Costume Shop Supervisor — Flexible Hours & Growth

Houston Grand Opera; Houston (TX); On-site; USD 60,000 - 90,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health benefits

Paid time off

403b retirement with employer match

Flexible work schedule

Professional development fund

Discounted parking

Free tickets to productions

Job summary

Houston Grand Opera is seeking an experienced Costume Shop Operations Manager to lead daily operations, oversee costume construction and alterations, supervise labor, and ensure maintenance, safety, and budget compliance. You will partner with the Costume Director and production teams to meet schedules and uphold artistic standards.

The role requires a Bachelor's degree in Costume Technology or equivalent, 3–5 years supervisory experience, strong knowledge of construction, fittings, and shop

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Costume Technology, Theatre Production, or equivalent professional experience.
• 3–5 years of professional costume shop experience, including supervisory responsibilities.
• Advanced knowledge of costume construction, tailoring, draping, patterning, alterations, and fitting.
• Experience estimating labor hours, materials, and construction timelines for productions.
• Strong knowledge of costume shop equipment, maintenance, and safe operating procedures.
• Excellent organizational and time-management skills with the ability to prioritize multiple deadlines.
• Ability to interpret costume renderings and collaborate effectively with costume designers and production staff.

Responsibilities

• Oversees daily operations and labor of the costume shop.
• Acts as Safety Coordinator for the Costume Shop and ensures compliance with all workplace safety standards and procedures.
• Oversees costume shop staff, freelance crew, and artisans during all phases of production.
• Tracks fabrics, trims, notions, stock supplies, and shop materials as approved within production budgets.
• Maintains organization and inventory of fabrics, notions, supplies, tools, and costume stock.
• Manages costume shop equipment and coordinates maintenance and repairs of all shop machinery and tools.
• Assist with the coordination of workflow and production priorities to meet fitting and production deadlines.
• Participate in hiring costume shop crew in conjunction with the Costume Director and Associate Costume Director.
• Assist with staff with any HR documentation or time sheets, PTO, etc.
• Tracks costume fittings, alterations, and notes implementation.
• Maintains costume build records, shop paperwork, and production tracking.
• Coordinates shop safety training and safe use of equipment and materials.
• Assists with load-ins, load-outs, packing, and transportation preparation as needed.
• Works cooperatively with wardrobe, wigs/makeup, stage management, and other production departments.
• Assists the Associate Costume director in training and mentoring drapers, stitchers, apprentices, and interns.
• Oversees dyeing, crafts, millinery, or specialty costume techniques as applicable.
• Maintains shop calendars and daily work schedules.
• Implement quality-control procedures for all costume builds and alterations.
• Maintains OSHA compliance documentation and incident reporting.
• Maintains the fabric stock organization at the warehouse.
• Coordinates warehouse operations and costume inventory management in conjunction with the Costume Coordinators.
• Works closely with the Costume Director and Production Manager regarding safety protocols.

Skills

Leadership

Project coordination

Budget estimating

Safety compliance

Communication

Education

Bachelor’s degree or equivalent

Tools

Costume shop equipment

Fabric purchasing

Job description

Houston Grand Opera is seeking an experienced Costume Shop Operations Manager to lead daily operations, oversee costume construction and alterations, supervise labor, and ensure maintenance, safety, and budget compliance. You will partner with the Costume Director and production teams to meet schedules and uphold artistic standards.

The role requires a Bachelor's degree in Costume Technology or equivalent, 3–5 years supervisory experience, strong knowledge of construction, fittings, and shop