Recruitment

VACANCY: Arts Centre Technical and Health and Safety Manager.

After 14 great years our lovely Tech and H&S Manager is moving on to pastures (and countries!) new. Axis is seeking an experienced, qualified Arts Centre Technical and Health and Safety Manager.  Axis is an arts and community resource centre located at the heart of Ballymun in Dublin, Ireland. It is a centre for excellence with the community at its heart, a venue and a resource for the community and the city. Axis houses a 211-seater theatre, gallery, dance studio, art studio, recording and rehearsal studios, conference centre, crèche, café and office spaces (home to axis staff and a range of community development organizations). Axis has won multiple awards and accolades from critics and the arts establishment. In recent years, our programming has evolved to include specific focus on areas that include but are not limited to: Climate Adaptation, Artist Development (via Axis Assemble, Playground and other programmes), work as Gaeilge and in other languages, Belonging (Equality, Diversity & Inclusion) and Youth Arts.

Arts Centre Technical and Health and Safety Manager Role

This is a full-time post. Training can provided in certain areas for the successful candidate. The nature of the role means that much of the work will involve working anti-social evening and weekend hours. While the position will require flexibility within working hours, the venue also employs a part time technician as well as freelance technicians to ensure that there is a feasible spread of shifts and work load. We are keen to uphold good working conditions for all our staff as much as possible. To that end, Axis does not facilitate requests for 12hr tech days unless absolutely necessary. With rare exceptions, the maximum tech call for one person is 10 hours with breaks and we encourage split shifts with adequate handover for longer days. The hours are consolidated and the Technical Health and Safety Manager’s role is resourced in a way that they can fulfil the role’s responsibility to schedule technical and office hours and engage casual staff to ensure that the programme is fully supported.

The successful candidate should be an experienced technician with a background preferably in a venue(s) and/or working in or with a touring company, and needs to be able to demonstrate solid experience in working with a range of artists and production companies. The role involves technical management and administration of multiple arts and studio spaces. The candidate should have excellent communication skills and possess the ability to prioritize, to work under pressure and to manage their time effectively and efficiently.

The role requires a motivated and dynamic person who can develop, maintain and deliver the highest standard of technical assistance to incoming performances and in-house productions. Sometimes at a professional in-house production or touring level, and sometimes at a local and/or amateur level where additional support and facilitation is required. It is important that the candidate is able to forge good working relationships, contributing to a positive working environment and demonstrating a collaborative working ethos required in a small busy team, thereby understanding how their role contributes to the organization’s success.

JOB DESCRIPTION: Technical and Health and Safety Manager of Axis Arts & Community Resource Centre.

Responsible to: Axis’ Director and Programme Manager. Key responsibilities:

Technical Theatre

To act as technician in arts spaces and off-site as required. The Tech department also includes a House Technician and has access to Freelance Technicians to ensure that events are adequately covered.

To oversee the preparation and install of visiting shows to the Axis theatre, to assist where appropriate, to carry out risk assessments and to intervene if any practice is deemed unsafe.

To act as chief technician and to support a crew of house technicians that may include participants of CE Schemes and Internships.

To act as advisor to groups/artists using the centre and to supervise the use of arts centre equipment by visitors to protect it and ensure its longevity.

To schedule day to day, monthly and annual maintenance on all theatre equipment.

To create an asset register of technical equipment and fixtures and fittings adding new equipment as it is purchased.

To provide supervision and basic technical induction to non-professional arts centre users and trainees, as required.

Client Liaison

To act as technical contact for all companies both professional and amateur who are using the theatre space.

To ensure that visiting companies expectations and schedules are realistic and to advise the programme manager if there is an issue with what the client expects and what can realistically be delivered.

To liaise with Axis managers and coordinators in relation to incoming and in house events and to meet with clients to assist in assessing their needs where appropriate.

To create and circulate a technical staff rota to all in house and relevant freelance technical staff on a month to month basis and to book in additional specialist crew or crew for incoming companies as and when required.

Health and Safety

To act as Health & Safety Officer for Axis and in association with the Operations and Duty Managers update, monitor and review the Centre’s Health & Safety policies to ensure that they fulfill the requirements of the latest legislation.

To circulate and ensure Staff awareness of all Axis Health & Safety policies, additions/amendments of the policy, identifying training requirements when necessary.

To be familiar and comply with current Health & Safety regulations relevant to the industry and to keep abreast of changes to such regulations.

In partnership with the Operations Manager, to be familiar and comply with government guidelines relating to Covid19 or any other public health events and to keep abreast of changes to such regulations and guidelines.

To ensure that working practices throughout the building adhere to the in-house Health & Safety policy and with Health & Safety regulations generally. In particular, to ensure that technical aspects of the Theatre’s operation are safe at all times and conform to the appropriate legislative and licensing requirements.

To notify the Director of any Health & Safety issues which arise and ensuring that responsive remedial works are carried out.

To ensure that incoming companies have completed a risk assessment and any other necessary documentation relative to their show and that this risk assessment is then held on file.

Management and Maintenance

To assist the Maintenance and Operations Managers with troubleshooting of building mechanical and electrical systems as and when required.

To ensure that all venue maintenance of a safety nature (eg. Fire Prevention Equipment, Lift Inspections, Emergency Lighting etc.) are completed in a timely manner and certified accordingly.

To advise the Director on repairs and renewals, and be responsible for making arrangements for the maintenance, repair or replacement of equipment and facilities as necessary.

To comply with in house policies, systems and procedures at all times

To instigate and to undergo any appropriate training as required by the department or as directed by management.

Assisting the Duty Manager on occasion with gallery installs as and when required.

To carry out any other tasks that will from time to time be allocated by management on an ad hoc or continuing basis commensurate with the general level of responsibility of the post

Financial

To be responsible for the annual technical department budget.

To oversee the expenditure of the technical budget, ensuring that the expenditure is appropriate and within agreed budget and that expenditure is in accordance with financial procedures.

To oversee any lending or hiring out of the venue’s equipment as necessary.

Adhering to set budgets, keeping the Programme Manager informed of any changes to budget or tech schedule with budgetary implications, providing costings and seeking, where appropriate, sign off for expenditure for large amounts.

Key Skills, Competencies and Experience

Essential

  • Minimum of 3 years of working in a theatre technical or touring theatre setting.

  • Excellent Communication and people management skills

  • The ability to work well under pressure and to tight deadlines

  • Competent with safe rigging in a theatrical environment

  • Capable of carrying out risk assessments in line with industry standards

  • FETAC Level 5 Health and Safety at Work Training or similar experience / training (this can be provided)

  • Competent with basic Lighting Design and the use of lighting equipment

  • An understanding of live sound and sound engineering and an understanding of digital sound desks (Freelance audio engineers are engaged for events with specific audio requirements)

Desirable

  • A full clean driving license

  • First Aid Training (this can be provided)

Key Terms of Engagement

Location: Ballymun, Dublin, Ireland.

Employer: Ballymun Arts & Community Resource Centre CLG t/a Axis.

Dates: Proposed start date – April 2022

Salary: €37500

Annual Leave: 24 days (20 days with 4 additional days courtesy of Axis over the Christmas period).

Employee Wellbeing: Axis has an Employee Assistance Programme in place that employees can access in confidence and free of charge.

Contract: Initial 1 yr contract subject to three month probationary period which may be extended following review. Position is subject to confirmation of annual funding.

Axis is an equal opportunities employer. We especially welcome and encourage applications from suitably qualified applicants who identify as being members of communities who are typically underrepresented in the arts in Ireland.

Applying for the Post

Please send an up to date CV as well as a cover letter or cover email clearly marked “Venue Technical and Health & Safety Manager Position” can be forwarded to: patricia.martin@axisballymun.ie

Applications must be received by Thursday 24th of March at 5pm.