Costuming Supervisor

ApplyJob TypeFull-time

Description Circuit of The Americas (COTA) is a 365-entertainment destination for world-class events located in Austin, TX. The sports and entertainment portfolio at COTA is unmatched in the country with Formula 1 US Grand Prix, NASCAR and MotoGP attracting global fans during championship races on the famed Circuit and Live Nation producing over 30 headline concerts every year at the Germania Insurance Amphitheater. Opening Summer of 2025, COTA's amusement park is a 20-acre theme park featuring two first of their kind Roller Coasters and over three dozen rides.

Costuming Supervisor The Costuming Supervisor serves as the primary costuming lead for COTALAND Entertainment and is responsible for the planning, execution, and ongoing management of costume operations supporting live shows, costumed characters, seasonal productions, strolling performers, guest performers, and special events. This role ensures all costumes and character looks meet COTALAND standards for show quality, durability, safety, and performer usability.

Responsibilities This position requires a hands-on leader who can support day-to-day costume shop execution while also managing department operations including staffing, scheduling, budgets, inventory systems, vendor coordination, and show readiness planning. The Costuming Supervisor partners closely with Creative, Production, Operations, Talent, and Park Leadership to support an efficient, polished, and performance-ready entertainment program.

Responsibilities

• Lead the daily operations of the Costume Department, ensuring consistent execution of shop workflows, show support priorities, and department standards.
• Oversee costume construction, fittings, alterations, repairs, laundering, storage, and long-term maintenance for all entertainment costumes.
• Maintain the costume shop environment including organization, equipment readiness, safety practices, and storage systems.
• Establish costuming processes that support operating hours, seasonal transitions, and event-specific production needs.

COTALAND Costumed Character Fleet Oversight The Costuming Supervisor oversees the full lifecycle of the COTALAND costumed character fleet, ensuring daily readiness, cleanliness, safety compliance, and show condition standards. They track and manage repairs, refurbishment planning, component inventory, and replacement schedules for character wardrobe and accessories. They coordinate character costume elements including headpieces, accessories, under-structures, cooling systems, footwear, and performer support components.

Responsibilities

• Oversee the full lifecycle of the COTALAND costumed character fleet, ensuring daily readiness, cleanliness, safety compliance, and show condition standards.
• Track and manage repairs, refurbishment planning, component inventory, and replacement schedules for character wardrobe and accessories.
• Coordinate character costume elements including headpieces, accessories, under-structures, cooling systems, footwear, and performer support components.
• Partner with Entertainment leadership to maintain character appearance standards and performance readiness.

Production Planning and Creative Support The Costuming Supervisor supports new entertainment offerings by building costuming plans from concept through completion, ensuring creative intent translates into durable, wearable performance costumes. They provide recommendations on materials and construction methods that support movement, heat, outdoor performance conditions, and long-term wear. They maintain accurate documentation including fitting notes, costume requirements, show standards, and character wardrobe records.

Responsibilities

• Support new entertainment offerings by building costuming plans from concept through completion, ensuring creative intent translates into durable, wearable performance costumes.
• Provide recommendations on materials and construction methods that support movement, heat, outdoor performance conditions, and long-term wear.
• Maintain accurate documentation including fitting notes, costume requirements, show standards, and character wardrobe records.
• When assigned, contribute original costume design concepts and/or manage outside designers to ensure alignment with brand and production requirements.

Costume Standards, Maintenance, and Show Quality The Costuming Supervisor applies best practices for patterning, sewing, reinforcement, repairs, and finishing to ensure costumes remain safe and show-ready in a high-volume theme park environment. They maintain show-quality standards through consistent cleaning and care processes including laundering, steaming/pressing, stain removal, deodorizing, and proper storage procedures.

Responsibilities

• Apply best practices for patterning, sewing, reinforcement, repairs, and finishing to ensure costumes remain safe and show-ready in a high-volume theme park environment.
• Maintain show-quality standards through consistent cleaning and care processes including laundering, steaming/pressing, stain removal, deodorizing, and proper storage procedures.

Budgeting, Purchasing, and Inventory Management The Costuming Supervisor develops and manages annual and seasonal budgets for costuming including supplies, repairs, outside vendors, staffing needs, and replacement forecasting. They track expenses, manage purchasing documentation, and support cost control practices aligned with department goals. They maintain inventory systems for costumes, fabrics, trims, character components, shop tools, and consumable supplies.

Responsibilities

• Develop and manage annual and seasonal budgets for costuming including supplies, repairs, outside vendors, staffing needs, and replacement forecasting.
• Track expenses, manage purchasing documentation, and support cost control practices aligned with department goals.
• Maintain inventory systems for costumes, fabrics, trims, character components, shop tools, and consumable supplies.
• Forecast high-wear replacement cycles and maintain readiness plans for characters and outdoor performance wardrobes.

Staff Supervision and Training The Costuming Supervisor recruits, schedules, trains, supervises, and evaluates costuming and wardrobe staff based on park needs and business priorities. They assign work, manage deadlines, and prioritize projects to support performance schedules and operational requirements. They maintain tracking systems for ongoing repairs, build projects, and labor assignments to ensure visibility and accountability.

Responsibilities

• Recruit, schedule, train, supervise, and evaluate costuming and wardrobe staff based on park needs and business priorities.
• Assign work, manage deadlines, and prioritize projects to support performance schedules and operational requirements.
• Maintain tracking systems for ongoing repairs, build projects, and labor assignments to ensure visibility and accountability.
• Coach and develop team members on construction techniques, show support standards, and wardrobe best practices.

Wardrobe and Show Support The Costuming Supervisor oversees day-to-day wardrobe support for shows, strolling entertainment, appearances, special events, and guest bookings. They provide on-site show support as needed, including quick changes, emergency repairs, and show condition checks. They support entertainment operations through consistent readiness checks and timely response to performance needs.

Responsibilities

• Oversee day-to-day wardrobe support for shows, strolling entertainment, appearances, special events, and guest bookings.
• Provide on-site show support as needed, including quick changes, emergency repairs, and show condition checks.
• Support entertainment operations through consistent readiness checks and timely response to performance needs.

Vendor and Partner Coordination The Costuming Supervisor serves as the primary point of contact for costume vendors, specialty providers, rentals, fabrication partners, and refurbishment services. They manage vendor communication, quotes, timelines, and deliverables to support show schedules and production deadlines. They stay current on emerging materials and techniques in themed entertainment costuming and apply improvements when beneficial.

Responsibilities

• Serve as the primary point of contact for costume vendors, specialty providers, rentals, fabrication partners, and refurbishment services.
• Manage vendor communication, quotes, timelines, and deliverables to support show schedules and production deadlines.
• Stay current on emerging materials and techniques in themed entertainment costuming and apply improvements when beneficial.

Entertainment Department Support The Costuming Supervisor supports additional Entertainment Department needs as assigned, including special events, seasonal activations, media moments, and park-wide enhancements.

Responsibilities

• Support additional Entertainment Department needs as assigned, including special events, seasonal activations, media moments, and park-wide enhancements.

Supervisory Responsibilities The Costuming Supervisor directly supervises Costume Department staff, including lead roles such as Costume Shop Supervisor/Lead Stitcher and Wardrobe Supervisor/Wardrobe Lead (as assigned). They may supervise part-time, seasonal, or production-based wardrobe/costume staff as required.

Supervisory Responsibilities

• Directly supervise Costume Department staff, including lead roles such as Costume Shop Supervisor/Lead Stitcher and Wardrobe Supervisor/Wardrobe Lead (as assigned).
• May supervise part-time, seasonal, or production-based wardrobe/costume staff as required.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities The Costuming Supervisor requires a strong understanding of entertainment production workflows from design through rehearsal, run, maintenance, and strike. They require a strong working knowledge of fabrics, trims, accessories, and specialty materials, including performance wear and outdoor-rated textiles. They require working knowledge of pattern making, fittings, alterations, garment construction, and reinforcement techniques.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Strong understanding of entertainment production workflows from design through rehearsal, run, maintenance, and strike.
• Strong working knowledge of fabrics, trims, accessories, and specialty materials, including performance wear and outdoor-rated textiles.
• Working knowledge of pattern making, fittings, alterations, garment construction, and reinforcement techniques.

Required Qualifications The Costuming Supervisor requires a degree in Costume Design, Fashion Design, Theatrical Production, or related discipline preferred, or equivalent professional experience. They require minimum 5 years professional experience in costume construction and/or wardrobe operations. They require experience supporting live entertainment, themed entertainment, theatrical production, or performance-based environments preferred. Prior leadership experience managing staff, schedules, and department operations strongly preferred.

Required Qualifications

• Degree in Costume Design, Fashion Design, Theatrical Production, or related discipline preferred, or equivalent professional experience.
• Minimum 5 years professional experience in costume construction and/or wardrobe operations.
• Experience supporting live entertainment, themed entertainment, theatrical production, or performance-based environments preferred.
• Prior leadership experience managing staff, schedules, and department operations strongly preferred.

Abilities and Competencies The Costuming Supervisor requires strong communication and comprehension skills. They require the ability to communicate clearly and professionally in verbal and written form. They require the ability to understand, speak, and write English to convey messages and documentation requirements.

Abilities and Competencies

• Ability to communicate clearly and professionally in verbal and written form.
• Ability to understand, speak, and write English to convey messages and documentation requirements.

Physical and Scheduling Requirements The Costuming Supervisor requires the ability to work in both indoor shop