Salary: The intended pay rate is £30,000 - £35,000 pa gross depending on experience

Closing Date: Wednesday, 31 January 2018

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Post:                           Head of Technical and Production

Employer:                  Hull Truck Theatre Company Limited

Department:              Production

Line Manager:           Artistic Director

Grade:                         SMT

Reports To:               Artistic Director is a Line Manager position and reports to the Executive Director for staffing and budgets.

Reports From:           Technical – LX and Sound, Production (Wardrobe, Stage, Workshop, Stage Management) and Building Manager.

Responsible for:       Leading the Technical and Production Departments, both produced and received work, ensuring and maintaining efficiency and a high quality of service. Oversees management of the building.

Job Description:

The Head of Technical and Production is a member of Hull Truck Theatre’s Senior Management Team and will lead the Production Department, which consists of the Stage, Technical (Lighting and Sound) and Costume Teams. A freelance Stage Management Team is recruited alongside the produced programme as required.  The Department is also supported by the Theatre’s Administration Team and freelance Production Managers.  

The post holder, in collaboration with the Buildings Manager, oversees the efficient day to day operation, management, maintenance and development of all aspects of the theatre’s buildings and storage facilities. The Director of Production is responsible for promoting and ensuring the highest level of health and safety within the relevant areas, developing policy and best practice throughout the building.

The Head of Production and Technical works closely with the Artistic Director and the Executive Director of Hull Truck Theatre.  The Artistic Director is specifically responsible for the theatre’s artistic policy and its quality delivery and the Executive Director is specifically responsible for the operation of the organisation – administration, staff, resources and financial matters. 

Aims of the post:

To lead, manage and develop the theatre’s Production Department ensuring the production requirements of all shows and events are delivered safely, effectively and to the highest quality standards, both in the Hull Truck Theatre building and elsewhere.

Specific Duties:

Production

• Efficient and quality realisation of all Hull Truck Theatre productions (both professional and community) whether on or off site on time and in budget.

• Arranging and managing transfers of productions to/from co-producing venues and touring venues. Where necessary, touring with production in the UK and abroad.
• Working with designers and directors to ensure that all elements of productions commissioned by Hull Truck Theatre can be delivered within agreed timeframes and budgets.
• Responsible for liaison between Hull Truck Theatre and visiting companies, ensuring full and effective communication and delivery of Hull Truck Theatre’s technical provision within contracted terms.
• Efficient communication with and delivery of the production requirements for events & conferencing.
• Ensuring that information is processed in a timely manner to enable other departments to function timeously e.g. time sheets and recharge sheets.
• Ensuring the compliance with HSE standards and insurance regulations in areas of operation. Responsible for ensuring the maintenance and servicing off all technical equipment.
• Carry out and oversee the timely production of risk assessments for each production prior to any technical rehearsals and take overall responsibility for risk assessments within the department.

• To ensure that all machinery and equipment in the back-stage areas is adequately serviced and maintained.
• Responsible for ensuring that the theatre complies with all necessary statutory obligations required by licensing organisations (in conjunction with the Theatre Buildings Manager).
• To be a nominated key holder for the building.
• Working on any capital projects as required to ensure that the project delivers appropriately with regards to the needs of the Production Department.

Management

• To be a member of Hull Truck’s Strategic Management Team and share responsibility for the development and implementation of short and long term strategic

• To act as Primary Co-Ordinator of Health & Safety, and chair the Health and Safety Committee.
• Manage, support and advise the Production and Buildings Team.
• To ensure that the theatre’s Production Department adheres to current legislation and guidelines in respect of, but not limited to, European Working Time Directive, ABTT Codes of Practice etc.
• To ensure that production areas adhere to all requirements of its licences and insurances.

• To lead the implementation of the Sustainability Action Plan, ensuring the theatre is working sustainably and striving to reduce energy consumption throughout the building with support from the Theatres Administrator.

Staffing

• Line management of Production and Technical staff, to include recruitment, performance, assessment, development and health & safety in accordance with theatre policies.
• Providing rotas for casuals needed by the Production Department ensuring cost effectiveness.
• Being responsible for the wellbeing and safety of the team and for Health & Safety within the Production Department.
• Provide leadership for the Production and Technical Teams and ensures the highest standards of team working.
• Review and implement the training needs of Production and Technical Teams.

Financial

• Smooth and efficient operation of the Production Departments within agreed budgets and resources including ensuring systematic maintenance, care and replacement of production tools and equipment, including vehicles.
• Management of all specified production budgets, both material and labour, for the theatre’s own work, agreeing resources with Executive Director/Financial Controller.
• Keeping accurate records and control of the use of all resources.
• Reporting against Budget via Management Accounts (quarterly) and Show Accounts.

General

• Work within the company’s established policies and practices including Equal Opportunities, Safeguarding, Artistic and Social Policies.
• The above accountabilities are not exhaustive and may vary without changing the character of the job or level of responsibility.
• The above duties may involve having access to information of a confidential nature that may be covered by the Data Protection Act.  Confidentiality must be maintained at all times.
• The post holder must be flexible to ensure that the operational needs of the company are met.  This includes undertaking duties of a similar nature and responsibility as and when required.
• All employees are expected to take positive action to promote Equal Opportunities in all aspects of the work of Hull Truck Theatre.
• The Health and Safety at Work Act and other associated legislation places responsibility for the Health and Safety of all employees.  Therefore, it is the post holder’s responsibility to take reasonable care for the Health, Safety and Welfare of him/herself and other employees in accordance with legislation and the company’s Health and Safety Policy.
• Play an integrated role in the company through pro-active and regular communication – both formal and informal - with other staff.
• Occasional travel to performances outside Hull, or rehearsals in London or elsewhere as required.
• To always act in the interests of Hull Truck Theatre.
• Any other duties as required by the Executive Director and Artistic Director, in accordance with the general purpose of this post.

Person Specification:

Essential:

• Passion for producing
• Significant experience of working in a Production Department of a producing theatre, including having previously operated at a senior level involving direct production, budget and staff management.
• Excellent Staff Manager and Team Leader enabling the conditions to encourage the best work from talented
• Experience of contributing to strategic decision making.
• Experience of financial management and control including management of budgets over £50k.
• Health and Safety experience and a good knowledge of its practical application and statutory requirements.
• Ability to communicate with a wide range of people.
• Ability to promote and encourage an ethos of team
• Energy, flair and
• Numerate, literate and computer literate. Proficiency in the use of Word, Outlook and Excel and willingness to learn other computer packages used by the

Desirable:

• Normal Drivers License and experience of driving a van (or equivalent).
• Experience of supporting Engagement and Learning projects.
• Site specific production experience.
• Interest in and experience of digital work.

Terms and Conditions:

• This is full time post. Hours of work will be as many as may be required to meet the requirements of the post but are not less than 40 hours per week.

• There will be regular evening and weekend work and some work away from base.  The post-holder will be expected to offer reasonable flexibility in their working arrangements where it is considered necessary to undertake the duties they have been employed to perform.

• The intended pay rate is £30,000 - £35,000 pa gross depending on experience.
• No overtime is payable although time off in lieu (in accordance with the theatres TOIL policy) for additional hours will be given if approved in advance with the Line Manager.
• Holiday – 28 days per annum (including public holidays) rising by 1 day per every complete year worked, to a maximum annual holiday entitlement of 33days including public holidays. Pro rata part time working. The theatre is open over Christmas/ New Year (except Christmas Day and New Year’s Day) and all departments are required to be staffed during normal working hours during this time.
• There is a 3-month probation period during which time the notice is 1 month. Upon confirmation of appointment after successful probationary period, the employee is required to give 3 months’ written notice to the company, and the company will give 1-month written notice to the employee and after 4 years’ service 1 additional weeks- notice for each additional year of continuous service thereafter up to a maximum of 12 weeks.
• Hull Truck Theatre’s staff handbook outlines the terms on sick pay, maternity leave/pay, paternity leave/pay, grievance/discipline and all other relevant staff matters. Hull Truck Theatre operates an auto enrolment pension scheme through Now Pensions.  Further details are available.
• Staff are entitled to tickets for shows, subject to particular conditions, and discount at the theatre’s catering operations.
• On appointment the successful candidate must be able to provide the correct documents as proof of their right to work in the UK.

Inclusion and Equality:

At Hull Truck Theatre we want to create and sustain a productive, diverse and inclusive working environment. We ask everyone who works with us to champion this ambition and embed it in their day to day work. We actively seek and encourage applications from those under-represented within our sector and welcome opportunities to facilitate job shares and flexible working to ensure our recruitment process and workforce is as open and accessible as possible.

Environmental sustainability:

We aim to be an environmentally sustainable organisation, and ask that our all our teams work to support this. In doing so we are seeking to promote efficient and sustainable practices that create minimal impact.

Deadline for applications is 12noon on the 31^st January.  Interviews will be week commencing 5^th February.

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