Associate Producer

Company Overview

Persephone Theatre is located on the beautiful lands of Indigenous peoples who have lived here since time immemorial, including the Nêhiyawak, Nêhithawak, Anishinabek, Nakawe, Nakota, Nehinawak, Lakota, Dakota and Dene peoples. This place is also the homeland of the Métis. At Persephone, we also like to acknowledge the contributions of the Whitecap Dakota and Round Prairie Métis peoples in establishing our city of Saskatoon. Persephone Theatre is located on Treaty 6 territory and is committed to living in good relations with our Indigenous neighbours, in the spirit with which the Treaties were intended.

Persephone sits amidst an increasingly vibrant city centre and attracts a loyal and diverse audience looking for the very best in theatre experiences. From its busy Main Stage, studio stage, and rehearsal halls; to its theatre school and youth programming; and the many events held in its venue, Persephone Theatre has established itself as a cultural hub. 

Persephone Theatre is committed to reflecting the rich diversity of our community in the stories we tell and the ways in which we undertake creating our work. We prioritize a workplace culture that centres equity, inclusion, and authentic representation. We strongly encourage submissions from those who self-identify as members of historically excluded communities, which includes (but is not limited to) those who identify as IBPOC, 2SLGBTQIA+, d/Deaf, or who have a disability or chronic illness.

Job Description

This is a mid-level management position reporting to the Artistic Director. The Associate Producer works collaboratively with the Artistic Director, Executive Director, Production Manager, Technical Director and Marketing team. The Associate Producer is an integral part of the production and administrative teams, acting as a bridge to ensure strong communications across departments. The Associate Producer has strong accountabilities, and works in tandem with the Artistic Director to negotiate and execute all artistic contracting and communications (artists, licensors, co-producing and presenting organizations) while working closely with the Production department to help project and maintain budget expectations, and assist with coordination of designers and stage management teams.

The Associate Producer will be responsible for running, maintaining and securing training for Persephone’s Accessibility Program, which includes: American Sign Language (ASL), Audio Description, Relaxed Performance, T-Coil, PlayDate program, and more.

This position also:

·        Works collaboratively with AD and PM on contract development and administration

·        Assist with contract negotiations and offers to artists, designers and consultants

·        Applies for and assists with negotiations for artistic licencing and coordinates royalty payments

·        Assists with and collaborates on co-production budgets and contracting

·        Collaborates on production budget creation and maintenance

·        Collaborates on rehearsal scheduling and special rehearsal considerations

·        Collaborates and assists on CAEA administrative duties (company category calculations, CAEA bond, contract filing, etc.)

·        Coordinates and manages calls for submissions and auditions

·        Arrange travel and accommodations for visiting artists and team members

·        Supports Production Department in Facilities oversight

·        Oversees, maintains, and continually enhances Persephone’s Accessibility Program

·        Assists with development and maintenance of office and administrative systems, filing, relevant data collection, input and tracking

·        Engages in sectoral initiatives, including involvement with PACT

·        Assists with special event planning and implementation

·        Acts as a public facing representative of the Theatre, public speaking may be required

·        Assists and collaborates on ancillary programs, as required

·        Other duties as assigned

Desired Skills & Qualifications:

·        Minimum 3-years of progressive experience in an arts administration capacity, or relevant professional experience in a similar role

·        Strong arts administrator, with existing knowledge of theatre administration practices

·        A proactive person who is comfortable taking initiative, can lead self-guided work, and thrives in a team environment

·        Keen eye for detail, with excellent time management skills and ability to meet deadlines

·        Generative thinker with ability to balance multiple tasks at once

·        In depth knowledge and an understanding of relevant unions and affiliations, and their respective collective bargaining agreements, including: Canadian Theatre Agreement (CTA), Associate Designers of Canada (ADC), Playwright Guild of Canada (PGC) and IATSE Local 300

·        Strong communication skills, both written and oral

·        Experience with Microsoft word, excel, outlook and Dropbox

·        Passion for theatre

Key competencies include:

·        Personal Accountability – a self-motivated sense of purpose and direction that supports reliability and accountability for personal and professional actions.

·        Planning, Organizing, and Managing Time and Priorities – the ability to ascertain top priorities, forecast while anticipating outcomes and risks, and establishing appropriate courses of action.

·        Professional deportment – the position may require the candidate to become one of the public faces” of the organization.