Swarthmore College is a highly selective liberal arts college located in the suburbs of Philadelphia, whose mission combines academic rigor with social responsibility. Swarthmore has a strong institutional commitment to inclusive excellence and nondiscrimination in its educational program and employment practices and encourages candidates who will further advance the goal of fostering a diverse and inclusive community. As one of the nation’s finest institutions of higher learning, Swarthmore College is global in outlook and draws students from around the nation and world. The 425‐acre campus is a designated arboretum, complete with gardens, rolling lawns, a creek, wooded hills, and hiking trails in the Crum Woods.

Swarthmore College has an immediate opening for a Costume Shop Manager. The Costume Shop Manager has responsibility for oversight and management of all support for the operation of the Costume Shop for performances by the Theater Program, the Dance Program, and approved student organizations. This includes working with Theater and Dance faculty and student groups to provide costume and staffing support for productions as well as training and hiring of student workers for costume construction and wardrobe crew. The Costume Shop Manager is responsible for oversight and maintenance of equipment and inventory of the Costume Shop, coordination of stock items, and rentals. The Costume Shop Manager is expected to construct costumes for the Theater and Dance programs as needed, supervise the rental, construction, and shopping for costumes; the acquisition of needed materials and stock for shop operations; and any necessary alterations for productions by the Theater Department, Dance Program, and student organizations in collaboration with the faculty or student designers and directors involved.

The Costume Shop Manager position requires clarity and commitment to the mission of the Theater and Dance Programs and the College, and to the support of students and faculty in this work. Specifically, this requires a balancing of educational and professional artistic standards of excellence and clarity about the distinctions and the overlapping practices of academic and professional performing arts settings.

The position schedule includes regular office hours, and requires schedule flexibility in order to meet the needs of the programs for academic and performance activities in the evenings and weekends. The position is full time, eleven months with the month of July off.

Essential Responsibilities:

• Consult with the Chair of Theater and Director of Dance regarding the performance calendar, schedule for work, and annual budget for the costume shop operation.
• Availability for consultations with faculty/student designers, directors, choreographers, and/or LPAC staff concerning needs for specific performances.
• In close collaboration with faculty and student designers and choreographers, supervise costume construction, purchase and alteration, or supervise and coordinate the costume production for all Theater Department, Dance Program and student performances. This includes all directing workshop presentations, honors thesis productions, Production Ensemble and Senior Company productions, final acting class presentations, faculty and student dance concerts (including senior dance major/minor performance projects), and guest artist performances supported by the Cooper Foundation, Theater Department, or Dance Program.
• In close collaboration with Faculty, support costume “lab” sessions for students as requested by the Faculty Designer in support of “Costume Design” (THEA 004C).
• Hiring, training and supervision of student workers in support of costume construction, alterations, maintenance and wardrobe crews for all Theater, Dance, student performances, and special events.
• Supervision of over-hire labor in the shop, when needed.
• General oversight of equipment and supplies in the costume shop.
• Maintain regular office hours for the costume shop operation.
• In consultation with Chair of Theater and Director of Dance, develop and communicate general guidelines for shop operation to designers, directors, choreographers, and student performers.

Required Qualifications:

• BA or BFA, preferably in Theater or Dance, with an emphasis in costume design and construction.
• Must have a working knowledge of all aspects of costume design and construction for theater and dance. Two to three years professional experience is necessary.
• Strong organizational and communication skills.
• Must possess management and administrative skills as well as the maturity to supervise student workers; to efficiently schedule student staffing for the shop and events, and to effectively administer policies.
• Competence in necessary computer programs related to design, digital photography, and web design/website maintenance.
• Must be able to work independently, but also enjoy contributing in a team work situation.
• Must be able to work with diverse personalities and constituencies.
• Must be able to handle multiple tasks, to work under deadlines, and to prioritize workload.
  
  

Swarthmore College actively seeks and welcomes applications from candidates with exceptional qualifications, particularly those with demonstrable commitments to a more inclusive society and world. Swarthmore College is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Women and minorities are encouraged to apply.