Orchestra Manager, BBC Concert Orchestra

BBC; Greater London; On-site; GBP 50,000 - 60,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading orchestral organization in London invites applications for the position of Orchestra Manager. The successful candidate will be responsible for managing the day-to-day operations, leading the orchestral management team, and fostering relationships with musicians and partners. Candidates must possess substantial experience in orchestral management and demonstrate a commitment to inclusivity and diversity. The role requires monitoring budgets and ensuring compliance with regulations, including health and safety protocols. Competitive salary offered between £50,000 and £60,000.

Responsibilities

• Ensure day-to-day operations of the Orchestra are managed effectively.
• Develop the Orchestral management team and production teams.
• Monitor costs against budget and manage risk assessments.

Skills

Substantial experience working with orchestral musicians

Excellent planning and project management skills

Ability to build relationships

Understanding of budgets

Commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion

Job description

JOB DETAILS

JOB BAND : D

CONTRACT TYPE : Permanent Full-time

DEPARTMENT : BBC Concert Orchestra

LOCATION : Broadcasting House London

PROPOSED SALARY RANGE : 50000 - 60000( London Weighting of 5441) depending on relevant skills knowledge and experience. The expected salary range for this role reflects internal benchmarking and external market insights.

PURPOSE OF THE ROLE

The BBC Concert Orchestra brings inspiring musical experiences to everyone everywhere with the Orchestras versatility to the fore. For BBC Radio 3 the Orchestra explores a wide selection of music ranging from classical to contemporary and broadcasts weekly in its long running live music programme Friday Night is Music Night. It has performed on many soundtracks including Blue PlanetCall the Midwife Strictly Come Dancing and Wild Islesfor BBC One. It performs in BBC Radio 2s Piano Room Month for BBC iPlayer and BBC Sounds which has featured over 16 collaborations with pop artists so far in 2025 including Gary Barlow and Myles Smith and reaches tens of millions of viewers across social media.

The Orchestra appears annually at the BBC Proms and regularly at Londons Southbank Centre and venues across the UK. Earlier this year it became the first Associate Orchestra at Alexandra Palace it has a long-term studio space relationship with the Watford Colosseum and is in the third year of its successful partnership with the Universities for Nottingham.

The BBC CO offers enjoyable and innovative education and community activities and is involved in BBC Ten Pieces the BBC Young Composer competition and the BBCOpen Music programme.

The Orchestra has an outstanding and growing roster of conductors and artists including Chief Conductor Anna Maria Helsing Principal Guest Conductor and Curator Edwin Outwater and Associate Conductor Jerome Kuhn.

The BBC CO is also looking ahead to its 75th anniversary year in 2027 and is in the initial stages of planning a series of events celebrating the Orchestra across its full range of activity.

WHY JOIN THE TEAM

We are looking for someone who will be responsible for the day to day operation of the Orchestra across rehearsal recording broadcast and performance achieving this through the BBC Values and building trusting close and respectful relationships with our musicians the artists we work with our wider management team and colleagues across our partners and the BBC.

The Orchestra is part of the Concert Orchestras senior management team alongside the Orchestra Director Head of Artistic Planning and Producer.

YOUR KEY RESPONSIBILITIES AND IMPACT

• Embody and demonstrate the BBC Values Audiences Creativity Trust Respect Accountability and One BBC across the role.
• Be the immediate line manager of members of the Orchestra looking for development opportunities and resolving all personnel matters.
• Develop the Orchestral management team and leadership of our operations and production teams.
• Bring a passion and drive for inclusivity building on our successful adoption of the Ten Point Inclusive Recruitment Plan and grow opportunities for freelance musicians from all backgrounds in the Orchestra.
• Overseeing the contribution of relevant data to BBC Ensembles inclusivity reporting.
• Ensure that the Orchestra works within the rules and regulations governing the employment of orchestral musicians as agreed with the Musicians Union and the BBC.
• Work closely with the Orchestras MU Representatives and Players Committee on all appropriate matters including the interpretation of Union agreements.
• Lead on all aspects of Health and Safety for the Orchestra oversee the completion of risk assessments for all Orchestra activity with particular attention to Noise in the Workplace regulations.
• Monitor orchestral and production costs against budget working alongside the Director Head of Artistic Planning and finance colleagues as part of the annual budgeting process.

Due to the nature of the role the Orchestra Manager is required to travel across the UK internationally and to work on evenings and weekends as dictated by the Orchestras performance schedule.

To download a copy of the job pack which includes the full job description follow the link HERE

For any further information or to discuss the role further please contact The Orchestras Director Matthew Swann at

YOUR SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE

ESSENTIAL CRITERIA

We are looking for someone who can demonstrate the following :

• Substantial experience working with orchestral musicians and managing musical events.
• Personable manner with the ability to build warm trustful relationships with colleagues partners and creative collaborators.
• Substantial management experience especially the ability to resolve interpersonal situations amicably with tact sensitivity and diplomacy.
• A knowledge of interest in and understanding of how orchestras engage in a wide range of musical repertoire.
• A clear understanding of budgets and the ability to monitor and maintain departmental budgets.
• A commitment to and passion for equality diversity and inclusion principles and action.
• Excellent planning and project management skills.
• An understanding of risk and safety including managing Noise at Work in live music settings.

CP25

Required Experience :

Manager

Key Skills

Restaurant Experience,Customer Service,Employee Evaluation,Management Experience,Math,Employment & Labor Law,Sanitation,Leadership Experience,P&L Management,Mentoring,Supervising Experience,Restaurant Management

Employment Type : Full-Time

Experience : years

Vacancy : 1