School Production and Technical Manager in London

Production and Technical Manager required for a School Theatre. The theatre is equipped to industry standards, and seats over 300 at stalls and balcony level. In addition to Drama teachers, the department comprises six technical, creative and administrative staff who mentor pupils in production, design and technical aspects of theatre-making. Pupils stage-manage and crew all shows.

Hours: 9-5, but these flex when there are productions taking place in the evenings and occasional weekends.

Duties:

• Take overall responsibility for the daily operation and supervision of the theatre, ensuring it is well-managed, safe, and supportive of high-quality creative work by staff and students.
• Manage the planning, coordination and technical delivery of the theatre programme.
• Manage all production requirements in the theatre and ensure production equipment and spaces are well maintained, meeting health and safety and legislative requirements.
• Line manage all production support staff (including technical contractors) operating in the theatre.

Leadership and Line Management:

• Lead the day-to-day operations of the theatre.
• Line manage permanent and freelance theatre staff, nurturing, allocating workload, supporting and developing their work.
• Conduct staff and freelance recruitment, carry out staff appraisals, manage rotas, annual leave requests, absence and TOIL (time off in lieu).
• Run training and briefings for theatre technical staff as required.
• Oversee technical staffing requirements for production schedules and performance events, managing staff hours and maintaining appropriate records.

Collaboration and Liaison:

• Work closely with the school, engage with external organisations and internal departments to manage community or commercial use of the theatre during term time and holidays.
• Provide comprehensive support to the Drama and Music Departments in the preparation, rehearsal, and execution of School productions, concerts, and events.

Facilities, Equipment and Safety:

• Oversee the maintenance, refurbishment, and technical upgrades of theatre and drama facilities, working with the Estates team and external contractors as needed.
• Advise the Director of Drama on equipment purchases, improvements, and repairs.
• Ensure that all performance and teaching spaces meet high safety standards.
• Create and regularly update risk assessments for all productions and events.
• Ensure all health and safety and regulatory documentation is complete and current.
• Supervise inspection processes, including PAT testing and the annual cleaning of equipment.
• Manage the theatre’s technical inventory and maintain accurate records.
• Produce standing and event-specific risk assessments and ensure they are reviewed regularly.
• Promote and implement best practice in theatre safety and maintenance across all work areas.
• Take a lead role in organising the designing, rigging, and operating lighting and sound systems for school productions, concerts, and events.

Production and Project Delivery:

• Manage production budgets, maintain detailed expenditure records, and generate reports for individual events.
• Work with the Theatre Administrator in overseeing the day-to-day scheduling of theatre spaces, ensuring teaching, rehearsals, and production needs are consistently met.
• Work with the Director of Drama to plan and manage capital expenditure, including bids, approvals, purchasing, and liaising with the finance team.
• Alongside the Theatre Administrator, monitor and maintain financial records, ensure timely payment of invoices, and manage procurement of equipment.
• Oversee front-of-house coordination and theatre bookings, in partnership with the Theatre Administrator.
• Assist with the construction and oversight of the annual theatre budget in consultation with the Theatre Administrator.
• Remain up to date with relevant legislation and theatre industry best practices, ensuring compliance and quality across operations.

Stakeholder Management:

• Oversee education, training and supervision of pupils following technical theatre pathways for curricular drama courses - liaising with the Head of Curricular Drama as required.
• Oversee filming and formatting of drama performance work for curricular purposes - liaising with the Head of Curricular Drama.
• Meet weekly with the Director of Drama to review progress on current projects.
• Attend production, departmental and other School staff meetings as required.
• Maintain excellent communication and collaboration with other internal departments, suppliers and external organisations.
• Undertake any other tasks reasonably requested by the Director of Drama.