Theater Director

**Location**
- 120 N State Street, Dover**Job Type**
- Professional**Job Number**
- 2023-00434**Division**
- Wesley Campus**Opening Date**
- 01/24/2024**DESCRIPTION**

**BENEFITS**

**General Description of the Position**:
Dover, Delaware, is home to the only historic theatre in Kent County. Constructed in 1904 and aptly named the Dover Opera House, this venue was home to live theatre productions until George Schwartz purchased it in 1922. After Schwartz’s death, the theatre was dark until the 1990s, when the Friends of the Capitol Theatre group was created to fund, restore, and reopen the theatre. The theatre was renovated and reopened in 2001 and renamed the Schwartz Center. In July 2020, Delaware State University assumed sole ownership with the purpose of creating a cultural arts hub in Kent County, Delaware.

**General Description of the Position**
The Theatre Manager responsibilities will include working closely with DSU communities and other key stakeholders in the production of events at the Schwartz Center. The manager will oversee the daily operations of the Schwartz Center while giving special attention to all maintenance related efforts. This position will maintain and direct the maintenance of the Schwartz Center by coordinating necessary repairs, painting, equipment, and custodial care with appropriate university departments and/or outside contractors. The Theatre Manager reports to the Associate Vice President of DSU Downtown and the Office of Strategic Initiatives and will be located at the DSU Downtown campus in the Schwartz Theatre.

**Essential Functions & Required Knowledge, Skills and Abilities**:
**Essential Functions**
The following are the functions essential to performing this job:

- Collaborate with DSU communities, and other key stakeholders to plan and schedule all performing arts events; maintain master calendar of productions; manage usage of and access to facility according to policy and other internal guidelines.
- Manage all front-of-house activities for productions, including but not limited to, hosting, customer service, and box office management.
- Execute program marketing of all theater events.
- Collaborate with other production staff, manage ticket sales and rental profits.
- Facilitate unique events requested by university officials and other stakeholders.
- Coordinate audience services as assigned; serve as primary contact for food and beverage concessions and catering.
- Provide service excellence through courteous, informed, accessible, and professional engagement.
- Supervise staff and volunteers.
- Be responsible for theater maintenance by coordinating necessary repairs, painting, equipment and housekeeping with Facilities and/or other appropriate university departments.
- Collaborate with other university entities, such as IT, to troubleshoot matters requiring specific expertise.
- Perform other duties as assigned.

**Other Functions**
Individuals in this position may be assigned one or more of the following tasks on a rotating or as-needed basis:
- Assist with writing and editing all communication regarding the theater, as necessary.
- Other projects as requested.

**Required Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities**
The individual in this position must possess the following skills and abilities and demonstrate their expertise of the essential functions of the position, with or without reasonable accommodations:
- Experience with Microsoft Office Suite.
- Excellent, demonstrable writing and editing skills and attention to detail.
- The ability to meet deadlines and to handle multiple projects simultaneously.
- Strong creative abilities and a familiarity with graphic arts design and electronic media.
- Knowledge of general theater practices.
- Ability to work independently and in partnership with internal and external stakeholders within a diverse, multi-cultural, collaborative environment.
- Demonstrated ability to manage projects, workloads, and meet all deadlines.

**Qualification Standards**:

- Education: Bachelor’s degree in Arts or other relevant discipline where training in areas required was received.
- Successful Experience: Minimum of five years’ experience in Theater management.
- Must have excellent written, verbal, and visual communication skills.
- Other Preferences: Experience working or writing for an educational institution.

**Performance Standards & EEO Statement**:
**Performance Standards**
The criteria for evaluation in this position include, but are not limited to, the following:

- Demonstrate knowledge of the DSU Fundamentals.
- Demonstrate ability to generate compelling, articulate content for university publications and the Delaware State University website.
- Demonstrate ability to reach goals through documented successes.
- Demonstrate creativity and energy in work product competing in the marketplace.

EEO Statement

Delaware State University is an equal opportunity employer committed to fostering a diverse and inclusive academic gl