Manager, Company Management

Lyric Opera of Chicago•Chicago, IL

9d•$58,000 - $63,000

About The Position

Through artistic excellence coupled with innovative, relevant programming; initiatives to connect with and grow new audiences; engagement with communities to ignite creativity across Chicago; and a modernized Opera House that is the setting for truly great experiences, Lyric is leading the advancement of opera. This collaborative vision will deliver ever more exciting, thought-provoking, and inclusive audience and community experiences – while increasing the gravitational pull of our art form, company, and city. Reporting to the Director of Company Management, the Manager of Company Management plays a central role in the successful execution of Lyric’s productions by overseeing the department’s day-to-day operations and artist services for guest artists and creative personnel. During periods of limited departmental staffing, the Manager works in close partnership with the Director to oversee and execute core Company Management functions year-round. The Manager works closely with Artistic, Production, Technical, Operations, and Finance teams to coordinate schedules, travel, housing, visas, and backstage logistics, contributing to an organized, responsive, and supportive environment for artists throughout the rehearsal and performance process. A skilled communicator and problem-solver, the Manager serves as the department’s primary operational lead, supervising Company Management Assistants, managing departmental systems and workflows, and ensuring clear, ongoing communication with the Director and key stakeholders so that information is shared accurately, consistently, and in a timely manner. With a strong understanding of company management functions and institutional practices, the Manager supports operational continuity by assuming delegated responsibilities during the Director’s absence, while escalating sensitive matters and final approvals to the Director of Company Management.

Requirements

Minimum of three (3) years of experience in artistic administration, company management, or artist services at a mid- to large-sized performing arts organization, or equivalent professional experience.
Strong working knowledge of union collective bargaining agreements and individual artist contracts, particularly provisions related to scheduling and rehearsal/performance requirements.
Demonstrated experience supervising staff, including onboarding, training, delegation, and performance management.
Demonstrated ability to manage complex logistics and administrative processes with accuracy, sound judgment, and attention to detail.
Experience managing financial processes such as invoice submission, reimbursements, advances, petty cash, and basic budget tracking.
Demonstrated ability to communicate clearly, proactively, and professionally with senior leadership, artists, agents, and internal stakeholders.
Demonstrated ability to exercise discretion, maintain confidentiality, and handle sensitive artist and institutional information appropriately.
Proficiency in Microsoft Office 365 applications and other standard office and collaboration tools; experience with company management or arts administration software preferred.

Responsibilities

In collaboration with the Director of Company Management, oversee the daily operations of the Company Management department, ensuring consistent, accurate, and responsive artist services for guest artists and creative personnel.
Maintain regular, proactive communication with the Director of Company Management regarding departmental operations, staffing, scheduling, and emerging issues, ensuring visibility, alignment, and shared decision-making.
Serve as the primary departmental point of contact for Company Management operations, proactively sharing updates and escalating complex, sensitive, or personnel-related issues to the Director of Company Management.
In collaboration with the Director of Company Management, onboard, train, mentor, and supervise Company Management Assistants, maintaining full working knowledge of all Assistant responsibilities and performing those functions as needed to ensure continuity of operations during periods of reduced staffing.
Delegate work effectively to Company Management Assistants and actively track progress across multiple concurrent projects, ensuring deadlines are met and details are not dropped.
Design, implement, and maintain organizational systems and workflows that support accurate tracking of schedules, travel, housing, visas, and daily artist and staff requests.
Collaborate with Artistic, Production, Technical, Operations, and Finance teams to support rehearsal, performance, and backstage logistics across all productions.
Foster clear, professional communication between artists, agents, and internal departments to ensure timely resolution of logistical and administrative needs.
Develop, distribute, and maintain accurate daily and weekly rehearsal and performance schedules in accordance with union agreements, artist contracts, and production needs, preparing schedules for Director review and approval during the performance season.
Coordinate travel and housing arrangements for guest artists and creative personnel, maintaining regular communication with artists and their representatives.
Oversee the visa petition process for international artists, including planning, preparation, submission coordination, tracking, and compliance with federal regulations, in collaboration with the Director of Company Management.
Provide artist services support, including ticket requests, medical appointments, backstage access, guest coordination, and incident reporting.
Enforce backstage policies related to building access, practice room usage, safety, and general operations with professionalism and diplomacy.
Maintain accurate, timely, and complete records in Company Management systems for schedules, artist contacts, travel, housing, and visa information.
Manage departmental financial processes, including the submission of invoices, artist reimbursement and advance requests, visa-related expenses, and petty cash.
Track Artists Classified as Principal Artist hours based on approved schedules and submit reported hours to the appropriate supervisors or Artistic Finance Manager for review, approval, and payment processing.
Monitor departmental expenses to ensure alignment with approved budgets and institutional policies.
Build and maintain a comprehensive archive of production information, including rehearsal and performance reports, artist lists, and relevant documentation.
Support long-range planning for future seasons by coordinating early logistics for travel, housing, and visa needs.
Provide operational coverage during the Director of Company Management’s absence by managing delegated departmental responsibilities and ensuring day-to-day continuity.
Escalate sensitive issues, personnel matters, and final scheduling decisions to the Director of Company Management for review, discussion, and approval.