Assessing appropriate job roles and selecting members of staff that are best suited to each position, is vital information for any starting business. During this week’s meeting, our company discussed and brainstormed the job roles that would be key positions in the planning stage and eventual execution of a professional live music event. Here, I have listed and explained the fundamental skills and responsibilities a person would need to have and carry out, in order to fit the appropriate position.
Chief Executive Officer (CEO)
Responsibilities: In charge of all important final decisions, setting strategy and vision and overseeing the overall running of the company.
Skills: Ability to build strategic relationships (hence, good people skills), time management and an excellent financial understanding.
Events Manager
Responsibilities: To co-ordinate and oversee the event, decide on the line up, produce programs and take responsibility for the stage requirements.
Skills needed: Management, organisation, time keeping and previous experience of managing events and shows.
Front Of House (FOH)
Responsibilities (Usher): Welcome and seat audience.
Responsibilities (Box Office): To process payments and sell tickets, to deal with customer issues including, special needs requirements and cancellations.
Skills: To be friendly, confident and to have good people and communication skills, computer literacy and competence for bookings (Box Office).
Stage Manager
Responsibilities: Overall organisation of the stage and everything on it (includes all equipment, layout and design, ensuring that all aspects of the technicalities run smoothly and instructing both the lighting and sound engineers, as well as all other BOH workers).
Skills: Ability to work well under pressurised working conditions, good communications skills, good leadership skills with compulsory previous experience in a relevant position.
Back Of House (BOH)
Job Roles (not limited to): Runners, riggers, roadies, hair and makeup, wardrobe etc. Skills and previous experience commensurate with each position is required.
Security
Responsibilities: Responsible for ensuring the health and safety of guests and workers.
Skills: Knowledge of conflict resolution and dealing with an array of different people, the ability to diffuse heated situations, adequate defense skills, must be licensed to work by the SIA (Security Industry Authority) and have completed approved SIA training courses or had previous frontline military or police employment.
Catering
Responsibilities: Provide appetising food appropriate to the event.
Skills: Food/safety certification, coordinate food delivery and good planning skills. Previous experience desirable.
Marketing Officer
Responsibilities: The ability to develop and produce marketing campaigns and strategies to promote the event.
Skills: Personal time and management skills, excellent campaign timing skills, good working knowledge of the market and rival companies, must be able to liaise with sponsors and designers (people skills), good critical thinking skills.
Graphic Designer
Responsibilities: To design all of the marketing and promotional materials such as fliers, posters, logos, layouts, fonts etc in a way that is appropriate to the event.
Skills: good creative and artistic skills, must be competent photo manipulation softwares such as Photoshop and Corel and the versatility to be able to effect and target many different market areas and audiences.
Sound & Lighting Engineer
Responsibilities: To provide sufficient sound/lighting/specific visual and audio requirements vital to the event.
Skills: Must be knowledgeable of role organised, must have the ability to be able to work well under pressure and previous experience too. Being punctual with good time keeping skills are a necessity.
Photographer
Responsibilities: Capturing key moments in the event, taking a wide array of pictures that can then be used for promotion of future events.
Skills: The ability to identify and act upon appropriate photo opportunities (without interfering, distracting or disrupting the event), extensive knowledge of all aspects of photography and the handling of equipment, a working portfolio of previous event photography (compulsory).
Performers
Responsibilities: To provide entertainment, being well rehearsed, responsible for their own set up and on time for sound check and performance times.
Skills: The ability to be able to memorize a large repertoire of songs, to carry out an excellent performance with great technical ability and past experience liaising with sound and lighting technicians.
