Music@Menlo House Manager - Summer Seasonal
House Manager
Music@Menlo is currently seeking a House Manager for its 2024 festival season. The three-week festival is comprised of over thirty events in three venues. Events include concerts, most of which are recorded live and live streamed, and multimedia lectures. This is a seasonal, contract position. The strongest candidates will demonstrate past experience with house managing in a performing arts setting, and must be able to hit the ground running and have outstanding organizational and interpersonal skills. Starting and ending dates for onsite activities are July 16 through August 11, 2024. This position reports to the Business and Operations Manager.
Responsibilities
Front of House Management
- Manage the front of house and ushers with diplomacy and sound judgment before, during, and in closing of all events. Front of house management will include supervising volunteer ushers who take tickets, distribute programs, and seat guests; problem solving; and assisting patrons, including guests with disabilities, as needed.
- Resolve challenging situations with audience members or volunteer ushers with grace and professional demeanor.
- Coordinate on-site venue setup on the day of each event. The setup coordination will involve signage, checking supply of program books, and crowd-control measures for each event. Support will be provided by staff and interns, but the House Manager coordinates instructions and is responsible to assure the correct setup in advance of volunteers’ arrival.
- Supervise access to the venue entrances and exits before, during, and after each festival event and in the case of emergency evacuation.
- Supervise the operation of front-of-house lighting during performances.
- Oversee the provision of equipment and chairs for comfort and convenience as needed for ticket holders waiting in line.
- Ensure flashlights are in good working order and are distributed to concert venues as needed.
- Ensure programs, signage, and stanchions are gathered and put away at the close of each event.
- Collect, count and submit to Music@Menlo all torn ticket stubs labeled by date and event.
- Follow emergency protocols and provide First Aid/CPR to patrons needing care
Usher Management
- Conduct the usher orientation session.
- Assign scheduled volunteer ushers to specific roles and duties for all ticketed events and communicate assignments in advance.
- Respond immediately to usher scheduling conflicts and inquiries, ensuring adequate coverage for each event.
- Keep a written record of usher attendance and the roles carried out by individual ushers at each event.
- Prepare written reports as needed to document usher performance issues, venue problems, etc.
Post-Festival Reporting
- Participate in post-festival debrief session and document best practices in writing to be included in house manager operations manual and submitted at the close of contract period.
Qualifications
- Previous house management experience in a performing arts setting.
- Outstanding communication and organization skills.
- Sound judgment and diplomacy, and a solid sense of the skills needed to work with a dedicated yet diverse team of volunteers.
- Must be very detail oriented and have the ability to efficiently handle multiple situations at any given time, including emergencies.
- Ability to remain calm and pleasant in a fast-paced environment, as well as make good decisions quickly.
- Physical stamina including the ability to stand for long periods of time, plus the ability to lift and carry 40+ lbs.
- Must be available to work all ticketed festival events, including weekends.
- First Aid/CPR certification; American Red Cross course provided to successful candidate
Contractual compensation commensurate with experience. No employee benefits will be offered or available.
Dates/Compensation
Contract dates are July 16 through August 11, 2024 with one extra day TBD to lead an Usher Orientation.
This is a contract seasonal staff position. Compensation $3,000 commensurate with experience. No employee benefits will be offered or available.
To Apply
Please email, résumé and cover letter in a single pdf, to:
Happiness Yi, Business and Operations Manager
About Music@Menlo
Founded in 2003 by Artistic Directors David Finckel and Wu Han, Music@Menlo brings many of the world’s leading classical musicians to the Bay Area each summer for a three-week festival, with public concerts, lectures, and a major training institute for emerging and pre- professional musicians. In addition to the festival and institute activities concentrated in the summer, Music@Menlo also offers a series of year-round events and activities. All of the festival’s programming provides an array of opportunities for audiences to connect with classical music in a learning-rich environment. While Music@Menlo largely functions as an independent organization, legally it is a program of Menlo School, an independent, coeducational college preparatory day school located in Atherton, CA. Please learn more at www.musicatmenlo.org
Music@Menlo does not discriminate on the basis of race, religious creed, color, national origin, ancestry, gender, sexual orientation, handicap, disability or age in any of its policies, procedures or practices. This nondiscriminatory policy covers admission and access to, and treatment and employment in, the festival's programs and activities. Inquiries regarding this policy may be directed to the festival office at 650-330-2030.