Cleveland Public Theatre seeks Patron Services Manager

Cleveland Public Theatre (CPT) is hiring a Patron Services Manager who is a core part of the CPT staff and will make a meaningful contribution to life at CPT and our community impact.

Review of candidates will begin immediately. To apply for the position, send an email to Caitie H. Milcinovic, Director of Organizational Advancement at caitiehm@cptonline.org by end of day Tuesday, July 6. Subject line should read: YOUR LAST NAME, Patron Services Manager. Your email should include two attachments: a resume, and a two-page cover letter giving examples of your related experiences and explaining why you are interested in this position. No phone calls, please.

JOB DESCRIPTION

CPT is looking for an upbeat, charming, helpful person to elevate patrons’ CPT experience. The Patron Services Manager will report to the Director of Organizational Advancement through Pandemonium 2021, and thereafter to the Director of Audience Engagement & Media Relations. They are responsible for managing the Front of House team including 1 full-time staff member (the Patron Services Associate) and 6-9 part-time staffers (house managers, bartenders, and a parking attendant). This includes hiring, training, and scheduling, while managing day-to-day Front of House operations. The Patron Services Associate is a large support for this role. The Patron Services Manager must frequently exercise independent judgment, initiative, and the ability to re-prioritize competing responsibilities. Skillsets needed for this job include exceptional customer service, cash handling, knowledge of QuickBooks and financial reconciliations, comfort with technology including Microsoft Office, Adobe, and Customer Relations Management (CRM) databases, inventory management, forward-thinking, and planning, problem-solving in the moment, and event planning. Previous box office experience is required, and previous management experience is highly encouraged. Candidates fluent in Spanish and/or Arabic are especially desirable.

Salary range is $34k to $38k based on work experience. Benefits include health insurance and paid time off. Anticipated start date is Monday, August 16.

RESPONSIBILITIES

• Hire and manage Front of House team
  • Hire house managers, bartenders, and parking attendant for the upcoming season
  • Train new hires throughout the year, and do re-trainings for staff, as necessary
  • Create monthly schedules and manage them for the Front of House team
  • Support as a floor manager for box office, bar, and house management teams on performance nights and for special events
  • Continue to grow and develop the Front of House department

• Manage the box office and the Patron Services Associate
  • Provide clear information about our performances, organization, neighborhood, aesthetic, and mission
  • Support the Patron Services Associate with ticket sales by phone and in-person with patrons
  • Prevent and resolve customer disputes to mutual satisfaction
  • Complete box office reconciliations for every production, including royalties and splits
  • Complete a monthly financial reconciliation

• Manage bar, concessions, and receptions
  • Maintain organized spaces for bartenders to work
  • Manage and select bar inventory
  • Manage and update bar signage and menus

• Manage CRM ticketing and patron database (Spektrix)
  • Set up all productions in the ticketing system, update and manage throughout the year
  • Run monthly meetings to discuss with fellow departments how to improve and make best use of our patron database
  • Continually manage patron accounts with support of Patron Services Associate
  • Manage artist memberships throughout the year
  • Use database for reporting and analytics, and assist fellow departments with reporting and analytics

• Manage and elevate the patron experience
  • Create lobby layouts for performances and special events
  • Manage scheduling of first-aid trainings for staff
  • Manage patron accessibility needs
  • Attend dress rehearsals
  • Schedule and facilitate pre-run Front of House meetings with multiple departments
  • Update standard wayfinding signage for performances
  • Document patron responses regarding pricing, amenities, parking, and other feedback
  • Regularly share impressions of patron satisfaction with supervisor
  • Anticipate patron needs and concerns

• Be an active member in the execution of CPT special events, including:
  • Board meetings
    • Manage set up and catering
  • Dark Room (monthly)
    • Manage set up and strike
  • Station Hope (annually in May)
    • Schedule and manage catering and Front of House
    • Support with volunteer management
    • Support and manage night-of assignment for the event (roles can vary)
  • Pandemonium (annually in September)
    • Choose the wines for the event, and manage alcohol order
    • Manage kitchen and bar set up for the event
    • Support with parking and Celebrity Chef management
    • Support with ticket sales for the event
    • Support and manage on the night of the event (roles may vary), including strike
  • Staff birthday celebrations

• Support general administrative functions including:
  • Supporting incoming funds
  • Managing ticket donation packets for other nonprofits as requested
  • Maintaining and cleaning of shared community spaces and staff tablecloths

QUALIFICATIONS

The ideal candidate will be able to demonstrate the following:

Skills

• Exceptional conversational skills, verbal expression, and warm attitude
• Working knowledge of Microsoft Office, including knowledge of Excel
• Experience with ticketing software or use of CRM databases. Experience with our CRM platform (Spektrix) is a plus, but not required.
• Candidates fluent in Spanish and/or Arabic are especially desirable
• Basic knowledge of QuickBooks and accounting is a plus
• Basic knowledge of Square is a plus

Experience

• Previous live theatre box office experience; box office management experience a plus
• Previous retail or customer service experience
• Cash handling and cash drawer reconciliation experience
• Bachelor’s degree in accounting, performing arts, humanities, or related fields, or equivalent work experience

Qualities and personality

• A genuine interest in the arts and knowledge of live theatre
• Enjoy speaking with and helping the public
• Natural curiosity in how things work
• Able to work efficiently and calmly in a fast-paced environment
• Ability to multi-function, prioritize, and always keep busy
• Ability to focus on details and work with numbers
• Energetic, enthusiastic, and always willing to pitch in

Other

• Must be able to lift and transport cases of beverages throughout a multi-level facility
• In addition to normal business hours, availability required to work most Monday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday evenings (October through May)

ABOUT THE CPT STAFF

CPT cares passionately about reflecting our community and pursuing diversity at all levels of the organization. CPT has a demanding work environment with long, intense hours, but we have fun and love what we do. We value courage, integrity, representation, joy, respect, humanity, and challenging ourselves and each other to be our collective best. For applicants considering relocation to Cleveland: our city is an excellent community to live in with top-notch arts and culture, a vibrant theatre scene, beautiful public parks, a great lake, and affordable housing.

ABOUT CLEVELAND PUBLIC THEATRE

CPT is a nationally recognized center for contemporary performance. Our mission is to raise consciousness and nurture compassion through groundbreaking theatre and life-changing education programs. CPT implements this mission through our theatrical season, featuring between 8-10 adventurous professional productions and a robust series of new play development programs that support writers and devisers at multiple points in the creative process. CPT’s acclaimed education programs engage communities in devising new works that speak to contemporary issues and empower participants to work for positive change in our community. CPT is home to resident community ensembles Teatro Público de Cleveland and Masrah Cleveland Al-Arabi, and CPT annually presents Station Hope, a large-scale community arts festival. CPT’s budget is around $1.8 million per year. CPT has 17 full-time staff members, and we are currently hiring 4 additional positions, for a total of 21 staff.

CPT COVID-19 WORK POLICY

Staff are required to work in-office at least 35 hours per week. On average there would be an additional 15 hours of work per week, with the option to work from home when the needs of the position allow. Unvaccinated employees are required to wear masks when in CPT facilities or when working with people under the age of 12.