Senior Manager, Workforce Development and Organizational Talent

The Senior Manager, Talent & Workforce Development will serve as a key member of the Human Resources team, responsible for overseeing the full cycle of talent management at The Public Theater, New York City’s leading and historic not-for-profit theater. This role will manage the organization’s highly regarded Fellowship Program and serve as the primary liaison to funders, reporting on outcomes and impact. The Senior Manager will also act as a standard bearer for other workforce development efforts, including unpaid observerships, seasonal placements, and special one-off learning opportunities, thereby expanding pathways into the theater for candidates and arts workers from both traditional and nontraditional talent pools. 

In addition, this role will design, implement, and standardize organization-wide processes for recruitment, onboarding, and workforce development initiatives. A strategic partner to all departments, the Senior Manager will ensure that every candidate and employee has a consistent, engaging, and mission-driven experience with the theater. 

Responsibilities: 

Fellowship & Workforce Development Programs 

• Manage the administration of the Fellowship Program, including recruitment, selection, onboarding, mentorship, evaluation, and alumni engagement.
• Coordinate with program funders, preparing regular reports and impact metrics.
• Act as the point person for unpaid observerships, one-off internships, and department-specific opportunities during productions and seasonal programming.
• Integrate all departments into relevant training and relationship management with university and non-traditional programs and partnerships to broaden The Public Theater brand and to create a large network of learning opportunities using staff/internal talent and expertise.
• Collaborate with internal and external partners to expand the theater’s workforce development footprint, creating multiple points of access for aspiring theater professionals.

Talent Management & Recruitment 

• Oversee the full-cycle recruitment process for all departments, including job postings, applicant tracking, interview coordination, and candidate communications.
• Develop and implement standardized recruitment and hiring practices across the organization, ensuring efficiency, fairness, and inclusivity.
• Partner with department heads to identify hiring needs and broaden outreach to diverse candidate pools, both within and beyond traditional arts networks.
• Serve as a visible representative of the theater at university programs, professional associations, and community-based pipelines to create a network of engagement with the theater and continually broaden its reach in the arts, both locally and nationally.

Onboarding & Employee Experience 

• Lead and continuously improve the theater’s onboarding process to provide new hires with a consistent, welcoming, and informative entry into the organization.
• Partner with managers and union administrators to ensure new employees are set up for success, with clear introductions to organizational culture, mission, and values.
• Develop resources and toolkits that strengthen engagement, retention, and professional growth.

Organizational Leadership & Strategy 

• Partner with HR leadership to align talent management strategies with the theater’s broader goals of equity, access, and cultural transformation.
• Establish clear documentation and standard operating procedures for all recruitment, onboarding, and workforce development processes.
• Act as a thought leader on workforce trends, emerging talent pipelines, and best practices in nonprofit arts recruitment and development.

Qualifications 

• 6–8 years of progressive experience in talent management, recruitment, or workforce development, preferably within the arts, nonprofit, or cultural sector.
• Demonstrated success managing full-cycle recruitment and onboarding processes.
• Strong project management skills with the ability to balance multiple priorities across departments.
• Experience managing fellowship, internship, or workforce development programs, including funder reporting and relationship management.
• Commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging in recruitment and workforce development.
• Excellent interpersonal, written, and verbal communication skills.
• Knowledge of applicant tracking systems, HRIS, and talent management platforms preferred.

Compensation & Benefits

This is an exempt full-time position, according to the Fair Labor Standards Act, with an annual salary of $90,000. The Public Theater offers a competitive salary in the nonprofit arts sector along with a comprehensive benefits package, including health, dental, vision, retirement plans, and generous paid time off.