Director of Production

About Texas Performing Arts

Texas Performing Arts (TPA) is the professional arts presenting and producing program of The University of Texas at Austin. One of the largest and most active university-based performing arts centers in the U.S., TPA is an anchor institution in Austin’s arts, cultural, and entertainment landscape. TPA operates venues on the UT campus including Austin’s largest theater, Bass Concert Hall. Its public programs include Broadway in Austin; an international season of dance, theater, music and more; and the Texas Welcomes series of national touring artists. TPA is part of UT’s College of Fine Arts and engages students across the university in creative experiences.

Purpose

The Director of Production is responsible for the technical production of more than 250 Texas Performing Arts events each season. Productions range from touring Broadway to popular concert and comedy artists to the full range of performing arts genres. Reporting to TPA’s Managing Director, the Director of Production leads a team of 12 in production management, audio/video, staging/rigging, and lighting. The position balances planning and administration with active engagement in day-to-day operations.

Responsibilities
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Leadership and Planning: Maintain a culture of production excellence across TPA’s activities. Instill a backstage work ethic characterized by consistency, attention to detail, safety, and creative problem-solving. Lead the production team, including hiring, management, scheduling, and professional development. Develop and manage the departmental operating budgets. Develop and maintain organization-wide plans for technical systems replacement and back-of- house maintenance to ensure TPA’s venues operate at or above industry standards. Maintain the production department’s processes and standard operating procedures. Maintain accurate venue specifications and plans. Maintain business relationships with labor providers, vendors, and as-needed employees. Maintain knowledge of historical, current, and emerging industry practices. Evaluate and adopt new production technology throughout TPA’s operations. Oversee the management of TPA’s technical equipment inventory, including resources primarily used by other TPA departments or shared between university programs. Develop and maintain strong relationships with production stakeholders and peers across the university, in the region, and nationally. Ensure compliance with university policies and procedures including hiring, staff management, timekeeping, and purchasing.

Production Management: Provide overall supervision to technical planning of TPA’s events, ensuring that the event sponsor’s objectives are fulfilled and budgets are maintained. Review and negotiate project requirements, specifications, budgets, and schedules. Advise the programming department and other event sponsors on technical needs of potential and confirmed events. Guide TPA’s production, lighting, audio/video, and staging/rigging supervisors to effectively coordinate periods of multiple back-to-back productions. Lead allocation of equipment and labor resources across consecutive or concurrent projects.
Support event settlements and budget reporting. Serve as technical advisor to TPA’s self-produced events and new works in development.

Education and Mentorship: Develop opportunities for UT students to build their network and gain professional experience through TPA’s productions. Maintain a culture of mentorship, continuous improvement, and professional development for students, employees, and contract workers.

Other duties as assigned.