Director of Production

Compensation

$91,000-$106,000

OPPORTUNITY
Seattle Children’s Theatre (SCT), one of the nation’s premiere organizations for theatre-for-young audiences, invites applications from dedicated and collaborative leaders for its Director of Production position. The Director of Production is responsible for the comprehensive production execution of SCT’s artistic vision, set by the Artistic Director. This role reports to the Artistic Director and supervises a Production Manager, Technical Director and a staff of eighteen Artisans. This role leads all production related activities at SCT including but not limited to; design and rehearsal phase, running of shows, building of productions, sending SCT’s physical productions out, receiving touring productions, as well as partnering closely with the Artistic Director on commissions and workshops. The Director of Production also carries responsibility for artist care and company management functions, ensuring all guest and resident artists are supported with housing, travel, hospitality and wellness resources. In addition, as part of SCT’s Directors team, this role takes shared responsibility in full staff activities such as; all-staff meetings, leading and participating in antiracism efforts, engagement with the board of trustees and promoting a healthy organizational culture.

SCT is committed to equity, diversity, accessibility, and inclusion in all areas of its work. They encourage applicants of all races, ethnicities, religions, gender identities and expressions, sexual orientations, abilities, ages, and backgrounds to apply. SCT values nontraditional career paths and transferable skills.

BACKGROUND
Seattle Children’s Theatre (SCT) has served more than 4 million children since its founding in 1975 through professional theatre and arts education in the Puget Sound region and beyond. SCT’s mission is to provide children of all ages access to professional theatre, with a focus on new works and theatre education

Over its long and distinguished history, SCT has produced nearly 300 productions, over a third of which have been world premieres. In the 2026/2027 season, SCT will present an eight-show season (a combination of self-produced and presented work), offer year-round classes and camps for youth ages 3 to 18, and engage schools throughout the Seattle area. Located at Seattle Center, SCT performs out of two spaces, The Charlotte Martin Theater (482 seats) and the Eve Alford Theatre (274 seats). SCT’s state-of-the-art Allen Family Technical Pavilion facility houses its paint, costume, prop, and scene shops, as well as fully accessible rehearsal and classroom spaces.

Johamy Morales serves as Artistic Director of SCT, a role she assumed in 2025 after serving as Associate Artistic Director and Director of Education. SCT works under contracts with Actors Equity Association, IATSE, SDC, and USA, employing many of the nation’s top professional theatre artists. SCT is governed by a 32-member Board of Trustees, operates on a $9 Million Budget. More about SCT can be found at https://www.sct.org/.

SEATTLE, WA
Seattle, WA is a thriving urban hub for business and culture, surrounded by the natural beauty of the Pacific Northwest region. Seattle is one of the greatest arts and culture settings in the world, with world-class museums, music offerings, dance, and a robust theater scene that includes over 80 theatre companies of various sizes.  With a metropolitan area population of over 4 million people, Seattle and the surrounding area serves as the home base of major corporations such as Amazon, Starbucks, Costco, Nordstrom, and Microsoft. More about Seattle can be found at https://visitseattle.org/.

POSITION RESPONSIBILITIES
As part of the SCT’s senior director team, the Director of Production reports directly to SCT’s Artistic Director and core responsibilities include the following:

Department Leadership & Staff Oversight

• Build and lead SCT’S Production Department, including recruiting, hiring, contracting, and managing of all production staff: shop heads, production management, stage operations, and creative teams.
• Supervise, mentor, and provide professional development for department staff, fostering a collaborative, equitable, and high-performing team.
• Provide final approval on departmental hiring in consultation with Production Manager and Technical Director.
• Union Leadership & Compliance: Maintain all agreements with SCT’s affiliated unions, ensuring compliance with collective bargaining agreements, resolving grievances, and serving as SCT’s primary liaison to union representatives.
• Actively represent SCT in collective bargaining negotiations and labor strategy discussions.

Production & Season Management

• Lead the execution of all production activities including design, build, rehearsal, technical rehearsals, performances, touring, and rentals.
• Collaborate with the Artistic and Managing Directors to generate production calendars and multi-season budgets.
• Schedule and lead programming & event meetings, staff, production, and design meetings, and interdepartmental planning sessions.
• Partner with SCT Drama School to provide production support for during and off-season programming.
• Producing Models: Identify, plan, and multiple producing models (in-house builds, rentals, co-productions, tours) to ensure SCT’s productions are financially sustainable, mission-aligned, and adaptable to evolving organizational needs.

Budget, Contracting & Financial Management

• Accurately develop, forecast, and manage a multi-million-dollar production budget, ensuring alignment with SCT’s overall financial health.
• Supervise monthly budgetary tracking and reporting; collaborate with Finance on expense management and long-range forecasting, including current financial results and budget performance forecasting.
• Oversee payroll for staff and crew, creative team contracting, and compliance with union and labor agreements.
• Negotiate with vendors and contractors to achieve cost savings while maintaining artistic quality and safety.
• Contracting & Artist Negotiation: Lead the negotiation and execution of contracts for all director’s, designers, choreographers, and other creative artists engaged each season. Ensure contracts reflect SCT’s artistic goals, financial parameters, and union requirements, while maintaining positive and professional relationships with artists and their representatives.
• Capital Campaign R&D: Partner with Development and Finance to research and scope production-specific capital campaign endeavors, including identifying high-impact projects for donor investments.
• System Upgrades & Planning: Identify necessary production system upgrades (scenic, lighting, sound, rigging, etc.), creating both short- and long-term strategic replacement and investment plans that ensure SCT’s facilities and technology remain current, safe, and effective.

Company & Artist Care Oversight

• Provide strategic oversight of artist and guest services, including housing, travel, hospitality, and local resource support, ensuring a welcoming and professional environment for all visiting and resident artists.
• Supervise company management functions, including worker’s compensation claims, doctor and physical therapy coordination, and accommodations for disabled artists.
• Support artist wellness through proactive engagement and responsive care practices.

Organizational & External Collaboration

• Collaborate with Development, Marketing, and Education teams to align production schedules and support special events that engage donors, trustees, and audiences.
• Serve as a primary conduit for guest artist engagement, building bridges between production and all SCT departments.
• Build and sustain collaborative relationships with external partners, unions, and vendors to support SCT’s mission.
• Production Asset Revenue Generation: Engage with peer theatre companies to advertise and rent SCT’s production assets, generating approximately $15k seasonally in earned income to support SCT operations.
• Seattle Center Partnership: Lead SCT’s production and Seattle Center relationship, coordinating goods and services directly as a benefit towards SCT’s lease agreement with Seattle Center.

SCT has also identified the following desired skills and qualifications for the Director of Production:

• A talent for contributing positively to the organization’s culture and success.
• Active participation in equity, diversity, accessibility, and inclusion initiatives, including attending all-staff meetings & training.
• Embodying the organization’s mission, vision, and values in all work aspects.
• Extensive production management experience with demonstrated success leading large, multi-disciplinary teams.
• Strong financial acumen, including complex budget forecasting, management, and reporting.
• Ability to lead through a lens of equity, cultural awareness, and sensitivity.
• Proven ability to manage sensitive personnel, union, and artist relations with discretion and care.
• Excellent communication, organizational, and project management skills.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Suite (Excel, Word, Outlook) and working knowledge of AutoCAD, Vectorworks, or similar platforms preferred. Positive, curious, and collaborative attitude with commitment to high-quality work.

Physical Requirements & Work Environment

• The physical demands described here are representative of those an individual must meet in order to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. We will make reasonable accommodations to enable individuals with disabilities to perform these functions.
• Constantly operates a computer and other office machinery.
• Pre-employment clearances/background checks will be conducted and reevaluated every 3rd year of employment.
• SCT requires all staff to maintain current applicable Covid-19 vaccination status.
• Must be able to lift 25 lbs.

Tasks for this role may include:

• Remaining in a stationary position for extended periods.
• Using computers, phones, and office equipment.
• Moving printed materials and supplies up to 20 lbs.
• Navigating office space for meetings and collaboration.

SCT will make reasonable accommodations to ensure accessibility for all employees.

Location. This position is based at 201 Thomas St, Seattle, WA, in a typical office setting along with technical/production facilities used for building theatrical productions. The work requires on-site presence with occasional evenings and weekends. The site is accessible via public transportation. After a successful 90-day introductory period, this position becomes eligible for one regularly scheduled remote workday per week. Remote work approval is subject to the needs of the business and must be coordinated in advance with the employee’s supervisor.

Schedule. This is a full-time, hourly position typically scheduled for 40 hours per week, Monday through Friday, 9am – 5pm. Occasional evening and weekend hours may be required to support fundraising events and Opening Nights. Flexible scheduling to support work-life balance may be discussed as needed.

COMPENSATION AND START DATE
SCT hopes to make a hiring decision by the summer of 2026, with the selected candidate transitioning into the position shortly after to be prepared to lead the 2026/27 set of responsibilities for the new season starting this fall. The salary range for the position is between $91,000-$106,000 annually and includes a full benefit package that includes:

• Generous Vacation & Sick Time
• Health, Dental, and Vision: Employer-paid coverage (You can explore the current benefits SCT offers on the SCT Benefits Website http://www.benefitspage.com/ PASSWORD: sct)
• Retirement: Optional 403(b) plan
• Additional: FSA options, Discounted ORCA Passport or Parking Plan

SCT uses a transparent, negotiation-free compensation structure to ensure pay equity across roles. Grade levels and pay are based on the scope and responsibilities outlined in each job. The information presented indicates the general nature and level of work expected of employees in this classification. It is not designed to contain, or to be interpreted as a comprehensive inventory of all duties, responsibilities, qualifications, and objectives required of employees assigned to this job.

Seattle Children’s Theatre provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment. We are committed to building a welcoming workplace for people of all backgrounds and experiences. We believe that diversity of thought, background, and identity makes us stronger and enriches our work.

HOW TO APPLY
Jonathan West and Shruti Adhar are leading this search process. Interested and qualified candidates should submit the following items for consideration:

• A current resumé;
• Cover letter (no more than 1 ½ pages);
• Four professional references;
• Salary expectation.
• The cover letter should describe your background and your approach to leadership, as well as what excites you about this unique opportunity.

All documents should be in .pdf format and have the candidate’s name as part of the file name.

APPLY NOW