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8-20-13
JOB OPENING
MANAGING DIRECTOR
Chicago Dramatists (The Playwrights’ Theatre), the 35-year old, nationally respected center for
playwrights and new play development, is now taking applications for its full-time Managing Director
position, to begin work ASAP (the actual start date is negotiable). Salary is commensurate with
experience, with health insurance included. Personal traits essential to this job include a positive
attitude, attention to detail, previous experience in theatre management, successful experience in
fundraising, and the ability to work positively with a great variety of people and artists. Chicago
Dramatists is especially interested in filling this position with someone ambitious who will lead this
unique and important theatre to its next level.
APPLICATION
Interested parties should read the full job description at www.chicagodramatists.org, then send a
substantive cover letter, resume and references by September 15, 2013, or ASAP, to Artistic Director
Russ Tutterow at rtutterow@chicagodramatists.org or Chicago Dramatists, 1105 W. Chicago Ave.,
Chicago, IL 60642.
STAFF & ARTISTS
The Managing Director (MD) shares chief executive authority with long-time Artistic Director Russ
Tutterow, and is accountable to the Board of Directors. The MD and Artistic Director (AD) manage an
additional part-time staff of Grant Writer, Bookkeeper, Associate Artistic Director, and CPS Program
Director, as well as hundreds of volunteers, interns and freelance artists annually, including two
playwright memberships totaling approximately 200 writers.
THE THEATRE
Chicago Dramatists is an Equity theatre with a growing annual budget of $400,000 (60% of which is
contributed income, mostly from grants), and a small but active community-based Board of Directors.
The theatre has produced two-to-three full productions a year, rents it’s facility to other theatres, and
conducts a great variety of new play development programming, including a weekly public reading
series, private readings, workshops, classes, residencies, festivals, panels, etc. Founded in 1979,
Chicago Dramatists has operated since 1988 in its own (rented) facility, which includes a well-equipped
77-seat theatre, a recently refurbished lobby/bar, rehearsal halls, classrooms, and offices, just northwest
of the Loop. Plays developed at Chicago Dramatists annually move on to hundreds of productions at
theatres around the country.
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EXECUTIVE RESPONSIBILITIES
As chief operations and financial executive, the MD is responsible for all financial and fundraising
administration, and all (non-artistic) operations and personnel management. In collaboration with the
AD and the Board of Directors, the MD creates, develops and implements long-range and strategic
planning. An ex-officio and full voting member of the Board of Directors, the MD makes regular
financial and fundraising reports to the Board, and is responsible for long-term and day-to-day Board
management and development. The MD does not create programming and receives billing which is
second only to the AD in playbills and other organizational literature.
FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT
The MD is responsible for long and short-term financial planning, budgeting, cash flow, fiscal controls,
contracts, accounting, bookkeeping, financial reports, payables, receivables, payroll, taxes, insurance,
employee health benefits, preparation of the annual audit, and all city, state and IRS compliances.
INCOME & FUNDRAISING
The MD is responsible for all earned income administration, including the pricing of products and
services, ticket and other sales, acquisition of sub-lease “rentals,” and box office management and
procedures. The MD oversees all institutional, event-related and private individual fundraising
solicitations and activities, donor management, and grant proposal writing. The MD assists the Board in
its fundraising activities.
PHYSICAL PLANT MANAGEMENT
The MD is responsible for leases; day-to-day management of sub-lease “rentals;” purchasing and
maintenance of office and theatrical equipment and supplies; box office and front-of-house procedures
and management; insurance; facility development; the management, maintenance, cleaning, safety and
security of the physical plant; day-to-day management of a log book of space usage; and negotiations and
compliances regarding government licensing and code regulations. All “rentals” are subject to the
approval of the AD.
PERSONNEL & OFFICE MANAGEMENT
The MD is responsible for the recruitment, selection and hiring of all (non-artistic) staff, personnel and
volunteers, interns, and (in collaboration with the AD) all key administrative staff. The MD is
responsible for the negotiation and day-to-day management of union agreements and reporting, and all
other contracts. The MD is responsible for all office and facilities management, and shares with all the
staff the day-to-day responsibilities of telephone and doorbell reception, box office and other sales, and
of opening and closing the physical plant.
MARKETING & PUBLIC RELATIONS
The MD creates and develops all marketing, promotional, PR and advertising strategies, campaigns,
projects and activities (including the selection of artwork, graphics, signage, and lobby displays). The
MD is responsible for the implementation and day-to-day management of promotions, public relations,
advertising, marketing research and surveys, newsletters, promotional literature, the theatre’s website,
hiring of printers and graphic artists, audience development, subscriptions, mailing lists, data bases, and
front-of-house activities. The MD manages the theatre’s memberships with arts service organizations,
and represents Chicago Dramatists and its constituents to its clients and the public in a manner
supportive of the organization's mission and artistic direction.
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