Technical Director

Northwest Mississippi Community College (NWCC) is seeking a Technical Director for the Heindl Center for the Performing Arts. This position will be responsible for assisting the venue’s Production Manager in technical production of the theater’s regular programming, rentals, and on campus events. In addition, the Technical Director will aid in technical production of the college’s second venue, the Fine Arts Auditorium when scheduling permits. The Technical Director will assist in regular maintenance on improvements of all theatrical equipment. The Technical Director will advance all events for technical lighting, audio, and staging needs in coordination with the Production Manager of the Heindl Center. They will provide outstanding customer service to artists, touring personnel, rental clients, and faculty and staff, responding to feedback and inquiries in a timely manner with thoughtful solutions. This position reports to the Director and Production Manager of the Heindl Center. Please submit resume, design portfolio, and three references when applying. 

The Heindl Center for the Performing Arts: 

The Heindl Center for the Performing Arts is a 65,000 square-foot development that presents a 1203 seat fully-equipped performance theater, including balcony seating, a reception gallery with private courtyard, and a two-story lobby entrance. Back stage areas incorporate multiple dressing rooms, a green room, and prop and costume preparation areas. The facility features classrooms, computer labs, a digital piano lab, multiple private instrument practice rooms, and a recording studio for academic music and entertainment industry pathways.  Four spacious rehearsal spaces are provided for the Northwest Bands and Choirs, including an outdoor, 100-yard practice field for the Northwest Marching Band.            

The Heindl Center hosts Broadway touring productions, celebrity attractions, visiting artists, premier lecturers, local presentations, film screenings, and on campus events.

The Fine Arts Auditorium: 

The Fine Arts Auditorium is a 403-seat performance theatre, including balcony seating. The venue is a traditional proscenium theatre with no fly system, that includes a scene shop, props and costume storage. 

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:

• 1-3 years of work experience in technical stage operations of a performing arts venue. 
• Bachelor’s Degree from an accredited university in a relevant field (i.e. Technical Theatre Production) preferred. 

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

Event Administration:

EVENT PLANNING– Assists in advancing the needs of incoming events/artists. 

EVENT FOLLOWUP– Assists in the restoration of the stage areas and backstage areas following each event. Aid in post-show follow-up with backstage staff to assess the outcome of each event/project and adjust operational procedures and recommend repairs and additional equipment, as necessary. 

• Occasionally serves as the Manager on Duty backstage during event operation days.
• Ensures the department meets and/or exceeds the fulfillment of each event’s technical requirements while meeting or coming in under the projected budget.
• Resolves technical issues with artist’s staff.
• Proactively encourages and/or assists with enhancing the quality of productions to meet venue standards when appropriate.
• Reacts to and solves emergency situations requiring immediate decisions and action.
• Occasionally serves as Manager on Duty for events covering both backstage and front-of-house management.

Venue Management:

• STAFFING– Aids in appropriate supervision of all personnel supporting backstage operations. 
• FACILITIES & EQUIPMENT– Aids in the maintenance of all equipment, supplies, and stage-related systems.  Continuously develops improvements to increase efficiency, capability, and safety.
• LONG RANGE PLANNING–Continuously considers and makes recommendations for facility upgrades and backstage equipment replacement.

Administrative:

MEETING ATTENDANCE & PARTICIPATION–as required.

Safety:

• CULTURE OF SAFETY – Promote a culture of safety in all backstage operations. 
• INSPECTION -Frequently and personally conducts and documents walk-throughs of backstage spaces to ensure a safe working environment and reports/fixes problems. 
• OPERATIONS & MAINTENANCE -Ensures all stage equipment is maintained and operated in the manner required of its manufacturer, college, venue, OSHA and other regulatory or applicable laws/regulations.
• EMERGENCY PLANNING –Works in conjunction with the Director and Production Manager of the Heindl Center to develop written emergency plans to include contingencies for show interruption, show cancellation, emergency evacuation, severe weather, medical emergencies, worker/artists accidents, audience intrusion on stage, security breach, etc.  Responsible for ensuring all staff are trained on such plans and can execute them as needed.

Other:

• Special Projects and Other Duties as may be occasionally assigned. 
• May assist with campus AV projects from time to time.
• May assist with Fine Arts Auditorium events from time to time. 

Environmental demands:

• Variable work shifts including working evenings and weekends.
• Long hours standing and/or moving quickly around the multi-story backstage area.
• Some exposure to outside elements while supervising artist load-ins.
• Occasional exposure to loud working environments caused by stage sound amplification.
• Occasional exposure to dim-lighting situations while shows are in progress.
• Ability to work in high spaces from ladders and aerial lifts and can lift up to 75lbs.

Additional requirements:

1. Demonstrated leadership ability in creating and maintaining a safe working environment.
2. Demonstrated ability to communicate orally and in writing at a professional level with the ability to well represent the college.
3. Demonstrated ability to provide a vision and leadership for the venue in terms of continuously improving backstage operations and safety.
4. Demonstrated knowledge of standard theatrical stage equipment and the ability to safely operate such equipment (i.e. counter-balanced rigging, chain motor rigging, audio/visual, lighting, and electrical systems).
5. Demonstrated knowledge of industry standards in terms of venue services provided to facility renters, artists, and local/touring productions and how to “advance” the technical requirements of touring events.
6. Demonstrated ability to supervise and/or train assigned personnel.
7. Demonstrated ability to operate standard hand tools.
8. Demonstrated ability to perform minor maintenance, repair, and/or modification of stage and sound equipment and oversee major maintenance & repairs.
9. Willingness to work unusual and varying hours.
10. Demonstrated ability to deal professionally and effectively with faculty, staff, students, and road show personnel.
11. Demonstrated ability to design basic lighting plots and utilize standard theatrical lighting systems. 
12. Scenic and Lighting Design experience preferred. 
13. Live audio engineering experience preferred. 
14. Demonstrated ability to operate standard office computers and software packages to specifically include Outlook, Word and Excel.
15. Other duties as assigned by the Director of the Performing Arts Center.

APPLICATION:

To apply, please attach and submit the following:

• Application at www.northwestms.edu
• Resume
• Transcripts
• Three (3) professional references