Career Center

The Charleston Symphony (CSO) is celebrated as the largest, full-time performing arts organization in the state serving more than 50,000 adults and students annually. Founded in 1936, the Symphony has been presenting the highest-quality musical performances and community engagement programming for over 80 seasons.

Our Mission is to engage and inspire our community through exceptional musical performances and educational programs. Our Vision is to truly be “Charleston’s Symphony,” a force that connects all our community’s tapestry of voices, tells their stories, and expresses their joys and sorrows as only music can do. Achieving this vision means unleashing the full creative spirit of the CSO to pay tribute to and nurture traditions that have inspired humans for centuries while developing original programming that attracts more diverse audiences and speaks directly to the experiences of community members living and working in Charleston today.

Each year, the CSO presents richly diverse seasons reflective of Charleston’s vibrant cultural heritage filled with acclaimed repertoire performed and conducted by internationally esteemed musicians. The CSO season consists of over 100 performances open to audience members of all ages and backgrounds including education and family experiences, community engagement events, free performances, chamber music, and main series concerts. For many, the CSO’s educational initiatives are a student’s first interaction with live, classical music, and the Symphony’s core musicians dedicate approximately one-third of their professional time to education and community impact programming.

The Charleston Symphony seeks a Director of Marketing and Communications that thinks clearly, freely, and off the beaten path, is innovative and able to pivot quickly, and is willing to test and try new strategies to grow the CSO Family and diversify our audience. This Senior Staff Member will oversee all external communications for the organization, manage the Charleston Symphony Brand, and maintain responsibility for driving the earned revenue of the Charleston Symphony. The Director of Marketing works closely with the Director of Development to create meaningful patron experiences across the symphony family.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

• In collaboration with the Executive Director, sets performance revenue goals for the year aligned with the budget, program, and strategic plan
• Develops and executes data-driven, patron-centric subscription renewal and acquisition campaigns
• Manages marketing personnel, including full-time employees, contractors, and consultants
• Manages Sales Strategies to be Best in Class, Patron Centric, and in support of the overall strategic objective of the CSO which is to “Grow the CSO Family”
• Prepares marketing reports and analysis for committee meetings and organizational decision-making and provides marketing guidance and support to other departments as required
• Develops and pursues programs for subscriber retention, upgrade, and acquisition along with a well-developed, integrated loyalty program
• Develops programs to increase single ticket sales and grow diverse audiences for all concert series
• Collaborates with the Artistic team on programming that is relevant to our market
• Oversees Digital Marketing/Website/Social Media
• Manages all PR for the CSO, including all media to shape public opinion and increase overall awareness of the brand, ensuring brand identity and messaging are creative, consistent, and cohesive
• Supervises the production of all written communication, publications and program material, and digital media to ensure consistent institutional branding

• The successful candidate shall have a Bachelor’s degree and at least five years of marketing experience, demonstrating a track record of success
• Individual must be a team player and strongly committed to attaining organizational goals, with the ability to work effectively with designers, photographers, and the media
• Evening and weekend work required during the concert season and to support ad hoc symphony performances
• Successful leader and driven problem solver, with strong financial acumen
• Creative thinker, with the ability to multi-task and prioritize effectively, working within multiple deadlines
• Demonstrated ability with CRM databases, data analytics and loyalty/acquisition programs
• Superb verbal, written, organizational and interpersonal skills
• Experience in the performing arts industry is not required, but a passion for the mission is

Reporting Structure: Reports to the Executive Director

Job Type: Full-time, Exempt

Compensation: Competitive compensation commensurate with experience

Location: This position is hybrid, with some remote work and some in person work.

Benefits:

• Three Weeks Paid Vacation
• Paid Sick Leave
• Half-Day Fridays (comp time)
• Paid Holidays
• 401k match
• Long-Term Disability
• Insurance (Medical, Dental and Vision)