Program Manager, Cultural Promotion & Tourism

DESCRIPTION OF POSITION: The Program Manager of Cultural Promotion & Tourism builds local and tourist arts audiences, and the Pikes Peak region's visibility as an arts destination. This role leads the Cultural Office's largest program by budget, reach, and revenue generation, overseeing PeakRadar.com in partnership with the Coordinator of Operations & Communications. The Program Manager also serves as a thought leader in arts marketing and cultural tourism through convening, writing, and speaking. Success in this highly visible role requires strong communication, sales, and networking skills, and finesse in relating strategically with diverse stakeholders. REPORTING RELATIONSHIP: This position reports to the Executive Director. ** ** RESPONSIBILITIES INCLUDE, BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO: Program Management - Monitors the annual Cultural Promotion & Tourism program budget. - Evaluates program success with qualitative and quantitative methods, and steers the program to success on the relevant KPIs of COPPR's service contract with the City of Colorado Springs and various program grants. Meets regularly with the Coordinator to ensure program results and alignment of efforts to achieve intended outcomes. Partnership Management - Stewards partnerships to advance the cultural destination & PeakRadar.com, including: o PeakRadar.com's contracted partnerships that drive earned and contributed revenue for COPPR, involving digital advertising, syndicated event feeds, and revenue-sharing initiatives and retaining those partners. Responsible for the majority of earned revenue in this category, with support from Coordinator on joint ad selling to meet annual goals. o Represents local arts & culture on committees for broader initiatives/campaigns in collaboration with regional and state partners, i.e. America 250/Colorado 150, Olympic City USA, etc. - Develops & leads a new membership program that will deliver advanced marketing services to help cultural attractions succeed. The program model is largely built and ready for an entrepreneurial, strong leader to bring it to life. *This is anticipated to be 50-60% of the position. o Each year, spearheads forward-thinking marketing strategies to increase attendance and visibility for member attractions. o Supports centralized tools to empower members' own marketing and brands within the larger message of a vibrant arts destination. o Recruits members and retains them with high-touch customer service and industry expertise. o Tracks financials and evaluative outcomes to grow the new program over time. - Achieves the Partnerships outlined above through personable, authentic sales skills, with emphasis on proactive outreach, presenting value propositions, negotiating agreements, overcoming objections, securing commitments, and pipeline development, all in a spirit of service to the field. Arts Marketing Strategy - Leads campaigns for the Pikes Peak region cultural destination (overall) and PeakRadar.com (specifically) in coordination with diverse partners. o Designs campaign strategy in coordination with a team of contractors in marketing, social media, SEO, graphic design, etc. Aligns marketing strategy with regional and statewide initiatives and high-impact collaborations. o Manages content and editing for the Local Arts Guide insert for The Gazette each October. o Occasionally consults with local arts groups to support their arts marketing projects. Thought Leadership - Publicly represents the Cultural Office and PeakRadar.com on panels, in media, and at public speaking opportunities as thought leader on cultural promotion, audience development, and tourism. - Writes thought pieces and op-eds to advance thinking about arts tourism & arts marketing for local media and partner platforms. - Responsible for convening quarterly Arts Marketer Mixers and 1-2 other events annually to advance the field (professional development workshops, panels, summits, etc.) Media Pitching and Tours - Generates positive media coverage of the Pikes Peak region cultural scene from local, regional, and statewide outlets by organizing pitch meetings and occasional media tours, building relationships with journalists and platforms, and pitching timely arts stories in collaboration with PR contractors. LART Panel Review - Serves as a panelist for review of applications in the Arts & Culture Destination category for funding from the Lodging & Automobile Rental Tax (LART) program of the City of Colorado Springs. Supports the Executive Director in strategy, content, community presentations, and special initiatives. Supports other projects of the Cultural Office, as needed. ALL-STAFF RESPONSIBILITIES · We appreciate the arts and participate regularly in local arts & culture in diverse ways. · We set a leadership standard of excellence for the local creative sector. · We are a community of learners. We encourage a growth mindset in each other, and we pursue professional development through the time and budget dedicated to each of us by the Cultural Office. · We seek to listen and engage authentically with each other and the community we serve. · Each of us demonstrates concretely that we are advancing the first declaration of the Arts Vision 2030 Cultural Plan (also part of the COPPeR Strategic Plan): We must empower a JUST, INCLUSIVE AND EQUITABLE Pikes Peak region. We commit to holding doors open for one another, including all voices, and advancing historically underrepresented artists, creatives, and audiences in our communities. STRATEGIC ALIGNMENT: Aligns with all 4 goals of the Cultural Office Strategic Plan{rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"} . Aligns with Arts Vision 2030{rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"} Declaration 4: ARTS DESTINATION. All positions align with Declaration 1 JUST INCLUSIVE & EQUITABLE. QUALIFICATIONS: · REQUIRED: 5+ years' experience in communications/marketing, member relations, nonprofit management, or business, preferably in a related industry. · REQUIRED: Competence with WordPress, working knowledge of SEO and Google Analytics. · PREFERRED: Demonstrated sales or business development experience. · PREFERRED: Formal degree or certifications in marketing, communications, or arts administration. · PREFERRED: Existing connections and/or involvement in the local creative community. · Self-directed, strategic thinker with passion for community engagement and uplifting our region. · Excellent writing, editing, and speaking skills. · Comfort and competence with technology and the ability to learn and operate office software, including familiarity with AI for productivity. Software utilized regularly will include Microsoft Office 365 with Copilot, WordPress, Constant Contact, Google Analytics. Ongoing training will be available. · Spanish language proficiency is a plus. · *NOTE: All staff members of the Cultural Office must reside within its service area o