Jobs

Introduction

Cal Performances is the performing arts presenting, commissioning, and producing organization based at the University of California, Berkeley. The mission of Cal Performances is to produce and present performances of the highest artistic quality, enhanced by programs that explore compelling intersections of education and the performing arts. The organization delivers a diverse artistic and educational mission to the University and surrounding communities, as well as internationally through its digital platforms. The organization delivers roughly 350 events per year, maintaining a budget size of roughly $18M and roughly 65 career staff with hundreds of part-time employees, volunteers, third-party partners, and students.

The Production Manager is responsible for the management of technical elements for Cal Performances events and other University and third-party events staged in the Zellerbach Auditorium, Zellerbach Playhouse, Hertz Hall, Wheeler Auditorium, Hearst Greek Theater, and other off-campus venues, as necessary.

This position is also responsible for our theaters’ technical assets and for leading our production technical departments and contractors, including set/carpentry, lighting, sound, wardrobe, and makeup. Working with a team of 15 career production staff and dozens of occasional production staff, the Production Manager is responsible for leading the advanced production preparations. The Production Manager oversees and manages all stage needs related to the production of each event including stage equipment, staffing levels, advance work, and touring artist requirements. This position works closely with the Senior Director of Operations, Chief Programming Officer, and Rental Business Manager, as well as other leaders, in the planning and budgeting of production considerations. Due to the nature of this work, this position’s schedule includes extensive on-site evening and weekend hours.

Responsibilities:

Production Advance Planning

• Work with directors, designers, producers, company technical directors, and tour managers to assess and coordinate technical requirements and schedules in advance of each company’s arrival.
• Under the direction of the Senior Director of Operations and with the assistance of Production Department Heads, plan, manage, and implement all technical and staging aspects for performances and related educational/community programming, in a number of diverse performance venues.
• Responsible for management of labor and material expense for production portions of project budgets, working closely with the Senior Director of Operations to optimally utilize our financial and human resources. Must manage production expenses to agreed upon budget plan, consulting with Senior Director of Operations or Rental Business Manager when expenses must exceed the budget to minimize net impact.
• Ensure the dissemination of production details to all other individuals who require it to be successful at their work.
• Recommend optimal venue seating configurations for each performance and disseminate that information to internal stakeholders, including Ticket Office, Front of House, Artistic Planning, Marketing, etc.
• Fulfill and negotiate the requirements of contracts, technical riders, and production operations. Recommending solutions to challenges that adversely affect timelines, resources, and scope of projects.
• Implement a system of reviewing all production activities after each event and documenting lessons learned and how we can continuously improve in delivering productions in effective and efficient ways, including safety, timeliness, management of expenses, employee engagement, process improvement, and artist/renter satisfaction.
• Advise and specify appropriate and cost-effective equipment to be used for presentations.
• Advise Cal Performances departments regarding technical needs for special events or residency activities.
• Assist Rental Business Manager in developing labor estimates for rental or campus events.

Production Leadership

• Directly supervise Production Department Heads, including assigning work duties and overseeing work being performed.
• Oversee the timely and complete scheduling of all stage production labor. Works closely with Production Administrative Manager to produce the schedule.
• Oversee orientation sessions for newly hired Scene Technicians, ensuring that Production Department Heads provide effective and consistent onboarding to all employees.
• Provide or oversee additional on-site basic theater craft instruction and training of all stage crew employees during pre-hangs, load-ins, rehearsals, shows, load-outs, and/or changeovers.
• Work with Production Administrative Manager, Production Department Heads, and Human Resources to address performance management issues, including assignments, training and development, evaluation, promotions, and disciplinary matters.
• Maintain a strong understanding of Labor Relations contracts with our represented employees and oversee our compliance with that contract and participate in meetings between Represented Labor, Union Leadership, and Management to address grievances and other matters.
• In conjunction with the Production Administrative Manager, maintain and approve monthly payroll records for direct reports.
• Assist in maintaining a safe working environment. Ensure that necessary and appropriate stage safety training is regularly provided on schedule. Advise leadership of possible risks or hazards and participate in developing and implementing mitigations.
• Maintain strong relationships with third-party vendors and service providers, working closely with the Production Administration Manager to ensure that our partners deliver the goods and services we need for production in a high quality, on-time, and cost-effective manner.
• On occasion, perform some duties which are the responsibilities of the Production Administrative Manager or other Production Department Heads, as determined.

Production Operations

• Act as the “Manager on Duty”, overseeing all staging, workflow, and schedule for pre-hangs, rigging, load-ins, rehearsals, performances, load-outs, and changeover days.
• In collaboration with the artists, direct the implementation of all related elements required by events. Work with touring technicians, designers, or artists during load-ins, rehearsals, performances, and load-outs in assessing and resolving event technical problems and event budgetary issues.
• Ensures strong communication between the production team, Artistic Planning, Event Managers, and Audience Services during each event, so that the artists, renters, and audiences have an optimal experience at Cal Performances, including being a key participant and leader in our regular production and event planning cross-departmental meetings.
• Lead the creation of solutions to challenges that adversely affect timelines, resources, and scope of production projects.
• Arrange for the procurement of technical equipment required for an event, as needed.
• Serve as onsite technical contact for event production needs.
• In coordination with the Production Administrative Manager, document all event stage labor, vendors’ expenses, consultants, and labor hours within designated software systems.
• Assist Rental Business Manager in reporting actual labor expenses for all rental events.

Equipment and Facilities Maintenance

• Oversee preventative maintenance on equipment
• Develop and solicit competitive bids for equipment, purchase/replacement, capital projects, and special vendor services. Make recommendations on best value or best pricing.
• Keep an inventory of the Cal Performances’ technical supplies and appropriate replacement cycles.
• Assist leadership in the preparation of a maintenance plan. Identify and advise Cal Performances leadership on both short-term and long-term maintenance and equipment needs.
• Serve as the on-site work leader for maintenance projects as assigned.
• Oversee the maintenance of effective technical specifications to share with artist companies and renters of our venues.

Skills, Knowledge & Abilities

Required

• Strong knowledge and experience acting as a Technical Production Manager for theater, dance, and/or other live performance and special event operations, including producing, production management/stage management, and operations in a theatrical venue that hosts touring artists.
• Experience in major professional technical theater productions in venues with advanced technical capabilities, including knowledge of technical theater protocol, chain-of-command, and stage equipment and practices.
• Strong management and leadership skills to effectively recruit, hire, train, motivate and evaluate personnel, including taking corrective action as required with a variety of experience levels, including union members, road crews, and part-time staff in completing their daily tasks. Ability to exhibit a positive, approachable attitude; open-mindedness and objectivity, a willingness to collaborate, and general professionalism and civility at all times
• Knowledge of budgeting and financial management concepts and techniques.
• Negotiation, analytical, and research skills to interpret data, prepare conclusions and successfully negotiate terms and conditions of contracts and proposals that are in the best interest of the institution.
• Excellent interpersonal communication skills, including the skills to work effectively with diverse publics. Must be able to work across departments internally to collaborate and influence effective outcomes for Cal Performances.
• Excellent organizational and analytical skills and skills to perform effectively under deadlines.
• Excellent problem recognition, avoidance, and resolution skills.
• Knowledge of current state and federal OSHA standards applicable to professional theater environments as well as industry safety standards and recommendations.
• Strong knowledge of emerging production technologies and industry trends and standards. Including knowledge of common software tools such as AutoCAD, Vectorworks, Lightwright, and standard MS Office software.
• Ability to move and manage items weighing up to 50 lbs.
• Able to work long hours, overtime, nights, weekends, and holidays onsite. Position may also occasionally work remotely as work demands allow.

Preferred

• Appreciation for a wide variety of performing arts, including dance, music, and theater.
• Experience working as a stage professional on tour with various theatrical or touring productions is preferred.
• Bachelor’s degree in a related area and/or equivalent experience or training

Compensation

The salary range for this position that Cal Performances reasonably expects to pay is $120,000–135,000.