Production Manager

Artistic Operations Department

Production

Work Status:

Regular Full Time

FLSA Status:

Exempt

Location of Job:

Davies Symphony Hall San Francisco CA

Salary:

Schedule:

Hybrid

Regular Hours:

9 am-5 pm; evenings and weekends

Reports To:

Director of Production

Supervisory:

No

THE ORGANIZATION

The San Francisco Symphony is widely considered to be among the most artistically adventurous and innovative arts institutions in the U.S. Under the artistic direction of Esa-Pekka Salonen the Orchestra is a leading presence among the American orchestras at home and around the world celebrated for its artistic excellence creative performance concepts active touring award-winning recording and standard-setting education programs. Esa-Pekka joined the San Francisco Symphony in 2020 along with a group of eight Collaborative Partners from a variety of cultural realms who collectively form a new artistic leadership model.

The San Francisco Symphony presents more than 220 concerts and presentations annually for an audience of nearly 450000 in its home of Davies Symphony Hall and through its active national and international touring. A Cornerstone of the organizations mission the San Francisco Symphonys education programs are the most extensive offered by any American orchestra today providing free comprehensive music education to every first- through fifth-grade student in the San Francisco public schools and serving more than 75000 children students educators and families annually.

The SFS has won such recording awards as Frances Grand Prix du Disque and Britains Gramophone Award as well as 15 Grammy Awards.

In 2004 the SFS launched the multimedia Keeping Score on PBS-TV and the web. In 2014 the SFS inaugurated SoundBox a new experimental performance venue and music series located backstage at Davies Symphony Hall. SFS radio broadcasts the first in the nation to feature symphonic music when they began in 1926 today carry the Orchestras concerts across the country. In 2021 SFS a digital streaming platform was launched to subscribers all over the world.

JOB SUMMARY

The Production Manager manages the daily production needs of the San Francisco Symphony including logistics for all concerts recitals and special events. Working closely with the production team and stage crew this position primarily focuses on managing and implementing the production needs of the San Francisco Symphony in an efficient and timely manner. The Production Manager has a key role in stagehand payroll ensuring consistent and accurate payments and coding assisting with the creation and management of production budgets and projections labor contracts production logistics and coordinating stagehand labor. This position is responsible for managing production logistics and stage crew for special events.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS & RESPONSIBILITIES

Stage Crew Management

• Work with Associate Director Production & Tours to ensure the smooth operation of production aspects of Symphony concerts and presentations including instrument tuners and technicians and activities of stage crew.
• Manage activities of stage crew daily schedules (dailies) production schedules show flows and weekly stage crew schedules.
• Working with Senior Manager Media & Special Projects coordinate and process stage crew payroll to ensure accuracy and compliance with union agreements; consistency with past practices and contract interpretation; accuracy with coding reconciling and allocating funds; clarity transparency with stagehands and the accounting payroll team; and accuracy with benefits payments.
• Function as a resource for staff and extra stagehands regarding workplace flow such as scheduling hiring logistics payroll questions direct deposit 403b contributions expense reimbursements general questions/concerns and special projects.
• Manage instrument and equipment maintenance and rentals as well as tuning and technicians. Manage inventory of SFS owned equipment and instruments.
• Oversee teamster calls and warehouse inventory. Manage inventory of SFS owned equipment and instruments.
• Manage stagehands as needed for a myriad of smaller events and meeting set-ups.
• Ensure compliance with Union labor collective bargaining agreements including IATSE Stagehands Wardrobe Wigs/Makeup and Teamsters. Knowledge of the CBA with Local 6 American Federation of Musicians and the effect of that agreement on all other agreements and technical aspects.
• Member of Concert Duty team.

Production Management

• Manage production for Opening Gala event: manage Opening Gala event logistics in multiple simultaneous locations to comply with Local 16 CBA collaborates and serves as liaison with stagehand Technical Director and Special Events colleagues to manage all stagehand labor and logistics.
• Manage production for special events activities (Deck the Hall Lunar New Year Dia de los Muertos and others) as well as production-heavy smaller activities (Season Announcement etc.): oversee stagehands requirements coordinate with vendors and staff colleagues to ensure event activities are executed as needed and within budget.
• Working with Associate Director Production & Tours manage the production aspects of concerts and events as assigned including covering responsibilities for Associate Director Production & Tours during tour preparation tours and time off.
• Manage production projects in lobbies and assists in departmental special projects.

Financial Management

• Pay and track production invoices related to concerts/events/projects.
• Contribute to creation of annual department budget strawman budgets and projections.
• Analyze and monitor expense budgets for trends and alert Director of Production of negative trends.
• Work with Director of Production and Associate Director Production & Tours and stagehands to create and implement new policies and procedures within the production department to improve efficiency for the ongoing operations and mission of the Symphony.
• Conduct job functions and activities in alignment with the principles of the SFSs Diversity Equity and Inclusion (DEI) work and supports the organizations DEI work through participation in working groups and other initiatives as possible.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

• 7-10 years experience working in a professional fast-paced performing arts organization.
• Strong theatre production experience is required.
• Experience working with complex union labor agreements required.
• Working knowledge of classical music including terminology instrumentation and repertoire is highly desirable; ability to read music is a plus.
• Experience in both office and artistic environments.
• Excellent communication skills both written and verbal.
• Experience with budgeting projections and financial management.
• Ability to professionally and diplomatically communicate and interact with a wide variety of internal and external stakeholders.
• Strong organizational skills with ability to work independently and manage highly detailed tasks.
• Ability to handle multiple tasks and priorities and meet deadlines in a high-volume fast-paced environment.
• Proficiency on PC using Microsoft 365 Suite Adaptive and Adobe Acrobat. AutoCAD and/or Vectorworks is desirable.
• Strategic thinker and creative problem solver.
• Ability to build and sustain momentum and has an ability to keep an eye on the big picture while managing the details.
• Has a passion for the arts education and the role the San Francisco Symphony plays in the community.
• Must be able to lift 50 pounds.

WORKING RELATIONSHIPS

The internal and external constituents with whom this position most frequently interacts include:

• Venue Operations team
• Stagehands
• Artistic Operations department (Production Venue Operations Orchestra Personnel and Artistic Planning teams)
• Development/Events Advocacy & Community Engagement and Finance/Accounting departments
• Various administrative staff
• Vendors
• Serve as a knowledge resource for staff and stagehands and collaborate with colleagues in all departments