Executive Assistant, Board Liaison & Office Manager - Cincinnati Opera

Description

Founded in 1920, Cincinnati Opera is one of the oldest and most highly regarded opera companies in the United States. Known for its longstanding partnership with the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, a roster of world-class singers, and its spectacular performance venue, Cincinnati Music Hall, Cincinnati Opera has received numerous accolades and awards, including a recent nomination for the prestigious International Opera Award. Cincinnati Opera offers a primary season of performances from June through August (paid attendance 17,000-20,000), plus a host of events through the year, including educational programming, small-scale public performances, recitals, and fundraisers.

The Executive Assistant, Board Liaison & Office Manager provides high-level administrative support to Cincinnati Opera’s executive leadership, serves as a primary administrative liaison to the Board of Trustees, and oversees the day-to-day administrative operations of the office. The position also manages Cincinnati Opera’s Bravo Shop merchandise shop and supports select organizational meetings, events, and special projects.

This highly visible role works across the organization and regularly interacts with Board members, donors, artists, vendors, community partners, and staff. Success requires exceptional organization and attention to detail, exceptional project management skills, sound judgment and discretion, strong written and interpersonal communication skills, and the ability to anticipate needs, coordinate multiple stakeholders, and manage concurrent priorities and deadlines.

This position typically requires approximately 30 hours per week and provides flexibility in scheduling work hours.

RESPONSIBILITIES    

Executive and Administrative Support

• Provide high-level administrative support to the General Director & CEO, Chief Financial and Administrative Officer, and other members of executive leadership as assigned.
• Plan and coordinate cross-functional administrative projects from inception through completion, establishing timelines, tracking deliverables, coordinating contributors, identifying dependencies, and ensuring timely follow-through.
• Coordinate calendars, meetings, correspondence, travel arrangements, and other administrative needs.
• Draft, prepare, proofread, and distribute correspondence, presentations, meeting materials, and other documents.
• Support the preparation and coordination of staff meetings, organizational communications, and special projects.
• Maintain confidentiality and exercise sound judgment in handling sensitive organizational, personnel, donor, and Board information.
• Assist executive leadership with expense documentation, invoices, credit card reconciliation, and other administrative processes as needed.
• Anticipate administrative needs, identify potential issues, and independently coordinate appropriate follow-up.

Board and Governance Support

• Serve as a primary administrative liaison for Cincinnati Opera’s Board of Trustees and designated Board committees.
• Maintain the annual calendar of Board and committee meetings and coordinate scheduling with Board and staff leadership.
• Work with the General Director & CEO, Board Chair, Committee Chairs, and appropriate staff to prepare agendas and meeting materials.
• Coordinate Board and committee meeting logistics, including calendar invitations, meeting spaces, technology, catering, materials, and other arrangements.
• Collect, organize, prepare, and distribute Board and committee materials in a timely and professional manner.
• Attend designated Board and committee meetings; take notes and prepare accurate draft minutes for review and approval.
• Develop and manage timelines for Board and committee meetings, ensuring required materials, decisions, presenters, logistics, and follow-up actions are coordinated and completed on schedule.
• Maintain Board records, directories, committee rosters, attendance records, policies, calendars, and other governance documentation.
• Coordinate administrative aspects of Board member onboarding, annual updates, surveys, and other Board communications.
• Maintain accurate Board and committee information in organizational systems.
• Support the planning and execution of the Annual Meeting and other Board-related meetings, events, and activities.
• Assist with special Board initiatives, including Board travel and other engagement activities, as assigned.

 Office Management and Administration 

• Oversee the day-to-day administrative functioning of the Cincinnati Opera office and help maintain an organized, welcoming, and professional work environment.
• Serve as a central point of coordination for general office needs, including office supplies, mail, equipment, printers, name badges, staff directories, and other shared resources.
• Coordinate routine office maintenance and facility needs with Music Hall, Cincinnati Arts Association, vendors, and appropriate internal staff.
• Maintain administrative calendars, organizational lists, files, records, and recurring office processes.
• Answer and coordinate coverage of the organization's main telephone line and assist visitors as needed.
• Coordinate administrative preparations for Cincinnati Opera's summer performance season and other periods of increased organizational activity.
• Maintain current procedures and documentation for recurring responsibilities to ensure continuity of operations.
• Identify opportunities to improve administrative processes, documentation, organization, and efficiency.  

Bravo Merchandise Shop  

• Manage Cincinnati Opera's Bravo merchandise shop, including both in-person seasonal operations and year-round online sales.
• Maintain merchandise, pricing, and inventory information within the organization's e-commerce and point-of-sale systems.
• Monitor online orders and coordinate timely order fulfillment and shipping.
• Review merchandise sales and inventory annually and recommend products for reorder, discontinuation, discounting, or introduction.
• Coordinate with Marketing and other staff on the design and production of seasonal and Cincinnati Opera-branded merchandise.
• Source merchandise and work with vendors to obtain pricing, place orders, and maintain appropriate inventory levels.
• Coordinate seasonal Bravo Shop set-up, operations, and close-out.
• Coordinate and provide direction to interns, seasonal staff, or other team members supporting Bravo Shop operations.
• Maintain appropriate sales, inventory, and other documentation and coordinate with Finance regarding reconciliation and reporting as needed.  

Meetings, Events and Special Projects  

• Coordinate administrative and logistical support for designated organizational meetings and events.
• Support planning and execution of the Annual Meeting, Board and committee gatherings, and other special events as assigned.
• Assist with opera travel and other Board or donor engagement activities, including coordination with travel partners and responding to participant questions.
• Support select organization-wide initiatives and administrative projects as assigned.
• Perform other duties consistent with the scope and responsibilities of the position.  

Reports To: Reports to the General Director & CEO and Chief Financial and Administrative Officer (CFAO)

Requirements

Required:  

• Minimum of 3–5 years of progressively responsible administrative, executive support, office management, Board relations, or related experience.
• Exceptional organizational skills and demonstrated ability to manage multiple projects, deadlines, and stakeholders simultaneously.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including strong proofreading and document-preparation abilities.
• Demonstrated discretion, maturity, and sound judgment when handling confidential or sensitive information.
• Strong attention to detail and commitment to accuracy.
• Ability to work independently, anticipate needs, exercise initiative, and follow projects through to completion.
• Strong interpersonal skills and the ability to interact professionally and diplomatically with Board members, donors, senior leaders, staff, vendors, and members of the public.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office, including Outlook, Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.
• Comfort learning and working across multiple technology platforms and administrative systems.  

Preferred: 

• Previous experience supporting a nonprofit Board of Directors or Board committees.
• Experience providing administrative support to senior executives.
• Experience in an office management or administrative operations role.
• Experience with Tessitura or another CRM/database system.
• Experience with e-commerce, inventory, or point-of-sale systems.
• Experience in a nonprofit, performing arts, cultural, or similarly mission-driven organization.
• Interest in opera, the performing arts, or Cincinnati Opera's mission.
• Equivalent combinations of education and relevant professional experience will be considered.

 The successful candidate will demonstrate:

• Judgment and discretion – handles confidential and sensitive matters appropriately and understands when to act independently and when to elevate an issue.
• Project Management – plans work effectively, establishes realistic timelines, coordinates stakeholders and dependencies, monitors progress, anticipates obstacles, and ensures projects and deliverables are completed on time.
• Organization and follow-through – maintains reliable systems, manages details effectively, meets commitments, and ensures routine responsibilities do not fall through the cracks.
• Initiative and anticipation – looks ahead, identifies what will be needed, and acts before issues become urgent.
• Communication – communicates clearly, professionally, and appropriately across a wide range of audiences.
• Attention to detail – produces accurate, polished work and recognizes that small details matter when supporting executives and a Board.
• Adaptability – responds effectively to changing priorities and increased activity during Cincinnati Opera's production season.
• Service orientation – approaches interactions with colleagues, Board members, patrons, artists, vendors, and visitors with professionalism and hospitality.
• Continuous improvement – looks for opportunities to simplify processes, strengthen documentation, and improve administrative effectiveness.

  Working Conditions:  

• 30 hours per week on average. 
• Hybrid work environment, with flexibility during lower-activity periods and regular on-site presence required based on organizational activity, programming, meetings, rehearsals, performances, and other operationally critical needs.
• Regular in-person attendance is required for Board and committee meetings and other responsibilities that require on-site support.
• Occasional evening and weekend work is required to support Board activities, performances, organizational events, and production schedules.
• Vacation time may be restricted during designated peak production and performance periods.
• Ability to manage multiple concurrent priorities while maintaining a high level of accuracy during periods of significant organizational activity.

 Physical Requirements  

• Ability to perform work in a professional office environment using standard office equipment.
• Ability to assist with routine meeting, event, office, and merchandise set-up, including moving or lifting supplies, merchandise, packages, and meeting materials as needed.
• Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.  

This position is particularly well suited to someone who enjoys being at the center of an organization—creating structure, anticipating needs, building relationships, and helping others work effectively. The role combines executive support and Board relations with hands-on responsibility for the administrative details that keep Cincinnati Opera operating smoothly throughout the year.

Cincinnati Opera receives administrative support through a shared services agreement with the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra (CSO). As part of the application process, you may receive communications from CSO team members.