General Manager - Athenaeum Center for Thought & Culture

Job Title: General Manager

Location: Chicago, IL 

Terms: Full-Time

Requirements: Ability to work evening and weekend hours per events scheduled

About Us:

The Athenaeum Center for Thought & Culture is a not-for-profit organization whose mission and principal activities are to promote and support fine arts, cultural programming, and spiritual development for Catholics and the general public in Chicago, Illinois. Our mission is to invite people into encounters with Beauty and to revitalize the great Catholic tradition of the arts from our location in one of Chicago’s most unique religious, artistic, and civic buildings. 

Our performing arts center was built in 1911 as part of St. Alphonsus parish in the Lakeview neighborhood of Chicago, as a place for the spiritual, physical, and intellectual growth of parishioners and the community. The Center has multiple performance and event spaces, including our 950-seat Historic Main Stage Theatre. At ACTC, we believe that Beauty has the capacity to build up culture, transform society, and change lives. We hope to help our patrons contemplate, encounter, and delight in Beauty.

Job Summary:
The General Manager (GM) at the Athenaeum Center for Thought & Culture (ACTC) ensures the seamless operation of its four main performing spaces, additional event spaces, classrooms, and historic facilities. With a dynamic programming mix that includes rentals, in-house bookings, and a theatrical season, the GM provides leadership across departments, ensuring effective utilization of all spaces, alignment with revenue goals, and operational excellence. This role involves monitoring space usage, tracking key performance indicators (KPIs), and collaborating with the sales team to achieve organizational objectives. While the GM is expected to prioritize attendance at large or critical events and remain accessible to address occasional operational emergencies on weekends, the role emphasizes building a strong team and implementing clear communication and personnel plans to ensure all events are well-supported, even in the GM’s absence. The GM also leads regular sales and events meetings to foster alignment between teams and track progress toward key performance indicators (KPIs).

Key Responsibilities:

Mission-Driven Leadership and Catholic Identity

• Uphold and promote ACTC's mission and Catholic identity in all aspects of operations and decision-making.
• Ensure that programming, events, and partnerships align with Catholic values and contribute to the organization's mission.
• Foster a work environment that reflects Catholic teachings, emphasizing respect, integrity, and service to the community.Lead regular sales and events meetings to ensure alignment between departments, address logistical needs, and track progress toward space utilization and revenue goals.
• Collaborate with the leadership to implement strategic goals that advance ACTC's mission, evaluating the effectiveness of operations, programming, technical processes, and facilities management to identify areas for growth.
• Lead special initiatives to enhance ACTC's visibility and community impact, ensuring alignment with Catholic values and mission.

Operations and Venue Management

• Oversee the management and operations of ACTC’s performing arts and event spaces, ensuring smooth execution of a diverse programming mix.
• Develop and implement policies that streamline operations and maintain ACTC’s high standards for quality and professionalism.
• Ensure effective utilization of all spaces by monitoring booking schedules, event types, and usage goals.
• Lead regular sales and events meetings to ensure alignment between departments, address logistical needs, and track progress toward space utilization and revenue goals.

Team Leadership

• Supervise department heads, including Artist Booking Agents, Venue Booking Agents, Events Managers, House Managers, Technical Director, Facilities staff, and Box Office Manager.
• Collaborate closely with the Marketing Director to align promotional strategies with programming and space usage goals.
• Foster a collaborative, mission-driven work environment, encouraging clear communication and accountability across all teams.
• Provide guidance, performance feedback, and support to ensure all staff effectively contribute to ACTC’s goals and operations.

Sales Collaboration and Space Utilization

• Engage in proactive sales outreach to identify and secure new business opportunities, including venue rentals and event partnerships.
• Develop and maintain relationships with potential clients, organizations, and community partners to expand ACTC's client base.
• Collaborate with the sales team to develop strategies that maximize usage of all spaces, balancing rentals, in-house bookings, and the theatrical season.
• Review and approve major rental agreements, ensuring alignment with financial and operational goals.
• Track and analyze space usage metrics and KPIs to assess performance and identify areas for improvement.
• Provide input on pricing strategies for rentals and event packages, ensuring competitive positioning and profitability.

Oversight of Facilities and Technical Operations

• Oversee the facilities team, ensuring the historic building is safe, well-maintained, and operational.
• Collaborate with facilities staff to ensure compliance with safety, health, and building codes.
• Approve budgets and projects for maintenance, repairs, and building improvements, particularly those related to historic preservation.
• Supervise the Technical Director (TD), ensuring technical operations align with ACTC's mission, event requirements, and safety standards.
• Approve budgets for technical upgrades, equipment maintenance, and production needs.

Event Coordination and Support

• Collaborate with programming, production, and sales teams to plan and execute events, ensuring smooth integration of rentals, in-house bookings, and theatrical productions.
• Oversee scheduling and logistics to maximize the use of ACTC’s spaces.
• Establish workflows to support seamless event execution across multiple venues and types of programming.

Financial Management

• Partner with leadership to prepare and manage budgets for operations, programming, facilities, and technical needs.
• Monitor financial performance, identifying opportunities for increased revenue and cost savings.
• Oversee ticketing revenue, rental income, and concessions, ensuring accurate financial tracking and reporting.

Customer and Community Relations

• Ensure high standards of customer service, creating memorable experiences for patrons, renters, and artists.
• Act as a key contact for resolving patron feedback and event-related concerns.
• Represent ACTC in the community, cultivating relationships with partners, sponsors, and other stakeholders.

Strategic Planning and Mission Alignment

• Collaborate with the Executive Director and leadership to implement strategic goals that advance ACTC’s mission.
• Evaluate the effectiveness of operations, programming, technical processes, and facilities management, identifying areas for growth.
• Lead special initiatives to enhance ACTC’s visibility and community impact.

Qualifications:

Education and Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in arts administration, business management, or a related field (Master’s preferred).
• 5 years of experience in venue management, arts administration, or a similar field.
• Experience managing diverse programming, including rentals, in-house events, and theatrical productions.
• Familiarity with sales processes, technical operations, facilities management, and KPI monitoring.

Skills and Competencies

• Strong leadership and interpersonal skills with a focus on team collaboration.
• Excellent organizational and problem-solving abilities.
• Knowledge of programming, sales, technical production, facilities management, and ticketing systems.
• Financial acumen and experience in budget preparation and revenue management.
• Effective communication skills, both written and verbal.
• Proficiency with event scheduling software, ticketing/CRM platforms, and project management tools.

Work Environment:

• Flexibility to work evenings, weekends, and holidays as event schedules require.
• Ability to oversee operations across a large, historic venue.
• Comfortable managing multiple priorities in a dynamic, fast-paced environment.

Compensation:

• Salary Range: $75,000–$90,000 annually (based on experience).
• Benefits: ACTC offers a competitive benefits package

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