The Vice President of Marketing is a strategic, creative, data-driven leader who directs Marcus Performing Arts Center’s marketing, sales, and audience engagement initiatives. This role is responsible for setting strategy, aligning marketing and sales initiatives, media strategy, and enhancing guest insights through data and research to drive earned revenue and brand visibility. This individual will speak with the voice of MPAC, have the capacity to represent that voice externally and be a central hub for communication materials across all departments.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• Develop integrated marketing strategies and processes to support the full range of MPAC’s programs and initiatives. This includes Broadway tours, MPAC Presents series, concerts, speakers, immersive experiences, outdoor festivals, special events, education programs, and community events.
• Drive digital use and innovation in marketing across all digital channels.
• Guide the strategic use of data analytics, consumer research, reporting, and CRM capabilities to generate audience insights that drive enhanced segmentation and tailored communications, measure campaign effectiveness, and support long-term audience development and retention.
• Oversee staff who work with touring show press agents, producers, and national marketing teams to ensure an effective working relationship.
• Forge a synergistic partnership with all departments, harmonizing marketing, creative, community relations, communications, sales, sponsorship, business development, and guest services endeavors.
• Provide leadership in the creation of visual assets that dynamically tell the story of MPAC’s  programming, programs, and membership /fundraising campaigns.
• Oversee departmental budgets and cost-effective allocation of resources aligned with performance and strategic priorities.
• Achieve financial goals by establishing objectives, developing budgets, controlling cost, and maximizing use of assets. Ensure continual analysis to measure and improve. Oversee all expenditures of the annual marketing/communications and sales budget.
• Lead the process of development and/or publication of press releases, media holding statements, Q&A preparation and external presentations, as applicable.
• Create and implement fully integrated marketing plans to ensure ticket sales meet established budgetary goals.
• Establish and maintain relationships with relevant external partners, media and organizations.
• Manages all show budgets including allocating funds, tracking spends and delivering timely reports, settlements and required back up.
• Direct the implementation of an integrated marketing strategy and sales plan to support subscription, single ticket, and group sales goals through traditional tactics as well as in contemporary channels of digital media, and direct response.
• Leads PR efforts to build brand with artists, industry representatives, media and community to generate significant earned media coverage
• Manage the crisis communications process to ensure a streamlined response to necessary stakeholders in an efficient and timely manner.
• Oversees the operation of a website, email marketing program and all social media marketing efforts.
• Manages and supports marketing relationships with resident partners

Education and Experience

• At least 10 years of senior-level marketing experience, preferably in the performing arts or live entertainment sector
• Proven expertise in building a marketing and/or communications team that has its eye on the future and is responsive to its constituencies and the marketplace.
• Strong experience in CRM platforms, pricing, segmentation, and analytics.
• Familiarity with Broadway touring and national promotional practices is a plus.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• An entrepreneurial and creative thinker and doer with strong verbal and written communications skills and exceptional attention to detail that is driven to identify target audiences and devise campaigns that engage, inform and motivate
• Proven track record in driving revenue and meeting or exceeding budget goals.
• Background in consumer research, survey design, and focus group facilitation.
• Demonstrated ability to lead and contribute to creative concept development and brand storytelling.
• Excellent strategic thinking, communication, and project management skills.
• Passion for the arts, entertainment, and education as essential elements of a vibrant, healthy community.
• Thrives in a fast-paced, dynamic environment with shifting priorities and multiple concurrent projects.

About Marcus Performing Arts Center (MPAC)

Established in 1969, the Marcus Performing Arts Center (MPAC) is the premier performing arts community gathering space in Southeastern Wisconsin. As a Milwaukee County-owned facility (managed and operated by the Marcus Performing Arts Center, a nonprofit organization), MPAC’s mission is to act as an energizing force that connects the community to the world through collaboration, innovation, social engagement, and the transformative power of live performing arts. MPAC is home to a variety of resident companies including Milwaukee Ballet, The Florentine Opera, First Stage, and Black Arts MKE and is also a dedicated veterans memorial in Milwaukee. Serving more than 300,000 audience members annually, MPAC presents a diverse mix of cultural arts programming, including touring Broadway shows, dance, jazz, global music, and other live performances, as well as community events. MPAC provides high-quality arts education and engagement experiences and is committed to racial equity, diversity, and inclusion (REDI) focusing on representation, inclusion, and investment to build bridges between diverse members of the community. MPAC has four performance spaces, three theaters inside the ...building and an outdoor theater, and lawn and plaza area adjacent to the Milwaukee River. As part of the first phases of its Campus Master Plan, MPAC has undergone several major upgrades, including renovation of the seating area of Uihlein Hall (Marcus Center’s largest venue with 2,125 seats), installation of live streaming technology, and renovation of its outdoor community grounds surrounding the outdoor theater. MPAC is led by an independent Board of Directors who represent community, municipal and corporate partners from across our region. The current fiscal year budget 2026 budget is $28 million, with 89 percent earned revenue and 11 percent contributed revenue. Over the past several years, MPAC has strategically focused on adapting its business model to fully support its vision of serving as an anchor institution for arts and culture in the region. As part of MPAC’s strategic plan, the following six strategic pillars will guide MPAC’s strategy for the next five years: •Arts Participation: Expand audiences through brand development and community outreach that will attract individuals to the venue and inspire life-long engagement with the arts. •Guest Experience: Ensure an excellent event experience both Front of House and Back of House. •Employee Experience: Increase engagement, job satisfaction, and productivity among team members and volunteers. •Capability and Asset Development: Develop organizational capability through people, process, and physical assets. •Financial Sustainability: Grow and diversify revenue, build cash reserves and endowment. •Racial Equity, Diversity & Inclusion (REDI): Invest to create a more racially representative and inclusive community at MPAC so that MPAC may continue to build bridges between diverse members of our community through high-quality arts and entertainment.

Show more

Show less

Connections working at Marcus Performing Arts Center (MPAC)