Director, Producing and Artistic Operations

uchicago; Chicago (IL); On-site; USD 90,000 - 110,000; Full time

Job summary

The University of Chicago's Court Theatre seeks a Director of Producing to serve as the chief producing executive and operational partner to the Artistic Director. This role leads season planning, production management, co-productions, touring, and budgeting, ensuring financial sustainability and artistic impact while collaborating with university and community partners.

As a member of the Senior Leadership Team, you will oversee production operations, contracts, staff supervision, and strategic

Qualifications

• Education: college or university degree in related field.
• Work Experience: 7+ years in a related job discipline.
• Certifications: ---
• Preferred: degree in arts administration, theatre, or related field.
• Experience managing complex productions, budgets, schedules, contracts, and cross-functional teams.

Responsibilities

• Leads multi-year producing strategies aligned with Court Theatre's artistic and institutional goals.
• Develops long-range production capacity planning and advises senior leadership on production scale.
• Conducts feasibility analyses for productions, festivals, touring initiatives, and projects.
• Owns the institution-wide producing calendar and coordinates production timelines.
• Oversees contracting and negotiations for guest artists and producing agreements.
• Represents Court Theatre in meetings with donors, artists, and external partners.

Skills

Strategic thinking

Collaborative leadership

Financial acumen

Negotiation

Education

Bachelor's degree in related field

Degree in arts administration, theatre, or related field

Job description

Department

AI Court Artistic

About the Department

Court Theatre is the professional theatre of the University of Chicago and a Tony-award winning nationally recognized center for classic theatre. Located on Chicago's South Side, Court produces artistically ambitious work that combines rigorous inquiry, innovative interpretation, and deep engagement with scholars, students, artists, and the public. As Court looks to its 75th anniversary and expands its artistic reach through convenings, co-productions, touring, commissions, and strategic partnerships, the Director of Producing will play a central leadership role in building the systems that support this next phase of growth.

Job Summary

The Director of Producing serves as Court Theatre's chief producing executive and principal operational partner to the Artistic Director. The Artistic Director establishes the theatre's artistic vision and programming priorities; and leads the institutional planning, partnerships, producing strategy, artistic operations, and project execution necessary to realize that vision. As a member of the Senior Leadership Team, the Director of Producing provides strategic leadership across season planning, production management, co-productions, touring initiatives, artistic operations, budgeting, and external partnerships. This role works collaboratively with the Artistic Director, Executive Director, Managing Director, Director of Production, Director of Engagement, and other University and community partners to ensure that Court's artistic work is operationally excellent, financially sustainable, and positioned for long-term impact.

Responsibilities

• Leads multi-year producing strategies aligned with Court Theatre's artistic and institutional goals.
• Develops long-range production capacity planning and advises senior leadership on production scale, staffing, scheduling, and institutional priorities.
• Conducts feasibility analyses for productions, commissions, festivals, touring initiatives, and strategic artistic projects.
• Develops Court Theatre's long-term production pipeline, supporting future touring, remounts, co-productions, publications, and scholarly engagement.
• Owns the institution-wide producing calendar and coordinates production timelines across artistic, engagement, and institutional initiatives.
• Maintains the Theatre's production, event, and programs portfolio, balancing budgets, staffing, facilities, and organizational capacity.
• Supervises artistic operations staff, including producing personnel, company management, literary fellows, interns, and project-based producers.
• Develops efficient workflows, production documentation, and post-production evaluation processes.
• Leads producing relationships for co-productions, touring, commissions, festivals, and presenting partnerships.
• Negotiates producing agreements and memoranda of understanding with external partners, in collaboration with the Managing Director.
• Serves as Court Theatre's principal producing representative with artists, agents, presenters, peer theatres, funders, and University partners.
• Cultivates national and international partnerships that expand Court Theatre's artistic impact.
• Collaborates on production, event, and program budgets with Finance, Production, and Engagement leadership.
• Forecasts production costs, manages contingencies, and supports long-range financial planning.
• Oversees contracting and negotiations for guest artists and producing agreements.
• Ensures compliance with labor agreements, University policies, and industry best practices.
• Represents Court Theatre in meetings with donors, artists, University leadership, and external partners, especially when the Artistic Director is unavailable.
• Champions innovation in producing models, institutional partnerships, and artistic operations.
• Develops long- and short-term programs to achieve the artistic goals for the theater. Ensures the availability of artistic and production resources necessary to implement programs.
• Oversees stage productions and artistic teams. Leads the planning of auditions and selection of music/dance/theatre productions.
• Performs other related work as needed.

Minimum Qualifications

Education: Minimum requirements include a college or university degree in related field.

Work Experience: Minimum requirements include knowledge and skills developed through 7+ years of work experience in a related job discipline.

Certifications: ---

Preferred Qualifications

Education:

• Degree in arts administration, theatre, or a related field.

Experience:

• Minimum of seven years of progressively responsible experience in artistic producing, theatre management, or artistic operations.
• Demonstrated experience managing complex productions, budgets, schedules, contracts, and cross-functional teams.
• Background in a LORT, university-affiliated, or mission-driven theatre.
• Leading co-productions, touring projects, festivals, or multi-institutional artistic collaborations.

Preferred Competencies

• Knowledge of theatrical labor agreements, production finance, and contracting.
• Commitment to collaborative leadership, inclusion, belonging, and artist-centered practice.
• Passion for classical theatre and intellectually rigorous artistic work.
• Communicates effectively and builds collaborative relationships.
• Exercises sound judgment while balancing artistic ambition with operational realities.
• Leads multiple complex initiatives simultaneously.
• Demonstrates strategic thinking, organizational stewardship, and financial acumen.
• Demonstrates the utmost professionalism and diplomacy.

Application Documents

• Resume/CV (required)
• Cover Letter (preferred)
• References Contact Information (3)(preferred)

The University of Chicago uses AI-assisted tools to streamline and augment some recruitment processes; however, AI is not used to make hiring decisions.

Job Family

Museum & Arts

Role Impact

People Manager

Scheduled Weekly Hours

37.5

Drug Test Required

No

Health Screen Required

No

Motor Vehicle Record Inquiry Required

No

Pay Rate Type

Salary

FLSA Status

Exempt

Pay Range

$90,000.00 - $110,000.00

The included pay rate or range represents the University’s good faith estimate of the possible compensation offer for this role at the time of posting.

Benefits Eligible

Yes

The University of Chicago offers a wide range of benefits programs and resources for eligible employees, including health, retirement, and paid time off. Information about the benefit offerings can be found in the Benefits Guidebook.

Posting Statement

The University of Chicago is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, or expression, national or ethnic origin, shared ancestry, age, status as an individual with a disability, military or veteran status, genetic information, or other protected classes under the law. For additional information please see the University's Notice of Nondiscrimination.

Job seekers in need of a reasonable accommodation to complete the application process should call 773-702-5800 or submit a request via Applicant Inquiry Form.

All offers of employment are contingent upon a background check that includes a review of conviction history. A conviction does not automatically preclude University employment. Rather, the University considers conviction information on a case-by-case basis and assesses the nature of the offense, the circumstances surrounding it, the proximity in time of the conviction, and its relevance to the position.

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