Associate Vice President of Operations (Year-Round)

Interlochen Center for the Arts; Interlochen (MI); On-site; USD 140,000 - 190,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

Paid time off

Tuition support

Employee discounts

Retirement plan

Job summary

Interlochen Center for the Arts is seeking an Associate Vice President of Operations (Year‑Round) to oversee lodging, retail, dining, campus safety, and transportation. This executive role manages a $5M+ portfolio, drives financial performance, and scales operating models to support a year‑round educational and artistic community.

The AVP will modernize business practices, deploy technology, and collaborate with senior leadership to ensure safe, sustainable operations and exceptional guest

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree or higher and 8–10 years of leadership experience in multi‑department operations.
• Proven accountability for large operating budgets, financial performance, and resource allocation.
• Experience leading managers and building high‑performing teams.
• Track record of operational improvements, tech adoption, and cost efficiencies.

Responsibilities

• Own P&L for lodging, retail, and dining, optimizing revenue and costs.
• Set targets, budgets, forecasts, and report KPIs monthly to senior leadership.
• Identify new revenue streams and partner on integrated sales and branding strategies.
• Lead process improvement, technology adoption, and automation across operations.

Skills

Leadership

Budgeting

P&L ownership

Strategy execution

Stakeholder collaboration

Education

Bachelor's degree or equivalent combination of education and relevant leadership experience

Job description

Associate Vice President of Operations (Year-Round)

• Job Tracking ID :85509-370792
• Job Location :Interlochen, MI
• Job Level :Executive
• Level of Education :
• Job Type :Full-Time/Regular
• Date Updated :10/21/2026
• Years of Experience :8+ Years
• Starting Date :Invalid Date
• Division :Hospitality/Retail,Operations,Administration,Business Office
• Salary : $

The Associate Vice President of Operations leads Interlochen's revenue generating operations and key campus services, including Lodging, Retail, Dining, Campus Safety and Transportation. Overseeing a $5M+ operational portfolio, the AVP Operations is accountable for financial performance, service excellence, operational efficiency, risk management, and the effective deployment of Interlochen resources. This leader will modernize business practices, strengthen management systems, leverage technology and automation, and develop scalable operating models that balance financial sustainability with the needs of a dynamic, year-round educational and artistic community. Serving as a key operational partner to the Chief Financial and Operating Officer, the AVP Operations translates Interlochen priorities into coordinated departmental plans, resolves cross-functional challenges, and ensures effective execution of strategic initiatives. Through proactive leadership, operational discipline, and collaboration across the institution, the AVP Operations ensures campus operations are safe, responsive, financially responsible, and positioned to support Interlochen's continued growth and mission.

Financial Performance and Business Development

• Own P&L for lodging, retail, and dining, optimizing revenue, contribution margins, and cost structures.
• Set targets, manage budgets, forecast accurately, and report KPIs to senior leadership monthly.
• Identify new revenue streams, including group sales, conferences, off season use, and e-commerce.
• Partner with Marketing and campus leaders on integrated sales and branding strategies.

Operational Excellence, Automation, and Cost Efficiency

• Lead process improvement, technology adoption, and automation across operations to reduce costs, improve productivity, and enhance service delivery.
• Establish measurable performance targets and dashboards to monitor productivity, unit costs, operational efficiency, and return on investment.
• Design scalable staffing and operational models for peak summer demand and academic year baselines.
• Pursue vendor consolidation, coordinated purchasing, and shared services to maximize cost efficiency.

Campus Services, Safety, and Risk Management

• Provide executive oversight of campus safety, emergency preparedness and transportation, ensuring effective operational leadership, regulatory compliance, and organizational readiness.
• Establish clear operating standards, approval processes, accountability structures, and escalation protocols to support safe, consistent, and coordinated campus operations.
• Partner with Interlochen leadership to identify, assess, and mitigate operational risks, ensuring appropriate preparedness, training, and response capabilities.
• Collaborate with Facilities, Education, and other campus stakeholders to ensure operational planning supports student safety, campus accessibility, and Interlochen priorities.

Hospitality, Dining, and Customer Experience

• Maintain exceptional service, quality, and safety standards across lodging, dining, and retail operations.
• Lead guest experience during high profile events, camp sessions, move in periods, and performances.

Leadership and Organizational Effectiveness

• Establish clear decision rights, accountability, approval processes, and escalation protocols to ensure effective coordination and timely resolution of operational issues across departments.
• Develop and hold department leaders accountable while evaluating organizational structures, management capacity, and succession needs to ensure effective operations and future readiness.
• Develop workforce plans for seasonal recruitment, retention, and training across a large hourly and seasonal workforce.

Experience and Skills

Minimum qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent combination of education and relevant leadership experience.
• Eight to ten years of progressively responsible leadership experience in complex, multi-department operations.
• Demonstrated accountability for significant operating budgets, financial performance, resource allocation, and operational outcomes.
• Experience leading managers and developing high-performing teams.
• Demonstrated success implementing operational improvements, technology solutions, and measurable cost efficiencies.
• Experience managing large hourly/seasonal workforces in mission driven or complex operational settings.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience in higher education auxiliary services, hospitality, resort management, independent schools or other complex environments.
• Experience overseeing multiple service lines with competing operational demands.
• Demonstrated success leading organization transformation, process redesign, or business modernization.
• Advanced degree or relevant operational improvement certification.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

• Ability to anticipate needs and address them proactively, use discretion, and make sound decisions independently.
• Ability to demonstrate respect for cultural, ethnic, spiritual, and linguistic diversity and values, including differences in personal goals, lifestyle choices, and family backgrounds and histories.
• Ability to work effectively in a high profile, fast paced environment with frequent interruptions and competing priorities while maintaining professional composure and a positive, productive work atmosphere.
• Knowledge of hospitality and auxiliary business economics, including pricing, unit costs, contribution margins, and return on investment.
• Skill in operational improvement, process redesign, technology adoption, and data-driven decision-making.
• Ability to develop leaders, establish accountability, exercise sound judgment, and drive organizational performance.
• Ability to balance financial sustainability, service excellence, Interlochen mission, and safety and youth protection obligations.
• Ability to build effective relationships and collaborate across academic, artistic, advancement, and operational teams.
• Ability to communicate effectively with frontline employees, senior leadership, trustees, and external stakeholders.

Application Materials Required:

• Resume
• Cover Letter

Job Benefits

• Health, dental, and vision insurance
• Vacation, Sick, Holiday and generous winter holiday time off
• Life insurance
• Voluntary life insurance
• Short and long-term disability
• Employee development & tuition reimbursement programs
• 403(b) plan, managed by TIAA
• Free or discounted employee tickets to Interlochen performances and events *some exceptions apply
• Early event ticket purchase before general public sales begin
• Free Stone Cafeteria meal on shift
• Dennison Recreation Center accessibility (includes spouses)
• Priority access to Interlochen employees at Pitter Patter Day Care Center (less than one mile from campus)
• Employee Referral Program (cash payments)
• Tuition discounts for employee’s children at Academy, Camp and Interlochen Online
• Parental leave (12 weeks paid for Pregnancy/Maternity/Childbirth leave, 6 weeks paid for Parental leave).

Interlochen is proud to provide priority placement at Pitter Patter Preschool & Childcare located in the Interlochen Community Center, near our campus, for employees' dependents. In addition, Interlochen employees may be eligible for the MI Tri-Share Program. This program shares the cost of childcare between the state of Michigan, Interlochen Center for the Arts, and the employee (The employee will only pay 1/3 of the total cost, if eligible). Income guidelines and more information about MI Tri-Share can be found at https://www.michigan.gov/mwc/initiatives/mi-tri-share-child-care .

Core Values

• Just An Idea reflects Interlochen's commitment to innovation, honoring its legacy of groundbreaking ideas whilecontinuing to pioneer new advancements in the arts and education.
• Drawn Here emphasizes the passion that unites Interlochen's diverse community, bringing together students, staff,alumni, and supporters in a shared mission to elevate and inspire through the arts.
• The Artist's Journey highlights the nurturing environment Interlochen provides, supporting artists from potentialto mastery through creativity, discipline, and a dedication to growth.
• Solo e Tutti captures the balance of individuality and collaboration, celebrating both personal artistic developmentand the power of working together to create meaningful, impactful work.

These Core Values guide everything we do at Interlochen, fostering a workplace that seamlessly marries tradition with innovation; artwith nature; and collaboration with personal achievement. Joining our community means making a lasting impact while embracing the uniquecreative spirit that defines our culture.

Interlochen Center for the Arts provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, ethnicity,national origin or ancestry, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, religion (religious creed),age, disability status, genetics, pregnancy, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws. EEOC Voluntary Self-Identification of Protected Veteran Status Voluntary Self-Identification of Disability Federal law requires employers to provide reasonable accommodation to qualified individuals with disabilities. Please tell us if you require a reasonable accommodation to apply for a job or to perform your job. Examples of reasonable accommodation include making a change to the application process or work procedures, providing documents in an alternate format, using a sign language interpreter, or using specialized equipment.