Reports to: Production Manager

Start Date: Flexible

To apply, click here.

Position Overview

The Properties Supervisor is essential to the creative core of CSC, collaborating closely with designers, other production team members, artistic associates, and the producing artistic director to ensure that all properties needs at CSC are executed to the highest possible standard. The Properties Supervisor will work closely with the Resident Scenic Designer to ensure that all props are executed with superior quality, on time, and within the labor and monetary resources allocated for a given production.

The Properties Supervisor should have strong artisan skills as well as being self-starting, able to manage a schedule, track and integrate report and design feedback, and work on multiple productions simultaneously. The Properties Supervisor has no direct reports, but will occasionally supervise overhire and members of the CSC touring company during production rotations. They are responsible for executing all properties needs for every production produced by CSC. This is typically a combination of renting, borrowing, pulling from stock, purchasing, and fabrication depending on the needs of a given production. The position requires solid general prop artisan skills in many areas and techniques (food fabrication, soft good creation, carpentry, metal work, etc.). They are also responsible for managing the rental of CSC props and arranging rentals with other organizations as necessary for CSC production execution.

The base schedule for the Properties Supervisor is 9:00am-5:30pm Monday through Friday. Extended hours and modified workweeks are regularly necessary due to install, technical rehearsal. The Cincinnati Shakespeare Company truly operates as a team. To consistently achieve excellence, it is possible that the Properties Supervisor may be asked to assist departments beyond their area of focus or expertise. This effort is requested under exceptional circumstances.

Qualifications

Required skills include:

• Bachelor’s degree in related field with 2 years of properties experience.
• Experience building, purchasing, renting props.
• Intermediate scene shop tool and construction knowledge.
• Highly motivated, detail-oriented, excellent organizational skills.
• Strong verbal communication skills.
• Physical requirements include climbing stairs and ladders, lifting up to 50lbs repeatedly, bending, and kneeling.
• Valid driver’s license and reliable mode of transportation.

Preferred skills include:

• Experience in scenic artistry, carpentry, crafting, and sewing
• Experience working with power tools and basic knowledge of OSHA safety guidelines
• Experience creating and tracking a materials and labor budget
• Comfort in planning and executing short, mid, and long-term goals simultaneously
• Experience leading teams of people during task execution

A successful candidate will also possess or exercise the following qualities:

• Effective listening and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to thrive and adapt in a fast-paced, detail-oriented environment.
• Self-sufficient while also a collaborative team player.
• Enthusiasm, integrity and energy.
• Tactful communication under stress.
• A sense of humor.

Responsibilities

Production

• Obtain all props required for CSC productions.

This includes a combination of pulling from stock, renting, purchasing, and building.

Set dressing and furniture are considered props.

• Purchase all materials, equipment, and tools necessary for properties design execution.
• Execute budget passes based on properties design drafts for all productions.
• Source and oversee CSC rentals from outside theaters and companies, ensuring all equipment is maintained, accounted for, cleaned, and returned on time.
• Attend production meetings, technical rehearsals, and other events as required by the Production Manager.
• Communicate closely with Stage Management regarding rehearsal props, additions, cuts, final props, and any prop traffic into and out of the rehearsal room.
• Execute notes from designers and other production team members.
• Manage CSC properties rentals.
• Set-up properties storage areas and inventory system (including weapon armory).
• Manage properties strike and restocking following the close of every production.
• Restore all production spaces to a clean and tidy fashion on a regular basis.
• Engage contractors as necessitated by design execution.
• Manage personnel (staff, overhire, interns) working for the properties department.
• Participate in stage cleaning and preparation leading into technical rehearsals and build processes.
• During production changeovers, the Properties Lead provides a minimum of 1 day/week of assistance to the Technical Director for scenic install and execution.
• Additional scenic duties may be assigned to the Properties Manager depending on the challenges of a given production. These tasks may include, but are not limited to scenic construction, installation, and painting.

Fiscal

• Collaborate with the Production Manager to establish annual prop department budgets, including:

Material budgets per production,

Overhire budgets,

Annual shop and expendable supply budgets, and

Capital expense recommendations.

• Submit weekly expense reports.
• Monitor budget lines to make financially-informed purchases and avoid overspending.

General

• Adhere to company policies and regulations per the CSC Company Handbook.
• Maintain a safe, fair, and ethical working environment.
• Collaborate with the Production Manager to improve overall aesthetic product and production processes.
• Participate production postmortem discussions and season planning efforts.
• Ensure that all properties designs executed by CSC aim to achieve world-class standards.
• Other duties as requested by the Production Manager.

Compensation & Benefits

This position is a full-time, exempt position with an annual salary range of $39,000-$41,000 received through bi-weekly payroll. In addition to their earnings, the Properties Supervisor is eligible for the following benefits:

• Ten days of paid vacation, accrued seasonally.
• Six days of paid sick leave, accrued seasonally.
• Paid holiday leave.
• Access to group health insurance with 50% of employee premiums paid by CSC.
• Optional enrollment in Health Savings Account plan.
• Access to dental insurance with 50% of employee premiums paid by CSC.
• Life and AD&D coverage for the employee paid by CSC.
• Parental leave, short-term medical leave.
• 401(k) Retirement Savings Plan with employer match.
• Free access to CSC educational programming for dependents (Groundlings Junior, Groundlings, Summer Camp).
• Complimentary enrollment and membership to the YMCA which offers fitness facilities throughout the region and other wellness benefits.
• Complimentary and discounted tickets to all CSC productions.

To Apply

Applications must be submitted via the form online.

If a candidate has questions about this position or requires different accommodations to submit an application, please contact rob.stimmel@cincyshakes.com.