Assistant Production Manager (24 Months Fixed Term Contract)

Royal Shakespeare Company; Stratford-upon-Avon; On-site; GBP 26,000 - 34,000; Full time

Job summary

The Royal Shakespeare Company invites applications for a 24-month fellowship in production management, based in Stratford-upon-Avon. The role offers hands-on experience across expanding productions, supporting production managers and working with creative, technical and production teams to deliver shows safely, on time and within budget.

You will rotate through design, construction, and delivery stages, progressing to manage a show in The Other Place by contract end, subject to schedule.

Qualifications

• Experience of supporting live theatre productions.
• Excellent organisational and time management skills.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to manage a varied workload and adapt to changing priorities; experience with budgets.
• Understanding Health & Safety legislation and risk assessments.
• Willingness to develop knowledge of Theatre Green Book and sustainable theatre-making.

Responsibilities

• Assist with managing the production process from design through construction to delivery on stage.
• Help ensure creative teams understand project parameters, timescales, budgets and key production milestones.
• Research materials and suppliers, obtain quotes and support purchasing activities, prioritising sustainable options where possible.
• Liaise with production, technical and operational teams to support effective planning and delivery of productions.
• Assist with production administration, including schedules, budgets, risk assessments and project documentation.
• Coordinate transport, storage and logistics with internal departments and external suppliers.
• Encourage the reuse of materials and production resources in line with the Theatre Green Book and our sustainability objectives.
• Help ensure staffing requirements and specialist skills are identified and planned effectively.
• Support production operations during fit-ups, rehearsals and performances.

Skills

Live theatre experience

Production management

Organisational skills

Communication skills

Stakeholder management

Education

IOSH qualification

Tools

Theatre Green Book

Job description

Are you looking to develop your career in theatre production management? Have you gained experience in production management or a backstage theatre role? Can you manage competing priorities effectively whilst working collaboratively to solve problems?

We have a 24-month fellowship opportunity available for an exceptional emerging theatre professional, seeking to specialise in production management. This role is suited to individuals within their first 1-3 years working in the industry, including recent graduates, those who have completed an apprenticeship and/or those working in small-scale theatre.

Working alongside our Production Managers, you will gain hands‑on experience across Stratford‑upon‑Avon productions of increasing scale and complexity, collaborating with creative, technical and production teams to help deliver work safely, sustainably, on time and within budget.

This unique development role champions Creative Brilliance at the RSC by providing crucial support to the production managers to deliver world‑class theatre productions, collaborating with all production and technical departments, and ensuring health and safety needs are met. You will develop your knowledge of making theatre at a larger scale, building up to successfully production managing a show in The Other Place at the end of the contract (schedule dependent).

Reporting to the Production Managers, key responsibilities include (please see the Role Profile for the comprehensive list):

• Assist with managing the production process from design through construction to delivery on stage.
• Help ensure creative teams understand project parameters, timescales, budgets and key production milestones.
• Research materials and suppliers, obtain quotes and support purchasing activities, prioritising sustainable options where possible.
• Liaise with production, technical and operational teams to support effective planning and delivery of productions.
• Assist with production administration, including schedules, budgets, risk assessments and project documentation.
• Coordinate transport, storage and logistics with internal departments and external suppliers.
• Encourage the reuse of materials and production resources in line with the Theatre Green Book and our sustainability objectives.
• Help ensure staffing requirements and specialist skills are identified and planned effectively.
• Support production operations during fit‑ups, rehearsals and performances.

To be successful in this role, you will need:

• Experience of supporting live theatre productions, gained in a production management, technical theatre or other backstage role.
• Excellent organisational and time management skills.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to manage a varied workload and adapt to changing priorities.Experience of working with budgets and monitoring expenditure.
• Understanding of Health & Safety legislation and processes, including undertaking risk assessments.
• Confidence interpreting theatre drawings and ground plans (no AutoCAD or drawing production experience required).
• Knowledge of sustainable theatre‑making practices and the Theatre Green Book, or a willingness to develop this knowledge.
• IOSH qualification or willingness to undertake training.
• Ability to build positive working relationships and influence a wide range of stakeholders.

This is a full‑time, fixed term contract for 24 months, based in Stratford‑upon‑Avon. You will be working 44 hours per week, averaged across six days Monday through to Sunday, with evening and weekend work required around productions.

About the RSC

The RSC strives for excellence, and values creativity, inclusivity, sustainability, collaboration, and accountability.

We can offer great benefits and aim to create a welcoming, supportive environment which is happy, healthy and safe. We place great importance upon developing a diverse, highly motivated and energised workforce to help achieve our priorities. We put our values at the heart of everything we do.

We are committed to building a diverse workforce and welcome applications from all individuals.

We believe that safeguarding children and adults is everyone's responsibility, and everybody working at the RSC has a duty to place safeguarding at the heart of their work. We welcome candidates who will support and advocate the RSC's environmental objectives continuing to improve our sustainability work and actions both on and off stage.

The Royal Shakespeare Company (no. 212481) is a registered charity.