Production Manager

$60,000 - $65,000/Yr

Unclassified - Detroit, MI

Full-time

Detroit, MI

About the position

The Production Manager at Detroit Opera plays a crucial role within the production team, acting as the primary liaison for all behind-the-scenes personnel, including designers, stage managers, and vendors. This position is essential for creating a welcoming and supportive environment for production staff and managing the day-to-day production planning for opera, dance, and other events that require production support. The Production Manager is responsible for overseeing various aspects of production logistics, ensuring that all personnel have the necessary resources and information to perform their roles effectively. In this role, the Production Manager will create and maintain schedules for keyboard tuning for all Detroit Opera events, manage contracts and communication with tuning technicians, and review technical riders to provide timely feedback to dance companies and designers. The position also involves preparing production budgets, ensuring hospitality logistics for production personnel, and coordinating travel and accommodation arrangements for visiting staff. The Production Manager will act as the primary liaison among various departments, ensuring clear communication and collaboration to facilitate successful productions. Additionally, the Production Manager will participate in regular production and artistic meetings, assist with union negotiations, and ensure compliance with collective bargaining agreements. This role requires attendance at rehearsals and performances, processing invoices, and preparing agendas for cross-departmental meetings to maintain transparency and clarity of information. The Production Manager must possess strong organizational skills, the ability to handle emergencies, and excellent communication skills to work effectively within a team environment.

Responsibilities

• Create and maintain keyboard tuning schedules for all Detroit Opera events; manage contracts, working relationship, communication, and schedule for tuning technician(s).
• Review technical riders and collect feedback from technical department to respond to dance companies, designers, etc. promptly.
• Assist with preparing production budgets, forecasts, and co-production budget settlements.
• Ensure hospitality logistics and servicing for all production personnel and contribute to creating a welcoming and supportive environment.
• Produce informational materials for production personnel, including but not limited to parking, venue/company protocols & policies.
• Coordinate the booking of travel, housing accommodations, and ground transportation for visiting production personnel.
• Assist with filing of visa applications for visiting foreign production personnel.
• Review program book and website content to ensure accuracy of production personnel information for each production.
• Act as primary liaison with and between designers, directorial staff, technical department, costume department, WMU crew, etc.
• Hire, contract, and supervise production personnel including supertitles operator, WMU personnel.
• Manage and ensure accuracy of production schedules for all opera and dance, working closely with the Technical Department, Costume Director, Designers, and Stage Management Teams to ensure clear, timely, efficient, and thorough communication among all constituents.
• Participate in regular production and artistic meetings.
• Participate in union negotiations and ensure compliance with IATSE, AFM, and AGMA collective bargaining agreements.
• Attend rehearsals and performances as a representative of the Production Department;
• Process invoices in a timely manner.
• Assist the Chief Programming Officer (Director of Production) as assigned.
• Prepare agendas and materials and manage cross-departmental production meetings involving artistic, marketing/PR, facilities, events, education-community, dance, etc. to ensure transparency and clarity of information.

Requirements

• Bachelor's Degree in performing arts field, production, technical, or equivalent professional experience;
• 3+ years of experience working for a performing arts organization or production experience;
• Ability to make informed decisions and discern when issues need to be escalated;
• Superior planning and organizational skills along with a high attention to detail is essential;
• Ability to handle emergencies, prioritize projects and meet deadlines;
• Excellent communication skills with the ability to collaborate in a team environment across the institution to achieve overall collective goals;
• Demonstrated independent, mature judgment;
• Ability to consistently maintain a professional image and demeanor, especially in stressful situations;
• Must be able to approach needs creatively, accurately and quickly to resolve problems and achieve successful outcomes within a larger organizational context;
• Proficient with Microsoft Office and able to learn and use various database and planning software;
• Ability to work a flexible schedule that includes evenings, weekends, and some holidays;
• Ability to understand diverse perspectives and acknowledge the significance of differences and complexities in background, cultures, values and viewpoints as the foundation for an inclusive environment.

Nice-to-haves

• Supervisory experience;
• Experience working with unions;

Benefits

• Pay Range: $60,000 - $65,000 Annual