Position Detail - Technical Director/Production Manager

Position Type: Staff Full-time

Hours per week: 37.5   

Weeks per year: 52 

Work Schedule: Flexible 

Department Summary & Job Purpose:

The one-year full-time staff Technical Director / Production Manager for the Department of Film, Media, and Theater, teaches courses in technical theatre and serves as the Technical Director / Production Manager for Rooke Theatre.

The department puts on three mainstage shows and numerous small student projects each academic year. We seek an experienced Technical Director with college-level teaching experience. The ideal candidate will be an effective communicator with strong organizational skills, a collaborative approach to problem-solving, and a commitment to teaching and mentoring a diverse student population. The position carries a 3/2 teaching load, which is divided between introductory courses in technical direction, student mentoring, and production duties. There are possible opportunities to design for additional compensation.

Core Job Duties and Responsibilities: 

Technical Director

• Consults with the costume shop manager and lighting and sound technicians on any difficulties that may arise during the technical production process and help to solve them
• Attends some rehearsals and offers feedback and help where needed, especially to guests
• Attends all mainstage technical, dress rehearsals, strikes, and work calls.
• Oversee tech rehearsal to ensure students receive proper guidance and mentoring and receive proper safety instruction
• Provide training and advice to assistant stage managers and backstage crew through production
• Assist with any post-show talks involving equipment needs for the directors and/or guests
• Attend and participate in department, production, staff, and other appropriately assigned meetings/committees throughout the academic year.
• Attend and participate in Design/Technology area activities.
• Develop, enforce, and maintain the operational policy, including health and safety standards
• Day-to-day supervision of the Rooke Theater scene shop and maintenance of scene shop equipment.
• Work with the department coordinator to interface with Physical Plant/Facilities regarding custodial and other building requests.
• Build sets, oversee the scenic painting, and ensure that set construction and every technical aspect of productions are completed safely and promptly.
• Rent, install, and return additional equipment needed for productions.
• Provide technical support for guest artists, masterclasses, and faculty presentations. Assist and acclimate guest and student designers as needed.
• Work on three full department mainstage productions and various student projects and performance class needs.

Production Manager

• Schedules and attends all production meetings
• Resolves all production problems or conflicts. If they involve academic or budgetary issues, the Chair should also be consulted.
• Acts as a liaison and point person for everyone involved in a production, most especially students.
• Work with Faculty and Staff to maintain the integrity of the productions and professional practices.
• Coordinates with Directors and Stage Managers about auditions
• Providing production scheduling and oversight of space and oversight of space allocation for College theater productions
• Maintain the department's Google calendar, which includes class schedules and production calendars. Ensure that all production deadlines are met. 

Qualifications: 

• MFA or equivalent in Technical Direction, Set Design, Lighting Design, or related field
• A strong background in scenery construction and stagecraft techniques
• Demonstrated commitment to teaching and mentoring a diverse student population
• Evidence of successful teaching at the college level

Preferred Qualifications:

• Ability to successfully guide and support student designers and technicians in the realization of their theatrical production elements as a key element to their training and experience in an educational setting.
• Ability to work collaboratively and cordially with fellow faculty, student designers, technicians, and guest artists and directors.
• Demonstrated knowledge of theatrical sound and lighting systems and the ability to operate light and sound systems is not required but would be preferable.

License/Certifications:

Compliance Requirements: 

Physical Demands: 

• Sedentary work: Exerting up to 10 pounds of force occasionally and/or negligible amount of force frequently or constantly to lift, carry, push, pull or otherwise move objects. Sedentary work involves sitting most of the time. Jobs are sedentary if walking and standing are required only occasionally and all other sedentary criteria are met.
• Talking: Expressing or exchanging ideas by means of the spoken word. Those activities in which they must convey detailed or important spoken instructions to other workers accurately, loudly, or quickly.
• Sufficient clarity of speech required includes those which permit the employee to discern verbal instructions and communicate effectively in person and by telephone.
• Employee talks in front of large groups of people on a daily basis.
• Employee speaks with students and other faculty daily by telephone, e-mail, or in person on a daily basis.
• Hearing: Perceiving the nature of sounds at normal speaking levels with or without correction. Ability to receive detailed information through oral communication, and to make the discriminations in sound.
• Employee is reading and correcting assignments, evaluating student writing, presentations, projects, research assignments, etc.
• Employee operates office equipment and computers to perform essential duties and responsibilities.

Working Conditions:   

• The employee is not substantially exposed to adverse environmental conditions (such as in typical office or administrative work).

Background Checks:

Mount Holyoke College is committed to providing a safe and secure environment, supported by qualified employees that will allow all of its students, faculty, staff, and those associated with them to successfully carry out the mission of the college. As a condition of employment, the College will conduct appropriate background checks for all new hires. Mount Holyoke has designated the Office of Human Resources as the office responsible for ensuring that background checks (CORI, SORI, Credit History, & Driver Credential) are completed and utilized in the hiring process and Five College Office of Compliance and Risk Management as the office responsible for facilitating background checks as articulated in this policy.

Special Instructions for Applicants: 

Apply online; application materials must include:

1. A cover letter summarizing interests and qualifications
2. A complete resume or curriculum vitae
3. Contact information for 3 professional references

Mount Holyoke College is a women’s college that is gender diverse. The College is committed to providing equal access and opportunity in employment and education to all employees and students. In compliance with state and federal law, Mount Holyoke College does not discriminate on the basis of race, ethnicity, color, genetic information, sex, national or ethnic origin, religion, age, physical or mental disability, marital status, sexual orientation, pregnancy, gender identity or expression, ancestry, veteran or military status, or any other legally protected status under federal, state or local law. The College does not discriminate on the basis of gender in the recruitment and admission of students to its graduate program.

Mount Holyoke College is an Equal Opportunity Employer.