Costume Supervisor, School of Creative and Performing Arts, Faculty of Arts

University of Calgary; Calgary; On-site; CAD 50,000 - 80,000; Full time

Job summary

An established institution is seeking a dedicated Costume Supervisor to oversee theatrical costuming for productions within the School of Creative and Performing Arts. This pivotal role involves collaborating with faculty and students, managing budgets, and ensuring a safe and productive workshop environment. The ideal candidate will have extensive experience in costume design and construction, along with strong supervisory and communication skills. Join a vibrant academic community where your expertise will shape the next generation of artists and enhance the university's reputation for excellence in teaching and research.

Qualifications

• Five years experience in theatrical costume cutting and construction.
• Knowledge of theatre history and costume design.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills.

Responsibilities

• Realizing costumes for productions and managing budgets.
• Supporting class work and graduate research.
• Maintaining a professional environment and mentoring students.

Skills

Theatrical Cutting and Construction

Costume Construction Techniques

Supervisory Skills

Budget Management

Communication Skills

Fabric Modification

Teaching Skills

Analytical Skills

Education

Technical School Diploma or University BA/BFA

Tools

Costume Workshop Machines and Equipment

Basic Computer Programs (Excel, Word, Outlook)

Job description

Description

The School of Creative and Performing Arts in the Faculty of Arts is currently seeking a Full-time Staff Limited Term Costume Supervisor for approximately 2 years.

The Costume Supervisor is responsible for theatrical costuming and related matters within the School of Creative and Performing Arts (SCPA), and by extension the University, both in actual costume creation and graduate and undergraduate research.

This position cooperates and collaborates with faculty and staff to support experiential and inquiry based learning; manages limited production budgets creatively to facilitate the continued professional level of School's productions; supports the University's reputation as a teaching institution for graduate and undergraduate students aspiring to a professional career; deals effectively with complex issues, demonstrating good judgement and initiative; works independently with little or no supervision; ensures that Costume workshop personnel complete all assigned work and responsibilities within budgeted time and expense; ensures that the Costume workshop is a safe and positive work environment for all users.

The position requires strong supervisory skills, independent judgment, the ability to establish priorities based on artistic, organizational, and budgetary conditions, and the ability to deal creatively with graduate and undergraduate students, faculty, staff, and clients in upholding such priorities. This position schedules and supervises part-time and contract employees as needed. There is a high degree of impact should errors in budgeting time or money occur.

This position is key member of the production department and is expected to make recommendations and develop policies, procedures, and plans for the betterment of the department, division, school and university.

The Costume Supervisor is a Full-Time AUPE position which reports to the SCPA Production Manager. This position normally works 7.0 hours per day, five days per week, usually Monday to Friday. During production weeks adjusted work days, hours, and overtime are possible.

The Costume Supervisor is the resident expert in theatrical costuming, a highly skilled and specialized position. This position plans and provides services to support teaching and graduate and undergraduate research within the School of Creative and Performing Arts and the Faculty of Arts.

This position costs, plans, organizes and executes all Costume designs by faculty, graduate and undergraduate students and professionals using highly developed analytical abilities and technical skills to solve complex problems.

This position extends the diminished teaching resources of the division in the technical and design area, mentoring and instructing on an informal basis and demonstrating the research techniques and analytical tools of a professional costume designer and practitioner to graduate and undergraduate students.

This position provides graduate and undergraduate student experiential learning of costuming theory, practice, and skills in a variety of settings; fittings, weekly student workshop hours, Introduction to Technical Theatre class, production meetings, and at other times.

This position collaborates with graduate and undergraduate students, faculty, and staff design research both theoretical (analysis of text) and historical (actual garments for different eras of costume design).

Summary of Key Responsibilities (job functions include but are not limited to):

Realizing costumes for productions.

• Analyzing designs, communicating positively with graduate and undergraduate student designers, costing designs, providing detailed costings to the Production Manager upon an agreed schedule, planning the successful costume build period, organizing and supervising labour and spending, purchasing materials, organizing and participating in fittings, working with student stage management personnel and other student crews, organizing, instructing and supervising student running crews and their paperwork, preparing for and attending the
• Technical Dress Rehearsal and other rehearsals as necessary, providing a positive learning environment and feedback to students to support their learning.
• When these tasks are successfully achieved productions arrive at opening night on time and on budget with a minimum amount of stress and overtime. Productions look professionally produced to audiences, faculty, staff, visiting artists, and students. Students have learned practical wardrobe skills and how professionals behave and interact.

Supporting class work and graduate and undergraduate research.

• Plans and delivers course content to students for the DRAM 223 class and other costume related classes, including Practicums.
• Advises and trains undergraduate students in theatrical construction techniques and basic shop safety.
• Works closely with graduate students on their thesis and pre-thesis research.
• Manages and adds to the research resources and assets of the division.
• Coordinates and maintains the Costume stock.
• Creates a transparent system of labelling, storing, and cataloguing the Costume stock.
• Maintains a costume research library.
• Stays current with new construction techniques and materials to support graduate and undergraduate student and faculty research.
• Engages in graduate and undergraduate research into theatrical design.

Maintaining a professional environment.

• Represents the University as an authority in the field of historical dress and theatrical costume, presenting and acting as a consultant. Amateur groups and institutions in the community are frequent clients for information and loans.
• Acts as first point of contact for collaborating professional and academic institutions on costume matters.
• Cooperates with other divisions within the SCPA and across the University to enhance teaching and learning; i.e. information and loans to students and faculty outside of Drama.
• Ensures all loans from reciprocal institutions are returned in good order and in a timely fashion.
• Interacts pleasantly and respectfully with co-workers, supervisor, and members of the University community.
• Interacts with other departments, theatres and academic institutions as well as the general public in a professional and helpful manner.
• Upholds the credibility of the University.
• Acts as a resource and mentor internally and externally.
• Manages own time and that of supervised staff effectively.
• Ensures that immediate supervisor is kept well informed of activities and progress of work.
• Updates and maintains policies and procedures manuals for Costume-related work and the workshop, including proper and safe practices, use of tools, and conduct.
• Responsible for safe practices by all workers and students.
• Responsible for maintaining the workshop as a safe and tidy area and conducting annual worksite inspections.
• Responsible for maintaining workshop equipment and systems in good working order.

Qualifications / Requirements:

• Technical School Diploma or University BA or BFA specializing in Theatrical Cutting and Construction.
• Five years experience in theatrical costume cutting and construction or minimum ten years as a professional costumer, with pattern making expertise.
• Five years experience in a teaching environment with apprentices or students.
• Five years experience supervising staff.
• Costing and overseeing the construction of large-scale theatrical productions.
• Knowledge of theatre history, costume history, costume theory and design and a thorough knowledge of costume construction techniques.
• Knowledge of fabric modification (dyeing, screen printing, distressing).
• Knowledge of costume construction for dance.
• Strong verbal, written, and visual (sketches, drafting plans etc.) communication skills.
• Strong facilitation, presentation, leadership, teamwork and client relationships skills.
• Highly proficient in the use of all costume workshop machines and equipment.
• Knowledge of new costume technologies such as wearable LEDs.
• Knowledge of basic computer programs such as Excel, Word, Outlook, inventory database systems and internet search engines.
• A valid Class 5 driver's license (cannot be a graduated license) with proven good driving record (abstract required).

Application Deadline: May 19, 2025.

We would like to thank all applicants in advance for submitting their resumes. Please note, only those candidates chosen to continue on through the selection process will be contacted.

This position is part of the AUPE bargaining unit, and falls under the Technical Job Family, Phase 2.

For a listing of all management and staff opportunities at the University of Calgary, view our Management and Staff Careers website.

About the University of Calgary

UCalgary is Canada's entrepreneurial university, located in Canada's most enterprising city. It is a top research university and one of the highest-ranked universities of its age. Founded in 1966, its 36,000 students experience an innovative learning environment, made rich by research, hands-on experiences and entrepreneurial thinking. It is Canada's leader in the creation of start-ups. Start something today at the University of Calgary. For more information, visit ucalgary.ca.

The University of Calgary has launched an institution-wide Indigenous Strategy committing to creating a rich, vibrant, and culturally competent campus that welcomes and supports Indigenous Peoples, encourages Indigenous community partnerships, is inclusive of Indigenous perspectives in all that we do.

As an equitable and inclusive employer, the University of Calgary recognizes that a diverse staff/faculty benefits and enriches the work, learning and research experiences of the entire campus and greater community. We are committed to removing barriers that have been historically encountered by some people in our society. We strive to recruit individuals who will further enhance our diversity and will support their academic and professional success while they are here. In particular, we encourage members of the designated groups (women, Indigenous peoples, persons with disabilities, members of visible/racialized minorities, and diverse sexual orientation and gender identities) to apply. To ensure a fair and equitable assessment, we offer accommodation at any stage during the recruitment process to applicants with disabilities. Questions regarding [diversity] EDI at UCalgary can be sent to the Office of Institutional Commitments ([e-mail]) and requests for accommodations can be sent to Human Resources ([e-mail]).

Do you have most but not all the qualifications? Research show that women, racialized and visible minorities, and persons with disabilities are less likely to apply for jobs unless they meet every single qualification. At UCalgary we are committed to achieving equitable, diverse, inclusive and accessible employment practices and workplaces and encourage you to apply if you believe you are right for this role.

We encourage all qualified applicants to apply, however preference will be given to Canadian citizens and permanent residents of Canada.