Rebus Theatre for Social Change seeks an experienced Project Manager for an ambitious new project, Stages of Empathy. Stages of Empathy involves the creation and touring of an original interactive Forum Theatre play with a cast of disabled actors. The play will tour to community organisations across ACT, NSW, and Victoria, to help remove barriers for disabled people to participate in community activities.

About Rebus Theatre:

Vision

A more sustainable and ethical society that is inclusive, creative, compassionate and accessible to everyone.

Mission

Rebus is an inclusive company using theatre and other arts to stimulate healing and provoke social and environmental change. We work with people who have experienced marginalisation to create innovative, powerful performance in diverse contexts.

Rebus is based on Ngunnawal and Ngambri land in Canberra, with an office at Gorman Arts Centre. Rebus works closely with communities across south-east NSW and in East Gippsland, Victoria, and performs nationally.

Organisational Structure

Rebus Theatre is an incorporated association registered with the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission (ACNC) as a Health Promotions Charity, with Deductible Gift Recipient and Fringe Benefit Exempt status. It is governed by a volunteer board.

Rebus core staff are the Artistic Director and Creative Producer who are co-CEOs, the Stages of Empathy Artistic Director, a Well-Being Director, Finance Manager, Administrative Officer, Assistant Director and Payroll Officer. Most of these positions are part-time, with varying number of hours. Rebus also employs a number of casual staff as tutors, actors, and in other roles.

The Stages of Empathy Project Manager will report to the Rebus Artistic Director and the Creative Producer. They will work closely alongside the Stages of Empathy Artistic Director. They will also work with the Financial Manager, and Wellbeing Director. They will be supported by the Administrative Officer.

Once the project has begun, Stages of Empathy will employ nine Actors and a Wellbeing Officer. The supervision and management of these staff will be worked out between the Stages of Empathy Project Manager and the Stages of Empathy Artistic Director.

About Stages of Empathy:

Stages of Empathy is an ambitious project that employs interactive Forum Theatre with a cast of disabled actors to educate, inspire and empower community organisations to become more inclusive and accessible, particularly to people with psychosocial disability, autism and/or intellectual disability. The project will also address the particular issues of LGBTQIA+ people with disability.

The project involves an extensive consultation process, the development of original plays, their rehearsal, the development of support materials, an ambitious performing season across Victoria, NSW and the ACT, and a thorough evaluation. Stages of Empathy will also have input from an advisory group that will meet at set points in the project to give advice and feedback.

Stages of Empathy is funded by the Commonwealth Department of Social Services through their Information, Linkages and Capacity-Building (ILC) Social and Community Participation (SCP) grant round.

About the Role of Stages of Empathy Project Manager:

As part of a small team, the Stages of Empathy Project Manager will both be responsible for strategic planning of how to implement a complex project, and be involved with ground level implementation, including elements of tour management and stage management. The role will involve significant travel, and some out of hours work. Our team of actors is likely to include vulnerable people, so the role will require skill in working with people experiencing anxiety or distress, and require an ACT Working With Vulnerable Card and possible additional police checks for different states.

Stages of Empathy is our most ambitious project to date, and the main project that we are undertaking for the rest of 2024 and across 2025. It is envisaged that procedures, policies and other documents developed for Stages of Empathy will have use across the whole organisation. It is expected that the Stages of Empathy Project Manager will develop an understanding of the organisation as a whole, and work to develop the company through this project.

Key Responsibilities:

Leadership and Management:

• Develop and implement a comprehensive project management strategy.
• Alongside the Stages of Empathy Artistic Director, supervise and support staff working on Stages of Empathy, including the Support Worker, actors and other staff, including recruitment, contracting, inductions and training.
• Oversee all project phases, including consultation, rehearsal, touring and evaluation.
• Report to the Grant Funding Body.
• Alongside the Stages of Empathy Artistic Director, facilitate meetings of the Advisory Group.

Financial Oversight:

• Manage spending and ensure that the project is working to budget, with the Finance Manager.

Community Engagement:

• Build and sustain relationships with community organisations, partners, and supporters.

Specific Project tasks:

The Stages of Empathy Project Manager will implement, or oversee others to implement, specific project tasks including:

• Monitor Activity Work Plans for the funding body;
• Design, promote, and implement a consultation process across three geographical areas and online;
• Identify and approach a range of community organisations in regional and metropolitan areas and promote the program to them;
• Ensure that accessibility requirements are met for consultations, performances and presentations;
• Assist in development of written materials to accompany performances;
• Organise travel including accommodation and transport;
• Ensure child safety compliance;
• Ensure compliance with risk assessment plans;
• Organise and plan for mixed livestream and live presentations;
• Act as Stage manager and/or tour manager as needed;
• Design and implement an evaluation process.

Selection Criteria

Essential Criteria:

• Demonstrated success in a management role within an arts and/or community organisation, including planning, implementation, and evaluation of projects, tracking finances against budget and reporting to grant-funding bodies.
• Demonstrated commitment to access and inclusion of disabled people, and an understanding of the challenges faced by disabled people.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, including a proven ability to build effective relationships with colleagues, partners, and stakeholders.
• Experience in assisting people experiencing anxiety and distress.
• Proven ability to work with limited supervision and in a small team.
• Possess a current Drivers Licence, and have or be able to and prepared to obtain a First Aid certificate, Working With Vulnerable People card and other police checks as required.

Desirable Criteria:

• A degree or other formal qualification in arts management or a related field.

• A familiarity with Forum Theatre and/or other Applied Theatre practices.
• A passion for the arts, and belief in their power to bring about social change.
• Strong IT skills including familiarity with OneDrive, Microsoft Office, and a capacity to problem-solve IT issues.
• Familiarity with employment contracts, awards and determining remuneration rates.
• Experience in catering for a variety of access needs, including in budgeting.
• Experience in touring management and/or stage management.

Rates and conditions:

The position is offered as a fixed term position until the 31 January 2026, with a strong hope that the position will be extended, or an equivalent position offered, as funding permits. It is offered as a 35 hour a week position at $41.25 per hour with four weeks annual leave, in addition to a paid Christmas shutdown period. Hours can be worked flexibly, with a generous time in lieu arrangement. Salary sacrificing is available. A substantial amount of working from home is possible by negotiation. A significant amount of travel, and some working out of hours is part of the position. Travel allowances will be paid, based on the Media Entertainment and Arts Alliance Performer Collective Agreement. Reduced hours or a job-share arrangement will be considered. A contribution to relocation costs of $1000 is available to a successful applicant moving from interstate.

Disabled people, First Nations people, people of colour and LGBTQIA+ people are strongly encouraged to apply.

Rebus aims to be a model employer for disabled people and is open to negotiating flexible work arrangements.

If you have any questions or further information, please contact [email protected] using the subject line: Project Manager - Stages of Empathy enquiry via EthicalJobs.