend events, including attending designated shows and activities.

Physical Requirements

• Ability to perform administrative work using a computer for extended periods of time, up to 8 hours a day.
• Must be able to physically navigate dynamic workspaces among multiple floors including a theater auditorium, workshops, and office spaces, occasionally in low lighting.
• Lift/move/push up to 40 pounds periodically, occasionally alone.

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of the job, with or without reasonable accommodation.