Associate Director, Logan Center Production

Department

AHD Logan Center Operations

About the Department

The Logan Center for the Arts is a place to experience, create, and contemplate art, connecting the University of Chicago with artists and communities on the South Side and throughout the city. As a space of possibility, it brings together people of all backgrounds for experimentation, learning, and discovery.

More than just a building, the Logan Center fosters collaboration between students, faculty, artists, and Chicago’s communities, offering a space where diverse voices and disciplines come together. With world-class resources, innovative programming, and a commitment to accessibility, the Logan Center serves as a catalyst for artistic exploration and cultural exchange in Chicago and beyond.

Job Summary

Reporting to the Director of Facilities and Operations, the Associate Director, Logan Center Production, is responsible for the overall management of events in the Logan Center Performance Hall, Penthouse, Screening Room and Café. The Associate Director works closely with Logan Center users to provide technical support to events and programs, advance and oversee all aspects of production, and ensure on- site supervision for lectures, dance, conferences, film screenings, and musical performances.

The Logan Center has several multi-purpose performance spaces managed by Logan Center Production. As such, production requirements vary widely from day to day. The Associate Director supervises technical staff, scheduling, budgeting, maintenance and custodial care. Logan Center Production provides real-world vocational training. Many of our student staff go on to secure technical jobs in the live production world outside of the University of Chicago.

Responsibilities

• Advances, schedules and coordinates public performances; maintains necessary technical equipment and resources.
• Ensures client communication in advance of performances. Coordinates with faculty, staff, students, University and community partners, and external users to determine event timings and technical needs.
• Coordinates and schedules the appropriate crew for each event, while considering skillset and availability of the staff as it relates to the technical needs of the show.
• Manages inventory of all lighting, rigging and audio/visual equipment. Provides routine preventative and corrective maintenance, and arranges for outside service when required. Logs, reports, and maintains records of any recurring issues.
• Procures production-related consumables, replacement parts, equipment upgrades, and coordinate with outside vendors.
• Manages Logan Production’s operating budget and fiscal activity including reporting of space rental, staff time and services, equipment rental, purchasing and payment of supplies, etc. Performs quarterly budget analysis and produce forecast reports of revenue and expenses.
• Supervises production and technical needs during rehearsals and public performances.
• Leads, supports and supervises show crew across multiple disciplines and types of event production.
• Ensures that day-of-show client changes to advance requests are responded to properly.
• Assists faculty, students, staff, student organizations, University and community partners, and external users with all technical production needs in Logan Center shared spaces.
• Coordinates use of Logan Center AV equipment for events between spaces and users, and coordinates activities with the Logan Media Center staff as necessary.
• Works with the Operations team to ensure front of house needs are met for Logan Center performances.
• Fills in on any technical role when staff is unavailable.
• Hires, supports, manages, trains, and evaluates 25-35 Logan Center Production staff.
• Develops teaching modules, guides, and workshops to train staff on technical aspects of live event production related to audio, lighting, playback, capture, and rigging.
• Teaches the soft skills required to respond to artist needs while ensuring that venue doors open on time.
• Maintains active job postings on Handshake and Grad Gargoyle. Schedules interviews with potential candidates, and onboards new hires.
• Reconciles and approves bi-weekly payroll and ensures that actual hours worked are consistent with client labor estimates and current labor laws.
• Performs bi-annual evaluations of part-time pro staff. This process involves encouraging goal-setting, as well as preliminary, final written, and in-person evaluations multiple times a year.
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