Job Description

General Summary:

The House Manager oversees front of house operations during events and performances at the San Diego Symphony Orchestra’s two venues - Jacobs Music Center and The Rady Shell at Jacobs Park (and other venues where the San Diego Symphony performs). Reporting to the Director of Guest Experience, this position is responsible for ensuring that performance venues are a welcoming and vibrant space for audiences and that the Symphony’s volunteer program provides the breadth and depth of staff resources to meet the varied needs of the organization. Overseeing front of house staff and volunteer ushers, the House Manager will lead the teams that welcome and support audiences at our venues, as well as coordinate with security and food and beverage management. The House Manager is jointly responsible for ensuring that venues comply with health, safety, and ADA requirements, and deliver a high-quality and responsive guest service experience at 150+ events annually.

This position offers the opportunity to be an integral part of a team that provides an exceptional cultural experience in keeping with the San Diego Symphony Orchestra Association’s Tier 1 designation and reputation for exceptional guest experience.

Requirements

Areas of Responsibility:

Front of House Operations

• Work closely with the Director of Guest Experience and house management colleagues to oversee front of house theater operations.
• Lead, motivate, develop, and recruit a team of paid and volunteer staff, including ticket takers and ushers, ensuring that all team members have a flexible and friendly approach and that they feel part of the organization.
• Motivate and train front of house staff, so that they reflect the values of the San Diego Symphony Orchestra Association.
• Manage all operational matters relating to the front of house activities during events and performances.
• Ensure that all aspects of front of house areas provide a welcoming and safe environment to patrons and guests.
• Assist with development maintenance of seasonal staffing schedules for paid and volunteer personnel.
• Oversee assignment and rotation of all front of house staff and ushers during performances.
• Provide pre-event briefings with front of house staff and volunteers on logistics and expectations of planned events (e.g., timing, late seating, food and drink policy, house physician, special activities in all venue spaces, merchandise, security, etc.).
• Actively assist patrons with disabilities and promote new accessibility initiatives, ensuring that performances are a welcoming and accessible environment for all attendees.
• Achieve standards of cleanliness within the venues, most especially through interface and collaboration with facilities staff.
• Follow-up with Symphony management on guest service issues and/or concerns.
• Co-facilitate front of house-training sessions and workshops in coordination with other house managers and Director of Guest Experience.
• Provide volunteer staffing and support to various departments at special events, as needed.
• Provide input and recommendations on maintenance issues, usher program, website content, and front of house policies and procedures.

Volunteer Program Management

• Assist Manager of Guest Experience with overall management of the usher scheduling website.
• Post new events on the website (designating venue location, event name, usher call time, and numbers of ushers needed) and manage staffing process.
• Update announcements on homepage about upcoming events, when/where ushers are needed, orientation dates, etc.
• Prepare and send a regularly scheduled email to all ushers conveying important information and updates.
• Generate reports for tracking and reporting purposes.

Qualifications

• Proven experience in a customer service management position.

• Experience in cultural venue, visitor attraction, entertainment or other hospitality environment preferred.

• Strong communication (oral and written), engagement, organization, and administration skills, coupled with a proven ability to communicate effectively and confidently with diverse groups of people.

• Experience building, managing, training, and retaining a seamless blend of large teams of paid and volunteer staff.

• Exhibits a calm demeanor and promotes a rapid and empathetic response to customer service issues.

• Ability to multi-task and problem solve in a fast-paced environment.

• Understanding of Human Resources practices and ADA requirements.

• Flexible availability is a must, including being able to work during matinee, evening, and weekend performances.

• Ability to stand for varying periods of time and work outdoors in varying weather conditions; such requirements to be performed either with or without reasonable accommodation.

• Passion for the performing arts and the San Diego Symphony Orchestra Association is a plus!

Benefits

Pay Rate:

• When working as a House Manager (on-site) for an event, the pay rate is $26.25/hour.
• When performing administrative work in preparation for an event (on-site or remotely), the pay rate is $21.00/hour

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