Denver Center for the Performing ArtsGeneral Manager, Finance and Business Operations
Apr. 2015Greater Denver AreaThe Denver Center for the Performing Arts (DCPA) is a premier cultural institution operating in multiple venues with a Broadway business unit serving over 500,000 guests annually Oversaw business operations, finance, marketing, sales, accounting, and programming for a $40M–$65M unit with 400+ annual events. Led FP&A, pricing, revenue strategy, contracts, and system upgrades. Lead a team of 3 direct reports, 3 dotted line reports, and an occasional workforce of 50+ contract employees. Drove cross-functional alignment to boost operational and financial performance from planning through execution. Selected Accomplishments: - Improved forecast accuracy by 62%, reducing budget-to-actual variance from 13% to 5%, through the development of predictive revenue models and dynamic scenario planning that enabled more strategic financial decision-making. - Increased incremental revenue from $500k to $3.1M annually over three years by building and operationalizing a dynamic pricing strategy, automating manual processes (reducing workflow by 80%), and integrating a real-time pricing system with the organization’s CRM. While also maintaining a customer experience rating of 90%+ - Delivered high-impact programs requiring complex problem solving, activating 20+ local vendors and building cross-functional teams, ultimately securing a second-year return and expanding the international brand equity in a new U.S. market. - Increased departmental capacity and team stability by developing a business case to expand the team FTEs, restructuring workflows, and formalizing SOPs - reducing team burnout and enabling leadership to focus more on strategic planning. - Achieved 10% cost savings ($400k annually on a single contract) by negotiating complex vendor and production contracts, including 40-50 individual vendors and deal terms improving organizational profitability.