Organization
Founded in 1965 and based in New York City, Roundabout Theatre Company (Roundabout) has grown to become one of the country’s largest nonprofit theatrical institutions. Roundabout operates three venues on Broadway— American Airlines Theatre, Stephen Sondheim Theatre, and the historic Studio 54—and two venues off-Broadway—Laura Pels Theatre and Roundabout Underground Black Box Theatre, which are housed in the Harold and Miriam Steinberg Center for Theatre.
With a mission to celebrate the power of theatre by spotlighting classics from the past, cultivating new works of the present, and educating minds for the future, Roundabout presents a wide variety of familiar and lesser-known productions, including musicals, revivals of classic plays, and cutting-edge new works. The organization is highly respected for its innovative and high-quality productions and has received numerous awards in its 57-year history, including 38 Tony Awards, 73 Outer Critics Circle Awards, 14 Obie Awards, 5 Olivier Awards, and 14 AUDELCO Awards, which are awarded annually to recognize and honor excellence in Black Theatre.
Addressing and correcting social injustices is a key cornerstone of Roundabout’s values. The organization announced a five-year strategic plan in September 2021 to address equity, diversity, inclusion, and anti-racism (EDI/AR) in its work, workplaces, and community to create a theatre company that is more equitable and inclusive. This strategic plan lists a series of EDI/AR targets to be achieved within the next five years which include growing the percentage of racial representation in the stories it presents, creative teams it hires, staff in its offices, audiences it welcomes, and board leadership it appoints.
Roundabout has received national recognition for its educational programs. The organization has established numerous longstanding partnerships with schools throughout the five boroughs of New York City, creating customized residencies, free afterschool programs, and on-site experiences for students. The Roundabout Youth Ensemble is a program for New York City public high school students that uses Roundabout’s production model to explore the theatrical production process.
Roundabout is committed to removing all physical, cultural, or financial barriers to make theatre accessible and affordable to all people regardless of their background. The organization has introduced several special ticket programs and audience development initiatives that allow people to see productions at significantly reduced prices. These include Access Roundabout, which allocates more than 42,000 affordable tickets to theatregoers annually; Hiptix, which provides $30 tickets to all shows for theatregoers ages 18 to 40; Hiptix High, which provides $10 tickets to all shows for high school students ages 14 to 18; and Blue Star Families, where United States military families and veterans receive a 40% discount on tickets.
Engaging deeply with audiences and communities is central to Roundabout’s mission. Theatre Plus is a series of innovative programs that enhances the theatre-going experience for audience members. It includes talks led by teaching artists, casts, and crews. To deepen audience engagement, Roundabout hosts 20-minute post-performance conversations between audience members to share their thoughts and engage in lively discussions.
Roundabout is governed by a 45-member board of trustees, led by Katheryn Patterson Kempner. Artistic Director and CEO Todd Haimes leads a staff of 175 people. Due to the pandemic, Roundabout’s theatre venues and operations were shut down on March 12, 2020 and re-opened in the autumn of 2021 with its postponed production of Caroline, or Change. For the 2019 fiscal year, Roundabout reported total operating revenue of $62.9 million, with $39.1 million from program services. Total expenses were $67.8 million. As comparison, for the fiscal year audit ended August 31, 2020, Roundabout reported total operating revenue of $39.9 million, with $18.3 million from program services and total expenses of $48.9 million. Roundabout remained shut down for the 2021 fiscal year resulting in an operating revenue of $23.1 million, with $151,000 from program services and total expenses of $23.1 million.
Current and upcoming performances from the 2022-2023 season include: 1776, You Will Get Sick, The Bandaged Place, The Wanderers, Primary Trust, and the North American tour of A Soldier’s Play.
Position Summary
The new Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) will be a key member of the three-person leadership team that includes the Executive Producer and the Chief Advancement Officer, reporting directly to the Artistic Director/CEO. The CAO oversees the administrative and operations aspects of the organization including finance, legal, labor relations/negotiations, human resources, information technology, audience services, sales and analytics, facilities, and general administration. Additionally, this team facilitates the relationships with industry partners on Broadway and regionally, including rentals of Roundabout’s venues to outside productions.
Role and Responsibilities
Organizational Leadership and Strategy
Manage Roundabout’s business functions and organizational infrastructure, ensuring earned revenue, human resources, finance, and overall operations are effective, efficient, and guided by best practices.
Partner with the Artistic Director/CEO, the Executive Producer, and the Chief Advancement Officer to establish a long-term vision and sustainable strategy, creating new operating models as necessary, and assessing facility needs for administration, rehearsals, education programs, storage, and performances as the organization moves forward post-pandemic.
Maintain transparent and frequent communication with the Artistic Director/CEO, the Executive Producer, and the Chief Advancement Officer on key items that affect the overall organization and/or have a significant financial impact.
Collaborate with the Artistic Director/CEO, the Executive Producer, and the Chief Advancement Officer with respect to plays and musicals for Roundabout’s stages and take the lead on securing rights and negotiating agreements with producing partners.
Guide, with the Director of Human Resources and the staff team, Roundabout’s execution of its equity, diversity, inclusion, and anti-racism strategic plan, and ensure ongoing organization-wide efforts are prioritized, funded, implemented, and sustained.
Fiscal Responsibility and Oversight
Demonstrate solid fiscal and business acumen and ensure the highest levels of financial accountability.
Lead the development and management of organizational budgets and implement internal controls to ensure Roundabout’s operational and fiscal integrity, in partnership with the Director of Finance.
Manage financial reporting systems to ensure that all staff have the data they need to manage individual budgets.
Control expenditures, in collaboration with the Director of Finance, while maintaining the quality of the work, achievement of the mission, and reputation of Roundabout.
Staff Development, Management and Empowerment
Build and promote cultural practices to foster an inclusive environment of excellence that attracts, retains, and empowers an engaged and skilled staff, in collaboration with the Executive Producer, the Chief Advancement Officer, and the Director of Human Resources.
Create decisive action plans with the Executive Producer and the Chief Advancement Officer, and in consultation with Director of Human Resources, that include clearly defined operational priorities and measurable goals, while fostering a teamwork culture of shared accountability.
Develop and support a staff environment that values open communication and transparency, engagement, and mentorship.
Work with the Executive Producer, the Chief Advancement Officer, and the Director of Human Resources, with the support of the Artistic Director/CEO, to empower those at all levels of the organization to have a voice in its future and provide mentorship while building a sustainable team and environment.
Support and team up with the Director of Human Resources to establish accountability measures while actively ensuring a safe and healthy work environment.
Traits and Characteristics
The Chief Administrative Officer will be a nimble, collaborative leader and effective decision-maker. A successful candidate will be committed to creating a culture of open communication and transparency and to gaining the trust of the Roundabout teams while ensuring that everyone feels valued, respected, and heard. The CAO understands that the values of EDI/AR must be demonstrated within the staff as well as externally and will strive to make Roundabout a welcoming space for all. A hands-on team builder, they are committed to partnering with the Artistic Director/CEO, the Executive Producer, and the Chief Advancement Officer to lead the organization into the future, artistically and practically.
Other key competencies include:
Decision-Making, Flexibility, and Resiliency – The ability to make prompt, sound decisions with the acumen to adapt and re-bound with ease, while including appropriate colleagues in the process.
Diplomacy and Negotiation – The capability to address many points of view and facilitate agreement, with both tact and sensitivity.
Leadership and Personal Accountability – The faculty to organize, influence, and guide people with purpose and direction, while ensuring they are personally modeling appropriate behaviors for others.
Qualifications
The successful candidate does not need to possess any specific educational credentials. Qualified candidates will demonstrate a track record of success in managing complex teams and production environments, preferably in the performing arts or entertainment industry, and have a thorough understanding of budget creation and management. A deep commitment to equity, diversity, inclusion, and anti-racism is expected. An ideal candidate has experience managing workers and maintaining relationships in a unionized environment and has familiarity with union agreements and negotiations.
Compensation and Benefits
Roundabout provides a competitive and equitable compensation package in the range of $330,000 to $370,000, with benefits that include paid time off and holidays; health insurance (medical, dental, vision, and prescription drugs); long-term disability and life insurances; and an employer contributed 401(k) retirement plan.
Applications and Inquiries
To submit a cover letter and resume with a summary of demonstrable accomplishments (electronic submissions preferred), please click here or visit artsconsulting.com/employment. For questions or general inquiries about this job opportunity, please contact:
Adam Davis, Vice President
4579 Laclede Avenue, Suite 456
St. Louis, MO 63108
Tel (888) 234.4236 Ext. 215
Email Roundabout@ArtsConsulting.com
Roundabout Theatre Company is an Equal Opportunity Employer that strives to
represent individuals from all walks of life in its workforce. Roundabout wants its
employment community to be a representation of the diverse world we live in.