Laguna Playhouse
Laguna Beach, CA
US

DESCRIPTION

Reports to: Director of Advancement
Position Status: Full-Time, Regular, Exempt
Compensation: $78,000–$82,000 annually
Benefits: Medical and Dental (shared expense), 401(k), paid vacation and sick leave, paid holidays

Position Summary
The Senior Manager of Patron Services is a senior operational leader responsible for delivering an exceptional, welcoming, and seamless patron experience at Laguna Playhouse. Reporting to the Director of Advancement, this role oversees all front-of-house and box office operations, including staffing, systems, financial controls, and operational procedures. The position serves as a key partner in earned revenue generation and patron engagement, balancing hospitality-driven leadership with strong operational oversight to ensure accuracy, safety, consistency, and excellence across all public-facing functions in a fast-paced live performance environment.

About the Culture
Laguna Playhouse is a mission-driven, community-centered performing arts organization committed to artistic excellence, inclusivity, and collaboration. The Playhouse fosters a professional, respectful, and creatively enriching workplace that values authenticity, accountability, and continuous improvement.

Laguna Playhouse is deeply committed to equity, diversity, and inclusion and strongly encourages applications from individuals who identify as Black, Indigenous, and People of Color; women; transgender and non-binary individuals; and individuals from communities historically underrepresented in the theatre industry.

Core Responsibilities
This job description reflects the essential functions of the role but is not intended to be an exhaustive list. Responsibilities may evolve to support organizational goals.

Box Office and Patron Experience Leadership

● Provide strategic and day-to-day leadership for all box office operations, ensuring accurate and timely processing of single, subscription, and group ticket sales.

● Establish and maintain best-practice procedures that deliver outstanding service to patrons, subscribers, donors, artists, and guests with accessibility needs.

● Oversee ticketing and CRM systems, including event setup, seat maps, pricing, promotions, reporting, and patron data integrity.

● Ensure clear and consistent communication of seating policies, ADA accommodations, exchanges, refunds, and customer service standards.

● Serve as a senior public-facing representative of the Playhouse, modeling excellence in patron engagement and conflict resolution.

● Partner with the Advancement team to support donor events, complimentary ticketing, opening nights, and special patron initiatives.

Front-of-House Operations and Staff Leadership

● Lead all front-of-house departments, including house managers, ushers, and bartenders.

● Recruit, hire, train, schedule, and supervise front-of-house staff and volunteers, ensuring consistent standards of professionalism and hospitality.

● Provide coaching, performance feedback, and corrective action as needed to maintain accountability and excellence.

● Ensure all safety, emergency, and accessibility protocols are implemented consistently across performances and events.

● Oversee lobby operations, seating processes, concessions, and post-show patron flow to ensure a positive guest experience.

Operational Oversight and Cross-Departmental Coordination

● Serve as the primary operational lead for front-of-house functions, ensuring alignment with Advancement, Marketing, Production, Finance, and General Management.

● Participate in season planning and production timelines to ensure front-of-house readiness, staffing coverage, and ticketing setup.

● Identify operational inefficiencies and implement improvements to workflows, staffing models, and systems.

● Maintain and document front-of-house and box office standard operating procedures.

Financial Accountability and Performance Management

● Establish and enforce financial controls for all box office and front-of-house revenue activity.

● Oversee daily cash handling, deposits, and reconciliation in partnership with the Finance Department.

● Develop and manage front-of-house and box office operational budgets in collaboration with Advancement and Finance.

● Monitor ticket sales trends, attendance patterns, staffing costs, and complimentary ticket usage to support revenue forecasting and expense control.

● Produce accurate daily, weekly, show-specific, and annual ticketing and attendance reports for settlements, audits, and leadership review.

● Ensure compliance with internal financial policies and audit requirements.

Data, Systems, and Reporting

● Translate ticketing and attendance data into actionable insights to improve patron experience and sales performance.

● Support subscriber and donor retention efforts through accurate data management and coordinated patron communications.

● Evaluate and recommend improvements to ticketing, CRM, and point-of-sale systems in collaboration with Advancement and Finance.

● Prepare reports and summaries for senior leadership and the Board as requested.

Work Environment and Schedule Expectations
This position is 100% onsite and requires availability to work evenings and weekends as needed to support performances, special events, and donor activities.

Qualifications
Required Qualifications

● Minimum of five years of experience in patron services, box office management, live events, or performing arts operations.

● Demonstrated success leading staff or volunteers in a customer-facing environment.

● Experience with ticketing systems, CRM platforms, and point-of-sale systems.

● Strong financial acumen, including cash handling, reconciliation, and reporting.

● Exceptional attention to detail, organization, and follow-through.

● Calm, professional, and resourceful under pressure.

● Strong judgment, independent problem-solving skills, and a collaborative leadership style.

● Ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment.

● Valid California driver’s license and reliable transportation.

Preferred Qualifications

● Exceptional attention to detail, organization, and follow-through.

● Calm, professional, and resourceful under pressure.

● Strong judgment, independent problem-solving skills, and a collaborative leadership style.

● Ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment

Education
Bachelor’s degree preferred, or an equivalent combination of education and relevant professional experience.

Physical Requirements

● Ability to sit or stand for extended periods

● Ability to walk short distances within the office

● Repetitive hand motions for keyboard and mouse use

● Clear verbal communication and adequate hearing for phone and in‑person interactions

● Vision sufficient to read documents and computer screens

● Ability to lift up to 25 lbs occasionally, 10 lbs frequently (files, office supplies)

● Ability to reach, bend, and stoop occasionally to access files or office equipment

● Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

To Apply

Please submit a resume and cover letter to the Advancement Department at development @ lagunaplayhouse.com.

Email subject line: Senior Manager of Patron Services Application

DURATION

Feb 28, 2026 -

SALARY

$78,000.00 – $82,000.00 per year

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