About Hendricks Live!
Hendricks Live! is a dynamic nonprofit arts and entertainment venue dedicated to creating memorable experiences for Central Indiana’s diverse communities. Through performances, events, and community engagement, we bring people together through exceptional art and entertainment.
Located just 30 minutes from Indianapolis in the growing and vibrant town of Plainfield, Hendricks Live! features:
- a 600-seat performance theatre
- a 120-seat flexible event space
- Public art galleries
Our programming includes concerts, theatre, dance, comedy, film, and community events, alongside private rentals such as weddings, corporate events, and fundraisers.
The Opportunity
Hendricks Live! is seeking a dynamic, people-first leader to shape and elevate the guest experience at one of Central Indiana’s newest performing arts venues.
As Director of Guest Services, you will lead all front-facing operations—including box office, concessions, front of house, and volunteer programs—ensuring every guest enjoys a seamless, welcoming, and memorable experience. You are responsible for setting standards, leading teams, designing processes and ensuring consistent, high-quality execution across all events. You’ll be a key member of the leadership team, contributing to organizational strategy, driving revenue opportunities, and building a culture of excellence.
Why This Role Matters
This is a unique opportunity to help build and refine the guest experience at a growing arts organization. In this role, you will:
- Own the performance and effectiveness of guest-facing operations that serve thousands of guests annually
- Oversee and develop a department of 5 full and part-time staff, as well as a corps of 70+ volunteers
- Design systems and processes to deliver exceptional safety and service
- Contribute to revenue growth through ticket and concessions sales
What You’ll Do
Leadership & Team Development
- Lead, coach, and develop Guest Services staff, including Box Office and House Managers
- Recruit, train, and support part-time staff and a volunteer team of 70+ individuals
- Establish clear expectations, accountability, and consistent performance standards
- Foster a collaborative, solutions-oriented team culture
Guest Experience & Operations
- Supervise all front-of-house operations, including ticketing, concessions, and audience services
- Serve as Manager on Duty (MOD) during select events acting as the primary authority for guest-facing operations including facility conditions, parking, security, patron entry and exiting, seating, onsite escalations, housekeeping and emergency response
- Ensure a safe, clean, accessible, and welcoming environment for all guests
- Develop and implement customer service standards and training programs
- Lead pre-event readiness and post-event review processes for FOH operations
Ticketing & Revenue Optimization
- Partner with the Box Office Manager to oversee ticketing strategy and operations
- Review event builds, pricing, discounts, and comp ticket allocations
- Collaborate with Concessions Manager to guide concessions operations, product mix, pricing, and inventory management
- Monitor and report out on box office and concessions performance and identify opportunities to improve revenue and efficiency
Volunteer Program Leadership
- Directly oversee and execute recruitment, onboarding, scheduling and retention of volunteers
- Develop training programs, policies, and performance initiatives
- Lead volunteer recognition, engagement and appreciation efforts
Strategy & Collaboration
- Contribute to organizational strategy and long-term planning
- Partner with production and other departments to ensure alignment on event readiness, timelines, and execution
- Collaborate with marketing, development, and programming teams to identify audience preferences and trends.
- Support new initiatives, partnerships, and revenue-generating opportunities
Systems & Accountability
- Support the further development and use of systems for scheduling, communication, and reporting
- Monitor front-of-house performance, staffing levels, and operational efficiency
- Contribute to financial goals and develop, manage and track departmental budget
What You Bring
- A passion for arts, entertainment, and community engagement
- Strong leadership experience managing staff and/or volunteers
- A commitment to delivering exceptional guest experiences
- Excellent organizational, communication, and problem-solving skills
- Ability to thrive in a fast-paced, event-driven environment
- A collaborative mindset and positive, solutions-oriented approach
Qualifications
- Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience
- 5+ years of experience in guest services, hospitality, volunteer management, ticketing, concessions or related operations; Experience in live events and/or performing arts preferred
- 2+ years of leadership or management experience
- Proficiency in Microsoft 365 ecosystem (Outlook, Teams, etc.)
Schedule & Work Environment
- Full-time (40+ hours/week)
- Regular evenings, weekends, and holidays based on event schedule
- Hybrid flexibility for administrative work as appropriate and flexible days off.
Compensation & Benefits
- Salary: $60,000–$70,000
- Health insurance (employer subsidized)
- Dental and vision plans available
- 401(k) plan available
- Paid time off and holidays
How to Apply
To apply, please submit your resume and a brief cover letter outlining your interest in the role to:
careers@hendrickslive.org
Application deadline: Until filled
