Job Title: Senior Manager, Patron Experience
Department: Operations
Reports to: Operations Director
Classification: Full-time Exempt
Compensation: $63,000 - $75,000 annually; benefits including medical, dental, vision, 401k with employer match, accrued sick and vacation time
About Swallow Hill:
Founded in 1979, Swallow Hill Music (SHM, Swallow Hill) is a Denver-based 501(c)(3) organization that strives to positively impact the quality of people’s lives through music. SHM operates a music school and three performance venues at its Broadway & Yale location, and produces outreach activities and community events throughout the Denver metro region as an SCFD-funded Tier II organization with a $6 Million annual budget.
In addition to music therapy sessions, Swallow Hill’s flagship early education program “Little Swallows” is provided for students across the city. The organization is the producing partner for concerts at Denver Botanic Gardens, Four Mile Historic Park, the Butterfly Pavilion, the Clyfford Still Museum, and various music venues. Swallow Hill is a nationally-revered hub for concerts, classes, and community, and is a recipient of both the Mayor’s and the Governor’s Award for Excellence in the Arts, and an inductee of the Colorado Music Hall of Fame and Folk Alliance International’s Business Lifetime Achievement awards.
The Senior Manager, Patron Experience directly leads the Patron Experience Team, who serve a vital role at Swallow Hill, performing customer service and operational tasks that support both Swallow Hill programs as well as the patrons who participate in them. The Patron Experience Manager also oversees the Cafe Manager and the performance of Swallow Hill’s bar service and retail program. The Patron Experience Manager’s overarching responsibility is to drive and uphold the Swallow Hill patron experience, where community, creativity, growth, and inclusion come together to foster musical experiences of all kinds. Successful candidates demonstrate flexibility and a “make it happen” attitude, as the Patron Experience Team is called upon to meet numerous and varied needs that support patrons, teaching faculty, staff, and volunteers in providing the programs and community events that make Swallow Hill treasured and unique in the Denver and national folk music scene.
Job Summary:
The Senior Manager, Patron Experience reports to the Operations Director and is responsible for upholding customer service and patron experience expectations for Swallow Hill. This includes leading teams of employees to achieve programmatic, financial, and mission objectives. Swallow Hill programming operates seven days per week, for roughly 48 weeks per year. Weekend and evening availability is required for this position, and the anticipated schedule will be afternoon/evening and will include 1 weekend shift. This is an in-person role.
Supervisory Responsibilities:
- Recruits, interviews, hires, and trains new staff.
- Directly supervises the Patron Experience Associates, the Patron Experience Lead, and the Cafe Manager.
- Drives the daily workflow of the Patron Experience Team members.
- Oversees the performance of Swallow Hill’s bar service and its retail program.
- Leads Patron Experience and Cafe/Retail teams in creating and achieving team and individual goals that are aligned with organizational priorities, including DEIA goals related to the Swallow Hill patron experience.
- Leads teams in understanding the importance of data-informed decisionmaking and drives regular data reporting of key metrics for each.
- Provides constructive, timely, and data-driven performance evaluations based on team and individual goals, as well as informal coaching and feedback that drives team members’ goal achievement and professional growth.
- Drives and provides shift-level management and expectations of Patron Experience Associates, including prioritization, task delegation, coaching and support.
- Handles discipline and termination of employees in accordance with company policy.
- Serves as Manager-on-Duty according to schedule when programming is active.
- Develops goals and objectives, refine workflows, and reports on key data that demonstrates success across the Patron Experience Team.
- Prepares and executes staff schedules to ensure adequate staffing during programming hours, including appropriate handling of planned and unplanned staff absences.
- Serves as point person for supporting teachers’ operational and daily program needs when on shift.
- Ensures staff compliance with established procedures, policies, and customer service standards.
- Reviews and approves payroll for the Patron Experience Team.
Responsibilities & Duties - Patron Experience Team:
- Leads Patron Experience Team in providing prompt, friendly, and professional customer service to patrons in-person, via email, and via phone.
- Drives Patron Experience Team in meeting program goals for ticket sales, class and lesson registrations, and membership sales.
- Works closely with School, Concert, and Facilities departments to meet program needs and maintain publicly visible areas in a clean, orderly, and safe condition.
- Serves as the primary contact for daily building use and needs for onsite programs as well as staff needs (example: meeting space)
- Supports Patron Experience Team by helping develop and distribute daily resources outlining daily program needs.
- Serves as the primary point of escalation for customer service issues, using sound judgment and organizational policies to resolve matters promptly.
- Assists patrons with accurate processing of ticket sales, registrations, memberships, gift cards, and retail purchases.
- Ensures classrooms and performance spaces are prepared and equipped appropriately for scheduled uses.
- Ensures Patron Experience Team members complete all opening and closing procedures and required daily administrative reports.
Responsibilities & Duties - Cafe & Retail:
- In collaboration with Cafe Manager, School, and Concert staff, oversee maintenance of a bar schedule that aligns with data-supported revenue opportunities for the bar.
- Support Cafe Manager, as needed, in process change and change management to better align processes with needs of financial accounting and reporting
- Oversee use and preparation of cafe space for various uses over the course of a program week, including use as classroom space during the week, traditional bar use during concert times, and use for special events, as they arise.
- Oversee and collaborate with the Cafe Manager and Marketing department on Swallow Hill merchandising strategy and cycles.
- Produce regular, consistent data on the financial performance of both the bar and the retail program and report to the Director of Operations.
System & Technical Responsibilities:
- Develop proficiency in required transactional systems and functions necessary for carrying out transactions and business objectives, and serve as a primary resource to Patron Experience staff on these systems and workflows.
- Leads documentation of standard operating procedures (SOPs) and workflows for the Patron Experience Team.
- Supports reporting needs related to customer service, registrations, ticketing, memberships, and other business metrics.
Required Skills/Abilities:
- Values diversity and contributes to an inclusive working and learning environment.
- Excellent verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to communicate clearly, professionally, and compassionately.
- Excellent interpersonal, sales, and customer service skills.
- Excellent organizational skills and attention to detail.
- Excellent supervisory and leadership skills.
- Ability to function well in a high-paced and at times stressful environment.
- Be or become proficient with Microsoft Office Suite, Google Suite or related software.
- Be or become proficient in Point of Sale Systems used by organization.
- Be or become TIPS certified.
- Ability to work a flexible schedule when required, including evenings, weekends, some holidays, and overtime as operational needs require
- Experience with developing key performance indicators for a team and an understanding of the importance of data-driven decision making.
- Working knowledge of retail and sales principles, nonprofit and performing arts business models, and the intersection between earned revenue and mission-driven work.
Education and Experience:
- Four to six years experience managing multiple employees in customer service or operational support roles.
- Experience in nonprofit revenue programs preferred, but not required.
- Bilingual skills (Spanish) preferred, but not required.
Physical Requirements:
- This position must be able to sit at a desk for prolonged periods, as well as move around the facility for periods of time.
- This position must be able to lift and move objects up to 50 pounds.
We will make reasonable accommodation for qualified individuals with known disabilities or whose service requirements interfere with a religious belief, unless doing so would result in undue hardship or a direct threat to Swallow Hill Music. Please contact human resources at 303.777.1003 to request accommodation, or for questions/concerns regarding this policy.
EEO Statement
Swallow Hill provides equal employment opportunities (EEO) to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability or genetics. In addition to federal law requirements, Swallow Hill complies with applicable state and local laws governing nondiscrimination in employment in every location in which the company has facilities.
Other Duties
Please note this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities and activities may change at any time with or without notice.
Please apply by sending a cover letter, résumé, and at least 2 references to jobs@swallowhillmusic.org. References should ideally include 1 person you have worked for, and one person who has worked under your supervision.
