Manager, Program Operations

Overview

This position reporting to the Director of Education is responsible for all operational tasks related to both education and audience outreach initiatives. Responsibilities include managing the day-to-day activities of the Met’s National Education Initiative, HD Live in Schools as well as New York City’s HD educational program; co-curating the national program and assist in the execution program; coordinating activities and audience recruitment for rehearsals and educational backstage tours; and managing Met Opera Students program and assist with producing Fridays Under Forty, Met Opera Global Summer Camp and other community events. Candidates must have a background in arts education and/or classroom experience.

Primary Responsibilities:

• Facilitate ongoing communication with schools participating in the HD Live in Schools program throughout the United States along with the Met’s five partner schools within New York City, including ongoing communication and collaboration with the Department of Education (DOE) Office of Arts and Special Projects.
• Schedule and lead all in-person and virtual workshops for the the Met’s national HD Live in Schools partner districts as well within the Met’s New York City program. Book teaching artists to facilitate school-based programs.
• Assist Director of Education with the planning and execution of professional development workshops for New York City teachers in collaboration with the DOE.
• Facilitate on-going communication within the national program among school districts, opera companies, and internal HD staff and their contacts. Coordinate activities for the national program, including an annual conference, ticket distribution between cinemas and school districts, and tracking all reporting on the project. Assist with the annual recruitment of new HD school district sites as necessary.
• Produce the Met’s annual National Educator Conference in collaboration with the Director of Education and Education Assistant. Tasks include: booking attendee travel and hotel accommodations, arrange catering and secure space for workshops. Recruiting teaching artists, Met talent, scholars, keynote speakers, and performers for the conference.
• Collect and coordinate evaluation data of the HD Live in Schools program 65 school districts participating in the Met’s national education program.
• Supervise the Education Assistant in the updating and management of the education section of the website, including uploading Educator Guides, overseeing online teacher and workshop registration, and Met Opera Students. Coordinate with Application Support (Tessitura), the box office and the Met’s web department to ensure smooth functionality.
• Oversee the HD Live in Schools social media presence including creating and posting content on a regular basis.
• Manage the program’s Zoom and Google Hangout Forums. Including scheduling participating Met artists and national school districts, arranging tech rehearsals and fielding student questions.
• Facilitate and produce livestream programming such as Met Opera Virtual Book Club, Career Corner, Meet the Met, Met Opera Global Summer Camp and the virtual professional development series for the National Education Network.
• Update and maintain related databases.
•  Supervise the Education Assistant in the tracking of all invoices and expenditures related to HD education and maintain department budget.
• Assist with in-house logistics for all educational events (workshops, rehearsals, lectures, college events, school tours, etc.) at the opera house.
• Oversee payroll administration.
• Manage the Met’s final dress rehearsal program and facilitate all related education events held at the opera house including artist talk backs and backstage tours.
• Manage the Met Opera Students program, including creating and coordinating online content, e-blasts, newsletters, events and special programs.
• Assist in the development of event partnerships with outside organizations, i.e. Guggenheim works in process, WQXR Green room events, and summer concert series.
• Assist in the conception and execution of in-house events in collaboration with the Marketing department including events such as Fridays Under 40.
• Generate promotional copy and materials, compile photographic images, and maintain archival information in relation to both internal and external events.
• Manage the education department’s social media presence and strategize synergies with Marketing and Media departments.

Skills & Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree and 5+ years of relevant experience in arts education and/or arts integration strategies
• Exceptional copywriting/general writing skills
• Meticulous attention to detail and superior organizational skills
• Ability to manage complex and fast-changing program elements and prioritize effectively in response
• Creative and strategic thinking with emphasis on customer service
• Ability to forge and grow strong relationships with strategic partners
• Ability to communicate goals and strategies persuasively to internal and external constituents; strong presentation skills and Track record of initiative and ownership of work
• Excellent Zoom skills (standard and webinar), Streamyard, Youtube/FB Live skills.
• Teaching experience in formal and informal settings with an emphasis on arts integration a plus.
• Ability to multi-task and meet deadlines in a high-pressure environment
• An overall appreciation of the arts; arts integration; knowledge of opera and ability to read music a plus

Physical Demands:

• The Metropolitan Opera is a performance venue that requires employees working in the building to be fully vaccinated. Due to the nature of this role, you must be fully vaccinated and receive a COVID-19 booster shot, if you are eligible, at the time your employment is scheduled to start.
• This position requires some late evening and weekend work.

The Metropolitan Opera believes that diversity is critical to our success and growth as a leading performing arts institution and we seek to recruit, develop and retain the most talented people from a diverse candidate pool. Our goal is to be a diverse workforce that is representative, at all job levels, of the communities we serve.

The Metropolitan Opera is an equal opportunity employer. We are committed to providing an environment of mutual respect where equal employment opportunities are available to all applicants and existing employees without regard to race, color, religion, sex, pregnancy (including childbirth, lactation and related medical conditions), national origin, citizenship status, age, physical and mental disability, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, genetic information (including characteristics and testing), military and veteran status, or any protected category prohibited by local, state or federal laws.