Full time / $140,000-$160,000 annually / Oregon Shakespeare Festival / Ashland, OR
The Director of Production will oversee the management of the creative teams, OSF Production staff, the design process, and build the implementation, run, and transfer of OSF projects. Reporting to the Artistic Director, this position will provide overall supervision to the Production department and associated stakeholders, including creative team members, scenery, stage operations, props, costumes, wardrobe and hair, lighting, video, and sound. The Director of Production will provide top-level management of all physical aspects of assigned live and digital projects, monitor design process checkpoints, and take action, as appropriate, to facilitate timely design deliverables and facilitate communication between the creative team and OSF stakeholders ensuring that everyone is working together towards the same goals.
The Director of Production ideally will lead from a background of producing multiple plays at multiple venues in repertory, or similar large-scale production experience, to lead OSF to its pre-pandemic season of 9-10 fully produced shows in rotating rep in 2025. As a senior member of the OSF Leadership Team, the Director of Production will contribute to planning the future direction of the organization, carrying out the organizational goals/vision/values, and representing OSF when needed. They will ensure staff and managers uphold OSF’s mission and values, follow OSF processes, policies, and practices, and adhere to OSF safety procedures. They will be someone who can instill accountability, and efficiency, and inspire confidence in the OSF shops. All employees are expected to center, model, and champion the Purpose and Values of OSF by showing commitment to work toward inclusion, diversity, equity, and accessibility, creating a space of belonging for all audiences and employees.
Roles and Responsibilities
- Administration and General Operations
• Determine standards, policies, and expectations for Production Department success ensuring OSF’s live repertory season is safely delivered on time, within budget and rep parameters, and with artistic excellence.
• Serve as a leader in OSF season planning and repertory scheduling at the direction of the Artistic Director, partnering with the Director of Repertory Producing, Director of Marketing, and Head of Stage Management in constructing a seasonal repertory calendar.
• Ensure consistent administration of the Production SharePoint and Microsoft Teams, and all applicable systems and collaborate with IT and Season Central Team to create the best technical solutions organizational-wide.
• Develop an understanding of the interconnectivity of software solutions for OSF, collaboratively managing OSF-developed programs (Season Central/cygNET issues), data entry, and activities with other stakeholders.
• Collaborate as a key member of the OSF Smoke team for policy and daily decision-making with regard to working in smokey conditions.
• Advocate for and manage capital projects within the Production area as well as advise on maintenance, upgrades, large construction multi-year facility renovation projects, capital expenditure planning, and replacement of aging systems and equipment with an emphasis on safety.
• Embrace and support additional administrative and general operation responsibilities as needed. - Production Management and Leadership Supervision
• Support all OSF production activities, as a member of the Leadership and Production Management Teams, including providing assistance on shows, performing administrative duties for the Production Department such as annual budgeting, administering cloud storage solutions, orientation materials, notes, and running staff meetings.
• Provide overall supervision to all Production Departments and stakeholders: creative team members, scenery, stage-ops, props, costumes, wardrobe and hair, lighting, video, and sound by ensuring staff and managers uphold OSF’s mission and values, follow OSF processes, policies, and practices, and adhere to OSF safety procedures.
• Create standards and policies for recruitment, hiring, performance reviews, progressive discipline, mentoring, and the on-boarding and off-boarding processes of staff, creative team members, FAIR participants, and volunteers.
• Model and support the Purpose and Values of OSF by showing commitment to work toward inclusion, diversity, equity, and accessibility, creating a space of belonging for all audiences and employees.
• Respond to emergencies on a 24/7 basis, as required. - Team Collaboration and Company Communication
• Provide top-level management of all physical aspects of assigned live and digital projects, monitor design process checkpoints, and take action as appropriate to facilitate timely design deliverables while facilitating communication between the creative team and OSF stakeholders to ensure that everyone is working together towards the same goals.
• Ensure all productions and their designs adhere to safety protocols. Ensures local authorities are communicated with and all regulatory requirements are met for fire, special effects, etc.
• Serve on the OSF Leadership Team and contribute to planning the future direction of the organization, carrying out the organizational goals/vision/values, and representing OSF at Company Calls, pre-and post-show speeches to audiences and others, as needed.
• Determine production milestone due dates to keep season planning on track, providing leadership throughout the season’s life cycle; and making key decisions when consensus cannot be reached.
• Lead production process for remounts, transfers, and co-productions.
• Embrace and support additional team collaboration and company communication responsibilities as needed. - Professional Collaborations and Community Relations
• Collaborate with the negotiating team which includes: Director of People and Culture, Manager of Contracting and Procurement, and Finance, in IATSE collective bargaining processes for Production and in all areas where present.
• Act as a formal Employer representative to IATSE Local 154 and lead the Grievance and Arbitration process with an additional understanding of AEA needs and requirements.
• Partner with the production management, contracting, and artistic teams in creative team selection, and booking.
• Serve as a key leader in organizing the response to emergencies as necessitated by events such as pandemics, power outages, wildfire smoke, floods, and/or lightning. First Responder Team (Show Stop)
• Support special events that occur on-stage and involve OSF production staff such as community productions, events, readings, memorials, etc.
• Represent OSF at organizational functions and conferences, interfacing with the OSF Board, donors, and patrons when required.
Traits and Characteristics
The Director of Production will have the capacity to coordinate multiple projects, overlapping show schedules, and conflicting priorities while establishing a culture of open communication and collaboration. They will be a people person, with the ability to ensure all internal and external stakeholders are heard and able to make people care about the greater whole. This person should be able to guide complex organizational dynamics and support the company’s growth maintaining the integrity of the productions while understanding the intricate infrastructure of OSF and able to navigate various departments, including, people & culture, IT, finance, facilities, and production while prioritizing safety and people and culture needs.
Leading with humility and a sense of humor, coupled with experience supervising, mentoring, and managing production teams, the Director of Production will be a compassionate and approachable leader with the ability to identify and oversee resources, tasks, systems, and to foster trust among the team and provide support in conflict resolution and management training as needed. Emotional intelligence, moral centeredness, work-life balance, and advocacy are crucial qualities. Dynamic, strategic, and inspiring, the Director of Production will be highly motivated, appropriately transparent, a great communicator, and a good listener, constantly growing, and accountable with a “can do” attitude, tempered by pragmatic data gathering and realistic budgeting of time and resources.
Other key competencies include:
- Conceptual Thinking: The capacity to analyze hypothetical situations, patterns, and/or abstract concepts to formulate connections and new insights.
- Problem Solving and Personal Accountability: The ability to define, analyze, and diagnose key components of a problem to formulate a solution while also being answerable for personal actions.
- Time and Priority Management: The dexterity to prioritize and complete tasks in order to deliver desired outcomes within allotted time frames and establishing courses of action to ensure that work is completed effectively.
- Self-Starting and Leadership: The capability to demonstrate initiative and willingness to begin working, organizing, and influencing people to believe in a vision while creating a sense of purpose and direction.
Compensation and Benefits
A competitive and equitable compensation package in the range of $140,000 to $160,000 with benefits that include paid time off and holidays; health insurance (medical, dental, vision); long-term disability and life insurance; and an employer-contributed 403(b) retirement plan.
Requirements
At least 7-10 years of professional production management expertise as a technical leader, or comparable experience, is needed in supervising production employees. A minimum of three years of managing unionized staff and key union relationships is critical. Knowledge of AEA and IATSE collective bargaining agreements and the aptitude to craft and oversee budgets is required. Superior written and verbal communication skills (English primarily) are required with additional strong math and budgeting skills is important. Highly developed organizational skills and the ability to keep multiple projects moving forward simultaneously are needed. The ability to work independently and maintain a positive work atmosphere with a variety of staff with diverse backgrounds is required. Repertory or touring experience is a bonus.
A deep understanding of the theater-making process, superior skills using Microsoft Office Suite (Outlook, Word, Excel), and advanced skills in using and creating spreadsheets and Internet collaboration tools are needed. The capacity to read a script and assess requirements regarding staffing, perform budgeting, and design and interpret scaled drawings and drawing packages with a thorough knowledge of theatrical safety is required. The capability to analyze and understand issues pertaining to inclusion, diversity, equity, and access.
The ability to perform administrative work using a computer for extended periods, which could be up to 12 hours a day, and to access the theaters and monitor production activities, is expected. The work schedule varies and includes frequent evening and weekend hours, as well as several weeks during the summer in which more than 40 hours are needed.
Oregon Shakespeare Festival is committed to work toward inclusion, diversity, equity, and accessibility, creating a space of belonging for all audiences and employees through concrete actions and systemic improvements.
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