Summary
Reporting to the Executive Director and working closely with the Artistic Director, this position will provide long-term and seasonal strategic oversight and direction to the Production department, ensuring that productions are executed in alignment with the A.R.T.’s mission to expand the boundaries of theater. The Production Director will oversee the production, build, and running of all aspects of the A.R.T.’s annual programming with adherence to established parameters, schedules, and budgets. As a key senior member of the A.R.T. team, the Production Director will provide leadership in the areas of season planning, budget planning, and production staff management.

Duties & Responsibilities:

Team Management

• Foster a culture of respect, community, equity, diversity, inclusion, and anti-racism among staff and guest artists
• Manage 8 direct reports and a department of nearly 50 unions and non-union personnel at multiple locations.
• Manage and assess team performance and training needs with the goal of establishing high-performing and highly engaged team members.
• Serve as the leading strategist and collaborator between senior leadership, production staff, and design teams, ensuring communication proliferates throughout the department and that needs are being represented and responded to (at all levels).

Budget Management

• Set and monitor the annual production budget for all production departments including appropriate forecasting, maximizing efficiencies, and controlling costs
• In concert with the Executive Director, Artistic Producer, and General Management, develop and manage individual production budgets, expenses, and timelines.
  

Project Management

• Ensure a safe environment for all production staff including being up to date on best theater practices for health and safety
• Oversee the safe and efficient construction of all production elements in the various departments such as the scene shop, props shop, wardrobe, and stage – including automation and special effects
• Oversee the creative, technical, and practical aspects of all production running elements, including stage management, technical crews, and wardrobe team.
• In collaboration with Artistic and Executive Directors, develop season schedule and staffing plan
• Oversee project planning and staffing needs by determining artistic, production, and operational needs
• Following the completion of production, conduct retrospective analysis and conduct a “post-mortem” debrief meeting with the Production team
• Establish and maintain strong working relationships with internal and external stakeholders, including A.R.T. senior leadership, staff, external directors, designers, and stage managers.
• Proactively identify and communicate constraints and clarify overall production parameters on an ongoing basis.

Special Projects

• As the A.R.T. embarks on a capital campaign to build a new facility in Allston, as well as a renovation of its offsite scenery and properties shops, this role will serve a key contributor to the renovation team and will be expected to recommend, assess, and prioritize technical needs related to space and infrastructure upgrades.

Candidates MUST meet the following basic qualifications in order to be considered for this role:

• At least five years of progressively increasing management responsibility in a theatrical production setting.
• Effective communicator, both written and oral, with a proven ability to disseminate information and ideas to a range of stakeholders with respect, timeliness, and clarity.

• Bachelor's Degree preferred
• Experience with capital projects preferred, but not required.
• The capacity to develop and maintain strong professional relationships across the organization and work collaboratively with colleagues.
• The ability to maintain multiple projects, adjust priorities and plan quickly as needs arise.

The Loeb Drama Center is a multi-story building without an elevator, with work taking place on all levels. This position requires night and weekend work, particularly during tech and previews. It also requires occasional local and out-of-state travel, primarily for rehearsals in NYC, and to facilitate the transfer of shows to and from A.R.T.
Software Used: Microsoft Office, Google Workspace, Dropbox, DWG TrueView, Vectorworks Viewer, Harvard-specific payroll software

A.R.T. is a leading force in American theater, producing groundbreaking work that is driven by risk-taking and passionate inquiry in Cambridge and beyond. Since 2008, Terrie and Bradley Bloom Artistic Director Diane Paulus has pursued A.R.T.’s mission to “expand the boundaries of theater” by programming transformative theatrical experiences, always including the audience as a central partner. A.R.T. is nationally and internationally recognized as a leader in artistic innovation. In recent years, productions that began at A.R.T. have won 19 Tony Awards, and numerous works developed by A.R.T. have been performed throughout the country and around the world.

As the professional theater on the campus of Harvard University, A.R.T. is committed to playing a central role in the cognitive life of the University, catalyzing discourse, interdisciplinary collaboration, and creative exchange among a wide range of academic departments, institutions, students, and faculty members. For more information, please visit our website at: https://americanrepertorytheater.org/

Commitment to Equity and Anti-Racism

A.R.T. is centering on anti-racism as a core value, including in its policies, structure, programming, philanthropy, communications, pedagogy, and workplace culture. This journey will be sustained, ongoing, and foundational to the theater.

The A.R.T. strives to reflect and celebrate the diversity of Cambridge and Greater Boston, the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, the United States, and the world in its programming, artists, audience, boards, partners, and staff. The A.R.T. is committed to developing and producing work and creating environments that embrace the full breadth and beauty of our shared humanity. The A.R.T. unequivocally opposes any attempts to divide its community through acts of discrimination, omission, and violence. The A.R.T. is dedicated to making a welcoming and accessible space for people of any identity, background, or ability, including but not limited to: race, ethnicity, nationality or immigration status, gender identity/expression, sexual orientation, religion, age, physical/mental ability, appearance, socio-economic status, education level, and political viewpoint.

PLEASE NOTE: This position may start hybrid (some on-campus/some remote work), with the transition to full-on campus in Cambridge if required by the department. Work options for this role will be discussed during the interview process.

The University requires all Harvard community members to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 and remain up to date with COVID-19 vaccine boosters, as detailed in Harvard’s Vaccine & Booster Requirements. Individuals may claim exemption from the vaccine requirement for medical or religious reasons. More information regarding the University’s COVID vaccination requirement, exemptions, and verification of vaccination status may be found on the University’s “COVID-19 Vaccine Information” webpage: http://www.harvard.edu/coronavirus/covid-19-vaccine-information/.

Arts

USA - MA - Cambridge

AR0060 Production Director

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ART

Full-time

060

00 - Non Union, Exempt or Temporary

Education, Identity

Full time. Monday through Friday. 35 hours per week.

Harvard University views equity, diversity, inclusion, and belonging as the pathway to achieving inclusive excellence and fostering a campus culture where everyone can thrive. We strive to create a community that draws upon the widest possible pool of talent to unify excellence and diversity while fully embracing individuals from varied backgrounds, cultures, races, identities, life experiences, perspectives, beliefs, and values.

We are an equal opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, gender identity, sexual orientation, pregnancy and pregnancy-related conditions, or any other characteristic protected by law.