Director of Production

Apollo Theater Foundation, Inc.•New York, NY

3d•$150,000 - $170,000•Onsite

About The Position

The Director of Production (DoP) is the Senior-level organizational advocate and strategy leader for all Production activities associated with The Apollo. The DoP oversees the planning and execution of a diverse range of live performances, including music, dance, theater, multimedia, and interdisciplinary events, across the six performance spaces at The Apollo as well as for Apollo branded activities in non-Apollo locations. The DoP is a strong leader with comprehensive experience in live performance and event production. As the front-line point of contact for production inquiries, the DoP collaborates as the primary Production liaison for artists, renters, professional technical personnel, and various departments within The Apollo. The DoP ensures seamless coordination of technical and stage labor requirements for all events, maintains high safety standards, upholds production quality, and delivers exceptional artist and audience experiences. The DoP oversees both internal and external programs and events, managing two distinct business units. DoP supports internal events (Programming, Community, Education, Development, Growth, and Special Events) by providing comprehensive Production planning and execution of technical, staging, staffing and budget elements. DoP additionally supports external events (Renters, Producers, Co-Pro partners) by acting as frontline contact on all production elements associated with work in all Apollo performance spaces. The DoP is responsive, proactive, and deeply adept at managing large-scale production activities and client relationships, while ensuring budget and schedule are safely delivered. The DoP has extensive labor management and planning experience, having worked extensively with IATSE, Equity, USA, and AFofM partners in delivering presented and produced experiences.

Requirements

7+ years of technical theater experience in a senior production management role
Comprehensive knowledge of non-profit theater operations, management strategies, and processes
Comprehensive knowledge of local, stage, and national labor and safety regulations
Prior experience managing theatrical union staff, their agreements, and their relationships
Extensive knowledge of technical processes in all departments, with an understanding on how technical processes are best managed and budgeted
Ability to think analytically and communicate diplomatically
Possess the strong interpersonal management and conflict resolution skills required to deliver complex projects in complex environments
Experience and facility with Autocad/Vectorworks, and other production planning platforms

Responsibilities

Determine event technical requirements based on an understanding of artist technical specs and contracts
Collaborate with internal and external stakeholders to determine production budget on a per-event and annualized basis
Develop and implement short/mid/long-term production calendars and schedules, integrate same into contract documents as required
Collaborate on Apollo organizational planning on a seasonal basis, balancing optimal use of Apollo stages with departmental maintenance and training requirements
Oversee preparation and execution of lighting, AV, rigging, and staging configurations for all Apollo stage activities.
Hire and oversee Overhire designers as required
Partner with the Director of Facilities to originate and support production-adjacent capital projects and develop capital equipment and facility investment programs, encompassing long-range capital planning, project execution, asset maintenance and lifecycle management.
Supervise and manage daily operations of the Apollo Production Department, to include all budgeting, scheduling, and management of departmental direct reports, IATSE Local 1 Stagehands, Overhire designers and stage managers, and non-union operational staff
Develop and maintain SOPs for labor practices, equipment use, safety standards and protocols, performance routines, and program support
Work with department heads to create, maintain, and improve SOPs for use of technical equipment and continued safety training.
Develop and administer production department budgets, both on a per-show and annualized basis.
Forecast and contribute to organizational cash-flow and resource allocation processes
Develop and maintain all production finance SOPs, including the daily/event close-out documentation and budget templating
Ensure regular contact with Finance concerning insurance requirements, and equipment depreciation schedules
Collaborate with Development Department to create scope and budget for Production-related capital projects.