Deputy Head of Costume

Scottish Opera; Glasgow; Hybrid; GBP 40,000 - 55,000; Full time

Job summary

Scottish Opera is Scotland's national opera company and the largest performing arts organisation in Scotland. We are delighted to be recruiting for a Deputy Head of Costume to join our talented and creative Costume Department.

This role will support the Head of Costume across a wide range of activities, including supervising costumes for main-scale and small-scale productions, coordinating fittings and ensuring deadlines are met.

Qualifications

• Extensive experience as a Costume Supervisor within opera, ballet or theatre.
• Strong understanding of historical costume with a creative eye for design.
• Highly organised with excellent attention to detail.
• Ability to manage competing priorities, budgets and production deadlines.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
• Experience of theatrical costume making and departmental administration is advantageous.

Responsibilities

• Supervise costumes for main-scale and small-scale productions.
• Collaborate with designers, makers and production teams to bring designs to life.
• Coordinate day-to-day running of the costume workroom and Costume Hire Facility.
• Plan workloads, coordinate fittings and ensure production deadlines are met.
• Manage costume budgets and sourcing materials; oversee purchasing.
• Support departmental administration, staffing arrangements and health and safety requirements.

Skills

Costume supervision

Opera/theatre experience

Historical costume knowledge

Budget management

Excel proficiency

Communication skills

Job description

Scottish Opera is Scotland's national opera company and the largest performing arts organisation in Scotland. We are passionate about bringing exceptional opera to audiences across the country and beyond, and our Costume Department plays a vital role in bringing our productions to life.

We are delighted to be recruiting for a Deputy Head of Costume to join our talented and creative Costume Department.

This is an excellent opportunity for an experienced Costume Supervisor who enjoys variety, thrives in a busy production environment and takes pride in delivering work to the highest standards. Working closely with the Head of Costume, you will help ensure the smooth running of the department while playing a key role in bringing the creative vision of our productions to the stage.

About the Role

You'll support the Head of Costume across a wide range of activities, including:

• Supervising costumes for main-scale and small-scale productions.
• Working closely with designers, makers and production teams to bring costume designs to life.
• Coordinating the day-to-day running of the costume workroom and Costume Hire Facility.
• Planning workloads, coordinating fittings and ensuring production deadlines are met.
• Managing costume budgets, sourcing materials and overseeing purchasing.
• Supporting departmental administration, staffing arrangements and health and safety requirements.
• No two productions are the same, making this an exciting opportunity for someone who enjoys combining creativity with organisation and working collaboratively across a busy production environment.

About You

We're looking for someone who:

• Has extensive experience as a Costume Supervisor within opera, ballet or theatre.
• Has a strong understanding of historical costume and a creative eye for design.
• Is highly organised with excellent attention to detail.
• Can manage competing priorities, budgets and production deadlines.
• Has excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
• Is confident undertaking administrative tasks and maintaining accurate records, including using Excel.
• Enjoys working collaboratively and brings patience, tact and diplomacy to their work. Experience of theatrical costume making, particularly cutting, and departmental administration would be an advantage.

All candidates must be able to demonstrate a pre-existing right to work in the UK and documentary proof of this will be requested at interview.

Closing date for applications is Thursday 12th November.

At Scottish Opera, our mission is to speak powerfully through all our work in order to entertain, inspire, surprise, challenge and delight audiences throughout Scotland, the rest of the UK and internationally. We know that having a diverse workforce is essential if we are going to deliver our mission.

We are committed to promoting equality and ensuring that no one is denied opportunities or discriminated against through prejudice or exclusion due to age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex and sexual orientation. We particularly encourage applications from people that are under-represented in the Performing Arts and at Scottish Opera including those from black, Asian and minority ethnic backgrounds and disabled people. We have supportive working practices and work towards providing wherever possible a working environment that is inclusive and accessible for those with caring responsibilities.

This diversity of thought paired with a culture of inclusion is vital for us to continue to create work that is for everyone. This makes Scottish Opera a great place to work, where people are valued for who they are.

We are committed to treating all applicants fairly and equally.

Scottish Opera strives to be an equal opportunities employer and is subsidised by the Scottish Government. Registered Number SC037531. Scottish Charity Number SC019787.