About this Director, Producing and Artistic Operations role at University of Chicago
Department
AI Court Artistic
About the Department
Job Summary
As a member of the Senior Leadership Team, the Director of Producing provides strategic leadership across season planning, production management, co-productions, touring initiatives, artistic operations, budgeting, and external partnerships. This role works collaboratively with the Artistic Director, Executive Director, Managing Director, Director of Production, Director of Engagement, and other University and community partners to ensure that Court's artistic work is operationally excellent, financially sustainable, and positioned for long-term impact.
Responsibilities
- Leads multi-year producing strategies aligned with Court Theatre's artistic and institutional goals.
- Develops long-range production capacity planning and advises senior leadership on production scale, staffing, scheduling, and institutional priorities.
- Conducts feasibility analyses for productions, commissions, festivals, touring initiatives, and strategic artistic projects.
- Develops Court Theatre's long-term production pipeline, supporting future touring, remounts, co-productions, publications, and scholarly engagement.
- Owns the institution-wide producing calendar and coordinates production timelines across artistic, engagement, and institutional initiatives.
- Maintains the Theatre's production, event, and programs portfolio, balancing budgets, staffing, facilities, and organizational capacity.
- Supervises artistic operations staff, including producing personnel, company management, literary fellows, interns, and project-based producers.
- Develops efficient workflows, production documentation, and post-production evaluation processes.
- Leads producing relationships for co-productions, touring, commissions, festivals, and presenting partnerships.
- Negotiates producing agreements and memoranda of understanding with external partners, in collaboration with the Managing Director.
- Serves as Court Theatre's principal producing representative with artists, agents, presenters, peer theatres, funders, and University partners.
- Cultivates national and international partnerships that expand Court Theatre's artistic impact.
- Collaborates on production, event, and program budgets with Finance, Production, and Engagement leadership.
- Forecasts production costs, manages contingencies, and supports long-range financial planning.
- Oversees contracting and negotiations for guest artists and producing agreements.
- Ensures compliance with labor agreements, University policies, and industry best practices.
- Represents Court Theatre in meetings with donors, artists, University leadership, and external partners, especially when the Artistic Director is unavailable.
- Champions innovation in producing models, institutional partnerships, and artistic operations.
- Develops long- and short-term programs to achieve the artistic goals for the theater. Ensures the availability of artistic and production resources necessary to implement programs.
- Oversees stage productions and artistic teams. Leads the planning of auditions and selection of music/dance/theatre productions.
- Performs other related work as needed.
Minimum Qualifications
Education:
Minimum requirements include a college or university degree in related field.
Work Experience:
Certifications:
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Preferred Qualifications
Education:
- Degree in arts administration, theatre, or a related field.
Experience:
- Minimum of seven years of progressively responsible experience in artistic producing, theatre management, or artistic operations.
- Demonstrated experience managing complex productions, budgets, schedules, contracts, and cross-functional teams.
- Background in a LORT, university-affiliated, or mission-driven theatre.
- Leading co-productions, touring projects, festivals, or multi-institutional artistic collaborations.
Preferred Competencies
- Knowledge of theatrical labor agreements, production finance, and contracting.
- Commitment to collaborative leadership, inclusion, belonging, and artist-centered practice.
- Passion for classical theatre and intellectually rigorous artistic work.
- Communicates effectively and builds collaborative relationships.
- Exercises sound judgment while balancing artistic ambition with operational realities.
- Leads multiple complex initiatives simultaneously.
- Demonstrates strategic thinking, organizational stewardship, and financial acumen.
- Demonstrates the utmost professionalism and diplomacy.
Application Documents
- Resume/CV (required)
- Cover Letter (preferred)
- References Contact Information (3)(preferred)
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When applying, the document(s) MUST be uploaded via the My Experience page, in the section titled Application Documents of the application.
Job Family
Role Impact
Scheduled Weekly Hours
Drug Test Required
Health Screen Required
Motor Vehicle Record Inquiry Required
Pay Rate Type
FLSA Status
Pay Range
The included pay rate or range represents the University’s good faith estimate of the possible compensation offer for this role at the time of posting.
Benefits Eligible
The University of Chicago offers a wide range of benefits programs and resources for eligible employees, including health, retirement, and paid time off. Information about the benefit offerings can be found in the Benefits Guidebook.
Posting Statement
The University of Chicago is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, or expression, national or ethnic origin, shared ancestry, age, status as an individual with a disability, military or veteran status, genetic information, or other protected classes under the law. For additional information please see the University's Notice of Nondiscrimination.
Job seekers in need of a reasonable accommodation to complete the application process should call 773-702-5800 or submit a request via Applicant Inquiry Form.
All offers of employment are contingent upon a background check that includes a review of conviction history. A conviction does not automatically preclude University employment. Rather, the University considers conviction information on a case-by-case basis and assesses the nature of the offense, the circumstances surrounding it, the proximity in time of the conviction, and its relevance to the position.
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