About the Opportunity
People’s Light (PL) in Malvern, Pennsylvania seeks its next Managing Director (MD) to partner with Producing Artistic Director Zak Berkman (Producing Artistic Director) in leading an exciting regional treasure with a unique campus, year-round productions, a long-standing Company of artists, and a meaningful role in both its community and the national theatre field. People’s Light serves as one of Pennsylvania’s largest professional non-profit theatres, known for its eclectic mix of productions and innovative work with young people. The next MD will be a key partner to Berkman, with both leaders reporting to the Board of Trustees, to guide the organization during a dynamic model shift from acclaimed regional theatre to prominent cultural and civic center. At the dawn of its 50th Anniversary Season (24/25), People’s Light is excited to better leverage its distinctive seven-acre campus at the crossroads of growing suburban, rural, and exurban communities to become a more visible destination for live arts and a gravitational hub of activity that serves both longstanding stakeholders as well as attracts a generation of new patrons.
The ideal candidate for Managing Director will bring expertise in the non-profit theatre field, from revenue generating and financial acumen to creative strategic thinking to a human centric leadership ethos and a commitment to civic connection. As a collaborative but decisive leader, the Managing Director will be open to listening to diverse and new perspectives, opportunities, and innovation while effectively leveraging organizational, human, financial, and technological resources. This individual will have the capacity to discern competing priorities, provide clarity in support of the company’s mission, and be a pro-active and inclusive communicator.
About People’s Light
People’s Light currently resides on Lenapehoking, land of Lenape. The Lenape are among the Indigenous Nations of First Contact with Europeans, and one of the oldest continuous democracies on Earth.
According to Lenape, this land belongs to the Creator, yet it was given to Lenape to inhabit and steward. It was and continues to be their homeland to look after, as many nations of Lenapehoking are still here. And while Lenape have welcomed people from all over the world to their shores, that invitation comes with the responsibility to treat everyone and everything on this land with respect.
Founded in 1974, People’s Light is a cultural and civic center with theatre at its core. People’s Light produces a season of productions with stories drawn from ancient times through tomorrow that have direct relevance to its communities and concerns. In support of this range, they produce classics, contemporary plays and musicals, and commission and produce new work: of our 452 productions, over a third (171) have been world or regional premieres. Our Company of Artists includes directors, designers, dramaturgs, teaching artists, stage managers, and actors.
People’s Light also offers a robust array of education and other programming to steward relationships with community partners and audiences. Among these are the New Voices Ensemble, a multi-decade program serving young people from the City of Chester; and New Play Frontiers, a long-term initiative to develop and produce new plays that explore American identity through stories of deep meaning to a diversity of populations in the distinctive region that PL calls home. (Learn more about education (https://tinyurl.com/2s5reye3) and new play programs (https://tinyurl.com/bdedurrz) at PL)
People’s Light has always called Chester County home. In 1979 the theatre moved to its current location in Malvern, which includes two black box theatres with 330 and 140 seats respectively; offices; scenic and costume shops; rehearsal halls; classrooms; a restored 18th-century farmhouse that includes housing for guest artists; the Fern & Fable restaurant; and The Farmhouse banquet and catering facility that can be rented for special events. Many patrons of People’s Light credit their first experience with the company to attending various events on the parklike seven-acre campus, at the Farmhouse or in the gardens, deepening the appreciation of PL as a civic asset and gathering place for Chester County. The Theatre annually employs 40 full time staff, with up to an additional 60 part time artists and staff members, many of whom live within 15 miles of the campus, and almost 200 guest artists each season from Philadelphia, New York, Washington D.C., and beyond. People’s Light operates with an annual budget of $6.8 million which includes net income from the for-profit subsidiary, which when grossed up increases the budget to $8.2 million. People’s Light serves 60,000 patrons, guests, students, and community members each year.Job Description
The Managing Director is responsible for the overall business, administrative, and operational management of the organization. This includes leadership and oversight in the areas of fundraising, marketing, budgeting, financial management, operations/facilities, HR, board relations, and civic connection. The Managing Director is the driver of long-range planning and strategic goals for the organization, in collaboration with the Producing Artistic Director, General Manager and the Board.
People’s Light Managing Director will be an inspirational and experienced theatre leader, who has demonstrable achievements connected to their arts nonprofit leadership. The MD will be a strong collaborative partner of Producing Artistic Director Zak Berkman, who has served People’s Light since 2011 in artistic leadership, first as Associate AD, then becoming Producing Director in 2013 and Producing Artistic Director in 2022. He is ready to welcome a partner in leadership to continue to build on the strong foundation of the history of People’s Light. The person in this role has a sense of adventure and curiosity, excels at working through challenges, and thrives in building both collegial and collaborative internal relationships while also serving as one of PL’s primary external ambassadors. An innovative and collaborative leader with a passion for theatre in all its forms, the Managing Director understands the importance of financial stability and transparency while ensuring that the artistic product and the People’s Light team are supported and nurtured. The Managing Director must be a values-driven human being whose experience is grounded in equity, access, and inclusion and who embodies the values of the company.
The person stepping into the Managing Director’s role will have had demonstrable successes in fundraising and financial management, as well as in long term strategic planning, hands on experience in guiding marketing and fundraising teams, and possess a significant working knowledge of facilities management.
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