Job Details

About Pacific Symphony

With a purpose to lift the human spirit through the power of music, the Symphony is a cornerstone of the cultural landscape of Southern California, enriching lives and bringing communities together through creative and diverse programming. As the resident orchestra of the Renée and Henry Segerstrom Concert Hall, the Symphony presents more than 100 concerts and events each year and a rich array of education and community engagement programs, reaching more than 300,000 residents of all ages.

Pacific Symphony is the largest orchestra formed in the United States in the past 50 years and is ranked among the top orchestras in the U.S. by the League of American Orchestras. In 2024, Alexander Shelley was appointed to become Pacific Symphony's third artistic leader, taking the title of Artistic and Music Director, beginning in the 2026-27 season. He is serving as Artistic and Music Director Designate during the 2025-26 season. Founded in 1978, the Symphony was led for 35 years by Carl St.Clair.

Pacific Symphony's programming spans genres and age groups, cultures and languages, traditional and interactive experiences. Their education and community engagement programs have been recognized by the National Endowment for the Arts, expanding access to orchestral music and fostering a lifelong connection to the arts. Musicians partner with elementary schools to enhance music education programs through the Frieda Belinfante Class Act program. Arts-X-press is a summer arts immersion program for middle school students, and Heartstrings provides free tickets to the Symphony, music instruction, and customized music and wellness programs in partnership with local schools, nonprofits, and social service agencies.

Pacific Symphony also nurtures the next generation of musicians through its renowned youth ensembles, including the Pacific Symphony Youth Orchestra, Youth Wind Ensemble, Santiago Strings, and Youth Concert Band. These groups have toured internationally, earned prestigious awards, and provided young artists with opportunities to excel.

By combining artistic excellence with a commitment to education and accessibility, Pacific Symphony continues to enrich lives, foster new talent, and create meaningful connections throughout Southern California. Its innovative programs ensure music remains a vital part of the community's cultural fabric.

Position Summary

Pacific Symphony seeks a Senior Director, Subscription Marketing & Patron Loyalty to lead the strategies and campaigns that grow, deepen, and sustain the Symphony's relationship with its audiences. This role will spearhead subscription sales and revenue growth across a range of programming, including classical, pops, film, and community-based performances.

This is a leadership role for a marketer who understands that subscriptions are more than a transaction. They are the foundation of a long-term relationship between patrons and the art form. The Senior Director will shape how new audiences discover the Symphony, how existing patrons deepen their engagement, and how the organization builds loyalty that evolves into sustained attendance and philanthropy over time.

Working across all subscription product lines, this role develops and executes integrated marketing campaigns that drive both acquisition and retention, while contributing to a broader vision of patron lifetime value. The position sits at the intersection of campaign strategy, audience insight, subscription sales, and creative execution, and works closely with colleagues across Marketing, Ticketing, and Development to support Pacific Symphony's One Patron approach.

The Senior Director will also lead strategies to strengthen subscriber retention and loyalty through coordinated benefits, experiences, and engagement touchpoints designed to deepen patron connection throughout the season and beyond.

Primary Responsibilities

1. Lead Subscription Growth and Lifecycle Marketing Strategy

Lead the strategy and execution of annual subscription and lifecycle marketing campaigns across all Symphony program lines.

• Plan, develop, and execute integrated campaigns—including brochures, email series, digital advertising, print pieces, social media content, video, and web content—supporting both subscription acquisition and renewal.
• Ensure campaigns effectively leverage all relevant channels including digital, print, broadcast, grassroots outreach, community partnerships, and cross-promotions.
• Collaborate with Ticketing and Marketing leadership to evaluate subscription pricing, packaging, demand patterns, and audience insights to refine offerings and messaging.
• Assist in developing new subscription products, flexible packages, and experiential offerings that respond to evolving audience interests and behaviors.
• Manage relationships with telemarketing partners, ensuring scripts, incentives, and offers align with campaign strategy and sales goals.
• Maintain campaign calendars, deadlines, and marketing documentation across the subscription cycle.
• Track campaign performance and key performance indicators to inform optimization and future planning.

2. Develop and Lead Subscriber Retention and Patron Loyalty Strategy

Design and implement strategies that strengthen subscriber retention and deepen patron engagement over time.

• Develop and maintain a subscriber retention strategy that includes targeted renewal campaigns, lifecycle communications, and audience segmentation.
• Create and manage a loyalty benefits matrix that defines recognition, perks, and experiences for subscribers and returning patrons at various engagement levels.
• Work collaboratively with the Development department to align loyalty benefits, patron experiences, and stewardship opportunities that support both audience retention and philanthropic growth.
• Help establish a season-long calendar of engagement opportunities, events, and patron touchpoints designed to deepen relationships with subscribers beyond the concert hall.
• Partner with Ticketing and Development teams to analyze retention trends and develop response strategies to improve renewal rates and patron satisfaction.
• Contribute to the evolution of Pacific Symphony's One Patron model, aligning marketing, ticketing, and fundraising engagement strategies to support long-term patron relationships.

3. Oversee Creative Development for Subscription Campaigns

Provide creative leadership for subscription-focused marketing materials and brand storytelling.

• Collaborate with internal designers, external agencies, videographers, and creative partners to develop compelling and brand-aligned marketing content.
• Guide development of campaign visuals, key art, advertising graphics, videos, and promotional materials.
• Ensure consistency and clarity of messaging across all audience-facing communications.
• Contribute to the continued evolution and stewardship of the Symphony's brand identity.

4. Support Community and Promotional Partnerships

Support audience development through strategic partnerships and collaborative promotion.

• Support the identification and cultivation of partnerships with local businesses, arts organizations, community groups, and cultural institutions to expand audience awareness.

5. Participate in Concert Duty and Department Activities

• Attend concerts and events approximately 4–6 times per month, including evenings and weekends, to support marketing initiatives and audience engagement.
• Participate in departmental planning, meetings, and organization-wide initiatives as needed.

Qualifications, Skills & Experience

• Bachelor's degree in marketing, communications, arts administration, business, or a related field.
• 6–8+ years of marketing experience, preferably in performing arts, entertainment, cultural organizations, or subscription-based industries.
• Demonstrated experience managing multi-channel marketing campaigns across digital, print, and promotional platforms.
• Experience with subscription marketing, lifecycle marketing (e.g., customer journeys per segment), or audience loyalty programs strongly preferred.
• Ability to interpret audience data and apply insights to marketing and retention strategies.
• Strong project management and organizational skills with the ability to manage multiple campaigns simultaneously.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills with the ability to craft compelling marketing messages.
• Experience collaborating cross-functionally with teams such as ticketing, sales, and development.
• Familiarity with Tessitura or similar CRM/ticketing systems.
• Competency with Excel and project management platforms; Asana experience a plus.
• Knowledge of classical music, performing arts, or live events required.

Compensation & Benefits

Salary range: $100,000–$125,000, commensurate with experience.

Benefits include medical, dental, vision, disability, paid time off, 401(k), retirement plan options, and other employee wellness programs.

To Apply

Interested applicants should send a resume and a statement of interest to Jonathan McIntosh, Partner and Rachael Holloway, Recruiter with ThinkingAhead Executive Search:

Contact Information:

Rachael Holloway, Recruiter, ThinkingAhead Executive Search:

615-391-2614 | rholloway@thinkingahead.com

ThinkingAhead Executive Search is an Equal Opportunity Employer, committed to a work environment that supports, inspires and respects all individuals. Personnel processes are merit-based and applied without discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, age, disability, national or ethnic ancestry, military service status, citizenship, or other protected characteristic. This applies to every aspect of employment including hiring, training, advancement and termination. The firm is committed to creating a just culture of diversity, equity and inclusion by practicing, within the company and the marketplace we serve, intentional strategies that serve marginalized individuals and groups.