Associate Costume Manager

Job Description

The Associate Costume Manager leads day-to-day costume production for A.R.T. productions – supervising the workroom staff and directing in-house builds, and managing purchasing, rentals, fittings, and outside vendor work. The Associate Costume Manager resolves upstream issues – scheduling, materials, staffing, and sourcing problems – so that the work can keep moving and with the Costume Manager’s authority in the Costume Manager’s absence.

Workroom Management:

• Supervise the full-time workroom staff, including the draping and tailoring positions, as well as temporary workroom employees and approve their time.
• Hire, set expectations for, coach, and train workroom staff; conduct annual performance reviews; and address performance and conduct issues, including corrective action up to and through termination, in partnership with Human Resources.
• In collaboration with the Costume Manager, determine staffing needs for each production, develop build schedules and estimate labor and materials for in-house builds; assign projects; and monitor progress and quality against deadlines.
• Supervise Costume Coordinators in collaboration with the Costume Manager.
• Anticipate and resolve schedule, materials, staffing, and construction problems before they stall the work.
• Occasionally build, alter, or maintain costumes.
• Set and enforce workroom operating practices and ensure that workroom equipment is maintained.
• Promote an inclusive, respectful, and safe work environment, and ensure compliance with University policy, safe work practices, and union obligations.

Purchasing and Production Logistics:

• Manage and approve purchasing of clothing and materials for assigned productions, collaborating directly with the design teams about selections, availability, and substitutions.
• Direct the Costume Administrator and Costume Coordinators on order placement, and oversee receiving, shipping, rentals, and returns, resolving purchasing and delivery issues with stores and vendors.
• Coordinate with outside shops and vendors, managing outside build and rental timelines and following up on outstanding items.
• Track purchasing commitments, deliveries, and expenditures against approved show budgets with clear status reports showing what is ordered, received, outstanding, or being returned; keep returns and credits current with the Costume Administrator; and report spending and variances regularly.

Production Coordination and Fittings:

• Schedule and prepare fittings with designers, stage management, and costume staff. Track fitting follow-ups and route purchasing, alteration, and delivery needs to the appropriate staff.
• Ensure that garments are pulled and prepared for fittings and that fitting spaces are maintained.
• Track costume needs and outstanding tasks for assigned productions through technical rehearsals and opening, attending production-related meetings and technical rehearsals as needed.
• Ensure that show paperwork is prepared and maintained in a timely fashion, including piece lists, dressing sheets, costume plots, source lists, and laundry and maintenance information.
• Coordinate priorities and deadlines with designers, the workroom, crafts, and Wardrobe.
• Participate in maintaining stock, rental, and department records documentation.
• Serve as the department’s operational point of contact for assigned productions, resolving routine issues and exercising judgment in escalating issues to the Costume Manager.

Acting Authority:

• Act with the Costume Manager’s authority in the Costume Manager’s absence, including directing department staff, approving time, and making purchasing and scheduling decisions.

Working Conditions:

The Loeb Drama Center is a multi-story building without an elevator, with work taking place on all levels. As of February 2027, the A.R.T will hold productions at the Goel Center, a modern multi-story building with modern accessibility features. A.R.T.’s costume stock is stored offsite in the A.R.T. scene shop building, on a second-level loft accessed by stairs.

Physical Conditions:

The Associate Costume Manager may be asked to move costumes, wardrobe boxes, and other materials to and from storage or around the building.

Qualifications

Basic Qualifications a candidate must meet to be considered for this role:

• Bachelor’s degree
• 2+ years of experience in costume construction

Additional Qualifications and Skills:

• Demonstrated leadership and project management experience, such as leading a build, running a workroom team on a production, managing costume purchasing and rentals for a production, or managing a multi-part costume project to schedule and budget.
• Strong knowledge and vocabulary of costume and craft construction methods and materials, including draping, patterning, tailoring, and alterations.
• The ability to estimate the time, labor, and materials needed for costume construction, and to track them against budget and schedule.
• Superior skills using Microsoft Office Suite (Outlook, Word, Excel) and Artificial Intelligence tools; advanced skills in using and creating spreadsheets and Internet collaboration tools.
• Experience supervising staff, including hiring, evaluating, and developing staff, preferred.
• Advanced degree in costume technology, costume design, or a related field preferred.
• The ability to communicate with kindness and clarity, fostering teamwork and a collaborative environment.
• Class D Driver’s license and comfort driving a sprinter van preferred.

Additional Information

• Standard Hours/Schedule: 40 hours per week. This position requires evenings, night and weekend work, particularly during technical rehearsals, previews and productions.
• Visa Sponsorship: Harvard University is unable to provide visa sponsorship for this position
• Pre-Employment Screening: Harvard University requires pre-employment reference and background screenings (Identity)
• Other Information:
  • This position will have a 3-month orientation and review period.
  • Occasional local and out-of-state travel, primarily for shopping in NYC.

Work Format Details

This position has been determined by school or unit leaders that all duties and responsibilities must be performed at a Harvard or Harvard-designated location. Certain visa types may limit work location. Individuals must meet work location sponsorship requirements prior to employment.

Salary Grade and Ranges

This position is salary grade level 055. Please visit  Harvard's Salary Ranges  to view the corresponding salary range and related information. 

Benefits

Harvard offers a comprehensive benefits package that is designed to support a healthy work-life balance and your physical, mental and financial wellbeing. Because here, you are what matters. Our benefits include, but are not limited to: 

• Generous paid time off including parental leave 
• Medical, dental, and vision health insurance coverage starting on day one 
• Retirement plans with university contributions 
• Wellbeing and mental health resources 
• Support for families and caregivers 
• Professional development opportunities including tuition assistance and reimbursement 
• Commuter benefits, discounts and campus perks 

Learn more about these and additional benefits on our Benefits & Wellbeing Page. 

EEO/Non-Discrimination Commitment Statement

Harvard University is committed to equal opportunity and non-discrimination. We seek talent from all parts of society and the world, and we strive to ensure everyone at Harvard thrives. Our differences help our community advance Harvard's academic purposes.

Harvard has an equal employment opportunity policy that outlines our commitment to prohibiting discrimination on the basis of race, ethnicity, color, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, veteran status, religion, disability, or any other characteristic protected by law or identified in the university's non-discrimination policy. Harvard's equal employment opportunity policy and non-discrimination policy help all community members participate fully in work and campus life free from harassment and discrimination.

Salary Grade: 055