Head of Education and Community

The Old Vic; London; Hybrid; GBP 46,000 - 49,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading performing arts organization in London is seeking a Head of Education and Community to oversee community engagement and educational initiatives. You will manage various arts projects in schools and for emerging professionals while leading a team. Applicants should have experience in participatory arts, strong organizational skills, and the ability to manage budgets. This full-time role offers a competitive salary and comprehensive benefits including enhanced annual leave and mental health support.

Benefits

Enhanced annual leave

Complimentary theatre tickets

Access to mental health support

Discretionary paid day off during festive period

Time to volunteer

Enhanced sick pay

Qualifications

• Experience of delivering and facilitating high quality participatory arts projects.
• Robust understanding of best practices in theatre education.
• The successful candidate will be required to undergo a DBS check.

Responsibilities

• Oversee the delivery of secondary schools and community projects.
• Work closely with the Education and Community Director.
• Support on primary and community programmes where necessary.

Skills

Experience of developing participatory arts projects

Budgetary management experience

Exemplary organization skills

Experience of line managing staff

IT literacy

Education

Relevant arts or education qualification

Tools

Microsoft Office Suite

Job description

Department/Team: Education and Community

Responsible to: Education and Community Director

Contract: Permanent, full time position

Location: Mix of home working and from The Old Vic, 103 The Cut, London, SE1 8NB

Hours: Usual working hours are Monday–Friday, 9:30am–5:30pm with some occasional out of hours work (e.g. evenings and weekends)

NB - we would be open to considering candidates looking for an 32 hours contract (0.8 FTE).

Salary: £46,000 - £49,000 per annum

Direct Reports: The Education Manager (Schools Club), The Education Manager (Take The Lead) and The Participation Manager

Benefits:

• Enhanced annual leave, starting at 25 days per year, increasing by one day per year up to 30 days (plus bank holidays). Opportunity to switch statutory bank holidays to mark a religious event or festival
• Complimentary tickets for you and a guest to Old Vic preview productions
• Discretionary invite to Press Night performances and parties
• Free therapy from our therapy partner SelfSpace
• Mental health support via our in-house Mental Health Champions
• Enhanced employer pension contributions with The People’s Pension
• Festive day – one discretionary additional paid day off around the festive period for a collective pause
• Time to volunteer – one day per year to support a charity or project of your choosing
• Commitment to learning, education and development
• Enhanced sick pay
• Access to interest free travel schemes including Cycle 2 work and Season Ticket loans after your probation period
• Family friendly policies and enhanced maternity/paternity/adoption/shared parental pay
• All staff social events
• Staff discount in Penny and The Old Vic bars as well as discounts in local bars and restaurants
• Opportunities to get involved with staff clubs and working groups such as the Inclusion Working Group
• Buddy schemes including New Starter and Parental buddies to support your induction and return to work after parental leave
• Death in Service Benefit
  
  

The Team

The Education & Community department is led by the Education & Community Director and also includes the Community Manager, the Education and Community Coordinator, the Education Manager (Primary), the Education Manager (Schools Club), The Education Manager (Take The Lead), the Participation Coordinator and The Participation Manager. This team is also supported by a network of freelance artists and administrators.

Purpose of job

As Head of Education and Community you will oversee education and community engagement and be responsible for the delivery of secondary schools, careers and Emerging Theatre Professionals work. These projects will serve particular strategic objectives as defined in The Old Vic Business Plan. You will also contribute to organisation wide initiatives from an education and community perspective.

Key areas of responsibility:

• Oversee the delivery of work for secondary schools, Emerging Theatre Professionals and careers projects ensuring it is meeting its objectives and reviewing this regularly and delivered to the highest standards
• Support on the primary and community programmes where necessary
• Work with the Education and Community Director to develop new Education and Community programmes as set out in the Old Vic business plan
• Oversee the running of the Clore studio and the transition of Education and Community projects into the space, including managing partnerships
• Deliver on key targets as set in the Education and Community two-year plan
• Deputising for the Education and Community Director where necessary
• Work closely with the Education and Community Director and other SMG to ensure connection and collaboration between Education and Community programmes and the wider theatre
• Support the Development team in applying for funding streams for Education and Community programmes as well as supporting and maintaining key funding relationships
• Work with the production team on the development of work for mid-career artists
• Work with the marketing team to support marketing of Education and Community projects
• Work with the People team to deliver The Old Vic’s placement strategy
• Oversee the development of the Education Hub
• Be an advocate of The Old Vic and the Education & Community team both internally and externally
  
  

Staff management

• To line manage The Education Manager (Schools Club), The Education Manager (Take The Lead), and The Participation Manager
• To appraise direct reports on an annual basis
• Mentoring and developing the Education and Community team, Facilitators and Associates to engage with and deliver innovative content for participants
• Run an inclusive recruitment and selection process in line with The Old Vic recruitment guidebook where required
• Oversee the training and line-management of all Education and Community freelancers
  
  

Operational activity

• Work with the Inclusion and Access Lead to ensure all projects are contributing to and run in line with the theatres Belonging and Inclusion strategy and approach and support wider theatre initiatives
• Oversee the recruitment processes for participants, ensuring they receive appropriate support and pastoral care
• Oversee all data collection processes, ensuring that GDPR policies are adhered to
• Oversee risk assessment processes for projects ensuring they are completed and adhered to
• Responsible for setting and managing day to day budgets ensuring projects across the department are delivered to budget
• Work closely with the marketing team to create marketing material for the Education and Community team, in line with Old Vic branding guidelines
• Work closely with the production team ensuring opportunities for collaboration across the departments
• To lead on the evaluation processes for the department and support annual reporting through provision of data and interpreted evaluation reports
• Support The Old Vic’s Development department to ensure supporters’ needs are met, that information is available in a timely and appropriate fashion and that projects meet their targets also attending Development events as requested
• Maintain an awareness of best practice in community arts settings and a detailed knowledge of changes to the current education system and practical understanding of the effects on schools
• Oversee DBS checks for Education and Community staff and freelancers
• Contribute to regular staff meetings sharing information and connecting staff with the activity of all Education & Community projects
• Maintain strong relationships with all stakeholders from participants to supporters to professionals involved in the department’s activity
  
  

Person specification

The post holder must be able to demonstrate the following:

Essential

• Experience of developing participatory arts projects in schools and with emerging theatre professionals and mid-career artists
• Experience of delivering and facilitating high quality participatory arts projects in schools and with emerging theatre professionals and mid-career artists
• Experience of leading a team in a participation setting delivering multiple projects
• Budgetary management experience to a minimum of £500K
• Familiarity with safeguarding policies and practices, particularly relating to children and young people
• Exemplary organisation skills as well as written and verbal communication skills
• Experience of line managing staff and freelancers
• Robust understanding of best practice and new developments within a theatre educational and youth employment context
• A strong team player
• IT literacy, with good experience of the Microsoft Office suite and Excel in particular (Training will be given on software programs as required.)
• Proven experience of evaluation design, analysis and reporting and experience of writing copy for content and marketing materials
• The successful candidate will be required to undergo a DBS check as the role may interact with vulnerable adults and/or children
  
  

How To Apply

We understand that everyone is different and we want you to apply in whichever way you feel best shows your skills and experience. There are a range of ways that you can apply with us:

• 1. Sending a short video file of yourself (no longer than two minutes in length), detailing your experience, why you are applying for the role and what about working at The Old Vic interests you (have a look at the person specification in the job description).
• 2. Sending a short audio file of yourself (no longer than two minutes in length), detailing your experience, why you are applying for the role and what about working at The Old Vic interests you.
• 3. Completing our application form.
• 4. Uploading your CV and covering letter, explaining why you are interested in the role and working at the Old Vic.
  
  

As a Disability Confident employer, The Old Vic has made a commitment that all applicants with disabilities who meet the essential criteria for this job will be invited to interview. However in the event that we have a high volume of applications all of whom meet the criteria and identify as disabled, meaning it is not practicable to interview everyone, we may apply a weighting to the shortlisting criteria, or add an additional shortlisting stage before any interviews take place. In all cases we will take care to ensure that any criteria or weightings do not disadvantage disabled applicants.

All appointments are made subject to satisfactory references and proof of eligibility to work in the UK.

The Process

The recruitment process for this role will be two stages:

• 1st stage virtual or in person conversation
• 2nd stage in person conversation
• You may be asked to complete a work based skills assessment or challenge.
  
  

The closing date for this role is 17 August 2025 at 10am. First Conversations are likely to take place w/c 25 August 2025.

Equal Opportunities

We actively support and encourage people from a variety of backgrounds, experiences and skill sets to join us and help shape what we do. We are particularly keen to receive applications from people of the global majority, LGBTQ+, neurodiverse and disabled candidates.

We may take positive action, in cases where candidates are equally qualified, to increase the employment of under-represented groups at The Old Vic.

In the event that we ask you to attend the theatre for a conversation and you are struggling financially, we may be able to reimburse you for any reasonable travel costs.

We partner with a range of inclusive organisations, to find out more please read our FAQs.

FAQs

Read our recruitment and selection and equal opportunities FAQs here.