Description

Portland Opera seeks a General Director
Click here to view position profile: https://summitsearchsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/PortlandOpera_Director_Profile.pdf
Location: Portland, Oregon 

The Position:
Portland Opera is seeking a visionary General Director with a blend of artistic passion, strong business sense, and strategic insight to lead the company into a vibrant and sustainable future. The ideal candidate will respect the organization's rich traditions while welcoming innovation—an imaginative and fiscally responsible leader with clarity of purpose and a transparent, inclusive leadership style. 

The General Director acts as the chief executive officer of Portland Opera, reporting directly to the board of directors. In partnership with the board, the General Director offers strategic and visionary leadership to promote the company’s mission, achieve the objectives of its strategic plan, maintain long-term artistic and organizational strength, and cultivate donors through a consistent development strategy. Working closely with the artistic director, music director, senior leadership team, and staff, the General Director champions Portland Opera’s artistic vision, fosters a vibrant and inclusive organizational culture, and strengthens the company’s relationship with audiences and the wider community. 

Responsibilities:
The General Director is responsible for the overall leadership and management of the organization, including:

• Strategic and Organizational Leadership: Partners with the board to provide visionary and strategic direction for the company, ensuring alignment among artistic excellence, financial sustainability, and community relevance. Serve as a local and regional community leader in arts and culture.
• Financial Management: Oversees the organization’s financial system and health, including budgeting, forecasting, and fiscal accountability, to ensure stability and growth with transparency, financial acumen, and clear communication.
• Fundraising and External Relations: Leads and actively participates in fundraising initiatives, cultivating strong relationships with donors, patrons, corporate partners, foundations, and public agencies.
• Community Engagement: Serves as a visible and passionate ambassador and advocate for Portland Opera and the arts at the regional and national level by strengthening connections with audiences, civic leaders, and cultural partners to enhance the company’s presence and impact.
• Board Relations: Collaborates closely with the board as an ex officio member, supporting effective governance, strategic planning, and financial health.
• Operational and Staff Leadership: Inspires and leads a talented team, fostering a transparent, collaborative, and inclusive work environment that empowers staff and artists to excel. 

Qualifications:

• Leadership Experience: At least five (5) years of cumulative leadership in a performing arts or cultural organization. If the leadership background is in a different field, candidates should demonstrate experience and understanding as a performing artist. Experience with opera or classical art forms is strongly preferred.
• Financial: Strong financial management skills, including experience with budgeting, financial reporting, an understanding of the economic structures unique to nonprofit and performing arts organizations, and the ability to identify and secure diverse revenue streams.
• Strategic Acumen: A strategic and creative approach to leadership, with proven experience in developing and implementing growth strategies that enhance artistic vitality and ensure organizational sustainability.
• Philanthropy: A proven track record of securing major gifts, corporate sponsorships, and grants, along with planning and executing fundraising campaigns and special events that promote artistic and organizational objectives.
• Interpersonal Skills: Outstanding interpersonal and communication skills to engage effectively with the organization’s staff and many constituencies, with the ability to serve as an inspiring ambassador for the organization and to build meaningful relationships with donors, patrons, artists, and community partners.
• Leadership Style: A transparent, evidence-based decision-maker with a collaborative management approach that fosters trust, values staff and artists' expertise, and has proven experience working effectively within a unionized workplace.
• Community Engagement and Advocacy: A strong commitment to engaging with the community and promoting diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging within the arts/culture organizational landscape.
• Board Relations: Demonstrated experience working with a board to increase their engagement in fundraising, governance, and ambassador roles.
• Educational Attainment: A bachelor’s degree is required; an advanced degree or relevant professional certification is preferred. 

About Portland Opera:
Portland Opera, a nonprofit arts organization, is dedicated to enriching the cultural life of the Pacific Northwest through productions of the highest artistic quality. Presenting a dynamic mix of classic repertoire and contemporary works—including over 200 operas and world premieres—the company also leads robust outreach and education initiatives. Programs like Portland Opera-To-Go and Opera a la Cart exemplify their commitment to accessibility, community engagement, and nurturing the next generation of opera artists. 

Vision
We celebrate the power of performance, storytelling, and song as an inclusive artistic leader. 

Mission
We gather and inspire audiences, artists, and collaborators to share opera experiences that enliven and connect us all, enhancing the cultural landscape of the beautiful Pacific Northwest. 

Values
We realize our mission and vision with a constellation of values that guide our work: 

The Art of Opera
We are unapologetically passionate about the live art of opera and are energized by its roots as the people’s art form. We believe in its future. We continue the timeless tradition of storytelling, we celebrate the universal language of music, and we honor the brilliance of the human voice. 

Ensemble & Cultural Equity
Our work relies on being an ensemble, and our ensemble only thrives with diversity, equity, inclusion, and respect. We commit to actively confronting and dismantling white supremacy, patriarchy, and exclusion in our company, field, and community. We commit to being inclusive and strive every day to be an anti-racist organization. 

Our Shared Humanity
We sing stories about experiences, emotions, and moments that matter in life. In this practice we, together with audiences, aim to reveal and gain insight into the human condition—as a reflection of ourselves, and ourselves in relation to each other. 

Fiscal Strength & Stewardship
We are committed to the fiscal health of our organization, and its bright future. We are dedicated financial stewards of the community and the philanthropic funding that makes our work possible. 

Community Connections
We generate positive impacts for our community, fostering and co-authoring collaborations and programs to achieve meaningful engagement. We contribute to the civic and cultural life of our region, and amplify the contributions and insights of our peers, colleagues, and partners.  

Imagination & the Entrepreneurial Spirit
We accomplish our work with an enthusiasm to be creative, to innovate and transform, to adapt and collaborate. We hold ourselves and each other accountable to achieve sustainability, increase accessibility, and make space for curiosity in attaining our strategic goals. 

History
Though opera was already beginning to thrive in Portland, the company was officially established in 1964, with its incorporation as the Portland Opera Association. The first production was Johann Strauss II's Die Fledermaus, which opened on November 7, 1964, at the Leodis V. McDaniel High School (then known as Madison High School). This first season also included Puccini’s beloved masterpiece, La Bohème, which (to date) has been the most performed opera in the company’s history. 

Portland Opera continued to grow its deep roots in Washington Park as well, sharing performances in the Rose Garden Amphitheater for several years. Eventually, performances were shared at the Keller Auditorium (previously the Civic Auditorium), the Newmark Theatre, and Gregory K. and Mary Chomenko Hinckley Studio Theatre at The Hampton Opera Center. Today, you can still find Portland Opera singers in parks and festivals around town. 

Education & Community
Portland Opera is all about community connections. Through its collaborations and programs, opera experiences are celebrated on and off the stage.

Portland Opera to Go
For 20+ years, Portland Opera to Go (POGO) has shared educational arts experiences with students and educators around the region, performing 50-minute versions of operas for students in school gyms, libraries, cafeterias, classrooms, and community centers—all with full costumes and portable scenery. Integrated in-class workshops are available as part of the POGO experience, as well as teacher guides highlighting curricular connections aligned with state standards. These are sung in English, or English and Spanish as bilingual productions. The company travels over 5,000 miles throughout Oregon and southern Washington to spark the imaginations of students, educators, and teachers. So far, more than 275,000 people have engaged with POGO. 

Resident Artist Program
The Portland Opera established its Resident Artist Program in 2005 to serve as a professional training ground, bridging the gap between conservatory studies and a professional career in opera. The program is a rigorous residency that includes appearing in opera productions, performing in public recitals, and engaging with the community. It has been a cornerstone of the company, providing professional experience and support to emerging artists, and its alumni have gone on to perform with major opera companies and win prestigious awards. 

Opera a la Cart
Portland Opera transformed an old popcorn truck into a mobile music venue to celebrate the city’s vibrant food cart culture and calls it Opera a la Cart which brings live performances by talented local artists and musicians directly into community spaces across the Portland metro area. You’ll find the cart at farmers markets, parks, festivals, street fairs, wineries, and other public events. Designed and built by architecture students at Portland State University, the cart features a fold-out stage and a “menu” of operatic specials performed by local talent. 

Opera Talk
Opera Talk is Portland Opera’s podcast. Hosted and created by Artistic Director Alfrelynn Roberts, this program sets out to confront opera stereotypes, explore the stories and characters and share behind-the-scenes info about upcoming productions. New episodes are released each week where audiences can tune in to the podcast.  

Student Dress Rehearsals
Student Dress Rehearsals are an opportunity for students and educators to see a live, fully staged opera performance, just days before the curtain rises on opening night. In addition to watching the performance, middle and high school aged students get a sneak peek into the workings of a final rehearsal, like seeing the technical team at work, the conductor giving final notes, and the company photographer capturing photos.

To Apply:
Confidential review of applications will begin immediately and continue until the position has been filled. For full consideration, individuals are encouraged to apply by December 15, 2025.

Please apply online by submitting a PDF version of your resume/CV and a cover letter that addresses your interest and related qualifications and experience.  

To apply online, go to: https://theapplicantmanager.com/jobs?pos=su480  

For more information or to offer recommendations or nominations:
Caitlin Hummel
Senior Consultant
Summit Search Solutions, Inc.
(585) 880-7550
chummel@summitsearchsolutions.com 

Portland Opera will not discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment based on race, color, national origin, gender, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, age, religion, disability, protected veteran status, or other characteristics protected by law. 

Portland Opera is a tax-exempt 501(c)(3) organization and an Equal Opportunity Employer.