Earl R. Merrill: Arts Consulting Group – Senior Vice President, Revenue Enhancement

Reporting to ACG’s President as a member of the Executive Leadership Team, the Senior Vice President, Revenue Enhancement (SVP-RE) will oversee ACG’s contributed and earned revenue enhancement practice areas as well as the firm’s external marketing and communications activities.

Organization
Arts Consulting Group (ACG) is the leading provider of hands-on interim management, executive search, revenue enhancement, facilities & program planning, strategic planning, and capacity building services for the arts and culture industry. Founded in 1997, ACG is a full-service firm that effectively works with a wide range of nonprofit organizations, universities, government agencies, and for-profit entities that operate in the creative industries. The firm takes a contemporary approach to client challenges and opportunities focused on growing institutions, advancing arts and culture, and enhancing communities. ACG senior team members have leadership experience in every type of artistic and cultural discipline, and they seamlessly adapt to clients’ rapidly changing strategies, business models, and operating environments.

The firm continues its rapid growth and currently has locations in Boston, Calgary, Chicago, Dallas, Los Angeles, Minneapolis, Nashville, New York, Portland, Tampa, Toronto, Vancouver, and Washington, DC. ACG employees and consultants are embedded in communities throughout North America to invigorate clients so that they can achieve the delicate balance between cultural impacts and business sustainability.

Position Summary
Reporting to ACG’s President as a member of the Executive Leadership Team, the Senior Vice President, Revenue Enhancement (SVP-RE) will oversee ACG’s contributed and earned revenue enhancement practice areas as well as the firm’s external marketing and communications activities. The successful SVP-RE will be an entrepreneurial self-starter whose primary focus is business development, delivery of client services, and team mentoring, training, and supervision. The SVP-RE will collaborate with a variety of internal and external stakeholders to maximize their respective impacts in the field and to achieve tangible outcomes for clients, colleagues, and the growth of the firm.

Contributed and Earned Revenue Enhancement Practice Oversight
The SVP-RE will partner with the Vice President, Contributed Revenue Enhancement (VP-CRE) and Vice President, Earned Revenue Enhancement (VP-ERE) to further develop and grow ACG services in fundraising, capital campaign planning and management, development assessments and strategic recommendations, donor research opportunities, marketing assessments and strategic recommendations, branding and communications strategies, dynamic pricing implementation, earned revenue maximization activities, and related projects within these practice areas. General responsibilities of the VP-CRE and VP-ERE include but are not limited to the following:

Track and pursue related senior management leadership openings announced in the media and through networking efforts;
Develop a strategy, in tandem with other ACG leaders, to establish greater visibility for ACG with senior fundraising, development, advancement, marketing, communications, and public relations professionals throughout the industry;
Gain access to capital campaign, feasibility study, earned revenue market study, and strategic marketing assessment requests for proposals (RFPs) as available;
Track client leads in ACG’s software system;
Pursue related interim management roles for ACG employees and consultants;
Develop and review related ACG proposals;
Attend conferences and public meetings to develop strong networks with past, current, and potential clients;
Maintain active knowledge of best practices in contributed and earned revenue enhancement technologies, social media, brand visibility, and other areas;
Publish periodic articles on best practices in contributed and earned revenue enhancement;
Cross-sell other ACG practice area services as appropriate and in coordination with other ACG employees; and
Oversee ACG’s marketing and communications planning, website development and maintenance, digital marketing, public relations, and associated audio, video, and written materials.

Roles and Responsibilities

Client Cultivation and Business Development

Build ACG’s brand, visibility, and presence in the United States, Canada, and internationally as appropriate.
Partner with ACG senior leadership to proactively develop relationships that increase the firm’s ability to secure consulting projects.
Engage with cultural organizations, related service associations, universities, and government agencies to ensure RFP receipt and invitations for project proposals.
Advise ACG’s Executive Leadership Team and Practice Leaders on changing trends and industry needs.
Ensure ACG’s continued financial strength and long-term growth through mutually agreed upon revenue and budgetary goals for the benefit of the firm and its employees and clients.
Prepare clear, concise, accurate, and comprehensive proposals, including scopes of work, deliverables, and budgets, with assistance from the Marketing & Communications Manager and other team members as needed.
Participate on panels at arts and culture industry conferences, attend significant cultural events, and otherwise demonstrate commitment and expertise of the firm and its industry.
Promote clear operational and brand distinction for ACG by developing and following firm policies, style guidelines, and standard operating procedures.
Report client successes, testimonials, and social media opportunities that can effectively demonstrate ACG’s positive impacts and international presence.
Write articles, blogs, or other materials that focus on the firm’s competencies and the industry’s needs.
-Embrace other client cultivation and business development roles and responsibilities as needed.

Project Leadership and Support

Lead, guide, and supervise ACG employees and independent contractors on revenue enhancement projects and on projects within other practice areas as needed.
Deliver superior, objective, and personalized services to clients.
Support project teams across all practice areas as needed.
Focus on the effective and efficient use of time and resources to meet project goals and associated client and firm deliverables on time, on budget, and on scope.
Implement and assist in the refinement of firm methodologies, policies, procedures, and project reporting guidelines.
Demonstrate advanced internet, email, and overall computer proficiency for efficient electronic communications and presentations.
Embrace other project leadership and support roles and responsibilities as needed.

Firm Capacity Building and Team Participation

Exemplify the mission, vision, and values of ACG.
Monitor and deliver on key performance indicators, update consultant utilization projections, and ensure a balanced and fully engaged workforce in collaboration with the firm’s CFO and the Leadership Transitions and – Planning & Capacity Building areas.
Create synergy within a distributed workforce with a one firm, one team model through regular conference calls, meetings, and summits.
Identify, cultivate, engage, and supervise contributed and earned revenue practice leaders as well as additional Revenue Enhancement employees and consultants as needed.
Maintain, with ACG’s Leadership Transitions & Data Administrator, an active roster of independent contractors in the arts and culture sector who have interest in and availability for various projects on an ad hoc basis.
Share expertise with other ACG employees and consultants to build the firm’s intellectual capacity.
Participate in ongoing educational programs, training, meetings, and other activities to maintain the highest level of knowledge within the industry.
Develop effective service integration between practice areas and locations in business development and communication.
Engage in an adaptive strategy process and recommend performance measures that focus on achieving the mutually established vision, mission, goals, and objectives of the firm.
Embrace other firm capacity building and team participation roles and responsibilities as needed.

Traits and Characteristics
The successful SVP-RE will be an entrepreneurial and resilient self-starter with a commitment and connection to the arts and culture field and the capacity to achieve demonstrable accomplishments in the creative industries. As a global thinker with pragmatic methodologies that deliver superior results, the SVP-RE will simultaneously learn from the past, live in the present, and look to the future. This individual will enjoy seeking out new project opportunities and will exhibit initiative while prioritizing tasks and achieving desired outcomes. It is not enough to be a strong conceptual thinker and creative generator of ideas. The SVP-RE must be able to move from dialogue to decision making and develop hands-on strategies that inspire clients to implement their goals. This individual will embody the highest ethical standards in the mentorship of ACG’s clients, consultants, and all those who support the field. The SVP-RE will not be driven by ego but will be motivated by the values that revolve around creating a more vibrant and sustainable arts and culture sector.

The SVP-RE will understand that the synergy created by an international firm serving the entire arts and culture industry far outweighs what can be achieved as a single consultant or loose affiliation of consultants in a single cultural discipline, functional area of expertise, or geographic region. The SVP-RE will value knowledge and intellectual growth while having a clear focus on the efficient usage of time and financial, technological, and human resources in achieving both client and firm goals.

An objective listener, the SVP-RE will have superior interpersonal, verbal, and written presentation skills combined with a keen ability to develop people and organizations. The SVP-RE will be a flexible team player who enjoys working in collaboration with international colleagues. As a visionary expert in the field, the SVP-RE will embrace a learning and teaching approach, build impactful intellectual and social capacity, and value the diplomacy and tact required to move people and projects forward. With a deep understanding and motivation for effectively and efficiently achieving results, the SVP-RE will have an unwavering commitment to growing institutions, advancing arts and culture, and enhancing communities.

Qualifications
A bachelor’s degree (or equivalent experience) and a minimum of 10 to 12 years of experience in senior management and/or consulting roles in the arts and culture field are required. A demonstrable track record in contributed and/or earned revenue enhancement as well as branding and institutional messaging are needed. Additional certifications, educational accomplishments, and bilingual fluency (English/French or English/Spanish) are appreciated. Exceptional written and verbal communication skills and superior organizational capabilities are required. Multiple accomplishments in complex environments and multifaceted computer literacy, including Office 365 and Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook), are essential.

Compensation and Benefits
ACG offers full-time employment with competitive base salary. Benefits include various employee health, dental, vision, and life insurance plans, matching 401(k) or Registered Retirement Savings Plan, and discretionary bonus opportunities. The SVP-RE will have a choice of base location in any major metropolitan area of the United States or Canada. A dynamic company, fluid work environment, fascinating client experiences, excellent mentorship, periodic travel, and a highly synergistic team are emblematic of ACG.

Other benefits include:

International recognition and strategic positioning as a leader in quality professional services for the arts and culture sector;
Ability to leverage professional expertise with that of ACG colleagues and the firm’s extensive client list;
Camaraderie as part of a team of senior colleagues who share values and are respected throughout the industry;
Efficiency in sharing information with other ACG leaders and support in the areas of proposal development, legal issues/contracts, client prospecting, consulting, business strategy, and infrastructure;
Access to a rapidly growing pool of arts and culture management consultants with expertise in all functional areas and artistic disciplines;
Flexibility in developing teams of employees and consultants to serve on dynamic projects;
Membership benefits in arts and culture service associations to which the firm belongs;
Link to international strategic partners in donor research, human resources, market analysis, and other invaluable tools; and
Share in the financial, professional, intellectual, and emotional rewards of a growing an “artrepreneurial” firm whose impact leaves a lasting legacy on an entire field.

Applications and Inquiries
Please submit a cover letter and resume with demonstrable contributed or earned revenue accomplishments (electronic submissions preferred) to:

Dr. Bruce D. Thibodeau
President
Arts Consulting Group
292 Newbury Street, Suite 315
Boston, MA 02115
Tel (888) 234.4236 Ext. 201
Email SVP-RE@ArtsConsulting.com

Arts Consulting Group, Inc. and Arts Consulting Group Canada, Ltd. welcome all qualified applicants and highly value inclusion, diversity, equity, and access, which are embedded in the uniqueness of the vibrant creative industries.