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Sarasota Opera welcomes applications and nominations for the position of Chief Financial Officer, available in the Spring of 2026.

Sarasota Opera

(www.sarasotaopera.org)

Sarasota Opera is marking its 67^th season of bringing internationally acclaimed opera to audiences on Florida’s Gulf Coast while celebrating the Centennial of its home, the historic Sarasota Opera House.  The Company’s Winter Opera Festival will take place at the Sarasota Opera House in February and March 2026, and will include 34 performances of four major operas:  La bohème, The Merry Widow, Il trovatore, and Susannah. 

The Company was launched in 1960 in the historic 320-seat Asolo Theater on the grounds of Sarasota’s Ringling Museum of Art.  In 1984, the Company moved into the former A.B. Edwards Theater, now the Sarasota Opera House.  The 1,119-seat Sarasota Opera House, which underwent a $20 million renovation and rehabilitation in 2007, has been named “one of America’s finest venues for opera” by Musical America.

Since then, Sarasota Opera has gained an international reputation as one of the leading regional opera companies in the United States.  The Company’s major artistic initiatives have included the Masterworks Revival Series, the American Classics Series, and the Verdi Cycle.  The Company’s Sarasota Youth Opera is the most comprehensive youth opera program in the United States. 

Since 1983, Sarasota Opera has been under the artistic leadership of Victor DeRenzi.  In 1989, the Company and DeRenzi launched a monumental Verdi Cycle.  When the Cycle concluded in 2016, Sarasota Opera became the only opera company in the world to have performed every note composed by Giuseppi Verdi.  Since 2012, the Company’s administrative leader has been General Director Richard Russell.  When Victor DeRenzi steps down as Artistic Director in May 2026, Richard Russell will become General Director and Artistic Director.

Sarasota Opera is governed by a Board of 28 and has a year-round staff of 30, which grows to 200 during the winter season.  The Company’s budget is $11 million.

The Position

The Chief Financial Officer (CFO) is the senior executive responsible and accountable for overseeing financial strategy, planning, and operations for Sarasota Opera.  The CFO drives the processes of budgeting, forecasting, and financial analysis; ensures the Company’s compliance with government regulations, contracts, donor agreements, and reporting requirements; and ensures that controls are in place to protect the Opera’s assets and non-profit tax status.    

The CFO maintains the integrity of the Company’s accounting systems and records, and ensures full and accurate integration of the accounting records with Tessitura and other applications in use by the Company.  The CFO provides timely, accurate, and complete financial reports and information to the General Director, the Board, and the staff to guide and inform their decision-making.  The CFO provides budgets, reports, and necessary financial data to the Development Department to support grant applications and fulfill reporting requirements. 

The CFO monitors the Company’s bank accounts, cash flow, and investments and serves as liaison to the Company’s investment advisors. The CFO reviews all invoices, contracts, and agreements.  The CFO is the liaison with the insurance agency and ensures that the Company has adequate coverages.  The CFO oversees the payroll process to ensure accuracy and timeliness, and oversees the administration of employee benefits.

The CFO reports to the General Director, supervises the accounting staff, and works closely with the Treasurer of the Board and members of the executive management team.  The CFO is the staff liaison for the Finance Committee, the Investment Committee; and the Audit Committee.  The CFO provides reports and documents as needed for the annual audit and ensures that all tax filings are prepared correctly and in a timely manner.  The ensures compliance with FASB and GAAP guidelines.

As a member of the executive management team, the CFO attends performances and events and serves as an ambassador for the Company with donors, patrons, and audiences as well as external stakeholders throughout the greater Sarasota community. 

The ideal candidate will have significant senior financial management experience; thorough familiarity with non-profit fund accounting; proven budgeting, forecasting, and cash management ability; and a genuine interest in connecting audiences with opera.  Experience working with a not-for-profit organization is essential; experience working with an opera company or other performing arts organization will be a plus.

The successful candidate will be thoroughly knowledgeable about, and experienced with, institutional planning and helping to shape, implement, and monitor strategic plans.  The candidate will have a thorough working knowledge of the technology available to support finance and operations in a non-profit organization.  Prior experience with Sage MIP Accounting and Tessitura will be viewed as an asset.  The successful candidate will bring experience in human resources and benefits administration. 

The successful candidate will be a leader with strong supervisory skills and a management style that encourages collaboration and teamwork.  The candidate will be able to manage multiple deadlines and competing priorities with grace and good humor.  The candidate will be curious, persistent, and nimble.

The successful candidate will be able to accept a work schedule that includes performances and events on nights and weekends during production periods.  The candidate will welcome the opportunity to play a key role in the management of Sarasota Opera and become an active participant in the Sarasota community. 

About Catherine French Group

The Catherine French Group works with symphony orchestras, opera companies, performing arts presenters, music festivals, schools of music, and other music and arts organizations as they recruit chief executives, senior management, and artistic personnel. The Catherine French Group is based in Washington, DC. Catherine French is founder and principal. Henry Fogel, Dean Emeritus of the Chicago College of Performing Arts at Roosevelt University, collaborates on projects that have a special focus on music directors and artistic directors.

Connections working at Catherine French Group