House Manager

Duke University:

Duke University was created in 1924 through an indenture of trust by James Buchanan Duke. Today, Duke is regarded as one of America’s leading research universities. Located in Durham, North Carolina, Duke is positioned in the heart of the Research Triangle, which is ranked annually as one of the best places in the country to work and live. Duke has more than 15,000 students who study and conduct research in its 10 undergraduate, graduate and professional schools. With about 40,000 employees, Duke is the third largest private employer in North Carolina, and it now has international programs in more than 150 countries.

Positional Summary

The House Manager is the liaison between the production staff, box office, audience, and space user. The House Manager is responsible for the front of house experience regarding crowd management and audience access to spaces. The House Manager deals directly with the audience members and serves during the event as a primary representative of Venue and Production Management during events. The House Manager is first and foremost responsible for the safety of all patrons. Provide support in campus theaters including Page Auditorium, Reynolds Industries Theatre, Sheafer Lab Theatre, Griffith Film Theatre, Baldwin Auditorium, and Rubenstein Arts Center as well as other campus venues. Ensure events run safely, on time and at the highest of quality and standards. Nights and weekends will be required on occasion, with special focus on peak periods.

Key Position Duties

Ensure - 40% of Effort

• Ensure the comfort and safety of the audience by overseeing the smooth operation of front of house.
• Directly supervise a team of ushers, contracted event staff, graduate and undergraduate students.
• The House Manager needs to check the cleanliness of the auditorium, lobbies, and restrooms, opening doors to the theater on time, and handle patron problems. You must be alert to any potential maintenance or housekeeping problems- e.g., loose doors, non-functioning bathrooms, broken seats, gum on seats, etc.; and report any of these problems to senior staff immediately.

Awareness- 30% of Effort

• Uphold safety such as the proper unlocking of the doors, keeping all doors and aisles unobstructed, and training the ushers on safety rules of the auditorium.  
• Coordinate with all staff on site and representatives of the sponsoring organization to ensure the smooth running of the entire event.  
• Provide de-escalation during any audience disruption or other behavior that impacts the event. Respond to emergency situations such as fire or sudden illness of an audience member.

Document- 15% of Effort

• Responsible for event documentation and proper pre-show set up of signs, ticket scanners, usher equipment, access management, lobby lighting and audio settings.  
• Documentation of all events on electronic devices using team templates and standards. Frequent and consistent communication using in-ear push to talk devices with staff.  

Assess- 10% of Effort

• Ongoing oversight throughout events to provide accurate real time safety assessments, respond to client or audience needs with a proactive nature to resolve issues independently and ability to escalate assistance as needed and appropriate.

Other- 5% of Effort

• Perform related duties as assigned or required to meet departmental, Division and University goals and objectives, as assigned by their Supervisor, Director, or respective designees.

The intent of this job description is to provide a representative outline of the type of responsibilities that will be required of positions given this title and shall not be construed as all-encompassing or as a declaration of all specific duties and responsibilities of this position. Employees may be directed to perform job-related tasks other than those specifically presented in this description.

Anticipated Pay Range:

Duke University provides an annual base salary range for this position as USD $18.00 to USD $26.62. Duke University considers factors such as (but not limited to) scope and responsibilities of the position; candidate's work experience, education/training, and key skills; internal peer equity; as well as market and organizational considerations when extending an offer.

Your total compensation goes beyond the dollars on your paycheck. Duke provides comprehensive and competitive medical and dental care programs, generous retirement benefits, and a wide array of family- friendly and cultural programs to eligible team members. Learn more at: https://hr.duke.edu/benefits/

Minimum Qualifications

Minimum Education

• Work requires basic mathematical knowledge and ability to interpret diagrams generally acquired through a high school education.

Minimum Experience

• Work requires previous experience in a front of house theatre or event staff position.

OR ANY OTHER EQUIVALENT COMBINATION OF RELEVANT EDUCATION AND/OR EXPERIENCE.

Strongly Preferred Experiences:

• Experience with professional communication etiquette.
• Experience and comfort with tablets and Microsoft Teams.

Preferred Skills and Competencies

• Self-motivated, ability to take initiative and complete projects independently.
• Strong communication skills – verbal, written and interpersonal
• Ability to work under pressure and with people of varying experience levels.
• Ability to work independently and as a member of a team with excellent collaboration skills   
• Excellent organization skills and the ability to problem solve and manage concurrent projects within established guidelines
• Applicant must have flexibility to adhere to required scheduling
  • House Managers are required to wear business casual attire, black in color
  • House Managers are expected to have availability to work at least 15 hours per week, primarily nights and weekends, and at least three weekends per month. Weekend is defined as Friday night-Sunday night.
  • Work assigned events scheduled 2-4 weeks in advance.