Production and Operations Manager - Carruthers Center

Northeastern Illinois University; United States; On-site; USD 54,000 - 66,000; Full time

Job summary

Northeastern Illinois University is seeking an experienced Production and Operations Manager for the CCICS Donn F. Bailey Legacy Hall and related NEIU spaces.

You will manage event production, staffing, and operations across concerts, conferences and rentals, coordinating with faculty, staff and external partners. The role requires strong AV, lighting, sound, and project management skills, with responsibility for training staff, enforcing policies, and ensuring smooth execution of events on

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree required.
• 1 year of education, training and/or work experience in event production/operations preferred.
• Experience in diagnostic/troubleshooting of AV equipment desirable.

Responsibilities

• Plan staffing, operations and production services for events.
• Supervise staff and contractors for Legacy Hall and other NEIU venues.
• Oversee live sound, projection, stage management, lighting and rigging.
• Coordinate AV recording, livestreaming and web conferencing equipment.
• Handle scheduling, budgeting support and event space administration.

Job description

Job Summary

As part of the Student Union, Events and Conference Services department (SUECS), and Production and Technical Services department (PTS), the Production and Operations Manager reports to the Production Director and is responsible for managing event production and operations in the CCICS Donn F. Bailey Legacy Hall, lower level event space, as well as providing production and operations support for other PTS-supported events at CCICS, at the north campus, Board of Trustees meetings at El Centro and the north campuses, and NEIU commencements.

Responsibilities

Responsibilities include planning staffing, operations, and production services with SUECS staff, student groups, faculty, staff, rental groups, and other clients, managing student staff, freelance staff, and contractors, advancing internal, hosted, and rental events, executing equipment setups, live sound engineering, lighting design and operation, AV recording, and web conferencing equipment setup and operation.

Job Description: Manages event production and operations in the CCICS Donn F. Bailey Legacy Hall, lower level event space, and other PTS-supported events in support of all concerts, conferences, lectures, third-party and rental events occurring in these spaces. Advances all event needs with NEIU faculty, staff, and external partners, renters, and other event organizers.

Supervises and manages the following service areas:

• Live sound engineering, including creating patch lists and stage plots;
• Projection system operation;
• Stage management, including calling performance cues and moving stage equipment;
• Lighting design, programming, and operation, including hanging, focusing, addressing lighting instruments;
• Rigging and fly system operation;
• Audio and video recording, livestreaming, web conferencing, and additional production services as needed;
• Table, chair, and other operations duties for events.

In addition, executes all of the above duties in place of or in collaboration with production staff.

Hires, trains, supervises staff, including student workers, freelance employees, and contractors to meet the production needs of events in the Legacy Hall and for other supported events, working within budget constraints. Schedule staff for event support, production, and venue management. Covers their duties in their absence.

In collaboration with the Production Director, participates in identifying and executing departmental objectives and the development of long-range planning.

Identifies and leads special projects, including capital improvement projects as well as staffing leadership and development opportunities in support of successful program administration.

Creates training and protocol documentation.

Creates and improves administrative systems in support of departmental responsibilities.

Enforces University policy, and creates and revises policy for the Production Unit in conjunction with the Production Director.

Maintains equipment and records, including creating reports, troubleshooting, cleaning and repairing audio, video, lighting, and control equipment, verifying and updating inventory documentation, maintaining and updating standard patch list documentation, maintaining and updating lighting repertory (rep) plots, creating and updating technical venue documentation, updating firmware for equipment, and notifying the Production Director of any issues outside of this scope.

Recommends capital equipment purchases and other services in order to maintain and improve venue safety and functionality.

Reports facilities maintenance requests for the Donn F. Bailey Legacy Hall and lower level event space to Facilities Management and tracks progress.

Administrates Donn F. Bailey Legacy Hall and lower level event space calendars via the University scheduling system. Ensures activities in venues are accurately reflected in the scheduling system.

Provides production and operational support as needed for other PTS-supported events on all campuses.

Advises and educates faculty, staff, rental clients and others on equipment operations and facilities use.

Serves as event liaison to Police, Building Service Workers, University Technology Services, and Parking during SUECS/PTS-supported events.

Provides administrative support and management for rental events, including meeting with prospective clients, scheduling pre-production meetings for contracted rentals, serving as primary day-of production point-of-contact for NEIU venues, and reporting on space and staff usage for accurate invoicing.

Participates in the planning and execution of commencement and board meetings, and other off-campus or satellite PTS-supported events. This includes but is not limited to: organizing equipment, loading trucks, driving trucks, moving furniture, setting up, configuring, and operating AV equipment and conference room technology, and other duties normally performed on-campus.

Participation at all commencement ceremonies is required. Performs other related duties as assigned, or as needed.

Minimal Qualifications

• 1. Bachelor’s degree.
• 2. A total of one (1) year (12 months) in education, training and/or work experience in the area of specialization inherent to the position. (Note: Master’s Degree in an area consistent with the duties of the position may be substituted for one (1) year of work experience.)
• 3. Based on position requirements, additional education, training, and/or work experience in the area of specialization inherent to the position, may be required.
• Additional education, training and/or work experience in the area of specialization: Diagnosing, troubleshooting, and repairing audio, video, lighting, and networking equipment. (Required)
• Ability to lift up to 70 pounds, work on ladders (up to a 24-foot working height), lifts (up to a 30-foot working height), catwalks and crawl spaces.(Required)

Departmental Preferences

• Master’s degree in a field related to technical theatre, theatrical design, or AV engineering
• 2 years of experience managing a team
• Knowledge of video recording, livestreaming, and video editing
• Experience managing rental events
• Familiarity with Microsoft Office suite, Google suite, and email correspondence.
• Understanding of event related software, including QLab, CAD and/or Vectorworks.
• Ability to interpret and implement layouts and diagrams.
• Demonstrated problem solving ability.
• Self-motivated, ability to carry out tasks with minimal direction.
• High attention to details and solid organizational skills.

Schedule

Flexible schedule based on departmental needs and event schedules. Evening and weekend hours may be required.

Location

NEIU Carruthers Center for Inner City Studies (CCICS) Campus (700 E Oakwood Blvd, Chicago, IL 60653). Travel to other NEIU campus locations is required as needed.

Setting

In-office, not eligible for hybrid or remote work.

Applicants must be legally authorized to work for any employer in the United States. This position is not eligible for sponsorship of work visas. This position requires a background check.

Salary Range

Salary Range $60,000

Benefits

University employees may be eligible for a variety of State of Illinois benefits. These benefits are administered through the Illinois Department of Central Management Service (CMS). Please visit our Employee Benefits page to learn more about our comprehensive benefits package including health, dental, and vision benefits, sick and vacation days, and participation in the State Universities Retirement System.

Equal Opportunity

Northeastern Illinois University is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer and invites applications from Women, Minorities, Veterans and Persons with Disabilities, as well as other qualified individuals.

Northeastern Illinois University's positions are contingent upon the University's receipt of its State of Illinois appropriation. Northeastern Illinois University's Main Campus is located on 67 acres in a residential area on the Northwest Side of Chicago. The University has three additional locations in the metropolitan area: the Jacob H. Carruthers Center for Inner City Studies, El Centro and the Center for College Access and Success. Northeastern also is a founding member of the University Center of Lake County consortium campus in suburban Lake County, north of Chicago. Northeastern offers more than 40 undergraduate degree and certificate programs and more than 50 graduate degree, certificate, licensure and endorsement programs.