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Job Description / Duties

The Head of Sound and Audio Visual provides expert technical leadership for Sound and Audio-Visual Services. They ensure that the sound and audio-visual capabilities of the Opera House are aligned with our artistic vision and strategic goals.

This position is responsible for leading and fostering a culture of continuous learning, personal development and technical excellence to ensure safe and efficient delivery of Sound and Audio-Visual services. It leads and manages a team of specialists, ensuring that they provide outstanding customer service to all presenters and stakeholders, and contribute to the strategic direction of the department.

This role is responsible for the project management of equipment upgrades and maintenance, leading the process by developing business plans, preparing and evaluating tenders, and holding contractors to a high standard. It ensures that our equipment and workforce can realise the technical visions of our hirers and presenting partners.

This position provides, and assists its staff in providing, expert advice to Production Managers, Account Managers, and other technical staff.

Qualifications / Required Skills

• A minimum of five-years demonstrated high level technical production experience, and sound and audio-visual expertise, with a variety of clients across various art forms and event types. This should include strong documentation and design capabilities, a willingness to keep up to date with industry standards and innovations and a demonstrated ability to interpret and implement technical changes within the context of an established business.
• Demonstrated high level project management skills including technical project management, a demonstrated ability to use systems to monitor and track project progress, and the ability to effectively forward plan. Experience with project costing, scheduling, resource allocation, development and management of budgets essential.
• Proven capacity to self-direct and make decisions, incorporating excellent organisational, strategic, analytical and lateral thinking skills applied to articulating and realising a technical vision.
• Demonstrated high level expertise in leading and building teams including formal training and mentoring programs, staff development programs, performance management and rostering.
• Demonstrated organisational, time management and prioritisation skills, including the ability to multi-task and delegate.
• Extensive knowledge of, and commitment to, WH&S and risk management matters within a production environment.
• High level of commitment to client needs.
• Demonstrated high level written and verbal communication and interpersonal skills, including demonstrated experience in conflict management and negotiation.
• Proven ability to work under pressure including demonstrated sound decision making and crisis management skills.
• A thorough knowledge of the theatrical process and sensitivity for working artists.
• Ability to work well in a flexible work environment as part of a leadership team.
• Advanced computer skills including Microsoft Office, Vectorworks or equivalent drawing program, sound and audio-visual technical design programs, and an understanding of database systems.

Additional Information

Being Australia’s premier cultural institution, tourism destination & a celebrated community meeting place, we are committed to fostering an inclusive and dynamic working environment for all our staff.

With values of Safety, Creativity, Excellence, Collaboration & Accountability your professional life is provided with every opportunity to succeed and develop in your chosen profession.

Working with the Sydney Opera House gives you access to a great range of benefits including:
• Flexible working arrangements.
• 5 weeks annual leave.
• Access to a range of internal and external professional development programs and staff engagement initiatives.
• Staff community groups like SOH Pride, First Nations Staff Network, Sustainable Environmental Action Leaders (aka ‘SEALs’) and more.
• Fitness Passport & complimentary wellbeing programs including Pilates, yoga, circuit classes, physiotherapy sessions as well as other wellbeing initiatives.
• Working for an organisation with a 5 Star Green Star Performance Rating from the Green Building Council of Australia (GBCA).
• Working for an organisation who has committed to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.
• And many more!

Salary: Base salary of $131,009 AUD per annum, plus 10.5% superannuation contributions

Contact Information

Hayley Paris at recruitment@sydneyoperahouse.com

Employer Profile

The Sydney Opera House is a multi-venue performing arts centre in Sydney. Located on the foreshore of Sydney Harbour, it is widely regarded as one of the world's most famous and distinctive buildings and a masterpiece of 20th-century architecture.

Our vision for diversity, inclusion and belonging (DI&B) is that the Sydney Opera House – who we are and everything we do – reflects and respects the diversity of the community.

Our 2021-23 DI&B Strategy sets out the change we are driving in the lead up to our 50th anniversary in 2023. These commitments work hand in hand with the commitments in our longstanding Reconciliation, Accessibility and Environmental Action Plans.