Duties
Staffing & Structure
- Ensure all the building’s technical activities are appropriately resourced with technical staff and equipment, working within agreed budgets, identifying any additional staffing, hire or other costs with the relevant budget holder, and where recharges need to be made
- Ensure weekly and monthly payroll is completed in line with HR, Finance and contractual expectations
- Assist the Technical & Production Manager with contracted staff recruitment, inductions and ongoing management
- Assist the Technical & Production Manager in recruiting and managing a pool of casual technical staff, creating a team that reflects the acts, audiences and values of Soho Theatre, ensuring they have the necessary skills and experience to cover the duties required within the artistic programme
- Ensure all core technical staff have the correct training (health and safety and job-specific) for their roles, liaising with the Technical & Production Manager and People Coordinator to book external training as required
- Ensuring that effective communication is maintained between all technical staff and with other operational departments to ensure the smooth running of the Soho Theatre programme
Planning/Advancing
- Coordinate get ins and technical periods for visiting companies, ensuring good coordination with the programmers
- Appropriately advance productions and ensure accurate technical information is received in good time
- Lead large-scale get ins / outs for theatre shows, ensuring all those working are inducted and safe in their duties and producing CDM paperwork
- Provide technical support to the in-house work of the Creative Engagement team
Health and Safety
- Support the Technical & Production Manager in the management of health and safety onstage and backstage, ensuring all relevant legislation is adhered to and that safe working practices are always observed. Support the Company in meeting its statutory responsibilities, where applicable to the technical team and its work
- Ensure all incoming visiting companies receive a health and safety induction upon arrival and before commencing work
- In conjunction with producers/programmers, ensure fit-for-purpose, up-to-date risk assessments are in place for all shows and support staff in ensuring they are adhered to for all technical activity
- Assist in building and reviewing risk assessments for performance spaces, and regular technical activity
- Act as Duty Technician when required, including leading the evacuation of the building in the event of an emergency, compiling of Duty Technician reports and flagging building issues to the Building & Facilities Manager
- Be appointed first aider, fire marshal and key holder for the building
Artistic/Creative Programme
- Support all visiting companies and in-house producing teams to enable efficient realisation of their productions in the performance spaces
- Pre-empt any issues with multiple shows in each space, including turnarounds between performances, and ensure all companies receive the same high level of support from the technical crew
- Ensure any technical issues/problems during shows are addressed promptly
- Liaise with the Technical & Production Manager when staging element or technical equipment is likely to impact on the configuration or capacity of the audience seating
- Liaise with production teams to schedule removal of scenery and sets from the building, be that to storage, for recycling or scrap
Maintenance
- Work with the Technical & Production Manager to plan regular preventative maintenance of access, lighting, sound, projection and AV equipment and technical infrastructure across the building
- Engage to the team to support the Building & Facilities Manager with wider building maintenance where appropriate
General
- Support the aims and objectives of Soho Theatre, both internally and externally
- Attend production, programming and diary meetings and other internal meetings as required
- Uphold the Company’s equal opportunities, access and diversity policies
- Be fully aware of the theatre’s activities and programme of events at all times
- Undertake any other duties as may be appropriate to the nature of the post, as agreed with the Technical & Production Manager
Person Specification
Qualities
- The ability to work successfully in an energetic and dynamic festival-like environment
- Proactive and positive disposition, working with creativity, confidence and ambition
- Flexible attitude and approach to work and working hours. As an evening entertainment venue the role requires evening and weekend work
- Willingness and ability to work unsupervised and with initiative
- Highly organised and self-motivated
- An interest in – and enthusiasm for – new writing and ambitious approaches to theatre, comedy and cabaret
- Friendly and approachable, with an interest in meeting new people
- Willing to contribute to interpreting a creative vision
- A working knowledge of the arts sector
Essential Experience
- Responsibility for managing all technical aspects of a performance
- Managing technical teams on a day-to-day basis, including rotas and payroll, absence and holidays
- Using AutoCAD/Vectorworks, ETC systems, QLab/Yamaha & Soundcraft desks and Dante networks
- Managing relationships with internal and external stakeholders
- Supporting a festival performance programme, or a building with multiple venues
- Working to the Health & Safety regulations relevant to theatre and live performance
Essential Skills
- Demonstrable technical skills (any bias welcome) with experience in venues of different scales and working on different kinds of performance
- A confident trouble-shooter
- Strong leadership and pastoral care skills, both in managing a core team and when overseeing casual staff
- High level of IT literacy, and comfortable using MS Office
- Exceptional attention to detail and time management
Desirable Skills (not part of shortlisting process)
- Ability to PAT test and maintain standard theatre equipment
- Basic knowledge of stage management duties
- Basic set construction and carpentry skills
- Experience with live sound mixing
- Ability to use a wide range of portable power tools and hand tools safely with confidence
How to apply
We prefer to receive our application form to CVs. Please email us your application form outlining your suitability for the role, experience to date and enthusiasm for working at Soho Theatre. We will shortlist for the position based on how you respond to the job description.
Please send your completed application form to jobs@sohotheatre.com with DTPM25 in the subject line.
If you would like to submit your application in another format, or you have any queries about this role, please contact the HR team at jobs@sohotheatre.com to discuss alternatives.