Director of community partnerships & learning

The Director of Community Partnerships and Learning provides strategic leadership for Opera Philadelphia's education, civic engagement, and community partnership initiatives. The Director develops and advances programs that connect opera to the communities of Philadelphia through meaningful artistic collaboration, educational excellence, and long-term partnerships. Working across departments and with external stakeholders, the Director strengthens Opera Philadelphia's role as a civic and cultural institution by creating opportunities for shared artistic experiences, lifelong learning, and authentic community engagement. The Director helps shape institutional strategy by ensuring education and community initiatives advance Opera Philadelphia's mission, values, and long-term organizational goals.

Responsibilities:

Strategic Leadership

• Develop and implement a comprehensive vision and strategic plan for Opera Philadelphia's education and community partnership initiatives.
• Build and steward long-term relationships with community organizations, artists, educators, civic leaders, government agencies, and philanthropic partners.
• Represent Opera Philadelphia throughout the Greater Philadelphia region, serving as an ambassador for the organization's mission and community impact.
• Foster a culture of collaboration, innovation, and continuous learning throughout the department and across the organization.

Community Partnerships and Civic Engagement

• Lead Opera Philadelphia's civic engagement strategy by developing sustained partnerships rooted in mutual learning, trust, and shared artistic practice.
• Expand relationships with schools, universities, neighborhood organizations, cultural institutions, and community-based partners.
• Convene community advisory groups and partner meetings to inform program development, evaluate impact, and strengthen organizational responsiveness.
• Collaborate with artists and community partners to co-create programs that reflect community priorities and cultural perspectives.
• Identify opportunities for new partnerships that broaden Opera Philadelphia's reach and deepen its civic impact.

Education and Program Leadership

• Provide strategic oversight for all education and community engagement programs serving youth, educators, adults, families, artists, and community organizations.
• Ensure programs reflect educational best practices, artistic excellence, accessibility, and cultural relevance.
• Guide the development of curricula, learning experiences, artist residencies, workshops, and public programs.
• Support innovative approaches that explore opera as a vehicle for creativity, dialogue, belonging, and lifelong learning.
• Oversee departmental evaluation processes, utilizing qualitative and quantitative data to assess program effectiveness and inform continuous improvement.

Institutional Collaboration

• Partner closely with Artistic, Production, Marketing, Development, HR, Finance, and Guest Services departments to integrate education and community engagement throughout Opera Philadelphia's work.
• Collaborate with the Development Department to identify funding opportunities, prepare grant proposals and reports, and support donor cultivation and stewardship.
• Work collaboratively across departments to ensure community perspectives inform organizational planning and programming.

Financial and Operational Management

• Develop and manage departmental budgets, forecasts, and annual operating plans.
• Ensure efficient departmental operations, including contracts, payments, calendars, data management, and reporting systems.
• Oversee program assessment and maintain accurate records of partnerships, participant data, and organizational outcomes.
• Prepare reports for senior leadership, funders, and the Board of Directors.

Staff Leadership

• Recruit, supervise, mentor, and evaluate department staff.
• Foster a collaborative, inclusive, and high-performing departmental culture.
• Support professional development and succession planning for team members.
• Establish clear goals, accountability measures, and opportunities for continuous improvement.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree required; advanced degree in Arts Administration, Education, Public Humanities, Nonprofit Management, Community Development, or a related field preferred.
• Strong written, verbal, and interpersonal communication skills, with the ability to effectively engage and collaborate with a broad range of communities, stakeholders, and partners to build meaningful relationships and advance organizational goals.
• Seven to ten years of progressively responsible leadership experience in arts education, community engagement, cultural institutions, higher education, or nonprofit organizations.
• Ability to work nights and weekends.
• Demonstrated success developing strategic partnerships across communities.
• Experience managing staff, budgets, and complex cross-functional initiatives.
• Strong understanding of arts education, civic engagement, and community-centered program design.
• Excellent relationship-building, communication, facilitation, and presentation skills.
• Experience supporting fundraising, grant writing, and program evaluation.
• Commitment to fostering inclusive practices and creating welcoming environments for artists, audiences, students, and community partners.