House Manager

Fine Arts Building; Chicago (IL); On-site; USD 25,000 - 36,000; Part time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical benefits

401(k) plan

Paid leave

Paid sick leave

Job summary

Fine Arts Building is seeking a part-time House Manager for its Audience Experience Team in Chicago. The role focuses on supervising venue readiness, serving as the main event contact for volunteers, and delivering exceptional guest experiences while safeguarding assets and coordinating with management.

Ideal candidates will bring knowledge of arts and culture venues, strong leadership, and the ability to solve problems on the fly.

Qualifications

• High School Diploma or equivalent is required.
• 3–5 years of experience in House Management or live-performance venues.
• BASSET certification is preferred and CPR certification is required.

Responsibilities

• Supervise venue preparation for events to ensure guests have a joyful, safe experience.
• Serve as the primary contact at events for volunteers (ushers).
• Provide in-the-moment problem solving to maintain excellent guest experience.
• Safeguard Studebaker assets and unlock concessions areas while on shift.
• Monitor and restock concessions and coordinate with stage management and box office for smooth operations.
• Facilitate audience ingress/egress and accommodate accessibility needs as needed.
• Train new associates and assist with onboarding and other duties as assigned.

Skills

Guest service

Team leadership

Safety protocols

Accessibility service

Communication

Education

High School Diploma or equivalent

Tools

BASSET certification

CPR certification

Job description

House Manager – Audience Experience Team

Fine Arts Building, a historic landmark building located at 410 S. Michigan Ave and home of the Studebaker Theater (a 600-seat proscenium), is seeking dynamic individuals to join our Audience Experience Team. We are building a talent pool to support our company’s growth and ensure our company is representative of the communities we serve. We view our employees and co-workers as equals who deserve our respect. It is important that we create and foster an affirming space for our employees to be seen as their full selves.

The right candidate will possess a general knowledge of arts and culture, safety and evacuation protocols, and accessibility services, while also executing excellent guest service. House Managers will interact regularly with team members and guests while embodying and upholding Fine Arts Building policies.

Responsibilities

• Supervising venue preparation for events to ensure guests have a joyful, safe, and memorable time at the theater
• Serving as the primary point of contact at events for the Saints (volunteer ushers)
• Providing active and creative in-the-moment problem-solving with a focus on excellent guest experience
• Unlocking concessions areas and generally being the safeguard to Studebaker assets while on shift
• Monitoring and initiating restocking of concessions
• Maintaining communication with stage management to facilitate lobby and house openings
• Facilitating smooth audience ingress and egress by monitoring box office and concessions lines and assessing any accessibility accommodations needed
• Actively seeking out guest engagement opportunities
• Addressing any guest issues with a sense of empathy and authority
• Being an ambassador for the Fine Arts Building by knowledgeably communicating facts about the history of the space to guests while actively listening to personal stories relayed by the guests.
• Dismissing associates at the conclusion of their shift/work
• Monitoring & reporting inventory levels
• Assisting with training new associates
• Other duties as assigned

Shift and Office Hours

• House Managers work an average of 24 – 30 hours per week, part-time
• Event shifts are usually 5 hours, with a call time beginning 2 hours prior to curtain
• In-Office hours are scheduled around event schedules with an average of 4-6 hours/week
• Required to attend all Manager Meetings (weekly Fridays 12:00-12:30 pm). Attendance can be virtual or in person depending on other scheduled shifts.
• Availability for all Studebaker events is required; however, scheduling is not guaranteed

Schedule

• Evenings and weekends
• Some holidays
• Fine Arts Building Second Friday community events (the second Friday of every month)
• Open House Chicago (annually, generally in October)

Candidates with previous experience in House Management, Theater Operations, Customer Service, or Arts Administration are strongly encouraged to apply.

Qualifications & Skills

• High School Diploma or equivalent required.
• At least 3-5 years of experience in House Management of a live-performance venue required.
• Applicant must be 21 years of age or older. BASSET certification preferred. (Certification is required for employment and will be made available at onboarding if you are not currently certified)
• CPR certification required. (Certification available and required with employment through Red Cross.)
• Able to stand and walk for extended periods
• Able to climb stairs.
• Ability to lift and carry at least 40lbs.
• Weekend and Evening availability required

Ideal Candidates

• Possess knowledge of arts and culture venues, and have a passion for performing arts
• Skilled in building teams and coaching entry-level team members
• Anticipate potential front of house challenges and create solutions in advance to ensure seamless service and event execution
• Provide training, clear protocols, and decision-making autonomy so staff can confidently address customer needs while ensuring consistency in service
• Confidently demonstrate leadership to resolve challenges and enhance the audience experience
• Contribute to a smooth event run by communicating effectively with other departments
• Regularly collect, report, and create event data to drive and support operational excellence
• Prioritize equitable customer service by ensuring all guests, regardless of background or ability, are welcomed and accommodated
• Remain composed under pressure and pivot to strategies that maintain high service standards
• Set the standard for exceptional service by modeling professionalism, patience, and attentiveness in all customer, renter, and public interactions.

Wage and Status

This is a part-time position with a starting hourly rate of $22.00.

Benefits

Eligible employees may participate in Fine Arts Building’s insurance/benefits programs. Benefits include but are not limited to medical, dental, vision, and 401 (k). Part-time employees must meet minimum hours requirements to be eligible to participate. If eligibility requirements are met, further details will be provided.

Part-time employees are eligible for paid leave and paid sick leave as required by the City of Chicago. Employees begin to accrue leave upon hire and are eligible to use accrued leave after either 30 days (sick leave) or 90 days (paid leave)

The Fine Arts Building was built in 1885, originally designed as the carriage assembly and showroom for the Studebaker Company. Situated on Michigan Avenue overlooking Grant Park, the building was immediately hailed as one of “Chicago’s architectural jewels.” In 1898, the building was repurposed to become the Fine Arts Building, Chicago’s first fine arts colony. From the beginning, the building attracted influential artists from all creative disciplines, becoming a cultural hub for some of the most acclaimed visionaries of their time – A home for art in all forms.

The Fine Arts Building acknowledges its place on the traditional unceded homelands of the Council of the Three Fires: the Ojibwe, Odawa, and Potawatomi Nations. Many other tribes such as the Miami, Ho-Chunk, Menominee, Sac, and Fox also historically called this area home.

The Fine Arts Building strives to be an organization that embraces a commitment to Indigenous rights, racial justice, and cultural equity. As a home to some of Chicago’s most prominent artists, the Fine Arts Building strongly believes that art is for everyone and aims to be a driving force in showcasing art that is accessible to all. The Studebaker Theater, while not a producing organization, is committed to building, fostering, and maintaining an inclusive, accessible, affirming, diverse workplace that is an equitable and anti‑racist environment for artists to thrive. By honoring our past as a home for art in all forms, we carry that legacy into the future through articulating these core values. This vision of being an intersectional home to today’s artists shapes the organization’s decision-making and institutional policies.

Fine Arts Building is an equal opportunity employer where all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment and will not be discriminated against on the basis of race, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, disability, age, genetic information, veteran status, ancestry, or national or ethnic origin.