Head of Wardrobe
/Job Title:
Head of Wardrobe
Organization:
Vancouver Opera
Deadline:
Nov. 22, 2026
Organization Description:
Vancouver Opera creates extraordinary experiences that engage, inspire, and entertain our community through voice, music, and theatre.
Vancouver Opera is regarded worldwide for its fine mainstage productions; for its country-
leading education programs, which have reached more than 1.6 million children and their
families in more than 65 years; for its innovative and award-winning community programs; and for ground-breaking cross-cultural creative partnerships that have brought opera to generations of Canadians.
Website:
Job Description:
Reporting to the Technical Director and collaborating closely with the Costume Director, the Head of Wardrobe will be responsible for the realization of the costumes for VOA’s 26/27 Main Stage Productions: “The Barber of Seville” and “La traviata,” as well as “Howl – Opera in Schools Tour.” The individual is responsible for the organization, paperwork, inventory, buying, fittings, budgeting, loading in/out, and maintenance of costumes, including rental productions.
The Head of Wardrobe will be required to execute pre-production work including communication with the director, stage managers, and designers as required by the production. They will manage scheduling and operations of the wardrobe department including the supervision of additional assistants, cutters, sewers, builders and buyers, as approved and budget permits. The Head of Wardrobe will be responsible for managing all associated paperwork of each production, including but not limited to inventory lists, detailed piece lists, labour and materials budgets, measurement sheets, dresser tracks, and packing lists. The Head of Wardrobe must understand alterations and be able to make educated decisions regarding adjustments during fittings.
They will attend all production meetings, fittings, technical rehearsals and post-show notes. The candidate will be comfortable to take detailed notes during but not limited to, fittings, rehearsals, and post-show notes. During the theatre technical rehearsal process, the Head of Wardrobe will oversee the load out of the shop, make sure everything is correctly inventoried, and ensure all costumes are organized and sent to the theatre. Once at the theatre, they will make any adjustments necessary and will ensure the running crew is comfortable with tracking and running of the production.
The candidate should be a self-starter and a collaborative team member, who is comfortable intuiting designer visions and making judgement calls. They must be able to manage a team delegating tasks, and keeping up on top of both their own, and their team’s work. The candidate must be comfortable with Microsoft 365 (Excel, Word, Teams, Sharepoint) as well as Google Workspace and able to manage paperwork with confidence. They will have a calm and flexible outlook and be diplomatic in dealing with fluctuations in schedule and artistic challenges.
Guaranteed weeks of full-time commitment:
The Barber of Seville
January 11 – February 13, 2027 (5 weeks)
February 21 – 27, 2027 (1 week)
Howl – Opera in Schools
March 1 – 30, 2027 (overlapping w/ La Traviata) (2 weeks; 2-week overlap)
La traviata
March 15 – April 24, 2027 (6 weeks)
May 2 – 8, 2027 (1 week)
There will be additional work for costume shop maintenance and organization, our Young Artist Showcase and for rentals.
Responsibilities:
- Analyze script/libretto
- Maintain and update records of artist measurements
- Supervise and instruct any additional costume assistants, cutters, sewers, tailors, builders, or buyers, as approved by the Technical Director
- Coordinate artist fittings in collaboration with the Costume Designer and/or Costume Director and Stage Management
- Develop and maintain comprehensive costume paperwork for shows including, but not limited to: detailed piece lists, budgets, fitting notes
- Coordinate builds, borrows, rentals or purchases of all costumes not in stock or in rental packages, as well as any fabrics and supplies as needed
- Attend all production meetings, room run, load-in, strike, load-out, dress rehearsals and post-show notes
- Deliver all finished costumes by Piano Tech rehearsal
- Teach techniques and operations to performers and running crews
- Document and track all show-related costumes
- Arrange cleaning and maintenance of rental and stock costumes in accordance with care requirements and rental agreements
- Maintain the wardrobe shop, ensuring all workspaces, equipment, tools, and storage areas remain safe, organized, and operational
- Manage and maintain costume, fabric, notions, and wardrobe inventory, including cataloguing stock, tracking loans and rentals, updating inventory records, and recommending purchases as needed
- Liaise with Costume Director and Technical Director to establish and stay within budget limitations for materials and labour as set forth by the Technical Director
- Liaise with hair, makeup and wigs departments
- Adhere to Health and Safety Standards
- Sit on the IATSE Communications Committee
Qualifications:
- Superior communication and organizational skills
- Proven experience supervising shop personnel in a professional costume or wardrobe environment
- Strong organizational and systems-building skills; demonstrated ability to develop and maintain efficient workflows in a busy shared workspace
- Competency in administrative tasks including scheduling, record-keeping, financial reporting, and production documentation
- Experience with budget monitoring and petty cash management
- Ability to prioritize and manage multiple concurrent responsibilities across maintenance, build support, stock management, and personnel supervision
- Ability to work under minimal supervision
- Strong ability to manage a team and delegate work
- Proven experience with Microsoft 365 (Excel, Word, Teams, Sharepoint)
- Experience with Google Workspace (Email, Google Drive)
- Strong problem-solving and critical-thinking skills
- Advanced level of proficiency in costume building, alteration and sourcing
- Working knowledge of costume history
- Comprehensive knowledge of theatrical practices
- Appreciation for live entertainment
Assets:
- Basic or Intermediate First Aid
- Class 5 Driver’s License & a clean Driver’s Abstract
How to Apply:
Please submit cover letter and résumé no later than 5PM on Sunday, November 22, 2026 to:
Nicole Lamb
Director of Artistic & Production
nlamb@vancouveropera.ca
Applicants must be a member of IATSE 118, or willing to become one.
VO strives to provide meaningful employment opportunities, which reflect the range of diverse communities in which we live and work. Our vision is a resilient organizational culture, which is inclusive and diverse in all its aspects. Individual differences are not only accepted but are strongly valued and encouraged. We recognize that our diversity, the many different and unique things we individually and collectively bring to work each day, contributes to building a stronger workplace and healthier communities. VO welcomes and encourages applications from women, persons of colour, Indigenous persons, persons with diverse abilities, and members of other marginalized or under-represented groups. We are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees.
Remuneration:
$52.81/hr in accordance with IATSE VOA Shop Agreement
