Organizer Information
Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts was established as part of the Lincoln Square Renewal Project, with a groundbreaking ceremony held on May 14, 1959, attended by President Dwight D. Eisenhower and championed by civic leaders including John D. Rockefeller III. The campus's first building, now David Geffen Hall (originally Philharmonic Hall, later Avery Fisher Hall), opened in 1962 as home to the New York Philharmonic, the oldest symphony orchestra in the United States; the Metropolitan Opera House and the David H. Koch Theater followed in the 1960s. David Geffen Hall underwent a major renovation, reopening with the new Wu Tsai Theater as its centerpiece and expanded free public programming.
Today, Lincoln Center spans more than 16 acres on Manhattan's Upper West Side and serves as manager of the campus shared with 11 resident arts organizations spanning music, dance, film, opera, and theater. Beyond presenting its own series in music, dance, and theater, Lincoln Center operates as a major education hub, and runs free public programming including Summer for the City. The organization is currently overseeing the Stavros Niarchos Foundation (SNF) Lincoln Center West Initiative, a campus expansion project including a new amphitheater and community park along Amsterdam Avenue.
Title & Description
Lincoln Center Senior Director, Production Job in Performing Arts
Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts is hiring a Senior Director, Production to execute all live-event production elements across its concert halls — including the newly renovated David Geffen Hall — and its public areas. The Senior Director will be central to planning and executing New York's highest-profile events, including classical music concerts, contemporary dance festivals, film premieres, television up-fronts, and free public concerts. The role leads a team of 15 full-time administrative production personnel, along with a large workforce of production and technical employees, and serves as a key partner to Lincoln Center's programming department and its ten resident organizations, shaping a culture of collaboration, communication, and trust within the Production department.
The Role Overview
- Position Type: Full-time
- Salary: $215,000–$250,000
- Reports To: Vice President, Performance Operations
- Department / Programme: Performance and Campus Operations
Position & Tasks
- Team Leadership
- Lead, manage, and mentor all Production personnel, including full-time staff members and freelance production personnel
- Serve as manager of record for all IATSE Local One Stagehands and Local 306 Projectionists in Lincoln Center halls
- Develop learning plans for inter-departmental cross-training opportunities
- Collaborate on Lincoln Center's broader labor strategy, directing the team managing collective bargaining agreement interpretation and enforcement for departmental union employees (Local One Stagehands, Local 306 Projectionists)
- Production
- Create and execute top-level production schedules, calendars, and detailed logistics plans for Production operations
- Serve as thought partner to Lincoln Center executives regarding any production-related questions or concerns
- Identify technical, budgetary, and time-related issues regarding Production activities, proposing solutions throughout
- Develop and implement Production and Campus Operations goals with other Senior Directors, in alignment with Lincoln Center's overall organizational strategy
- Develop and implement multi-year venue operational budgets and long-term capital project planning with General Management and Finance partners
- Campus-Wide Partnership
- Partner with Lincoln Center's Programming department to ensure all events are produced to maximize artistic integrity while minimizing safety and economic risks
- Coordinate with production departments at all Lincoln Center resident organizations to promote collaboration and information sharing as campus norms
- Provide executive leadership with operational and strategic perspective to shape, adjust, and achieve institutional goals
Categories
- Production Management
- Arts Administration
- Performing Arts
- Venue Operations
- Theatrical/Technical Production
Eligibility
- 12 years of experience, with a minimum of 6 years of leadership experience required
- Excellent leadership skills, including influence, decision-making, and delegation
- Dedication to creating and maintaining a positive culture in a fast-paced environment
- Demonstrated broad knowledge of performing arts production and entertainment technology
- Ability to think strategically, maintaining a focus on long-term planning coupled with keen awareness of day-to-day operations
- Comprehensive experience developing and executing institutional goals and strategies
- Excellent verbal and written communication skills
- Well-versed in collective bargaining agreements with theatrical unions, including IATSE
- Experience with Local 1 IATSE stagehands — preferred
- Deep knowledge of operational safety standards, theatrical and building systems, and regulatory compliance (ADA, OSHA, FDNY, etc.)
- The organization explicitly welcomes candidates who meet less than 100% of the listed qualifications, including those with diverse workplace experiences and backgrounds, career transitions, or gaps in employment
Program Benefits
- Salary: $215,000–$250,000
- Health and life benefits for the employee and their family (described as part of a "comprehensive and holistic health and wellness package")
- Retirement savings program
- Other specific benefit details (e.g., dental/vision, PTO, vacation days) not specified in the source
Application Fee
None
How to Apply?
Online Application
Key Dates
- Application Deadline: 17 August 2026
Location
New York, NY, United States
Additional Details
- The search is being conducted on behalf of Lincoln Center by TOC Arts Partners, a national consultancy focused on aligning strategies, structures, and leadership for the cultural sector, led by Vice President Eric Gershman
- Lincoln Center states its policy of equal employment opportunity without discrimination or harassment on the basis of race, creed, color, national origin, sex, age, religion, disability, marital or civil partnership/union status, familial or caregiver status, alienage or citizenship status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, pregnancy, military or veteran status, genetic information/predisposition/carrier status, unemployment status, or domestic violence/sexual violence/stalking victim status, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local law
- All applicants will receive a response regarding the status of their candidacy, though applying before the priority deadline does not guarantee an interview