What are the responsibilities and job description for the Senior Producer position at New York Shakespeare Festival?
Reports to: Director of Producing
Supports: Director of Producing, Artistic Director, and Executive Director
Role Summary
This role serves on a team of three Senior Producers who work with the Director of Producing and the Artistic Director to execute all Public Theater programming including downtown productions, Free Shakespeare in the Park, commercial partnerships, touring activity, presented partnerships, readings and developments, and special projects.
Senior Producer steers projects from inception through performance to ensure that artistic and institutional goals are realized. This role requires project leadership and day-to-day coordination of administrative, contractual, and relationship management functions to ensure smooth execution across a complex institutional landscape.
Key Responsibilities
- Serve as primary day-to-day producing partner for the Director of Producing and Artistic Director on assigned projects. Keep the Artistic Director and Director of Producing fully informed about the status of all active productions/projects and milestones, highlighting key decision points and areas requiring leadership engagement.
- Serve as a trusted point of contact for creative teams, ensuring clear communication of the Artistic Director’s vision and priorities.
- Coordinate internally with relevant departments to ensure accurate information sharing, timely execution, and institutional alignment across projects.
- Collaborate with the Artistic Director and Director of Production to provide budget assumptions and calendaring support in season planning process.
- Coordinate with Director of Production and Production Manager to ensure timely design and production process.
- Support the Artistic Director and Executive Director in managing relationships with commercial producers and partners, serving as a reliable point of coordination and follow-through.
- Support negotiations related to commercial agreements in collaboration with General Management and legal counsel. Support the transition of Public Theater productions to commercial runs and/or tours.
- Serve as the key institutional contact for presented productions as assigned. Provide producing support for presented productions and special projects including but not limited to coordinating budgets, contracts, calendars, and deliverables, while escalating strategic or leadership decisions when appropriate.
- Produce readings and developments in collaboration with the New Work Department and General Management.
- Ensure that all productions and partnerships reflect The Public Theater’s artistic mission, institutional priorities, and values, including those articulated in the Cultural Transformation Plan.
Qualifications
- 3–5 years of producing, company management, or production experience in professional theater or performing arts.
- Experience in commercial theater is strongly preferred.
- Demonstrated success managing complex projects with multiple stakeholders.
- Strong interpersonal and written communication skills; able to navigate relationships with artists, staff, and leadership with discretion and diplomacy.
- Deep understanding of theatrical production processes.
- Ability to balance creative priorities with practical considerations in a mission-driven nonprofit environment.
- Demonstrated ability to appropriately prioritize when faced with a high volume of work in a fast-paced environment.
- Anticipate potential challenges and proactively propose solutions to maintain artistic quality and operational efficiency.
- Passion for the performing arts and commitment to fostering diverse artistic voices.
Preferred skills
- Familiarity with union environments (AEA, SDC, USA, 802, IATSE).
- Experience supporting new work development and/or musical production.
- Proficiency with Microsoft Office, Google Workspace, and project management tools (e.g., Airtable, Asana).
Compensation
- The salary for this position is $95,000
- This position is available immediately.
- This is a Full-Time, Non-Exempt position (eligible for overtime pay)in accordance with the Fair Labor and Standards Act.
The Public is committed to creating a diverse and inclusive environment and is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. Applicants from populations underrepresented in the theater field are strongly encouraged to apply. All qualified applications will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, familial status, sexual orientation, national origin, ability, age, or veteran status.
Salary : $95,000