Technical Director

Founded in 1841, Fordham is the Jesuit University of New York, offering an exceptional education distinguished by the Jesuit tradition to more than 16,000 students in its nine colleges and schools. It has residential campuses in the Bronx and Manhattan, a campus in West Harrison, N.Y., the Louis Calder Center Biological Field Station in Armonk, N.Y., and the London Centre in the United Kingdom.

The University offers a comprehensive benefits package that includes medical, dental, and vision insurance; flexible spending accounts; retirement plans; life insurance; short and long-term disability; employee assistance program ( EAP ); tuition remission; and generous time off.

Successful candidates should have a knowledge of and commitment to the goals of Jesuit Education.

Fordham University seeks a skilled, experienced Technical Director with expertise in scenic painting, carpentry, and building theatrical productions in an educational environment for a full-time, fully benefited yearly position.

The Theatre Program is based at Fordham’s Lincoln Center Campus in Manhattan and is housed academically within a department alongside Visual Art. Students receive a B.A. with a concentration in one of four areas: performance, design and production, directing, and playwriting. Historically, the Program produces four mainstage productions with professional guest artists and sixteen student-led studio productions annually.

Fordham Theatre is committed to cultivating an expansive vision for the program that assures its preeminent standing, elevates its profile as an innovative leader in the field of undergraduate theater training, and centers social justice, anti-racism and anti-ableism in all aspects of its work.

Under the direct supervision of the Production Manager, the Technical Director plays an integral leadership role in the Fordham Theater Program. Responsibilities range from the full execution of designs for the mainstage productions; management of the scenic shop and supervision of students, including work-study student workers; and mentorship of student-led studio
productions. Detailed responsibilities are listed below and can be altered in agreement with the technical director and production manager. The ideal candidate will have a passion for arts education, strong collaboration, communication skills; excellent technical skills and expertise, and be able to maintain high quality and standards within a safe and supportive work
environment. The chosen candidate is deeply committed to equity, access and inclusion and has a joy and passion in sharing knowledge and learning with students.

This position reports to the Production Manager and supervises the Assistant Scenic Shop Supervisor and Students

Essential Functions

Mainstage Productions
There are two mainstage productions per semester, four per academic year. The technical director is responsible for the build of the scenery, rigging, and supervising student crews throughout
the process. This includes, but is not limited to:

• Attend all production meetings, as well as communicate with designers outside of formal meeting times.
• Attend technical rehearsals
• Interpret the scenic designer’s submitted plans and discussing viability with the designer and production manager
• Provide a cost analysis to ensure the set can be built within the given budget
• Create technical working drawings to be used to construct scenery and teach students how to utilize them
• Order materials needed to build scenery, submit expenses, and monitor budget
• Oversee students working in the scenic shop to ensure correct and safe practices.practices.
• Oversee and coordinate scenic painting and/or hiring of scenic artists when necessary
• Oversee strike of the four productions and “mini-strike” when necessary.
• General troubleshooting and problem solving throughout technical rehearsals and performances periods.

Scenic Shop
The Technical Director is responsible for overseeing the scenic shop and the students who are doing lab hours in the shop. This includes but is not limited to:

• Ensure safe and correct practices in the shop
• Maintain tools, equipment, and materials (Flats, platforms, soft goods, etc.)
• Supervise the Assistant Scenic Shop Supervisor
• Maintain first aid and safety supplies
• Schedule students lab hours in the scenic shop
• Schedule and supervise work study students in scenic shop

Theater Program Responsibilities
The Technical Director is a leader within the Theatre Program, a valued and integral member of the theater program staff and contributes to the program in a variety of ways beyond the scenic shop. These include but are not limited to:

• Track, monitor and provide feedback for students’ learning and progress
• Oversee work study students hours and submit hours for approval
• Attend weekly faculty and production meetings
• Mentor and approve student scenic designs for studio productions
• Teach lab portion of collaboration class
• Support classroom needs where appropriate

Qualifications:

• Commitment to an inclusive, accessible, and equitable workplace environment; sensitivity to and an understanding of the diverse academic, socioeconomic, cultural, disability, and backgrounds of faculty, staff and students.
• Collaborative leadership style with leadership experience working in a professional and/or educational Scene Shop.
• Teaching and/or mentoring experience
• Scene painting and carpentry skills
• Resourceful and works independently to ensure that each task is thoroughly executed.
• Ability to supervise, work with, and teach students
• Delegates effectively and meets students where they are in their level of experience
• Ability to maintain artistic intent within financial and time constraints.
• A thorough understanding of the scene design and construction processes and all of the related aspects of the overall theatre production process.
• Strong communication, organizational, and leadership skills.

Working Conditions and Physical Necessities:

• Ability to work long hours and work with a flexible schedule, including nights and weekends.
• May have to work at heights, around moving machinery, and with exposure to noise, vibration, and dust.
• Ability to work safely in an environment containing potentially hazardous electrical equipment, fumes, and/or materials.
• Ability to perform physical activities such as, but not limited to, lifting, bending, standing, climbing, and/or walking. Capable of lifting 50lbs.

Essential Functions Note

Essential Functions Note This list is not intended to be an exhaustive list.
The University may assign additional related duties as necessary.

Management Responsibilities

Management Responsibilities Guides work of other employees who perform essentially the same work and/or student workers. Organizes, sets priorities, schedules and reviews work, but is generally not responsible for final decisions in hiring, performance management or compensation.

Additional Functions

Required Qualifications: Education and Experience

Bachelor’s Degree of Fine Arts 

Minimum of 5 years of experience working in a scenic shop

Teaching and/or mentoring experience at the undergraduate level 

Required Qualifications: Knowledge and Skills

Commitment to an inclusive, accessible, and equitable workplace environment; sensitivity to and an understanding of the diverse academic, socioeconomic, cultural, disability, and backgrounds of faculty, staff and students.

Collaborative leadership style with leadership experience working in a professional and/or educational Scene Shop.

Scene painting and carpentry skills.

Resourceful and works independently to ensure that each task is thoroughly executed.

Ability to supervise, work with, and teach students.

Delegates effectively and meets students where they are in their level of experience.

Ability to maintain artistic intent within financial and time constraints.

A thorough understanding of the scene design and construction processes and all of the related aspects of the overall theatre production process.

Strong communication, organizational, and leadership skills.

Preferred Qualifications

Masters Degree of Fine Arts 

Minimum Starting Salary

Minimum Starting Salary $87,000

Maximum Starting Salary

Maximum Starting Salary $92,000

Note

Note Salary is commensurate with qualifications, experience, and skills.

Is this a Union position?

Is this a Union position? No

Posting Number

Posting Number A704P

Number of Vacancies

Number of Vacancies 1

Start Date

Start Date ASAP

Posting Date

Posting Date 08/12/2024

Special Instructions

EEO Statement

Fordham University is committed to excellence through diversity and welcomes candidates of all backgrounds.

Fordham University is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, orientation, gender identity or expression, pregnancy, age, national origin, disability status, genetic information, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.

Physical Activity and Work Environment

Physical Activity

Sitting Often

Repetitive Hand Motion (such as typing)

Repetitive Hand Motion (such as typing) Seldom

Hearing, Listening, Talking Often

Standing

Standing Nearly Continuously

Walking

Walking Nearly Continuously

Bending, Stooping, Kneeling, squatting, Crouching, Crawling

Bending, Stooping, Kneeling, squatting, Crouching, Crawling Nearly Continuously

Climbing stairs Often

Climbing ladders

Climbing ladders Often

Reaching overhead

Reaching overhead Often

Pulling, pushing

Pulling, pushing Often

Shoveling

Shoveling Not Required

Lifting – up to 20 pounds

Lifting – up to 20 pounds Often

Lifting – up to 50 pounds

Lifting – up to 50 pounds Often

Lifting – over 50 pounds Seldom

Work Environment Office Environment: Employees are protected from weather conditions or contaminants, but not necessarily occasional temperature changes., Noise: There is sufficient noise to require one to regularly shout in order to be heard above the noise level., Hazards: This includes a variety of physical conditions, such as proximity to moving mechanical parts, moving vehicles, electrical current, working on scaffolding and high places, or exposure to chemicals. Add details here: - Operates large machinery and handles power tools.

Documents Needed to Apply

Required Documents

ResumeCover Letter Optional Documents Supplemental questions you will be required to answer on the application (No action is needed on this page)

Required fields are indicated with an asterisk (*).

• * Do you have at least 5 years of experience working in a scenic shop?
  • Yes
  • No
• * Do you have a Bachelor’s Degree of Fine Arts?
  • Yes
  • No

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