Productions Manager

GSA

Location: Guildford
Salary: £36,024 to £44,263 per annum
Post Type: Full Time
Closing Date: 23.59 hours BST on Friday 06 October 2023
Reference: 032423-R

Guildford School of Acting at the University of Surrey is one of the most highly regarded conservatoires in the UK, with a vibrant community of performers, performance makers, creative practitioners and technicians graduating from our wide variety of programmes each year.  As well as providing professional training and study at undergraduate and postgraduate level, GSA also runs a Junior Conservatoire, a vibrant Saturday School, and a number of other short courses, and a full programme of public productions and events.  

We are seeking an experienced Productions Manager who will lead on all aspects of the co-ordination, planning and delivery of more than 30 productions each year in our three venues.  These productions range from small scale black-box to fully realised theatre productions and digital showcases.  

The Productions Manager is responsible for creating and managing production schedules and budget forecasts, and ensuring that all productions are properly staffed and resourced.  They lead the Productions department and manage a team of six including a Production Supervisor and colleagues in wardrobe and the scenic studios workshop.  Working closely with the GSA Manager, the Technical Manager, and academic and technical colleagues the Productions Manager will champion best practice in technical theatre, including the areas of health and safety and sustainability, to create an excellent training environment for our students.

We are looking for a production manager with considerable experience in stage and production management who thrives in a busy and demanding environment.  Ideally you will have a good level of stage management and technical knowledge (including lighting, sound, AV, staging and flying systems) and you should have experience of scheduling a year-round programme of theatre productions – preferably in multiple venues.  You will have experience of planning and managing schedules and budgets, engaging freelancers in creative and technical roles, and of leading a team with the flexibility to work well with a wide range of people.  You should have exceptional attention to detail, excellent administrative and IT skills, and be a strong communicator with the ability to remain calm under pressure.   Ideally you will have experience of working in the Conservatoire or wider HE sector.  

We are actively committed to looking for all kinds of talent to build a diverse staff team at the GSA. We understand creating and maintaining a work environment in which all social groups are represented and moreover, feel safe and respected, is something we must work at. We do not take this for granted. We see anti-racism and anti-discrimination more broadly as a life-long commitment.  We are working towards removing all barriers that staff, applicants and students may experience. Steps taken include having gender-balanced and racially diverse panels, undertaking anti-racism training and unconscious bias training and considering all candidates against a clear, realistic and well-defined person specification.  We would particularly encourage applications from under-represented groups, such as people from the Global majority, people with disabilities and those identifying as female, non-binary or trans.   

If you feel you have the requisite skills and experience and would like to join our team then please do get in touch.

For an informal discussion please contact Pippa Treharne, GSA Operations & Engagement Manager p.treharne@gsa.surrey.ac.uk 

Interview date planned 17th October 2023 on Campus at Guildford School of Acting.

For more information and to apply online, please download the further details and click on the 'apply online' button above.

In return we offer a generous pension, relocation assistance where appropriate , flexible working options including job share and blended home/campus working locations (dependent on work duties), access to world-class leisure facilities on campus, a range of travel schemes and supportive family friendly benefits including an excellent on-site nursery.

Click here to find out more about the benefits we offer to support you.

The University of Surrey is committed to providing an inclusive environment that offers equal opportunities for all.  We place great value on diversity and are seeking to increase the diversity within our community.  Therefore we particularly encourage applications from under-represented groups, such as people from Black, Asian and minority ethnic groups and people with disabilities.