Open Position

Executive Director

San Diego, California (full-time, in person/hybrid)

Target Start Date

January, 2026

Compensation

Target annual salary: $75,000–$85,000 commensurate with experience.

To Apply

Submit a cover letter, résumé, and contact information of three references to admin@operaneo.com. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis until the position is filled.

Reports To

CEO/Artistic Director

The Executive Director works in close partnership with Opera Neo's leadership team (CEO/Artistic Director, Associate Director of Artistic Operations), under the leadership of the CEO/Artistic Director. The Executive Director is also accountable to the Board of Directors.

Position Summary

The Executive Director (ED) will fill a key leadership role at Opera Neo, responsible for ensuring that the organization operates smoothly and grows sustainably, in line with its mission. The ED will oversee strategic planning, fundraising, operations, donor and patron relations, artist support, production logistics, marketing & public relations, ticketing, and other logistics, while serving as an essential bridge between all administrative, production, technical, and artistic teams. The ED’s workload peaks during the production season, but must also build and maintain systems year-round.

Qualifications

Significant experience in arts administration, nonprofit management, or similar roles; experience in performing arts administration, in particular, opera or theater, is a plus.
Experience with fundraising: grants, donor relations, sponsorships.
Strong organizational skills: ability to handle logistics, scheduling, multiple simultaneous projects.
Good interpersonal skills: working with a tight-knit admin team, artists, technical/production teams, venues, and patrons.
Marketing/communications skills: email, social media, press outreach.
Familiarity with ticketing systems and front-of-house operations.
Ability to work under pressure, especially during production season; flexible hours including evenings/weekends as needed.
Commitment to Opera Neo’s mission: passion for the arts, supporting young artists, innovating in opera performance, community engagement.

Performance Metrics / Outcomes

The Executive Director will be evaluated on:

Success in fundraising (amount raised, diversity of funding sources, retention of donors).
Smooth execution of season productions: logistics, artist satisfaction, adherence to schedule.
Audience growth: ticket sales, subscriber/donor base, audience feedback.
Operational efficiency: budgeting, timely processing of donations, efficient venue and artistic team coordination
Marketing reach: growth in social media engagement, press mentions, effective communications (attendance, email open-rates, etc.).

Working Conditions & Timeline

The ED position is full-time, year-round. There will be a ramp-up in hours during production season (which typically runs April–July) and audition season (typically September-November)
Office/administrative work will be in San Diego with travel to venues, rehearsal spaces, etc.
Occasional travel for auditions or donor/meeting obligations.

Key Responsibilities

Below are major areas and specific duties. The list is not exhaustive; the ED will be expected to flex and adapt according to the needs of the organization and its performance season.

1. Fundraising & Development

Cultivate donor relationships through regular engagement: track and acknowledge donations, and maintain ongoing communication with donors.
Oversee donation processing: ensure accurate and timely recording, receipting, compliance, acknowledgement, and donor database maintenance.
Refine and expand Opera Neo’s strategy for fundraising (individual donors, grants, institutional support, sponsorships), with the longer-term goal of engaging and overseeing a development professional.

2. Season Planning & Production Logistics

Collaborate and assist in season-planning with the CEO/Artistic Director, Associate Director of Artistic Operations, the Director of Artistic Administration, and other artistic personnel (provide feedback in repertoire selection, scheduling, and budgeting).
Coordinate artist travel and housing logistics (airline tickets, arrivals, stays, accommodations).
Assist in coordinating artist activities: daily schedules, rehearsals, events. Address artist needs or problems promptly.

3. Operations & Venue Coordination

Act as liaison between administrative staff, production/technical staff, and performance venues. Ensure positive, reliable working relationships with venues.
Attend design & production meetings, technical rehearsals, performances; serve as bridge among music/artistic, administrative, and production teams.
Broadly oversee daily operations during the production season (in collaboration with other company leadership and production staff): rehearsal scheduling, load-in/load-out logistics, serve as technical and production liaison, with the longer-term goal of engaging and overseeing a production manager.

4. Marketing, Public Relations & Patron Engagement

Execute and oversee marketing and communications strategies: email blasts/newsletters, social media, direct mail campaigns, relationships with local media outlets, paid advertising.
Oversee and assist with creating programs for performances (content, layout, proofreading).
Manage ticketing in coordination with ticketing platform or provider: monitor sales, assist patrons with questions, send reminders/event info.

5. Front-of-House & Donor/Audience Relations

Serve in front-of-house capacity during performances: patron greeting, problem resolution, managing patron experience.
Engage with donors and audience members during events; assist with fundraising events, donor receptions, etc.

6. Other Administrative Duties, Teamwork & Culture

Arrange media interviews, devise community outreach and audience development strategies in line with the organization’s mission and realistic capacity.
In collaboration with the staff and Board, help further the mission of Opera Neo; foster a collegial, positive, inclusive working environment for staff and artists.
Maintain accurate documentation, budgeting, reporting, and liaise with finance functions (internal or external) to ensure sound fiscal practices.

About Opera Neo

Our mission is to nurture and educate the new generation of opera singers by providing them vital performance experience and training, and producing innovative, entertaining, and accessible operatic performances, thereby investing in the future of opera and contributing to the cultural vibrancy of our city.