House Manager

The Old Town School of Folk Music seeks a part-time House/Stage Manager to manage facilities, volunteers, patron services, and artist relations from beginning to end of shows. Duties may vary from night to night. Serves as House Manager for assigned events, including preparations, supervision and troubleshooting during the event as well as managing end-of-night closing.

• Oversee facility preparation, including hall, lobby, dressing room(s), and any unique advance requests or needs
• Manage volunteers, including check in, assignments, and distribution of any equipment or materials
• Help with ticketing, guest lists, and troubleshoot box office as needed
• Greet artists and help with load‑in, parking, and hospitality
• Keep event running on time
• Complete final settlement / payment with the artists
• May occasionally act as emcee for the event
• Must have strong interpersonal, leadership and communication skills
• The abilities to think on one’s feet, to be decisive and adapt to change are essential
• Must be available to work a minimum of four shifts per month of five to seven hours at a time

Experience supervising staff and/or volunteers preferred

Bi‑lingual Spanish is helpful.

• Commitment to the principles of diversity, equity, and inclusion as well as ongoing personal growth in these areas
• Must be able to travel to visit various Chicago locations during the workday.
• Available to work evenings and weekends as needed

• Ability to stand, walk, and remain on feet for extended periods
• Ability to lift, push, or carry items up to approximately 30 pounds
• Ability to navigate backstage areas, stairs, ladders, and low‑light environments
• Manual dexterity to operate headsets, cue lights, and stage equipment
• Theater, performance venue, or event space experience
• Exposure to low lighting, loud sounds, and moving equipment
• Close collaboration with performers, crew, and front‑of‑house staff
• Irregular hours based on sound check and performance schedules

Discounts at the School and some voluntary benefits are available for part‑time employees.

This is a non‑exempt position paying an hourly rate of $17.60.

To be considered for this role, please apply through our Career Center.

Chicago’s Old Town School of Folk Music (“OTSFM”) is the largest community school of the arts in the U.S. and a non‑profit organization committed to celebrating American music and global cultures. Founded in 1957, Old Town School provides various music, dance, and arts courses to people of all ages, abilities, and backgrounds. Whatever one's interest, Old Town School provides broad access to more than 700 weekly class offerings, a broad array of private lessons, and over 400 concerts and community events per year.

Old Town School of Folk Music opened its Lincoln Square facility in 1998 and expanded in 2012. The Old Town School operates two campuses in Chicago’s Lincoln Square and Lincoln Park neighborhoods, including world‑class concert halls, classrooms, an award‑winning music store, and a music resource center. Online classes were introduced in 2020 and students from nearly every state and a dozen countries participated throughout the pandemic.

Children’s classes are also held at several suburban satellite locations. More information is available townschool.org.

OTSFM is committed to providing an environment of mutual respect where equal employment opportunities are available to all applicants and employees. OTS strives to be an inclusive and equitable organization that reflects the diversity of the city of Chicago. We seek to recruit, develop, and retain the most talented people from a diverse candidate pool. This is critical to our success as a community‑focused organization.