Company Scheduler - 2027 Festival Season

Position Description

Opera Theatre of Saint Louis is hiring a Company Scheduler for the 2027 Festival Season. The Company Scheduler is responsible for developing, maintaining, and communicating the daily company schedule, balancing the artistic, contractual, personnel, and operational needs of the company to ensure that each production and Festival Season activity is appropriately rehearsed and prepared for performance.

Serving as the central point of coordination for company scheduling, the Company Scheduler is responsible for developing and maintaining the daily schedule and is expected to exercise independent judgment in developing workable solutions, negotiating competing needs, determining when consultation is necessary, and moving decisions forward. This position works closely with stage management, music staff, Artistic, Production, and other departments, considering individual needs and priorities while making scheduling decisions in the broader interests of the Festival Season. The Company Scheduler is responsible for seeing scheduling matters through resolution, seeking input and consultation as needed. The successful candidate will be highly organized, detail-oriented, and decisive, with the ability to anticipate conflicts, navigate changing priorities, and manage a complex, fast-moving schedule with accuracy.

Duties and Responsibilities

Company Scheduling

• Develop and maintain the Festival Season daily schedule, including rehearsals, coachings, performances, and other company activities.

• Develop schedules with an understanding of the rehearsal process and applicable work rules, ensuring that each production and Festival Season activity receives the rehearsal time and resources necessary to meet artistic and performance goals.

• Manage the schedule in ArtsVision, OTSL’s scheduling software, ensuring information remains accurate and current.

• Gather and evaluate scheduling needs and requests from stage management, music staff, artists, Artistic, Production, and other departments.

• Evaluate and negotiate competing scheduling requests, balancing the needs of individual productions, concerts, and departments against Festival-wide artistic, contractual, personnel, and operational priorities.

• Monitor the schedules and utilization of artists, music staff, artistic leadership, rehearsal spaces, and other shared resources to support effective preparation across the Festival Season.

• Track Young Artist scheduled hours and coachings to ensure fulfillment of coaching requirements established by Artistic and provide accurate weekly reporting of overtime hours for artist payroll.

• Identify scheduling conflicts, missing information, and resource constraints, and work with the appropriate people to resolve them.

• Respond promptly and effectively to schedule changes and new information, assessing their impact across the broader company schedule.

• Proofread schedules carefully before distribution and maintain a high standard of clarity and accuracy.

Schedule Management & Contractual Requirements

• Independently track scheduling requests, restrictions, decisions, follow-ups, and unresolved matters that affect the company schedule.

• Maintain an accurate understanding of outstanding and upcoming scheduling needs, identifying gaps and missing information before they affect rehearsals, performances, or other Festival Season activities.

• See scheduling requests and issues through to resolution, ensuring necessary input or action from others is identified and followed up on.

• Develop and maintain schedules in accordance with applicable collective bargaining agreements, company policies, and established work rules.

• Track scheduled hours, rehearsal periods, breaks, meal breaks, and other applicable limitations to identify potential conflicts or violations before schedules are finalized.

• Maintain a working knowledge of applicable AGMA scheduling provisions and other relevant agreements, consulting Artistic Administration when interpretation or clarification is needed.

Communication & Coordination

• Serve as a primary point of contact for Festival Season scheduling matters.

• Manage a high-volume shared scheduling email account, triaging requests, identifying required actions, maintaining clear ownership, and ensuring requests, changes, questions, and unresolved items are tracked through completion.

• Ensure scheduling changes and relevant information are communicated promptly, clearly, and accurately to appropriate parties.

• Maintain effective working relationships with stage management, music staff, artists, Artistic, Production, and administrative staff, listening to and navigating differing priorities and working styles while maintaining a company-wide perspective.

• Attend scheduling and other relevant meetings to gather information, understand scheduling needs, and track decisions affecting the company schedule.

Skills, Experience & Qualifications

• Exceptional organizational skills and attention to detail, with the ability to manage a high volume of interconnected information accurately.

• Strong written, verbal, and interpersonal communication skills, with the ability to communicate effectively through email, Microsoft Teams, and in person.

• Demonstrated ability to listen to and assess competing needs, anticipate conflicts, and make sound decisions in a fast-paced environment.

• Ability to work collaboratively with a range of personalities and perspectives while maintaining responsibility for company-wide priorities.

• Professional stage management or comparable performing arts production experience strongly preferred; opera experience is particularly desirable but not required.

• Strong working knowledge of rehearsal processes and scheduling needs of artists, directors, conductors, music staff, stage management, and production teams.

• Familiarity with collective bargaining agreements and experience working within contractual rehearsal and work-hour provisions preferred; experience with AGMA agreements particularly desirable but not required.

• Strong technological aptitude and willingness to learn and fully utilize scheduling and information-management systems; experience with ArtsVision or comparable scheduling database software is particularly desirable but not required.

• Ability to work effectively under pressure and maintain a professional demeanor.

Compensation

• This is a seasonal, full-time, in-person position during the Festival Season.

• Compensation: $1,000.00–$1,200.00/week

• Dates of Engagement (12 weeks total):

• Pre-Season Planning & Training: One (1) week during the February–March 2027, with dates and schedule to be mutually agreed upon. Planning and training work during this time may be completed remotely.

• Festival Season Engagement: Eleven (11) weeks starting Monday, April 12 – Sunday, June 27, 2027. This portion of the engagement is fully in person in St. Louis and is not a hybrid or remote position.

• During the Festival Season engagement, the regular work week is Sunday through Friday, 10:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m., with Saturdays off.

• Flexibility is essential. Scheduling needs and Festival Season activities may occasionally require adjustments to regular working hours.

APPLY:

Applicants for the position are asked to submit a resume and a cover letter in PDF format that describes their interest in the position and outlines their relevant experience and qualifications.

Application deadline: December 8, 2026

About Opera Theatre of Saint Louis

Opera Theatre of Saint Louis (OTSL) is a nationally recognized nonprofit organization known for innovative productions featuring outstanding young artists. The company offers a festival opera season each spring which attracts ticket buyers from zip codes throughout the metropolitan area, as well as visitors from nearly 50 states and multiple countries. As of 2026, OTSL has presented 45 world premieres, which may be the highest percentage of new work in the repertory of any American company. In addition to the spring Festival Season, OTSL operates year-round education and community programs serving nearly 17,000 local children and adults. Opera Theatre of Saint Louis has a year-round artistic and administrative staff of approximately 45, which grows to nearly 500 during the Festival Season. Several hundred volunteer members of the Opera Theatre Guild provide support for all aspects of Opera Theatre’s work and advocate for the company throughout the greater St. Louis community. The company’s annual budget size is approximately $12 million; contributed revenue represents more than 50% of budget.

At Opera Theatre of Saint Louis, we value equity, diversity, and mutual respect. We strongly encourage people of color, LGBTQ+ individuals, women, people with disabilities, and others who have been historically excluded to apply. Our goal is to be a diverse workforce that is representative of our community. We are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees. OTSL will not discriminate against employees or applicants on the basis of race, color, religion or belief; national, social, or ethnic origin; age; sex, sexual orientation, gender identity and/or expression; physical, mental, or sensory disability; family or parental status; genetic information or characteristics; protected veteran status; or any other protected class under federal, state, or local law. OTSL will not tolerate discrimination or harassment based on any of these characteristics. If you need assistance or accommodation in completing an application, interviewing, or otherwise participating in the employee selection process, please contact (314) 963-4233 or

tbennett@opera-stl.org