The Robert and Judi Newman Center for the Performing Arts is a world-class, multi-venue performing arts center on the campus of the University of Denver, Home to the Lamont School of Music, The Newman Center hosts nearly 500 events annually. In addition to performances by Lamont students and faculty, the Newman Center is an in-demand performance venue for numerous rental clients including the Denver Post Pen and Podium Series, Friends of Chamber Music, Denver Brass, Wonderbound Dance, Cleo Parker Robinson Dance, Urban League of Denver, The CELL, and many others. The Newman Center also presents nationally touring performing arts groups through its acclaimed series, Newman Center Presents. In addition, the Newman Center engages students, teachers and the community through its learning and community engagement programming.

Position Summary

The Assistant Director, Production Services will oversee all technical and stage production activities at the Newman Center. The position will directly supervise all full- and part-time production staff and manage staff scheduling for all events: inclusive of Newman Center Presents Series, External/Internal Rentals, Education events, and others. The Assistant Director, Production Services is responsible for technical budgets and expense management, including event production, capital projects and annual venue maintenance in four venues. They manage major stage equipment conversions for the Lamont School of Music and Department of Theatre. They serve as the safety captain for back-of-house operations and are responsible for applicable safety training and enforcement. This position also serves as a lead internal contact for the use of venues for the purposes of scheduling building maintenance and capital projects that are managed by Facilities.

Essential Functions

Supervisory Duties

• Two (2) Production Coordinators
• Fifteen (15) part time Stage Operations Associates
• Responsible for hiring Stage Operations Associates including interviewing, onboarding, training, and scheduling
• Arrange for contracted stage labor and student labor as needed
• Oversee and direct production labor for events
  • Conduct intake meetings with clients and vendors to arrange technical services within clients budgets, set-up, staging, technical, and outside contractor service functions.
  • Determine labor needs to advance shows
• Serve in technical staff roles at events as needed to cover staff shortages. May include serving as: lighting or sound engineer, stagehand, and others

Safety and Security Lead (back of house)

• Oversee safe venue operations, including compliance with university policies, state, local, and federal safety guidelines, including fire, OSHA, NFPA, ESTA, NEC, ATF, and ADA.
• Provide technical support in lighting, audio, video, staging, safety, and OSHA guidelines for venue users as appropriate or required.

Technical Direction

• Coordinate all aspects of event production and delivery including meeting with clients and vendors
• Supervise all technical aspects of performance venues for Newman Center events, including audio, lighting, projection, stage lifts/traps and fly tower. Rent equipment as necessary for production requirements.

Venue Maintenance

• Supervise and conduct regular venue maintenance in 4 Newman Center venues:
  • Gates Concert Hall: 971 seats, over 17,000 SF
  • Byron Flex Theatre: up to 350 seats
  • Hamilton Recital Hall: 221 seats
  • Williams Recital Salon: 80 seats
• Maintain annual maintenance schedule and historical records of maintenance

Budgetary Responsibilities

• Assist in budget development, including annual operating costs, new and replacement equipment, and event cost estimates for potential presenters. Oversee pricing and invoicing of technical equipment and services for clients.
• Work in conjunction with Production Staff and Director of Business & Operations in developing a preventive maintenance program and a six-year capital project plan.
• Oversee pricing and invoicing of technical equipment and services for clients ensuring that budgeted profit margins are reached.
• Work with Director of Business & Operations to send out RFPs (Request for Proposals), as needed.

Leadership, Campus Connections and Professional Development

• Serve as Production Services representative at staff meetings, production meetings, and other event planning meetings. Delegate production tasks as needed
• Coordinate production schedule and space conversions with Lamont School of Music and Department of Theatre
• Represent the Newman Center to the DU campus community for campus events held at the Newman Center, including high profile and high impact events.
• Serve as liaison to Facilities department to conduct inspections and fire alarm testing
• Manage access to venues and Newman Center building for university employees, patrons, and contracted staff
• Independently pursue professional development opportunities to bolster knowledge base and keep up with trends in respective field; implement best practices accordingly.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Must be able to demonstrate an understanding of the following systems including their installation, operation, and maintenance
  • lighting systems, conventional instruments, moving light
  • audio, video
  • staging and rigging counterweight fly system, automated wench and mechanical rigging systems
• Knowledge of installation and maintenance of decking, dance, and production flooring
• Knowledge of technical function and installation of acoustical shell
• Basic carpentry/shop equipment operation
• Knowledge of local, state, and federal regulations as they apply to a public assembly venue including OSHA, NFPA, ESTA, NEC, and ATF.
• Demonstrate an awareness of potential safety hazards, procedures, and guidelines.
• Excellent written and verbal, mathematical, and reasoning skills.
• Ability to problem solve and think creatively
• Ability to stay calm under pressure and manage multiple priorities
• Ability to provide excellent customer service
• Ability to interpret technical riders and other technical documents and translate information to provide cost estimates for Newman Center leadership
• Ability to develop spreadsheets and conduct basic analyses to compare pricing, costs, and other calculations for Newman Center leadership
• Knowledge of and/or ability to learn administrative software, including:
  
  • Momentus (event management software)
  • Banner (accounting software)
  • Concur (expense management software)
  • Microsoft Office suite
  • Apple Keynote
  • Zoom
  • Dropbox
  • Google Apps
  • C-Cure (access management software)
• Knowledge of the following technical software:
  • Spotify
  • QLab
  • DaVinci
  • Media Space
  • DANTE
  • DMX

Required Qualifications

• Bachelors degree or equivalent work experience in related field, preferably in Theatre Arts, Facilities or Events Management.
• Five to seven years related experience in theatrical and/or live production or venue management areas, or equivalent combination of training and/or education required.
• Minimum two years of supervisory experience, including full-time and overhire crew.

Preferred Qualifications

• Work with a commercial production company such as a national tour, production house, or national production company
• ESTA Theatrical Rigger
• IAVM Certified Venue Manager
• Experience with Vectorworks, Adobe Suite, ETC Nomad and other comparable software
• Participation and familiarity with industry associations (I.e., International Association of Venue Managers)

Working Environment

• Combination of office and backstage environment
• Highly physical environment, including lifting, bending and quick movement throughout venue; some office work/meetings.
• Unexpected interruptions occur often, and stress level is moderate to high.
• Noise level is quiet to loud.
• Work up high on catwalks and in attics, also around motorized equipment.

Physical Activities

• Ability to sit in front of a production console or computer for an extended period of time.
• Frequently required to move about the building/campus with the capability of transporting objects up to 50 lbs.
• Significant physical labor including lifting, pushing/pulling, going up and down stairs/ladders.

Work Schedule

M-F 8:30-5:00pm, some weekends and evenings required based on event schedule.

Application Deadline

For consideration, please submit your application materials by 4:00 p.m. (MST) July 22, 2025.

Special Instructions

Candidates must apply online through jobs.du.edu to be considered. Only applications submitted online will be accepted.

Salary Grade Number

The salary grade for the position is 12.

Salary Range

The salary range for this position is $78,000-$80,000.

The University of Denver has provided a compensation range that represents its good faith estimate of what the University may pay for the position at the time of posting. The University may ultimately pay more or less than the posted compensation range. The salary offered to the selected candidate will be determined based on factors such as the qualifications of the selected candidate, departmental budget availability, internal salary equity considerations, and available market information, but not based on a candidate’s sex or any other protected status.

Benefits

The University of Denver offers excellent benefits, including medical, dental, retirement, paid time off, tuition benefit and ECO pass. The University of Denver is a private institution that empowers students who want to make a difference. Learn more about the University of Denver.

Please include the following documents with your application:

1. Resume

The University of Denver is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex (including sex stereotypes, sex characteristics, sexual orientation, gender identity, and gender expression), marital, family, or parental status, pregnancy or related conditions, national origin, disability, or status as a protected veteran. The University of Denver does not discriminate and prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, national origin, ancestry, age, religion, creed, disability, sex (including sex stereotypes, sex characteristics, sexual orientation, gender identity, and gender expression), marital family, and parental status, pregnancy, genetic information, military enlistment, or veteran status, and any other class of individuals protected from discrimination under federal, state, or local law, regulation, or ordinance in any of the University’s educational programs and activities, and in the employment (including application for employment) and admissions (including application for admission) context, as required by Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972; the Americans with Disabilities Act; Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973; Title VI and VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964; the Age Discrimination Act of 1975; the Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967; the Equal Pay Act; the Colorado Equal Pay for Equal Work Act; the Colorado Protecting Opportunities and Worker's Rights ("POWR") Act; and any other federal, state, and local laws, regulations, or ordinances that prohibit discrimination, harassment, and/or retaliation. For more information, please see the University of Denver's Non‑Discrimination‑Statement.

All offers of employment are contingent upon satisfactory completion of a criminal history background check.