Front of House Manager - College of Creative Arts & Media

The College of Creative Arts and Media at West Virginia University is currently accepting applications for a Front of House Manager.

About the Opportunity

This position supports the University Arts Series and all activities of the College of Creative Arts & Media and its guests by providing exceptional customer service to patrons, by ensuring safe and memorable experiences at live events, and by engaging the public in pursuit of the CCAM mission. This position ensures the efficient and effective operation of all front-of-house operations for CCAM venues, including house management and patron experience. This is a 10-month position with a contract period of August 1 - May 31 annually.

We strongly believe in work-life balance and keeping time for things we love outside our work. WVU offers generous benefits, including:

• 37.5-hour work week
• 13 paid holidays (staff holiday calendar)
• 15 annual leave (vacation) days per year or more based on years of service (employee leave)
• 18 sick days per year (for when you're ill, for when you need time to care for sick family, for your own, or your family's, regularly scheduled medical appointments. Who is family for the purpose of this leave? A lot of people in your life including immediate relatives and in-laws as well as others considered to be members of your household living under the same roof)
• WVU offers a range of health insurance and other benefits
• 401(a) retirement savings with 6% employee contribution match, eligibility to continue health insurance, and other retiree perks. Looking for more retirement benefits information? Check out retirement health insurance benefits, retirement income, and FAQ's.
• Wellness programs

What You'll Do

House Management

• Serve as lead house manager for major events, including University Arts Series, ensuring safety and overall experience

House Manager supervision

• Supervise and manage all house managers, including student workers and part-time workers
• Schedule house managers to ensure proper event coverage

• Provide adequate training for all house managers covering safety, emergency procedures, customer service, and usher supervision

Supervise Ushers

• Assign responsibilities to ushers for each performance
• Review safety training and ensure ushers are familiar with venue layout
• Ensure appropriate printed or digital program distribution to all patrons
• Identify, mentor and develop led ushers within the larger pool of ushers
• Manage and maintain ticket scanner inventory and ensure proper training of all house managers in proper use and common troubleshooting steps
• Manage patron accessibility needs

Coordinate volunteer ushering program

• Recruit and manage relationships with volunteers
• Tracks and encourage consistent participation
• Regularly communicate with volunteer pool to seek feedback and develop shared sense of community and ownership
• Working within approved budget, plan and execute volunteer appreciation events

Administer class-credit student ushering program

• In collaboration with associated faculty and academic leadership, maintain and oversee student ushering signup system
• Ensure proper documentation of attendance and reporting of any issues
• Field inquiries from students in relation to event and ushering assignment details

Manage emergency protocol and training

• Manage front-of-house safety procedures, including emergency preparedness, staff/volunteer training and incident reporting
• Serves as backup for Box Office Manager in their absence or as schedule requires

Personnel Management

• May offer regular oversight and supervision of CCAM Box Office staff and provide all necessary support to ensure consistent service for our patrons;
• May coordinate staff rotations to meet the needs of the College and adjusts to cover sick leave and emergency staffing issues

Ticket Sales/Box Office Staffing

• Works with Box Office Manager, as needed, to provide additional oversight of Box Office staff serving as backup in the absence of the Box Office Manager or when multiple sites are active simultaneously.

Pay Grade: 16

Hours: Varies according to performance schedule, some evenings and weekends required

• Bachelor's degree in a field relevant to business administration or the arts
• A minimum of two (2) years in the following:
  • Customer service, personnel and process management experience in a public-facing environment required
  • Staff supervision and mentorship
  • Substantial training or experience in the arts
• Any equivalent combination of related education and/or experience will be considered
• All qualifications must be met by the time of employment

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Flexibility and ability to work in fast-paced, high-intensity environment
• Demonstrated ability to remain calm under pressure and handle intense situations with colleagues, guests, and students
• Demonstrated supervisory, leadership, and management abilities
• Ability to implement standard Front of House and Box Office practices
• Functional knowledge of accounting, cash handling and internal controls
• Firm grasp of functions of a creative arts facility, particularly in an educational setting
• Demonstrated understanding of Microsoft Office
• Proficiency with and ability to learn specialized software platforms
• Ability to lift, bend, stoop, walk, reach, and stand for extended periods of time
• Ability to operate a motor vehicle with either an automatic or standard transmission
• Demonstrated ability to manage both long-term and short-term projects
• Demonstrated knowledge of basic principles, practices, and methods of business administration including strategic planning, organizational theory, and personnel principles
• Ability to make financial projections for projects and equipment.

• Valid Driver's License

West Virginia University is a place of purpose and community. We take pride in our profound impact on the state of West Virginia and are committed to the personal and professional growth of our employees.

From the groundbreaking R1 research at our flagship campus in Morgantown to the career-oriented programs at WVU Potomac State in Keyser, and the technology-intensive programs at WVU Tech in Beckley, the contributions of WVU employees resonate across the state, touching lives and shaping futures.

At WVU, you will discover a supportive community that champions work-life balance and fosters a collaborative atmosphere. Our core values - service, curiosity, respect, accountability and appreciation - unite us as Mountaineers.

Join us at West Virginia University, where your work will make a lasting impact. To learn more about WVU, visit wvu.edu.

West Virginia University is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We invite all qualified applicants regardless of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, genetic information, or Veteran status.