FAIR Program Manager

Position Overview:

1. All OSF employees are expected to respect diverse ideas, races, genders, sexualities, abilities, cultures, and religions, and contribute to working in an anti-racist theatre committed to the values of Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Access (IDEA).
2. FAIR is OSF’s professional development program that provides participants with an advanced fellowship, assistantship, internship, or resident opportunity to learn best practices across all administration, artistic, design, and production disciplines. The FAIR Program Manager will oversee the selection process for FAIR participants for the 2026 season. They will also refine the system for onboarding, orientation and curriculum for FAIR participants.

Organizational Background

The Oregon Shakespeare Festival (OSF) was founded in 1935 in Ashland, OR, and has grown from a three-day festival of two plays to a nationally renowned theatre arts organization that presents a rotating repertory season of up to 10 plays and musicals, including illuminating interpretations of Shakespeare, other enduring classics, and new works. OSF productions have been presented on Broadway, internationally, and at regional, community, and high school theatres across the country. OSF received the 1983 Special Tony Award for Outstanding Regional Theatre and is one of the largest nonprofit theatres in the nation with three stages, including an outdoor Allen Elizabethan Theatre.

Statement of Purpose

The Oregon Shakespeare Festival creates world-class theatre, revealing our collective humanity through illuminating interpretations of new and classic plays, and inspiring a love of our art form for current and future generations.

Company Values

• • We are committed to working toward inclusion, diversity, equity, and accessibility, creating a space of belonging for all audiences and employees—through concrete actions and systemic improvements.
  • We nurture and support our artists, attracting and retaining diverse, innovative talent across the organization.
  • We believe in the transformational power of collaborative artmaking and performance.
  • We recognize the importance of responsible stewardship of resources and sustainable business, financial, and environmental practices.
  • We serve the public good and engage with and respect our community of artists, audiences, staff, local citizens, patrons, donors, and the greater theatre community worldwide.

Principal Duties and Responsibilities:

Participant Selection and Participant Management

• Processes all applications and manages the selection process in collaboration with department managers and other stakeholders.  
• Collaborates with department managers on contracting of all FAIR participants, all troubleshooting and conflict resolution, and the review process for participants in their awarded areas.
• Coordinate with Finance, HR and Company Management on contracting, stipends, housing, travel and logistics for participants with residencies in person. 
• Creates and maintains an alumni database for strategic planning and to serve as a resource for recruitment.
• Establishes an internal process of orientation for participants and departments managers within all departments.
• Meets regularly with participants to check in as a mentor of their overall professional development
• Participates in department feedback, plans exit interviews

Recruitment and outreach

• Research and target universities, conferences and other organizations and institutions to ambassador the FAIR Experience program to emerging theatre professionals to garner top candidates for the program.
• Develop and maintain a database on all national university theatre training programs, other partner institutions, and individual contacts.
• Maintains a network of communication between apprenticing programs at regional theatres throughout the nation.
• Advertises program in general, trade, multicultural publications and on the web site. Collaborates with Marketing and Communications to develop internal and external marketing strategies.
• Oversees development of outreach materials such as brochures, posters, mailings and web site.
• Attends appropriate conferences, meetings and school visits to establish and maintain a diverse recruitment network.
• Interfaces with local institutions and organizations to maintain OSF presence in the community.
• Maintains an Alumni database to serve as a resource for both Alumni for networking and the Festival for recruitment.

Curriculum development

• Creates and schedules curriculum for all participants, including orientation, tours, lectures, discussions, events, attending productions, exit interviews, etcetera.
• Plans and facilitates regular FAIR participant meetings.
• Coordinates and schedules all guest speakers from the Festival, such as Production and Administrative Staff, Designers, Directors, Producers, Technicians etc., for further education and edification of the participants.

In house Support

• Collaborates with department managers and directors to determine application criteria, FAIR curriculum and processes of evaluation.
• Identifies potential apprenticeships with department managers and directors on an annual basis.
• Collaborates with department managers and directors to support successful mentor/mentee relationships.

Budgeting and Funding

• Manages budget and strategic planning of program in collaboration with the Associate Director of Education.
• Tracks program alumni for funding opportunities.
• In collaboration with Development, research and apply for private and institutional funding resources.

Other Duties and Responsibilities:

• Engage in Marketing and Development activities as needed.
• Represent OSF at organizational functions and conferences when requested.

Supervision Received:

Position will be report to Associate Director of Education with consultation from the Associate Artistic Director

Supervision Exercised:

None.

Qualifications & Skills:

REQUIRED:

Education: B.A in Theatre or commensurate experience. Experience in theatre arts.

Cultural Competency: Experience and interest in working with diverse populations, people of color and young adults. Understanding and appreciation of the entire theatrical experience.

Work Experience: Experience in project management, implementing and overseeing systems and procedures. Background and Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite (Outlook, Word, Excel, SharePoint, Teams). Background in interviewing, training and organizing schedules and events. Management of people and collaboration with various organizational departments.

Machines, tools and work aids: Creating and managing computer database and other programs relative to correspondence, research and outreach.

Physical Ability: Work is performed in a variety of environments, including standard office settings, rehearsal spaces, and theatre backstage areas and auditoriums. Regular travel by public transportation including airplane, train, and car.

Other Skills, Ability and/or Knowledge: A strong self-motivator adept at working autonomously with a independent judgment and a high degree of discretion in a fast-paced and often-changing environment. Must have strong organizational skills, attention to detail, and flexibility to process. Demonstrated inter-personal and communication skills with cultural sensitivity and ability to maintain a positive and inclusive work atmosphere are fundamental.

Special Hours Requirements: Some evening and weekend hours will apply; Travel may be required.

Annual Salary: 60k