Community & IDEA Manager

About the Opportunity

Opera Paralèlle (OP) is one of the leading producers of contemporary opera in the United States, presenting works of social, cultural, and political relevance that reflect the concerns of today’s audiences. With a commitment to artistic excellence and innovation, collaboration, and inclusion, OP merges tradition with innovation to re-invent opera for our modern world to tell compelling stories that explore the depth and breadth of the human condition. We are seeking a proactive, collaborative professional to join our team in the new position of Community & IDEA Manager (C&IM).

The C&IM will lead OP’s efforts to deepen community engagement and advance inclusion, diversity, equity, and accessibility (IDEA) across the organization. Reporting to the Artistic Director (AD) and working closely with the Executive Director (ED) and other staff, this role manages The Bullhorn, OP’s flagship civic practice–based community engagement initiative, serving as the primary liaison with community partners and overseeing the development and execution of co-created programs. Additionally, the position supports the organization’s IDEA work by coordinating internal initiatives, researching best practices, and managing accessibility strategies. The role works cross-departmentally with the Artistic, Production, Development, and Marketing teams to ensure programs reflect OP’s values and serve a broad, diverse audience. The person in this position will play a key role in implementing essential components of internal organizational integrity, while helping to ensure that we meet our goal to engage authentically and responsibly with diverse communities.

Key Responsibilities

The C&IM’s duties include, but are not limited to:

The Bullhorn Community Programs: 90%

• Collaborate with the AD, ED, and Scholar-in-Residence to design and implement The Bullhorn, OP’s community engagement initiatives, using a civic practice model to build and deepen relationships with community partners, as well as expand audience reach.
• Serve as the primary liaison between OP and all community partners, ensuring clear communication that maintains OP’s strong reputation.
• Cultivate, develop, and sustain a diverse network of community relationships in alignment with OP’s artistic and strategic goals.
• Develop and manage the annual Bullhorn program budget in partnership with the AD and ED.
• Work closely with community partners and internal stakeholders to ideate and execute co-created programming and engagement initiatives, including events and performances.
• Collaborate with the Development Director, AD, and ED to align community engagement programs with donor cultivation opportunities, where appropriate.
• Coordinate with the Development team and external Grant Writer to contribute to funding proposals and final reports related to community engagement work.
• Liaise with the Director of Production to plan and implement production elements of Bullhorn events and co-created programming.
• Collaborate with the Marketing department on the promotion of Bullhorn programs and to support audience development initiatives.
• Serve as the primary point of contact for maintaining and updating project management tools, including the season calendar and “Blueprint” master calendar, as they relate to community and co-created programs.
• Oversee the administrative operations of the Hands-On-Opera and Expansive programs, as needed, ensuring smooth execution and partner coordination.
• Ensure and maintain documentation and evaluation of all Bullhorn projects and provide shared access for other staff.

Inclusion, Diversity, Equity & Accessibility (IDEA): 10%

• Provide project management support for OPs IDEA initiatives, under the supervision of the ED.
• Coordinate scheduling, research, resource gathering, and guest speaker engagement for ongoing IDEA conversations and programming for both staff and Board.
• Attend relevant trainings/webinars, and share promising IDEA practices and tools to support continuous learning across the organization.
• Research funding opportunities and available resources to advance IDEA-related work, and collaborate with the Grant Writer and Development team on proposals and reporting.
• Identify and analyze best practices for improving the accessibility of OP’s programs, venues, and communications, particularly for individuals with disabilities.
• Develop and present actionable recommendations, including a phased accessibility improvement plan across all organizational areas.
• Collaborate with OP leadership and staff to implement accessibility strategies in alignment with organizational goals and capacity.
• Coordinate logistics and engagement with accessibility service providers, such as ASL interpreters, captioning providers, and audio description services, as needed for events and programming.

The breakdown of hours listed above is meant as an indication only; the actual hours spent working in each area will fluctuate depending on operational needs each week. OP is a growing organization with many interdepartmental collaborations. Supporting and collaborating across departments is essential for every member of our team.

Who We’re Looking For

This section describes the skills and experience that are most important to this position. We realize not everyone will be equally strong in all of these areas. We also know you can bring strengths and talents beyond what we’ve described. If you are excited about this role and our mission, we welcome your application.

The C&IM role would be best served by a person who has:

• At least 3–5 years of experience in arts administration, arts program development and implementation, and/or community-oriented work
• Experience working and communicating with, and respect for, people of intergenerational and diverse racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic backgrounds
• Completion of IDEA–related training classes or programs, and/or experience developing and/or delivering IDEA workshops or training
• Knowledge of Bay Area cultural communities and history, including LGBTQ+ communities
• Proficiency in Google Suite and Microsoft Office applications; database skills desirable
• Ability to work independently, prioritize tasks, and exercise good judgment and initiative
• Demonstrated ability to deliver high-quality work with very strong attention to detail
• Strong and demonstrated organizational and project management skills, including ability to juggle multiple and competing priorities
• Ability to develop and deliver budgets and presentations to multiple types of audiences
• Outstanding interpersonal skills, including the ability to interact with artists, staff, and the public in a professional, confidential, and tactful manner
• An innovative and collaborative spirit that embraces cultural humility, with the ability to work as a team player and to build and manage strong relationships with co-workers and external producing and community partners; a good listener
• Ability to communicate clearly and effectively, both verbally and in writing
• Ability to work occasional evenings and weekends
• A commitment to performing the functions of the position in a safe manner

Location, Schedule, and Physical Requirements

• OP’s administrative offices are located on the fourth floor of 44 Page Street in San Francisco, close to public transportation (BART and MUNI) and accessible by one set of stairs and one elevator.
• Events and performances of OP productions take place in varying local sites around San Francisco and occasionally throughout the Bay Area.
• OP’s general office hours are Monday to Friday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. It is expected that the C&IM will work at the OP offices a minimum of two days per week, with some flexibility depending on weekly demands.
• This position requires the ability to sit at a computer, speak, and type for extended periods of time.