Performing Arts Production Manager

Overview of School

Sonoma Academy is an independent high school located in Santa Rosa, CA on a 34-acre campus, surrounded by 1,000 acres of protected open space, at the base of Taylor Mountain. Founded in 2001, it provides an engaging, challenging, and innovative college preparatory education and a supportive community for motivated learners from Sonoma, Napa, Marin, Lake, and Mendocino counties. Of our 330 students, over 30% self-identify as students of color, and our students come from 80+ middle schools, ensuring a broad mixture of students from all over the greater North Bay Area.

Our Mission:  Sonoma Academy calls its students to be creative, ethical, and committed to learning. The school nurtures inspiring teachers and engages with the surrounding community, and its students communicate across cultures as they prepare to become leaders in a dynamic world.

Sonoma Academy’s Commitment to Diversity: We believe that learning occurs best in a connected community. Diversity, equity, and inclusivity are essential to an education in which all members of our community thrive. We are committed to cultivating a diverse community that is conscious and welcoming of difference, dedicated to investigating and advancing equity, and engages with our local and global community. If you would like to join us in our work, we would welcome your application. As we are deeply committed to having a staffulty (staff and faculty) and student body which reflects the rich diversity within the North Bay, we strongly encourage candidates from BIPOC and/or educators from communities that are historically underrepresented to apply.

For more information on programs and philosophy, please visit our website: www.sonomaacademy.org

Performing Arts Production Manager Overview

Sonoma Academy seeks an experienced, resourceful, and imaginative performance production professional who is excited to support and advance the artistic growth of our students as well as the overall success of our new Community and Performing Arts Center. The Performing Arts Production Manager will play a crucial role in ensuring the successful execution of all performances and events hosted in the Community and Performing Arts Center, which opened this spring. Reporting directly to the Assistant Head of School, the Performing Arts Production Manager will be responsible for overseeing the technical and logistical aspects of our performances, maintaining our state-of-the-art facilities, collaborating with a team of talented professionals to deliver exceptional productions, and building the technical theater skills of students by teaching related courses in our academic program.

Key Responsibilities

• Production Oversight: Coordinate and manage all aspects of performances and events in the new theater.
• Technical Expertise: Utilize technical theater background to oversee and ensure the smooth operation of technical equipment and systems within the performance venues, keep updated with theater equipment, operate, and supervise lighting and audio equipment.
• Facility Management: Maintain and ensure the proper functioning of the 500-seat theater, as well as the flexible 75-seat black box theater, ensuring they meet our safety and performance standards. Coordinate scheduling of all performance spaces for rehearsals, events, school community meetings, and all other needs from the school-wide community.
• Teaching/Training: Design and lead student-centered courses to build technical theater skills. Orient and train faculty, staff, and administrators to effectively use the tools and equipment installed in classrooms and performance spaces.
  Production Team Supervision: Recruit, train, and supervise technical staff, including stagehands, lighting and sound technicians, and other production personnel.
• Budget Management: Collaborate with the Chief Operating Officer and the Theater Director to develop and manage budgets for each production, ensuring efficient resource allocation.
• Collaboration: Work closely with faculty, directors, designers, and artists to realize their creative vision and provide technical support during rehearsals and performances, and support the daily requirements of an independent high school. Close collaboration with the Facilities team to effectively manage the Community and Performing Arts Center spaces and productions is essential.
  Safety and Compliance: Ensure all productions adhere to safety regulations, fire codes, and other relevant compliance standards. Work with the Facilities and Operations teams to ensure that the Community and Performing Arts Center is ready for annual fire and occupancy inspections.
• Equipment Maintenance: Oversee the maintenance, repair, and inventory of all technical equipment and tools.
  Communication: Maintain open and effective communication with all stakeholders, including school leadership, faculty, staff, students, and external artists and performers.
• Other related duties as needed that may fall outside of the regular school day.

Qualifications and Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in technical theater or a related field.
  Proven experience with 5+ years experience in technical theater production and management.
• Strong knowledge of technical equipment, including lighting, sound, and rigging systems.
• Excellent organizational, problem-solving, and leadership skills.
• Strong teaching background and demonstrated ability to expand our course offering in stage production and other technical and design areas
• Ability to work collaboratively and adapt to changing production needs.
• Strong attention to detail and commitment to quality.
• Familiarity with industry software and tools.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
• An interest in working with families and students in a high school setting
• A sense of humor, professional warmth, and a zeal for collaboration.
• Attention to detail and strong organizational, multi-tasking, and prioritizing skills.
• Outstanding public relations and written and verbal communication skills.
• Discretion and good judgment along with a high level of integrity and ethical standards.
• Flexibility, growth mindset, and desire to learn new skills.
• Intercultural awareness and competency.
• A willingness to engage with the school community beyond the Performing Arts department.

Compensation:

The salary range for this position is $75,000–$125,000 (based on experience) and is competitive with independent schools throughout the Bay Area.

Perks of working at SA:

• Comprehensive benefits package, including 100% paid health, dental, and vision insurance for employees with several plan options to meet individuals’ specific needs
• Generous retirement plan contribution of 7% of base salary. Please note that this does not require an employee’s matching contribution.
• Commitment to professional development, including generously- funded training opportunities and a dedicated “exploratory fund” of $450 annually for learning opportunities unrelated to work.
• Healthy and nutritious lunch service offered at no cost to employees during the school year (when on campus and our kitchen operational)
• A professional work environment defined by teamwork, collegiality, trust, agility, and altruism.

Work Environment:

• This position operates in a professional office environment at a private, independent high school.
• This is a full-time position with occasional evening and weekend work.

Sonoma Academy is an equal opportunity employer. Sonoma Academy does not discriminate in employment opportunities or practices on the basis of race, color, religion, sexual orientation, national origin, age, or any other characteristic protected by law.