Organizer Information
The organization being formed is a merger of two of Pittsburgh's most established performing arts institutions: Pittsburgh Public Theater and Pittsburgh CLO, which together represent more than a century of service to the region. The two boards voted to merge in March 2026, with the new company on track to launch in January 2027 as an approximately $8M organization. Pittsburgh Public Theater has been a cornerstone of the city's cultural identity, producing acclaimed work at the O'Reilly Theater, including the complete ten-play August Wilson Century Cycle. Pittsburgh CLO has been the region's home for professional musical theater, and operates CLO Academy, one of the country's most respected youth theater education programs, alongside the long-running Gene Kelly Awards. Public reporting on the merger has separately described Pittsburgh Public Theater as founded in 1975 and Pittsburgh CLO in 1946, figures that differ from the founding years stated in the source material for this listing (1974 and 1939, respectively). This search is being conducted on behalf of the merged organization by TOC Arts Partners, a national consultancy focused on aligning strategies, structures, and leadership for the cultural sector.
Title & Description
President & Executive Producer
The merged Pittsburgh CLO and Pittsburgh Public Theater organization is seeking its first President & Executive Producer to lead the newly unified company. The role is charged with building on the legacies of both organizations while establishing a new, unified artistic and operational identity. Programming will run across the O'Reilly, Byham, and Greer theaters downtown, with a seven-production inaugural season composed of musicals, classics, and contemporary works, designed under a "MADE in Pittsburgh" framework (Meaningful, Artistically Excellent, Data-Led, Equitable) intended to create multiple points of entry for new and existing audiences.
The position combines organizational leadership, artistic curation and producing, culture and community stewardship, and resource development and board engagement. The successful candidate will lead the company in a manner that centers its art and programs while valuing the people who make them possible, in partnership with an experienced staff and a committed, philanthropically engaged board. The role also carries the responsibility of building trust with a local arts community watching closely to see whether the merger strengthens and honors what each legacy organization stood for.
The Role Overview
- Position Type: Full-time, senior executive leadership role
- Salary: $175,000–$200,000
- Reports To: Board of Directors
- Department / Programme: Organization-wide leadership of the newly merged company
- Organizational Scale: Approximately $8M organization; venues include the O'Reilly, Byham, and Greer theaters in downtown Pittsburgh
Position & Tasks
- Organizational Leadership & Strategic Vision
- Lead the company in a manner that centers the art and programs of the company while valuing the people who make them possible
- In partnership with staff and board, create and lead annual business plans supporting artistic quality, equity, financial health, and mission fulfillment
- In collaboration with the Board of Directors, align business strategies with company goals articulated in the merger's plan
- Directly supervise the leadership team/department heads across Development, General Management, Production, Artistic, and Marketing, including goal setting, coaching, problem-solving, and annual performance reviews
- Create and instill communication practices ensuring stakeholders across the organization are well-versed in operations plans and long-term goals
- Lead multi-year financial forecasting, financial strategy development, and budget accountability systems with the leadership team and board finance leadership
- Support cross-departmental collaboration through concepts of shared outcomes
- Serve as mentor and advisor to staff, with a focus on recruitment and retention
- Artistic Curation, Producing, and Education
- Articulate and implement an annual artistic plan reflective of a transparent selection process
- Ensure artistic productions, education programs, and events meet or exceed established artistic goals
- Lead a robust, open, and collaborative process for curating work connected to the community and cultural pulse
- Serve as lead producer for all productions, ensuring production values and work culture meet or exceed goals
- Develop programming and production budgets in collaboration with the production, artistic, and management teams
- Develop and implement an annual educational plan in coordination with the Director of Education
- Proactively seek co-production and other partnership opportunities
- Identify opportunities for the company to develop and/or participate in cultivating new work
- Grow, nurture, and maintain a network of directors, designers, playwrights, and other theatre artists, with an emphasis on local and regional artists
- Culture and Community
- In partnership with the Leadership Team, oversee and model the company's vision and values in all theater operations and relationships
- Lead an organizational culture that prizes collaboration, innovation, mutual respect, and creative problem solving
- Provide leadership, space, and time for long-term planning and goal setting
- Provide leadership for scaffolding conversations, training, and evaluation of progress to keep company goals mission-aligned
- Resource Development & Board Engagement
- Provide leadership to the development team and Board to generate overall fundraising strategy, with direct personal engagement in major gift cultivation and solicitation
- Take an active role in fundraising in collaboration with the Director of Development and manage a portfolio of major donors, including high engagement during the inaugural years
- Provide leadership and support to the marketing department, advocating for the team given the company's reliance on earned revenue
- Work with board leadership to deepen board engagement and assess and develop current and future board capacities
- Manage overall administrative operations through direct reports, including finance and HR, tracking organizational health in financial and people terms
Categories
- Arts Administration
- Theatre
- Performance
- Art Management
- Nonprofit Leadership
- Educations
- Choreography
- Composer
Eligibility
- Experienced arts leader capable of fulfilling the vision and mission of a newly unified theater company
- Operational and financial management experience at significant scale
- Organizational change management and/or start-up experience
- Successful track record of fundraising in all forms: individual, major gifts, foundations, corporations, government
- Artistic/programming leadership in performing arts; musical theater background valued
- Strong external relations skills and experience with press, funders, community of supporters, and artists
- Regional knowledge and Pittsburgh/Southwestern Pennsylvania relationships appreciated (not required)
- Demonstrated leadership skills managing teams with distinct areas of expertise while fostering collaboration
- Strong non-profit financial literacy, with ability to lead budget creation and understand forecasting models
- Experience with or understanding of the role of non-profit theater in connection to the commercial producing world
- Comfort and success with fundraising and a strategic fundraising approach
- Experience in artistic leadership and programming rooted in understanding the audience and community
- Experience in or demonstrated understanding of the position of an executive in a non-profit organization reporting to a Board of Directors
- Experience managing competing priorities in complex, fast-paced settings
- Strong and persuasive communication skills
- Demonstrated commitment to inclusivity and staying abreast of best practices around equity and access
- The source explicitly notes that candidates need not meet 100% of the listed qualifications to be encouraged to apply
Program Benefits
- Salary: $175,000–$200,000
- Broad health care package
- Retirement plan
- Generous time off policy, including PTO
- Family medical leave
- Bereavement leave
- Eight paid holidays
- Company-wide week off at the end of December
Application Fee
None
How to Apply?
Online Application
Key Dates
- Application Deadline: Ongoing (applications will be accepted until the role is filled)
Location
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States
Additional Details
- General questions or nominations of prospective candidates can be directed to searchteam@tocartspartners.com; phone calls are not requested
- Specific questions about the position may be directed to Cynthia Fuhrman, VP, Executive Search, at cynthia@tocartspartners.com
- The organization states a commitment to a workplace free from bias, prejudice, discrimination, and harassment, and describes itself as an equal opportunity employer
- The source explicitly encourages candidates who do not meet 100% of the qualifications to apply, citing research on how different groups of candidates approach job requirements
- The organization states it is dedicated to considering a broad array of candidates, including those with diverse workplace experiences and backgrounds, such as those returning to work after a gap in employment or transitioning careers
- Pittsburgh's Cultural District is described in the source as a fourteen-square-block area in Downtown Pittsburgh, featuring six theaters offering approximately 1,500 shows annually, along with art galleries, restaurants, and retail shops