The Philadelphia Orchestra and Ensemble Arts · 5 hours ago
Vice President, Strategic Projects
Philadelphia, PA
Full-time
Hybrid
Director/Executive
7+ years expThe Philadelphia Orchestra and Ensemble Arts is a prominent cultural institution in Philadelphia. The Vice President of Strategic Projects will coordinate major initiatives that enhance operations and support the organization's artistic and audience goals, serving as a key strategic partner to the leadership.
Performing Arts
Responsibilities
Lead and manage high-impact, cross departmental projects from initiation through completion, ensuring clear goals, defined scope, and measurable outcomes
Example projects may include advancing new business opportunities or earned-revenue initiatives, supporting labor relations analysis or workforce planning, coordinating board management and governance initiatives, and leading major strategic planning efforts
Develop project charters, timelines, KPIs, and reporting frameworks; monitor progress, anticipate risks, escalate issues, and drive solutions and tradeoff decisions
Leverage practical project management tools to keep major initiatives moving and on schedule
Analyze new earned‑revenue ideas (venue use opportunities, experiential programming, food & beverage strategy) and lead cross‑team pilots
Lead or support special initiatives assigned by the COO and President & CEO, including organizational effectiveness projects, strategic planning work, and enterprise change management efforts
Oversee the cross‑department metrics meetings and senior leadership meetings, ensuring that each department submits data and presentations on time, that the information presented is accurate and actionable, and that discussions lead to concrete next steps that move the organization forward
Manage implementation of a new long-range strategic plan and its milestones across departments
Coordinate follow‑through on major executive or board priorities, such as business model adjustments post‑merger
Provide structure and follow‑through for Enterprise Leadership Team priorities—ensuring cross‑functional alignment, accountability, and progress tracking
Serve as a primary strategic partner and thought leader to the COO, helping to prioritize initiatives, organize executive workflows, and ensure follow-through on key commitments
Support and collaborate closely with the COO and CEO on enterprise-level initiatives, high- priority strategic projects, and organizational performance goals
Translate executive and board priorities into actionable workplans, cross functional workstreams, and clear accountability structures
Prepare briefing materials, presentations, analyses, and recommendations to inform executive and board decision-making
Identify inefficiencies and structural gaps across operational and programmatic workflows, and lead efforts to streamline processes, clarify decision rights, and improve communication flows
Support annual and multiyear planning cycles, including budgeting, season planning, performance measurement, and reporting, with an emphasis on cross department alignment
Clarify who’s responsible for what, so projects stay on track and communication is clear
Partner with People & Culture, Finance, and department leaders to ensure strategic projects are adequately resourced and integrated into day-to-day operations rather than operating as standalone efforts
Act as a key conduit of information between the COO, senior leadership, project sponsors, and department heads, ensuring that decisions, timelines, and expectations are clearly communicated
Collaborate closely with the executive office staff, development, and marketing/communications teams to ensure enterprise projects align with organizational storytelling, stakeholder engagement, and fundraising strategies
Partner with communications and people & culture departments to support internal communications related to major strategic projects, so that staff understand the 'why,' 'what,' and 'how' of changes and new initiatives
Build strong, trust-based relationships across the organization and select external partners and consultants when representing the COO or serving as project lead
Ensure that strategic projects reflect POEA’s commitments to inclusion, equity, access, and community partnership, including the organization’s role as a civic convener and cornerstone of Philadelphia’s cultural ecosystem
Integrate feedback from staff, artists, audiences, and community partners into project design and implementation where appropriate
Qualification
Required
7+ years of progressively responsible experience in project management, strategy, operations, arts administration, consulting, or a related field, with a track record of leading complex, cross functional initiatives
Demonstrated success managing multistakeholder projects in a nonprofit, performing arts, entertainment, or similarly matrixed environment
Exceptional communication skills—written, verbal, and visual—with the ability to synthesize complexity, tell a clear story, and translate strategy into actionable plans
Strong analytical and organizational skills, with the ability to manage multiple priorities, deadlines, and stakeholders in a fast-paced setting
High emotional intelligence, diplomacy, and sound judgment, with the ability to build trust and influence without formal authority across diverse teams
Proficiency with project management tools and comfort working with data and dashboards to track progress and impact
Experience in performing arts, live events, cultural institutions, or adjacent creative industries
Preferred
Familiarity with nonprofit governance, budgeting, and development operations, including board engagement and philanthropy
Experience partnering closely with C-suite executives or serving in a chief of staff, strategy, or transformation role
Background in organizational change management, process improvement, or management consulting
Company
The Philadelphia Orchestra and Ensemble Arts
The Philadelphia Orchestra and Ensemble Arts is boldly leading the way in building a bright, inclusive future for the performing arts—as the center of cultural life in Philadelphia, and as a model for the nation.
51-200 employees
Funding
Current Stage
Growth StageLeadership Team
Leslie Patterson-Tyler
Vice President of Program Communications and Partnerships
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