Jobs at Irish Arts Center (Now Hiring) — 2 open

ABOUT THIS POSITION

Irish Arts Center is seeking motivated and dedicated ushers to join our Front-of-House team as Usher Shift Leads. As the primary point of contact for our guests, ushers play a vital role in ensuring a warm, welcoming, enjoyable, and safe experience for all audiences at all IAC events. The ideal candidate demonstrates outstanding customer service, strong attention to detail, sound judgment under pressure, and the ability to proactively solve problems as they arise.

Typically, one Usher Shift Lead is assigned to each performance to work alongside the House Manager, providing leadership and guidance to the usher team and serving as the first point of contact for routine guest and staff inquiries before, during, and after the event.

Usher Shift Leads are scheduled based on their availability and the staffing needs of each event or production. Must be willing to work nights, weekends and holidays as venue schedule requires. Reports to the Audience Services Manager. In this role you will be responsible for:
 

• Facilitating late seating and providing in-theatre audience supervision during events and performances.
• Remaining attentive to guest activity and responding to any disturbances to ensure a smooth, safe and enjoyable environment.
• Alongside the House Manager, monitoring usher breaks and position coverage.
• Responding to routine usher questions during seating and escalating patron issues, accessibility concerns, or emergencies to the House Manager.
• Monitoring audience flow during seating and providing support to fellow ushers to efficiently guide guests to their seats.
• Anticipating and aiding guests with disabilities, mobility needs, or other accommodations, ensuring an inclusive and welcoming experience.
• Welcoming guests in a polite, professional and friendly manner, and proactively offering assistance as they arrive.
• Enforcing event rules and relevant health and safety regulations with professionalism and consistency.
• With the House Manager, routinely review emergency protocols with usher team to ensure understanding, confidence, and compliance with established procedures.
• Checking and scanning tickets and directing or escorting guests to their seats.
• Informing guests about the location of the restrooms, refreshments, and exits and other venue amenities.
• Preparing and distributing programs, brochures, and other materials.
• Other duties as assigned.

Qualifications

• Previous ushering experience required.
• Fire guard certified or willingness to attend training. Must be certified within the first three months of employment.
• First Aid/CPR certified preferred or a willingness to attend training.
• Supervisory experience preferred.
• Effective verbal communication skills.
• Ability to treat all guests, staff, and clients in a respectful and inclusive manner.
• Ability to work independently and with a team.
• Must be comfortable working in settings with low lighting.
• This is an in-person position.
• This job requires US work authorization. In compliance with federal law, all persons hired will be required to verify identity and eligibility to work in the United States and to complete the required employment eligibility verification form upon hire. IAC participates in E-Verify.

Work Environment

• This is an in-person position. 
• This job requires US work authorization. In compliance with federal law, all persons hired will be required to verify identity and eligibility to work in the United States and to complete the required employment eligibility verification form upon hire. IAC participates in E-Verify.

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is occasionally exposed to outdoor weather conditions. The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.

Physical Demands

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to talk or hear. The employee is frequently required to stand and walk for extended periods of time; lift and/or carry up to 10lbs; walk, sit, bend and squat; view items at a close and distant range.

About Irish Arts Center:

Irish Arts Center (IAC) is a national and international home for artists and audiences of all backgrounds. Based in Hell’s Kitchen, New York City, Irish Arts Center presents, develops, supports, and promotes work from established and emerging artists, providing cultural experiences that are innovative, collaborative, diverse, authentic, and emotionally and intellectually transporting, meet the highest standards of excellence, and celebrate our common humanity in an environment of Irish hospitality. Founded in 1972, throughout our history the Center has also provided community education programs and access to the arts for adults and children of all ages and ethnic, racial and socioeconomic backgrounds.

Irish Arts Center recently completed construction of a $60 million landmark new permanent home, including a state of the art flexible performance and arts space for the presentation and development of work across a range of disciplines, including music, dance, theatre, film, visual arts, literature and the humanities; classrooms and studio spaces for education programs, development, and collaboration; technology to stream and distribute content on the digital platform; and an avenue-facing lobby café that is a hub for hospitality and interaction between artists and audiences. As part of a second phase, IAC will renovate its adjacent existing 51st Street building to provide a second, intimate performance space—the historic Irish Arts Center theatre—optimized for the most intimate live music and conversation, recordings, podcasts, master classes and special events, and a courtyard entrance on 51st Street where the historic Irish Arts Center and the new building meet.

As IAC is committed to representing diverse identities in our artistic programming, so too are we committed to diverse representations in our administrative team. Irish Arts Center is an equal opportunity employer and will consider all applicants for employment without unlawful discrimination based on race, creed (religion), color, sex (including gender expression), national origin, sexual orientation, military status, age, disability, predisposing genetic characteristic, marital status or domestic violence victim status, or any other characteristic protected by law.

New York Times New York’s Irish Arts Center Upgrades to a ‘Flagship Hub’ | The $60 million building in Hell’s Kitchen, which will present theater, dance, music and more, is scheduled to open in December.

American Theatre A Big Table: What the New Irish Arts Center Means for New York | The company’s glittering new $60 million building, long in the works, puts the emphasis on multidisciplinary programming and Irish hospitality.

Irish Times New York’s Irish Arts Center Gets a New Lease of Life