Technical Director Entertaiment- Royal Caribbean International

*Note: This job is to work onboard our ships*

The TDE is primarily responsible for the maintenance and supervision of the technical and artistic integrity of all production elements (lighting, sound, rigging, stage automation and entertainment systems, etc.) in relation to all produced entertainment. He/She is a key player in assisting the Shoreside Entertainment Scheduling Team to ensure a full staff complement and the ongoing cross-training of such personnel. The TDE ensures safe-working practices and facilitates preventative repair and maintenance of all entertainment venues’ resources and equipment. Key to this is a strong work ethic centered on excellent organizational skills with the ability to manage multiple projects whilst developing and maintaining positive, collaborative relationships and communications with all entertainment personnel, administrative staff and shipboard management. Moreover, he/she works with a great deal of independence and exercises independent judgment in performing a wide variety of duties.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

All duties and responsibilities are to be performed in accordance with Royal Caribbean International’s The Royal Way, SQM standards, USPH guidelines, environmental, and safety policies. Each shipboard employee may be required to perform all functions in various food and beverage service venues throughout the ship.

Each shipboard employee may be required to perform all functions in various venues and throughout the ship.

1. Reporting Structure

• The reporting structure for the TDE is two-fold:
• Onboard Reporting: TDE reports to the Cruise Director
• Shoreside Reporting: TDE reports to the Manager, Entertainment Technical Operations
• The following positions report directly to the TDE: Senior Stage Production Manager(s), Stage Production Manager(s), Head Sound & Light Technician (where applicable Head Sound Technician and Head Light Technician) and Head Stage Staff. The Head Sound & Light Technician(s) as well as the Head Stage Staff report to the TDE only in their capacity as a supervisor.

2. Technical & Artistic Integrity

• Maintains the Technical & Artistic Integrity of all produced entertainment. Moreover, he/she is responsible for monitoring all Headliner entertainment and provides real-time feedback to Royal Caribbean International Miami Office, Entertainment Division.
• Attends all performances, technical rehearsals and rescue trainings, when and where possible.

3. Maintenance and Repairs

• Oversees operation, maintenance and safeguarding of all technical assets of the entertainment venues, including supervising the use of lighting, sound, communications equipment, and the use and maintenance of stage facilities.
• Works closely with the Stage Production Managers, Entertainment Rigging Specialists, Sound & Light Technicians and Technical Stage Staff to ensure that:
  • all show props, sets and sound and light equipment are properly maintained at all times; with the intention that the quality of all entertainment technical equipment is kept up to the produced entertainments’ original design standards.
  • all repairs, maintenance and inspections as outlined in SQM and AMOS, and that all necessary reports, are being completed and distributed on time. Any broken or malfunctioning equipment is to be landed for repair as quickly as possible.
• Assists in scheduling shoreside vendor visits, when and where necessary.

4. Finance & Inventory

• Understands the Entertainment Division’s budget and the various onboard ordering systems; and is responsible for monitoring this against the balance scorecard drill downs.
• Maintains inventory and orders specialized supplies.Ensures that sufficient entertainment technical spare parts are available onboard at all times.
• Consults with the shoreside’s Global Entertainment Technical Operations representative before planning or undertaking any large equipment installations or projects, or before making any larger equipment purchases.
• Provides an annual technical inventory in the fourth quarter of all equipment with recommendations for replacement or refurbishment; with the intention to forecast the following year’s first quarterly entertainment technical order.

5. Staffing

• Responsible for communicating with and assisting the Shoreside Entertainment Scheduling Team to ensure staffing is consistently at approved par; and that all incoming Entertainment Technical Staff receive complete handovers whenever possible.
• Responsible for ensuring that the Entertainment Technical Staff is fully trained and cross-trained into all possible tracks and duties. Moreover, he/she must ensure regular, consistent and thorough cross-training of all Stage Production Managers for built in redundancy.

6. Coaching and Development

• Mentors all Entertainment Technical Staff to strengthen their current performance and to prepare them for possible advancement where applicable.
• Assists Stage Production Managers with addressing performance related challenges and initiating personnel actions such as requests for promotion and counseling (together with the Cruise Director and HR Manager, where required).

7. Administrative Function

• Monitors the TDE email account throughout the day, ensuring that all important emails are replied to and that information pertaining to Entertainment Technical Staff is posted or disseminated. Where necessary, the Cruise Director and/or the Shoreside Technical Support Team must be included in such communication.
• Responsible to immediately notify the Shoreside Technical Support Team of any urgent and time-sensative challenges requiring shoreside technical support.
• Attends all applicable entertainment related meetings as required.
• Oversees all technical support of the entertainment venues for all meetings, activities and entertainment for special group functions including but not limited to charters, affinity, promotional, incentive, presentations, and various theme night arrangements.
• Manages the safety culture of the Entertainment Technical Staff by ensuring appropriate training and compliance with established safety procedures and SOP’s.
• Responsible for keeping master copies of all technical documents. This includes, but is not limited to, operating manuals, manufacturer’s recommended procedures, stage plots, track sheets, wiring diagrams and the ship’s layout as related to sound and light equipment.
• Responsible for maintaining all entertainment technical backup files, both locally (on an external hard drive) and remotely (on a company approved third party cloud storage facility).
• Ensures handover notes are prepared as required by outgoing Entertainment Technical Staff including, but not limited to, Stage Production Managers, Sound, Light and Lounge Technicians, Entertainment Rigging Specialists and Head Stage Staff. Digital copies of these must be kept locally and remotely.
• Ensures that all passwords (administrative & entertainment technical) are stored securely and locally in more than one location. Both the Cruise Director and the TDE must have full access to these passwords at all times.
• Must be familiar with all company policies and procedures.

QUALIFICATIONS

• Minimum 5 to 7 years show stage management experience in Broadway and/or Vegas style productions, or equivalent onboard experience.
• Bachelors, Associates, or Fine Arts degree in either Theater, Stage Management or Technical Arenas preferred.
• Relevant qualification in either Sound, Lights, Rigging and/or Automation preferred.

KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS

• Knowledge of technical disciplines: such as sound, lights, rigging and/or automation.
• Knowledge of music and dance as it pertains to theatrical performances.
• Knowledge of international theatrical production preferred.
• Well versed in various software applications applicable to entertainment technology.
• Experience working in an Aqua Theater, Two70 Theater, or large Broadway show theater
• Demonstrated aptitude for the financial aspects of a theatrical operation.
• Knowledge of policies and practices involved in the human resources function including the:
  • ability to motivate and develop international staff in a positive and productive manner.
  • ability to utilize and administer the disciplinary action process through coaching and counseling to improve performance.
• Ability to analyze and evaluate the need for technical support.
• Keep up-to-date with advancements in the entertainment industry.

PHYSICAL, VISION AND HEARING REQUIREMENTS

• Physical: Must pass the company required medical evaluation.
• Vision: Specific vision abilities include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and the ability to adjust focus.
• Hearing: Hear in the normal audio range with or without correction.

LANGUAGE REQUIREMENTS

• Ability to speak English clearly, distinctly and cordially.
• Ability to read and write English in order to understand and interpret written procedures. This includes the ability to give and receive instructions in written and verbal forms and to effectively present information to subordinates and colleagues.