Technical & Production Manager

VONNE (Voluntary Organisations' Network North East); North East; On-site; GBP 30,000 - 45,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading organization in the North East is seeking a Manager to lead their Technical and Production team. This role involves overseeing the delivery of in-house shows and outreach projects while ensuring compliance with health and safety standards. The ideal candidate will have extensive technical management experience, excellent leadership skills, and proficiency in staging techniques. The position demands availability for evening and weekend work, making flexibility essential.

Qualifications

• Minimum of three years experience in technical theater practice.
• Thorough knowledge of lighting and sound systems.
• Experience with CAD software is essential.

Responsibilities

• Lead and manage the Technical and Production team.
• Create and implement production schedules and budgets.
• Ensure health and safety compliance in all production aspects.

Skills

Technical and Production management experience

Leadership and people management

Knowledge of staging, rigging and scenery techniques

Collaborative skills with creative teams

Problem-solving under pressure

Job description

Contract Type: Permanent

Role Type: Employment

Hours: Full time

Application deadline: Monday, August 4, 2025 - 23:59

Based: South Tyneside

Salary: £ Circa

Salary Type: Fixed Salary

Location: Tyne and Wear

Role description: Manager

Responsible to: CEO

Manages: Deputy Technical Manager, Senior Technician, Technicians, freelance staff.

Salary: Negotiable, depending upon experience but will meet/exceed NMW

Permanent, 40 hours per week.

Key Purpose of the Role

To lead and manage the Technical and Production team in creating and delivering circa 12 in-house shows, co -productions and outreach projects, together with providing technical support to visiting companies and commercial hires.

Duties And Responsibilities

Strategic Planning

Work closely with the CEO to ensure that future seasons are scheduled within agreed parameters, make best use of department resources and identify issues in good time. To work closely with the creative and in house teams to ensure the highest technical and artistic standards are achieved within the allocated resources.

Agree, manage and strictly control the annual production budget, abiding by the organisation’s financial systems.

Create and implement policies and plans for the department and ensure they are regularly updated, compliant, clearly communicated and fit for purpose.

Establish and communicate production parameters and schedules, ensuring appropriate staffing is in place to deliver every aspect of the production process.

Production

To be responsible for scheduling, planning and financial management within the department.

Manage liaison between creative teams and production staff ensuring effective planning, budgeting, scheduling and realisation of designs.

Lead production meetings, attend rehearsals when appropriate and oversee technical rehearsals, get-ins, get-outs and performances as required.

Ensure production risk assessments are carried out, circulated and acted upon.

Health and Safety

Lead and manage the delivery of Health and Safety in relation to all activity in our main auditorium and studio theatre, implementing proper practices and ensuring all statutory requirements are met.

Ensure all production-related work is safe and complies with current entertainment licensing, fire, building and Health and Safety legislation.

Ensure that risk assessments and method statements are in place, communicated and acted upon for both in house productions and visiting companies.

Ensure the health, safety and wellbeing of all technical and production staff and freelancers, acting companies and contractors in the theatre.

Ensure the maintenance and safety of all machinery, vehicles and technical equipment used by the theatre/studio/events programme.

Maintenance

Ensure all maintenance and training records relevant to the department are completed and communicated to staff.

Establish and maintain clear and effective departmental policies and procedures for key activities.

To develop the organisation’s equipment and electrical installation maintenance processes; ensuring that all equipment is well maintained and PAT Tested at appropriate intervals.

To suggest upgrades and new equipment with costings where appropriate and to ensure service records and manuals are retained and updated.

To manage maintenance issues, ensuring the good repair of the theatre, performance space, and contribute to any upgrade works, as required.

To keep abreast of changing technology and to advise the company on future developments.

To ensure that all storage spaces are kept tidy and in good condition. Ensure that all backstage areas are maintained in an appropriate manner.

To oversee the inspection of rigging and lifting equipment in accordance with LOLER regulations.

Human Resources

Line manage the Technical team as well as overseeing the work of freelancers eg sound operators, including the approval of accurate timesheets within budget.

Manage the recruitment of permanent, casual and freelance production staff.

Monitor and co-ordinate the provision of training and staff development for all production staff.

Manage staff schedules ensuring cost efficient rostering and use of overtime.

Other Duties And Responsibilities

To maintain and develop good relations with local and national suppliers, seeking out competitive deals for hires and equipment.

Act as a keyholder for the building.

Keep appraised of developments in technical theatre and production practices, advise and implement changes as necessary.

Carrying out any other tasks that will be required on an ad hoc or continuing basis, commensurate with the general level of responsibility of the post.

This role involves evening and weekend working.

Person Specification

A successful candidate will ideally be a technical professional person with a minimum of three years appropriate theatre practise as a technician and possess the following;

Essential

• Significant recent Technical and Production management experience across a range of different theatre environments especially venue based technical expertise.
• A thorough knowledge of staging, rigging and scenery techniques, lighting and sound.
• Proven leadership ability with excellent people management skills, ability to build and lead a team of freelance and staff technicians.
• Collaborative skills with proven ability and experience of working with creative teams.
• Ability to read lighting plans and ground plans.
• Ability to work under pressure and creatively problem solve complex production problems.
• Experience of using CAD Software.
• Excellent understanding of managing Health and Safety issues and practical experience of H&S delivery for technical and production teams.
• Excellent communication skills and interpersonal skills with people at all levels
• Experience of setting and adhering to deadlines and production timelines.
• Excellent attention to detail, planning and organisational skills
• Excellent numerical and budget management skills
• Self-starting, motivated, enthusiastic and calm under pressure
• They must be available to work anti-social hours, as the business requires, as shifts can be early morning or late night.
  
  

Desirable

• First Aid qualification
• Driving license
• IOSH/NEBOSH qualification
• Experience of operating ETC Ion lighting desks
• Experience of working with Digico S31 Digital sound desk and Qlab.
  
  

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