Technical Manager
Underbelly Boulevard
Job Title: Technical Manager
Department: Production
Reports To: Boulevard General Manager, Underbelly Technical Production Manager
Responsible For: Technicians
Salary: £38,000-£41,000
Start Date: October 2023
Application Closing Date: Applications ongoing
To apply through our recruitment portal click here.
Underbelly Boulevard will be a new live entertainment venue for music, cabaret, variety and comedy, comprising of a 200 capacity cabaret and music venue, a rehearsal room for hire, daytime hire for events, readings and workshops, a bar and a restaurant.
JOB PURPOSE
The Technical Manager is responsible for leading the technical team and ensuring that the requisite technical resources and support are available for all activities in the venue including performances, events and private hires. This includes responsibility for all health and safety throughout the auditorium and rehearsal spaces.
ROLE
Technical Management
- Recruiting, inducting, training, managing and developing members of the technical team.
- Creating weekly schedules showing shifts for members of the technical team, ensuring the requisite technical support is available for all activities at the theatre (including the presence of a Duty Technician) and that members of the technical team stay within safe working hours.
- Checking and approving timesheets for members of the technical team.
- Arranging and attending meetings with colleagues and clients to establish the technical requirements and support required for activities at the theatre, including determining auditorium configurations.
- Working with clients’ third-party suppliers or contractors to ensure the smooth delivery of events
- Being available to manage and operate events, private hires and other activities at the theatre, as required.
- Establishing budgets and offering quotations for the provision of technical resources and support for activities at the theatre and, once confirmed, monitoring expenditure and ensuring budgets are not exceeded.
- Managing the annual technical budget (including for core staff costs) and preparing applications for capital purchases, as required.
- Negotiating the terms of hire for additional lighting, sound and AV equipment as required.
- Managing all deliveries and collections relating to the physical elements of events and other activities at the theatre, with consideration for local residents and businesses and other users of the building.
- Ensuring the safe storage and maintenance of all technical equipment and that all O&M procedures are followed; demanding the highest standards of theatre technical “house-keeping”.
- Considering the potential for making the theatre greener and more sustainable through the actions of the technical team.
- Contributing to the day-to-day running of the venue and serving its long-term interests.
Health & Safety Management
Overseeing Health & Safety for performances, events, private hires and other activities taking place in the auditorium and other areas of the venue:
- Ensuring all physical production for theatre productions, events and private hires comply and continue to comply with current local fire standards, Health & Safety regulations and Construction Design and Management Regulations and best practice.
- Liaising with the local statutory authority as required in relation to performance, event and private hire details and arranging on-site inspections as required.
- Reviewing RAMS provided by incoming companies, and provide comments / seek clarification as required, to ensure the highest levels of safety are maintained at all times.
- Completing, as necessary, RAMS for theatre productions, events, private hires and other activities, from a venue perspective, and ensuring the visiting companies, creative team members, stage management teams, production teams, clients, third-party suppliers/contractors and any other associated parties are briefed as necessary (including on the venue’s Health & Safety Policy) and walked around the venue before completing any work or entering any areas unsupervised.
- Completing risk assessments for technical equipment and technical operations, as required.
Other Duties
- Keeping up to date with developments in technical theatre.
- Attending regular company meetings.
- Contributing to the development of the organisation’s policies and procedures.
- Any other duties as reasonably required.
PERSON SPECIFICATION
Skills
- Excellent knowledge of theatre lighting, sound, AV, technical stage management, technical systems and software, in particular EOS consoles and QLab.
- Excellent knowledge of Health & Safety best practice, CDM and Risk Assessment methodology.
- Knowledge of working drawings pertinent to theatrical technical delivery.
- Working knowledge of BECTU agreements and HR good practice.
- Excellent written and oral communication skills.
- Highly personable manner and an ability to build strong working relationships with colleagues at all levels.
- Excellent organisational skills with the capacity to prioritise tasks.
- Ability to work pro-actively, anticipating challenges in advance.
- Excellent attention to detail.
- Excellent negotiation skills.
- Excellent decision-making and problem-solving skills.
- Excellent budget management skills.
- Excellent IT skills and proficiency with Microsoft Excel and Word.
- High standards of personal conduct, honesty and integrity.
- Good working knowledge of the theatre industry and understanding of the latest industry developments.
- Good industry contacts and relationships.
- Passion for theatre and live entertainment.
- Passion for delivering a high-level of service to clients.
Experience
- Significant experience of working with theatre lighting, sound, AV.
- Lengthy professional experience in high quality technical theatre or production management.
- Professional experience of production management at a similar scale.
- Responsibility for managing budgets and for approving expenditure.
- Significant experience of managing and leading a team.
Qualifications
- Technical theatre training to an advance standard, or extensive substantive experience.
- Working at height training (or willingness to complete).
- First Aid training (or willingness to complete).
- Relevant Health & Safety qualifications (e.g. IOSH, NEBOSH etc.) (or willingness to complete).
- Relevant training in relation to PUWER, LOLER and COSH (or willingness to complete).
- Relevant training in BS7909 (or willingness to complete).
STAFF BENEFITS
- Free entry to shows at Underbelly venues (subject to availability).
- 25% discount at Underbelly bars.
EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES
Underbelly is committed to reducing its environmental impacts in its everyday operations. We are also committed to maintaining the open-access policy of Underbelly. We are an equal opportunity employer and welcome applications from all sectors of the community.
It is the policy of Underbelly to ensure that no job applicant or employee receives less favourable treatment on the grounds of age, disability, sex, sexual orientation, race, religion or belief, gender reassignment, marriage or civil partnership, pregnancy or maternity, or is disadvantaged by conditions or requirements that cannot be shown to be justifiable.
We expect employees to support these commitments and to assist in their realisation.
To apply through our recruitment portal click here.
