Marketing & Communications Manager

Marketing & Communications Manager

Brott Music Festival
Hamilton, Ontario |
Full-Time | Reports to Executive Director | No Direct Reports

About Brott Music Festival

Brott Music Festival (BMF) is one of Canada’s leading orchestral summer festivals and the home of the National Academy Orchestra of Canada. Based in Hamilton, Ontario, BMF presents orchestral masterworks, pops programming, chamber music, opera productions, and community engagement initiatives.

Through its Festival and Academy, BMF uniquely combines professional performance with advanced artist training, serving as both a premier summer cultural destination and a nationally respected development program for emerging musicians and vocal artists.

BMF plays a vital role in Hamilton’s cultural ecosystem while maintaining regional and national visibility through artistic excellence in orchestral and operatic performance.

Position Overview

The Marketing & Communications Manager is a senior strategic leader responsible for driving ticket revenue growth, strengthening brand positioning, expanding audiences, and elevating the Festival’s regional and national profile.

Operating within a lean organizational structure, this role requires both strategic leadership and hands-on execution. The Manager develops and implements integrated marketing strategies across orchestral, opera, and Academy programming while coordinating external vendors and collaborating closely with Artistic, Development, Operations, and Box Office teams.

This is a revenue-accountable position with measurable performance outcomes.

Key Responsibilities

Strategic Leadership & Revenue Growth

• Develop and execute an annual integrated marketing plan aligned with:
  • Subscription and single-ticket revenue targets
  • Opera and orchestral production sales goals
  • Academy recruitment objectives
  • Audience growth and diversification strategies
• Own ticket sales performance across orchestral concerts and opera productions.
• Establish KPIs and report regularly on revenue pacing, campaign performance, and ROI.
• Analyze CRM and ticketing data to improve acquisition, retention, and audience lifetime value.
• Identify and pursue new audience segments, including younger audiences, families, and culturally diverse communities.

Festival, Opera & Academy Campaign Management

• Lead full campaign lifecycle planning for:
  • Summer orchestral programming
  • Opera productions
  • Special concerts and events
  • National Academy Orchestra recruitment
• Develop differentiated positioning strategies for opera versus orchestral programming to maximize audience crossover and growth.
• Oversee creation and deployment of marketing materials across digital and print platforms.
• Ensure timely execution of all campaign deliverables within compressed festival timelines.

Digital Strategy & Audience Development

• Oversee website content strategy and conversion optimization.
• Lead email marketing segmentation and automation across orchestral, opera, and Academy audiences.
• Manage paid digital advertising (Meta, Google) and retargeting strategies.
• Grow social media engagement and digital community presence.
• Implement data-driven audience acquisition and retention strategies.

Brand & Communications

• Steward and evolve the Brott Music Festival brand to reflect excellence in orchestral and operatic performance and artist training.
• Ensure consistency of voice and visual identity across all platforms.
• Position BMF as:
  • A premier summer destination for orchestral and opera performance
  • A nationally respected training academy
  • A key contributor to Hamilton’s cultural vitality
• Develop compelling storytelling around guest artists, conductors, vocalists, Academy participants, and community impact.

Media, Partnerships & Community Engagement

• Lead media outreach for season launches, opera announcements, and major artistic initiatives.
• Draft press releases and support senior leadership in external communications.
• Build collaborative marketing partnerships within Hamilton’s arts, tourism, and business communities.
• Support group sales initiatives and community access programs.

Vendor & Budget Management

• Manage marketing budget with accountability for performance and ROI.
• Oversee external contractors (design, digital advertising, PR, web).
• Ensure efficient allocation of resources within a lean organizational model.

Qualifications

• Minimum 7+ years of progressive marketing experience, preferably in performing arts, cultural sector, live event, orchestra, or opera marketing.
• At least 3 years in a Manager-level or senior marketing leadership role with demonstrated strategic oversight and revenue accountability.
• Proven track record of driving ticket sales growth and audience expansion.
• Experience with subscription-based, festival-based, orchestral, or opera marketing models preferred.
• Strong expertise in digital marketing, CRM systems, and performance analytics.
• Experience managing budgets and external vendors.

Core Competencies

• Strategic thinker with strong execution capability
• Revenue-driven and data-informed decision-maker
• Exceptional written and verbal communication skills
• Highly organized with strong project management ability
• Comfortable operating independently in a lean organization
• Passion for orchestral music, opera, arts education, and community impact

Key Performance Indicators

• Year-over-year ticket revenue growth across orchestral and opera programming
• Subscription retention and acquisition
• Academy application growth
• Audience diversification
• Digital engagement and conversion metrics
• Marketing ROI and cost efficiency

Why This Role Matters

The Marketing & Communications plays a critical role in ensuring the long-term sustainability and growth of Brott Music Festival. By strengthening earned revenue across orchestral and opera productions, expanding audiences, and elevating brand visibility, this position directly supports the Festival’s artistic excellence, educational mandate, and cultural leadership in Hamilton and across Canada.