Volunteer Roles

Technician

Day-to-day, technicians are responsible for ensuring that each show’s changeover is completed on time, as directed by the Technical Manager. On fit up days, they will be responsible for implementing the technical elements of the upcoming week's shows alongside any technicians in the performing company.

Technicians will enjoy getting to work across all of our performance spaces and interact with a variety of equipment and companies. From focusing a light for the first time, to setting up a musical band, all experience levels are welcome and can thrive in this role.

Responsible for:

• Ensuring technical changeovers are completed safely and on time
• Communicating with the House Manager and performing company to ensure a smooth transition between get-in and house opening, and escalating to the Technical Manager when issues arise
• Facilitating lighting, sound, and video for companies during their fit up at the start of a week

Technicians will be covered by new and returning volunteers. Training will be provided for our equipment and processes, but please let us know if you have any relevant previous experience.

Show Operator

Show Operators will be assigned 2-4 shows to operate within a week. They are responsible for ensuring the technical aspects of each performance goes smoothly.

Around a third of the shows in our programme use our staff to operate their shows, so this is a vital role in ensuring a smooth-running show!

Responsible for:

• Operating lighting, sound, and video cues during each performance
• Ensuring a technical script is marked up and up to date with cues
• Attend the fit ups for their shows to learn the cues and work with fit up technicians

They may also be assigned to be the cover operator for 1-2 shows to cover the usual Show Operator's days off.

Show Operator shifts work to a schedule set apart from the rest of the technical team, often spanning the overlap between day and evening shifts. Show Operators may sometimes work as a changeover technician between their shows if they wish to.

Show Operators will be a mixture of new and returning volunteers. Volunteers may wish to be a show operator in one week, and a technician or front of house staff in other weeks. If so please indicate this through showing interest in the other areas in your application.

Duty Manager

The Duty Manager has overall responsibility for both of our venues, oversees the venue operations, and is a primary point of escalation for the House and Technical Managers.

This is an ideal role for volunteers with big-picture thinking who can make informed decisions, and are excited to work directly with staff, performing companies, and public audiences. Alongside the Duty Assistant, they work across the entire building to keep everything running like clockwork.

Responsible for:

• Welfare for all staff
• Escalation point for all managers
• Covering breaks and assisting all venue teams according to the needs of the venue
• Locking or unlocking the venue (depending on your shift)

Duty Managers will be selected from our most experienced House and Technical Managers, with thorough training provided prior to the festival.

Duty Assistant

The Duty Assistant works alongside the Duty Manager to ensure the smooth operation of the venue throughout the day. They are required to work flexibly around the building, responding to the changing demands of the day.

This is a role well suited for someone who likes variety through the day in a fast-paced environment. It allows volunteers to get an insight into all aspects of running a venue with the support of the Duty Manager throughout.

Responsible for:

• Covering breaks for Front of House staff
• Assisting Front of House or Technical teams as required through the day (with ad-hoc training given where necessary)
• Ensuring the venue is kept neat, tidy, and presentable both front and back of house

Duty Assistants will be a mixture of new and returning volunteers. This role is usually filled by volunteers who are willing to undertake front of house positions and is done alongside other roles.

Office Manager

The Office Manager runs the Paradise Green Office which is the main contact point for queries from both performing companies and staff alike, for anything from ticket offers through to rota enquiries.

Office Managers are staff who are excellent at multitasking and handling different priorities. They will manage their time independently while ensuring that along with all day-to-day duties, they can also resolve any queries that arrive through the day.

Responsible for:

• Box office administration via Red61
• Greeting new staff arrivals
• Placing orders for different departments
• Managing the company liaison team
• Being the escalation point for performing company queries
• Being the point of contact for performing companies during performances via the tech phone
• Being the first point of call for announcing the fire panel location
• Contacting the emergency services where required
• Overall venue administration, such as lost property, printed signage, and data handling
• Organising the daily groceries order

Office Managers are typically selected from our returning volunteers and will receive role-specific training in the festival.

Company Liaison

The Company Liaison team provides excellent customer service and advice to our performing companies as well as producing social media content that highlights our programme, volunteers, venue spaces, and ethos.

The team is responsible for:

• Answering external emails, selling tickets, handling and diverting calls, and addressing press and general queries
• Using Red61, the Edinburgh Fringe Festival's ticketing system
• Handling performing company requests
• Maintaining a marketing presence
• Producing social media content
• Offering creative press and marketing suggestions and support to performing companies
• General administrative tasks

The Company Liaison team will be covered by new and returning volunteers, who we prefer to come for the entirety of weeks 1 - 3. However, we will be recruiting those available for one or two weeks on a case by case basis. Members of the Company Liaison team will also work a small number shifts in other roles if they desire .

We are also looking for keen photographers, videographers and those with an interest or experience in social media to create content for use during the festival.

Kitchen Staff

The Paradise Green kitchen is run by a Kitchen Manager and Kitchen Assistant each day. We use a professional grade kitchen in Augustines to prepare food for our volunteers.

Although we have a list of tried and tested recipes that our staff love, we encourage Kitchen Managers to cook recipes they enjoy making and eating. Previous experience of working in a kitchen environment, or catering for large groups of people would be beneficial. Above all, this role is ideal for someone who loves cooking and has excellent time management skills.

Kitchen staff are responsible for:

• Deciding what to cook, within an agreed budget, and ordering the necessary ingredients
• Making sandwiches
• Producing 40+ portions of an evening meal
• Producing an additional stew-style meal to be served the following day
• Ensuring the kitchen is cleaned to a high standard
• Following food hygiene guidance for allergens and documentation
• Managing the kitchens schedule to ensure everything is completed on time

We require all Kitchen Managers to have a Food Hygiene Certificate. We will pay for prospective staff to take the 2-hour online course for this nationally-recognised qualification, so don't let this put you off considering this role.

Kitchen staff will be allocated 1-2 kitchen shifts per week, and will work in the other departments they express interest in during the rest of week.

Kitchen Managers are typically selected from experienced kitchen volunteers, while the Kitchen Assistant is covered by new and returning volunteers.

First Aider

The First Aiders are responsible for dealing with first aid incidents whilst they are on duty.

There will be a minimum of two First Aiders on shift to be able to support one another. During performing weeks, one of them will be the designated Duty First Aider, responsible for responding to first aid calls, supported by the other first aiders on shift where needed.

This responsibility is held in addition to another role: for instance, a Technician may also be a First Aider.

Responsible for:

• Responding to first aid calls as required
• Ensuring first aid kits are fully stocked and reporting any shortfall
• Reporting any first aid or health & safety incidents they encounter

We require all First Aiders to hold at least Emergency First Aid at Work certificates. We occasionally pay for prospective First Aiders to take the 1-day emergency course, so please indicate this on your application if you are interested.

First Aiders will be covered by a mixture of new and returning volunteers, and Paradise Green-specific training will be given ahead of the festival.