Manager, Front of House, Theatre Services, Faculty of Arts
Job ID: 27554
Updated: December 2, 2022
Location: Main Campus

We would like to take this opportunity to acknowledge the traditional territories of the people of the Treaty 7 region in Southern Alberta. The City of Calgary is also home to Métis Nation of Alberta, Region III.

Position Overview
Theatre Services in the Faculty of Arts is currently seeking a Full-time Temporary Relief Manager, Front of House for approximately 18-19 months.
Reporting to the Venue & Client Relations Manager, the Front of House Manager is responsible for the organization, effective administration, and oversight and delivery of all front line services including front of house theatre services, ticketing and conference organization in all University Theatre Services (UTS) spaces. Front of House services include: ticketing, box office, coat check, ushering, and concession and bar service.

Three part-time House Manager AUPE staff members and approximately 40 AUPE student usher/concession/box office staff report to this position. The incumbent will effectively recruit, train, mentor, supervise and schedule staff to meet business needs. This position is responsible for full scope performance management, providing positive feedback and encouragement as well as dealing with any performance issues of staff, up to and including termination.

The work is complex and requires the ability to manage multiple deadlines, competing priorities, and negotiate outcomes. Effective communication with external clients, vendors, staff, and the university community is critical to success and requires professionalism, precision, and independent decision-making. Workloads are heavier during the peak business periods that are typically from October to December and March to June and encompass in excess of 500 bookings per year. Given the need to respond to peaks in the operating cycle, and meet the needs of high profile and complex contracts, the Front of House Manager will be expected to work some evenings and weekends.

As a member of the University Theatre Services team, the Front of House Manager will operate with a high degree of independence, exercising good judgment and exhibiting strong business acumen through the development and implementation of relevant policy and procedures and business practices. The incumbent will be expected to coordinate with other UTS staff to ensure the seamless execution of services to meet client demands and generate revenue.

Position Description:

Summary of Key Responsibilities (job functions include but are not limited to):

Relationship Management:

• Represents the University in a professional manner to all external clients.
• Acts as the first point of contact on the day of event for high profile and complex clients.
• Ensures that a consultation with the client is conducted prior to all performances to assess their needs and make them aware of services available, and agree on conditions of contact.
• Enters all event information pertaining to ticketing and front of house into the booking system.
• Works a variety of performances throughout the year in order to assess and improve our services and/or to cover any staffing shortfalls.
• Ensures all responses to clients/groups are completed in a timely manner, in accordance with the Customer Service standards; follows up with clients/groups and addresses any concerns or issues that may have arisen.
• Maintains strong relationships with existing clients.
• Accountable for assisting with implementation, modification, or discontinuation of services in accordance with departmental needs, based on feedback from guests.

Administrative:

• Follows the University of Calgary cash management and billing policy.
• Follows all fiscal year end policies as directed by the University of Calgary.
• Follows all record retention policies as directed by the University of Calgary.
• Ensures that all ticketed events have been properly entered into the ticketing system and to reconcile ticket revenue at the conclusion of the event.
• Maintains and updates the client database.
• Liquor and concession stock inventoried and ordered regularly to provide continuous supply to venues.
• Understands and observes the rules and regulations related to the institutional liquor license.
• Approves timesheets for all direct reports completed bimonthly within timelines.
• Maintains and monitors Box office/concession float and performance revenues, secures against theft.
• Follows up on missing invoices, refund cheques, and troubleshoots customer issues.
• Maintains good relationships with staff in other campus units to ensure that operations can function effectively.
• Purchase items with the department procurement card(s) within the guidelines of the university procurement card policies, and reconciles P-card.
• Generates monthly reports on Front of House revenue for Director.
• Regularly attends bi-weekly production meetings.

Supervision:

• Responsible for the recruitment, training, assessment, supervision of University Theatre Services staff members.
• Responsible for drafting schedule for all Front of House and Administrative employees and coordinates with Rozsa Centre Event Coordinator to determine appropriate staffing levels for events.
• Accountable to overseeing customer service standards are demonstrated by all direct reports.
• Ensures that staff are utilized during their working hours to maximum utility.
• Develops and maintains training manuals and procedural documents to ensure staff training is current.
• Contributes toward the development and implementation of policy and procedures for University Theatre Services.
• Is aware and complies with all legislation governing services delivered by the Front of House team.
• Ensures that all staff are following the university cash management and billing policies.
• Ensures that staff completes daily inventory requirements of liquor and concession stock.
• Provides a positive leadership model to staff; is a willing mentor and shares knowledge and expertise freely; and creates a safe and productive work environment.
• Ensures that all work conducted by the part time staff is in accordance with the Alberta Occupational Health and Safety Act, Regulation and Code and other health and safety legislation as applicable.
• Acts as the back-up to the Manager of University Theatre services in their absence, duties would include approving timesheets, scheduling technical staff, and representing the interests of the business unit.
• Front of House facilities checked regularly for appearance, condition and supplies and submission of facility service requests when required.
• Develops a summer maintenance plan for all facilities.
• Ensures that all front of house staff keep all audience areas in a clean condition.
• Recommends future facility upgrades.

Qualifications / Requirements:

• A Bachelor’s degree in Fine Arts, Business, or a related field experience
• A minimum of 3-5 years management experience in progressively more senior roles
• Strong preference would be given to those with Front of House management experience
• Supervisory experience is essential

Business, Financial Management and Customer Service Skills:

• Proven knowledge and understanding of budget management and the principals of accounting
• A philosophy of customer service that focuses on client satisfaction and strives for constant improvement
• Ability to consistently deliver products and services on time and within budget
• Demonstrated ability to negotiate with clients and vendors

Leadership Skills:

• Ability to work well under pressure, handle multiple tasks, and changing priorities
• Demonstrate professionalism and tact
• Ability to create, motivate and lead a team
• Ability to set performance goals and manage staff to meet them
• Ability to exercise fair and sound judgment
• Ability to handle emergency situations in an calm and effective manner

Operational and Technical Skills:

• Knowledge of provincial legislation governing and university policy regulating food and alcohol service
• Knowledge of basic computer applications and Spektrix ticketing software

Application Deadline: January 2, 2023
We would like to thank all applicants in advance for submitting their resumes. Please note, only those candidates chosen to continue on through the selection process will be contacted.

Additional Information:
This position is classified in the Management Career Band, Level M1 of the Management and Professional Staff Career Framework. Management and Professional Staff (MaPS) Positions are currently under review as part of the Alberta Labour Relations Board exclusion review process. Visit the HR website for more information.
To find out more about management and staff opportunities at the University of Calgary and all we have to offer, view our Management and Staff Careers website. For more information about the Faculty of Arts, visit Careers in the Faculty of Arts.

The University strongly recommends all faculty and staff are fully vaccinated against COVID-19.

About the University of Calgary:
The University of Calgary is Canada’s leading next-generation university – a living, growing and youthful institution that embraces change and opportunity with a can-do attitude. Located in the nation’s most enterprising city, the university is making tremendous progress on its Eyes High journey to be recognized as one of Canada’s top five research universities, grounded in innovative learning and teaching and fully integrated with the community it both serves and leads. The University of Calgary inspires and supports discovery, creativity and innovation across all disciplines. For more information, visit ucalgary.ca.
The University of Calgary has launched an institution-wide Indigenous Strategy in line with the foundational goals of Eyes High, committing to creating a rich, vibrant, and culturally competent campus that welcomes and supports Indigenous Peoples, encourages Indigenous community partnerships, is inclusive of Indigenous perspectives in all that we do.

As an equitable and inclusive employer, the University of Calgary recognizes that a diverse staff/faculty benefits and enriches the work, learning and research experiences of the entire campus and greater community. We are committed to removing barriers that have been historically encountered by some people in our society. We strive to recruit individuals who will further enhance our diversity and will support their academic and professional success while they are here. In particular, we encourage members of the designated groups (women, Indigenous peoples, persons with disabilities, members of visible/racialized minorities, and diverse sexual orientation and gender identities) to apply. To ensure a fair and equitable assessment, we offer accommodation at any stage during the recruitment process to applicants with disabilities. Questions regarding [diversity] EDI at UCalgary can be sent to the Office of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (equity@ucalgary.ca) and requests for accommodations can be sent to Human Resources (hrhire@ucalgary.ca).

We encourage all qualified applicants to apply, however preference will be given to Canadian citizens and permanent residents of Canada.

APPLY:
https://careers.ucalgary.ca/jobs/11451781-manager-front-of-house-theatre-services-faculty-of-arts