Business Manager - The Television Workshop

Arts Council England; Nottingham; Remote; GBP 25,000 - 38,000; Part time

Job summary

Arts Council England's Nottingham-based The Television Workshop seeks a part-time Business Manager to own the financial and operational side of the charity. You will run day-to-day finances in Xero, prepare monthly board reports and forecasts, and drive sustainable income strategies.

Reporting to the Board and working with the Artistic Director, you will oversee payroll, governance, and stakeholder communications while supporting budgets, cashflow, and fundraising activities.

Qualifications

• Proactive and self-starting with the ability to work at Board level.
• Experience in running a charity or small business and strong financial controls.
• Comfortable with accounting, reporting and governance requirements.

Responsibilities

• Lead financial management, budgeting, cashflow forecasting and reporting.
• Oversee day-to-day accounting in Xero, reconciliations and supplier payments.
• Drive sponsorships, grants and bursaries; support fundraising and partnerships.
• Manage payroll, HR processes, and governance compliance.
• Coordinate operations, stakeholder communications and venue logistics.

Skills

Financial management

Budgeting

Fundraising

Governance

Payroll administration

Stakeholder management

Operations management

Xero experience

Tools

Xero

Job description

Thu, 08 Oct 2026 published - Thu, 08 Oct 2026

Job Summary

Ready to run the business side of a small charity that launches young people into theatre? The Television Workshop is a Nottingham charity that trains young actors. We need a Business Manager who will take real ownership of how we operate, and who is equally happy running the day-to-day

Job Description

Lead the organisation's financial management and operational administration, ensuring robust financial control, compliance and effective decision-making. Manage all day-to-day accounting activities through Xero, including bank reconciliations, fee tracking, payments, invoicing, commission processing and freelance/tutor payment records. Prepare and distribute monthly financial reports, maintain strategic budgets, develop cashflow forecasts and provide financial analysis to support Board decisions. Oversee banking activities, income reconciliation, Theatre Tax Relief submissions, business rates relief applications, annual accounts, Companies House updates, Charity Commission returns and Gift Aid claims. Drive commercial and business development activity by continually reviewing financial performance, identifying cost efficiencies and recommending opportunities to maximise income and organisational sustainability. Manage casting revenue processes from contract setup through invoicing and reconciliation. Co-lead fundraising efforts, securing sponsorships, grants and bursary funding through corporate partnerships and community engagement. Support the commercial delivery of performances and fundraising events, including budget management, venue bookings, ticket sales and promotional activity. Provide comprehensive operational support across the organisation, coordinating auditions, workshops, membership administration and stakeholder communications. Manage office operations, equipment, supplier relationships and premises issues. Administer payroll, pensions, DBS checks and HR-related processes, while maintaining organisational policies and governance requirements. Build and nurture relationships with partners, alumni and key stakeholders to support the workshop's long-term success, reputation and growth. Reporting directly to the Board, working in close partnership with the Artistic Director, combining strong commercial and operational leadership with artistic priorities.

Job Requirements

Proactive and self-starting. You notice what needs doing and get on with it. Mature, credible and steady. You're comfortable making decisions and giving advice at Board level. Happy to do the basics well. You take pride in accurate records, tidy systems and the everyday admin that keeps a small organisation running. Calm and tactful with difficult people. Dealing with disappointment and ambiguity is part of daily life and the industry we work in. You can respond with warmth and clarity, managing complexity with consistency. Comfortable with Finance. Experience with Xero or similar and previous successful experience of running a charity or small business is critical. Enthusiastic about the arts and young people. You enjoy being part of something that changes lives.
The role is part time 32 hours a week and we are flexible in work days and hours per day over Mon-Fri

Job Responsibilities

What you'll do: Look after the money and make it work harder. Run our day-to-day finances in Xero, produce monthly reports and forecasts for the Board, dig into the numbers to find savings and new income. Keep us compliant and funded. Manage Gift Aid, Theatre Tax Relief, Charity Commission and Companies House requirements with our external accountants, and find new sponsorship, grants and bursaries from Nottingham and Midlands businesses. Drive growth. Help shape strategy, develop local partnerships, and co-organise fundraising events, including our biennial ball. Run the operation. Manage auditions and term-time workshops, the member database, payroll and pension administration, DBS checks, office needs, and our relationship with our landlord. Be the friendly, professional face of the charity. You'll be in regular email contact with parents and carers, and you'll build relationships with alumni and partners.

Job Overview

• Job Title: Business Manager - The Television Workshop