Director of Marketing & External Affairs

Position Overview
HERE Arts Center seeks a strategic Director of Marketing & External Affairs to lead our marketing and development initiatives, serving as the primary liaison between the organization and our external community of supporters, patrons, artists, and media. This senior leadership role combines strategic marketing expertise with fundraising leadership to advance HERE Arts Center’s mission of supporting innovative contemporary performance and fostering artistic excellence.

The Director of Marketing & External Affairs will develop and execute comprehensive campaigns that both promote our programming and cultivate philanthropic support, while managing a distributed team of specialists to ensure sustainable growth and enhanced visibility for the organization.

Reports to: All Co-Directors
Annual Salary: $70k + HERE’s standard benefits
Paid: biweekly on Fridays
Status: Exempt

Marketing & Communications (60%)
● Develop and implement comprehensive marketing strategies, including calendar, timelines, and goals, to promote HERE Arts Center’s performances, events, and civic programs
● Work cross-departmentally and with consultants to drive annual box office ticket sales, tracking progress against goals and adjusting strategies as needed to ensure targets are met
● Manage digital marketing initiatives including website content, social media platforms, email campaigns, paid online advertising, and cross-promotion.
● With support from marketing staff, create compelling marketing materials including brochures, press releases, program notes, and promotional content
● Coordinate media relations and press outreach to secure earned media coverage in print, digital, and broadcast outlets
● Oversee audience development strategies to grow and diversify attendance across all programming
● Analyze marketing metrics and audience data to optimize campaign effectiveness and ROI
● Collaborate with co-directors and creative teams to develop messaging that accurately represents creative vision while appealing to target audiences

Development & Fundraising (40%)
● Design and execute annual fundraising campaigns focused on individual donor cultivation and corporate sponsorship.
● Manage donor database and maintain detailed records of all development activities and communications.
● Develop prospect portfolios for Co-Directors and implement moves management pathways through the donor development cycle.
● Manage and execute donor acknowledgements
● Plan and execute fundraising events including galas, intimate donor gatherings, and cultivation and stewardship activities. Send invitations and thank you follow ups for each event.
● Develop and maintain relationships with major donors, board members, and community stakeholders
● Create compelling case statements and fundraising materials that articulate organizational impact and need
● Coordinate with finance team to ensure accurate gift processing and donor acknowledgment systems

Cross-Functional Leadership
● Develop integrated campaigns that simultaneously advance marketing and fundraising objectives
● Supervise and coordinate external team including part-time graphic designer, part-time press representative, and third-party digital advertising firm
● Collaborate with artistic and administrative staff to align external messaging with organizational priorities
● Represent HERE Arts Center at community events, networking functions, and industry conferences
● Support board development and engagement initiatives
● Monitor industry trends in both arts marketing and nonprofit fundraising to inform strategic planning

Required Qualifications
● Minimum 5-7 years of experience in arts marketing, nonprofit development, or comparable field with demonstrated leadership responsibilities
● Demonstrated success in both marketing campaign development and fundraising achievement
● Excellent written and verbal communication skills with ability to craft compelling narratives for diverse audiences
● Proficiency in CRM systems, email marketing platforms, social media management tools, and basic graphic design software
● Strong project management skills with ability to manage multiple concurrent campaigns and deadlines
● Experience managing freelance professionals and external vendors
● Knowledge of contemporary performance arts and cultural sector trends
● Commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion in all aspects of external relations

Preferred Qualifications
● Advanced degree in relevant field
● Experience working specifically with performing arts organizations or experimental/contemporary arts venues
● Bilingual capabilities
● Experience with major donor cultivation and stewardship ($1,000+ gifts)
● Familiarity with arts funding landscape including NEA, state arts councils, and private foundations
● Background in event planning and production
● Google Analytics and social media advertising experience

Personal Attributes
● Passionate advocate for contemporary and experimental performance
● Entrepreneurial mindset with comfort in startup-like environment
● Exceptional interpersonal skills and ability to build authentic relationships
● Creative problem-solver who thrives in collaborative, fast-paced settings
● Detail-oriented with strong organizational and time management abilities
● Natural leader with experience directing distributed teams and external partnerships
● Comfortable representing the organization publicly and serving as institutional spokesperson

Compensation & Benefits
HERE Arts Center offers a salary of $70,000 annually, and a full benefit program, which currently includes:
● Unlimited Paid Time Off;
● Medical insurance;
● Access to dental and vision insurance;
● Access to a 403b account;
● Access to pretax transit benefit account;
● Professional development opportunities;
● Complimentary tickets to HERE Arts Center productions.

To Apply
Please email the following materials to jobs@here.org, with the subject line “Director of Marketing & External Affairs Application.”
● Resume
● Cover Letter (max. 1 page) or Short Video (max. 4 minutes) detailing your interest in the position and your relevant experience.
● A work sample of a marketing plan or successful campaign you’ve previously developed. This example should demonstrate your sense of strategy and creativity, as well as clear and compelling communication skills.

Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis until the position is filled. For best consideration, apply by July 9, 2025.

ABOUT HERE
From our home in Lower Manhattan, HERE builds an inclusive community that nurtures artists of all backgrounds as they disrupt conventional expectations to create innovative performances in theatre, dance, music, puppetry, media, and visual art. By providing these genre-blending artists with an adaptive, flexible home for developing and producing their work, we share a range of perspectives reflective of the complexity of our city. HERE welcomes curious audiences to witness groundbreaking performances, responsive to the world in which we live, at free and affordable prices.
HERE strives to create an equitable, diverse, and inclusive home in which all people have fair access to the resources they need to realize their visions. We acknowledge structural inequities that exclude individuals and communities from opportunities based on race, gender, disability, sexual orientation, class, age, and geography, and seek to counter those inequities in our work. Through mindful actions on sustainability and regenerative practices, we work toward climate justice, and a safe, livable planet for present and future artmakers and audiences.

HERE’s venues and offices are located at 145 6th Avenue, New York, NY 11013.

HERE’s legal name is the Home for Contemporary Theater & Art Ltd. dba HERE and HERE Arts Center.