Director of Marketing & Communications Search

 

CANADIAN STAGE is seeking a creative and energetic individual to serve as its next Director of Marketing & Communications. Reporting to the Executive and Artistic Directors, the Director of Marketing & Communications will develop and implement the strategic direction for all marketing and communication activities at Canadian Stage. The Director of Marketing and Communications will be responsible for building the capacity and the teams in the Marketing and Communications areas, and will work collaboratively with the senior leadership team to create strong and effective marketing strategies.

The Director of Marketing & Communications will build and manage the Canadian Stage brand and all aspects of marketing, communications, box office, and ticketing through the Canadian Stage Box Office to raise the organization's awareness in the community, increase audiences, and drive earned revenues.

The ideal candidate will have a drive to build audiences for Canadian Stage from the GTA to maximize ticket sales, and marketing campaigns that drive earned revenues and visibility in the community. This is an exciting opportunity for a creative professional who can bring together their vision, experience, and passion for a wide range of artistic and community endeavors. The Director of Marketing & Communications will want to invest themselves in the success and growth of Canadian Stage and will find personal fulfillment in being part of an exciting future for the organization.

 

The Organization

Canadian Stage is one of Canada’s leading not-for-profit contemporary theatres, known for its innovative programming and commitment to producing bold and diverse work. Each season, Canadian Stage brings transformative artistic experiences to audiences across Toronto and beyond, sharing dynamic works from both Canadian and international artists. With a rich legacy of groundbreaking productions, Canadian Stage continues to shape the future of performing arts in Canada.

In its long and storied history, Canadian Stage has employed thousands of artists and produced hundreds of new productions, including the premieres of 350+ new Canadian works. Many of the plays developed by Canadian Stage have been awarded and nominated for Canada's most prestigious literary and performing arts honours, including the Governor General's, Chalmers, and Dora Mavor Moore Awards.

 

The Community

Toronto is the most populous city in Canada and the capital city of the province of Ontario. The Greater Toronto Area has a 2021 population of 6.7 million people and is the fourth-most populous city in North America. The city is the anchor of the Golden Horseshoe, an urban agglomeration of 9.8 million people (as of 2021) surrounding the western end of Lake Ontario.

Toronto is an international centre of business, finance, arts and culture, and sports and is home to many of Canada’s leading performing arts organizations. It is a multicultural melting pot that new Canadians from countries all over the world call home. It is vibrant and alive with a constantly changing landscape, and exciting opportunities abound.

 

Director of Marketing & Communications Role and Responsibilities

The Director of Marketing and Communications is a key leadership role that drives the strategic vision and execution of marketing, audience development, and communications initiatives to build long-term audience loyalty, expand engagement, and grow earned revenue for Canadian Stage.

This position oversees all marketing and communications activities, with a focus on strengthening relationships with existing patrons, attracting new audiences, and promoting Canadian Stage’s productions and brand. Working closely with the senior leadership team, the Director will collaborate to align marketing strategies with the broader goals of the organization, including artistic programming, development, and institutional priorities.

The ideal candidate will have significant experience in arts marketing, with a proven track record of increasing audience loyalty and revenue through data-driven campaigns and strategic communication efforts. Knowledge of proven audience-building strategies will be an asset, as Canadian Stage is focused on leveraging best practices to foster deep, lasting connections with our patrons.

 

Key Responsibilities

Reporting to the Executive Director and the Artistic Director, the key responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

Strategy and Planning

• Develop and implement an overarching marketing and communications strategy for Canadian Stage that aligns with organizational goals, audience growth, and revenue targets.
• Lead the creation of compelling marketing campaigns for individual productions, as well as overarching season-wide initiatives, to reinforce Canadian Stage’s value proposition and strengthen brand presence.
• Collaborate with the Artistic Director and senior leadership team to ensure marketing efforts are closely aligned with artistic programming, institutional priorities, and brand messaging.
• Continuously analyze the competitive landscape to identify trends, opportunities, and emerging best practices to maintain Canadian Stage’s leadership in the arts sector.
• Design and refine integrated marketing strategies that target both new and existing patrons, focusing on compelling messaging across multiple channels (digital, print, media, etc.).
• Build strong relationships with key internal and external stakeholders, including senior leadership, creative teams, and key community influencers, to ensure alignment and success in all marketing efforts.

 

Audience & Loyalty Growth

• Oversee and ensure the achievement of annual sales and attendance targets, ensuring Canadian Stage consistently meets or exceeds expectations for ticket sales, subscriptions, and audience engagement.
• Develop and implement audience segmentation strategies to drive targeted marketing efforts based on demographic, behavioral, and psychographic data.
• Monitor, analyze, and report on key performance indicators (KPIs) related to audience retention, such as recency, frequency, and monetary value of patron interactions.
• Lead efforts to increase year-over-year (YOY) growth in subscription sales, renewals, and audience retention strategies, ensuring sustained engagement and repeat attendance.
• Develop and optimize customer loyalty programs, ensuring that subscribers and patrons are provided with personalized and meaningful engagement that fosters long-term relationships.
• Use CRM tools (Tessitura) to manage data insights and inform strategic decisions, driving marketing efforts that increase frequency and recency of patron attendance.

 

Revenue Optimization

• Lead the development and execution of strategies that maximize ticket sales and revenue, including pricing strategies, dynamic pricing, and promotions.
• Use data-driven insights to design and implement ticketing strategies that maximize earned revenue, including upselling (e.g., VIP experiences, premium seating), targeted discounts, and bundled offers.
• Drive initiatives to optimize revenue through add-ons such as donations, merchandise sales, and exclusive access to events or content, encouraging higher-value transactions per patron.
• Implement “nudging” techniques across digital platforms (website, email, social) to encourage desired customer behaviors, including early purchases, higher-value purchases, and renewals.
• Collaborate closely with the ticketing team to streamline purchasing processes, improve conversion rates, and enhance the overall customer experience.
• Analyze ticketing and sales data to identify new opportunities for revenue growth, adjusting marketing campaigns and pricing models as needed to achieve targets.

 

Partnerships & People

• Lead, inspire, and mentor a high-performing marketing team, setting clear goals and performance expectations, while fostering a collaborative environment that encourages professional growth and innovation.
• Cultivate and maintain relationships with external media partners, journalists, influencers, and organizations to maximize the reach and impact of Canadian Stage’s marketing campaigns.
• Identify and develop strategic partnerships with local businesses, sponsors, and community organizations to amplify marketing efforts, leverage co-marketing opportunities, and engage new audiences.
• Explore innovative partnership opportunities to enhance Canadian Stage’s visibility, reputation, and access to new audiences, while generating additional revenue streams.
• Ensure all external communications align with Canadian Stage’s mission and brand.
• Actively participate in key stakeholder meetings, ensuring that marketing and communications are fully integrated into the broader organizational and fundraising efforts, including board members.
• Promote a culture of collaboration, sharing insights, and encouraging team members to contribute ideas, feedback, and expertise to improve marketing initiatives continuously.
• Manage vendor relationships, including digital marketing agencies, designers, and other external partners, ensuring high-quality deliverables and adherence to timelines and budgets.

 

Administration and Oversight

• Oversee the marketing department and supervise the staff by setting clear expectations and ensuring their continuing growth and professional development.
• Influence and inspire others to act in an energetic, committed fashion in pursuit of a positive organizational culture.
• Ensure that the necessary organizational structure and guidelines are followed, and that policies, system controls, and procedures are in place and regularly reviewed for effectiveness.
• Prepare and monitor revenue and expense budgets; provide accurate reporting, analysis, and data integration; and oversee the maintenance and integrity of audience records.
• Guide a regular staff review and evaluation process that ensures the highest ethical standards in all departmental activities.
• Lead by example and mentor the marketing staff in utilizing available data and systems to analyze and document fundraising needs and opportunities.
• Ensure revenue goals are met, proactively identify potential shortfalls, and strategize creative options that lead to fulfillment.
• Prepare financial and statistical analysis of marketing initiatives and use this information to improve earned revenue activities.
• Project anticipated revenue and expenses for programs and review progress quarterly with the Executive Director.
• Assess current technology and refine marketing practices to ensure maximum efficiency and results.
• Embrace other administration and oversight roles and responsibilities as needed.

 

Qualifications

• 10+ years of progressive experience in marketing and communications, ideally in a senior role within the arts, cultural, or entertainment sectors.
• Strong understanding of audience development strategies, particularly in the context of arts organizations and theatres.
• Proven ability to lead and manage a team, collaborating across departments to achieve shared goals.
• Expertise in digital marketing, including social media strategy, email campaigns, and website optimization.
• Strong analytical skills and experience with marketing data, customer relationship management (CRM) systems, and reporting tools with experience utilizing Tessitura an asset.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to craft compelling narratives and deliver messaging across diverse platforms.
• A passion for the performing arts, with a deep understanding of the role of marketing in growing and sustaining audiences.
• A collaborative and flexible approach to leadership, able to work in a fast-paced, dynamic environment.
• The ability to develop creative solutions and take a strategic approach to problem-solving.
• A commitment to fostering diversity, equity, and inclusion in all aspects of marketing and audience engagement
• The standard work week is Monday to Friday, with a minimum of two days per week in-office. Occasional evening and weekend hours will be required.

 

Traits and Characteristics

Collaborative, proactive, dynamic, self-motivated, detail and people-oriented, the Director of Marketing & Communications will be goal oriented and will possess exceptional time management, social and verbal communication skills and value frequent interaction and collaboration with others. The Director of Marketing & Communications will be an experienced professional with the vision to actively pursue the Canadian Stage’s goals with creativity and determination and will have a high degree of personal accountability - with a commitment to exceeding expectations.

The Director of Marketing & Communication will lead marketing strategies and will balance tasks and projects with a sense of urgency and possess superlative interpersonal and communication skills that articulate compelling verbal and written messages for support. A self-sufficient and self-managed professional with a highly organized strategic approach, the Director of Marketing & Communications will have the ability to achieve organizational objectives with artists, staff, board members, volunteers, and prospective supporters.

This individual will bring a passion for Canadian Stage’s vision, mission, and values, with the ability to bring those to reality, and a commitment to positively impact the organization’s long-term success.

 

Compensation

Canadian Stage offers a competitive compensation package with an annual salary of $120,000 - $135,000 commensurate with experience. Additional benefits include: annual vacation, participation in an extended health plan, and retirement benefits.

 

Application Instructions

The Canadian Stage Director of Marketing & Communication search is led by Martin Bragg, Nicola Dawes, and Nancy Webster of Martin Bragg & Associates. To apply in confidence, please email your letter of interest and resume in Word or PDF format to Martin Bragg & Associates at: canadianstage@mbassociates.ca

The deadline for application is 5:00 pm EST on Monday, July 28, 2025. All qualified candidates are encouraged to apply and will receive an acknowledgement of their application. Preliminary interviews will begin immediately, and candidates are encouraged to apply early. No phone calls, please.

 

Canadian Stage is committed to creating an inclusive and diverse workplace where all voices are valued. We deeply value diverse perspectives and encourage applications from qualified individuals from all cultures, ethnicities, genders, sexual orientations, and abilities. These experiences are essential to enriching our work and strengthening our community.

Land Acknowledgement - This sacred land has held story for thousands of years: stories that live in the fabric of who we are as a nation. Canadian Stage would like to acknowledge and thank the original caretakers and knowledge keepers of this territory: The Anishinaabe Nations (including the Mississaugas of the Credit River), The Haudenosaunee Confederacy, Wendat and Metis Nations. We give thanks to the Nations recorded and unrecorded, acknowledged and unacknowledged, who also share the responsibility for this territory. We honour the Dish With One Spoon Treaty and our responsibility to peaceably share and care for the resources that surround us. We are honoured to be in this meeting place called Tkaronto that many First Nations, Inuit and Metis people from across Turtle Island call home.