Scenery Builder: Dual Skilled

Arts Company; Cardiff; Hybrid; GBP 27,000 - 36,000; Full time

Job summary

Welsh National Opera’s Cardiff Theatrical Services (CTS) is seeking Scenery Builders to create and assemble scenery in metal or carpentry materials, contributing to productions for UK and international clients.

You'll work from construction drawings, liaise with the Construction and Project Management teams, and join CTS's Scenic Art Department to deliver first-class scenery for the company and its collaborators.

Qualifications

• Relevant qualifications or considerable experience in a workshop environment.
• Proficiency in scenery construction, carpentry, or welding/fabrication techniques.
• Proficient with hand and machine tools in carpentry and metal shops.
• Ability to prioritise a complex workload and meet tight deadlines.
• Excellent interpersonal, verbal, and written communication skills.
• Ability to work without supervision while contributing to a team.
• Attention to detail and flexible working practices.
• Role requires being on feet for most of the working day.
• Willingness to climb/balance, reach, stoop, kneel, crawl.
• Ability to lift and manipulate heavy scenic items.
• Experience with workshop machinery, hand tools and specialist equipment.
• Good working knowledge of the arts, preferably opera, musicians and theatre.
• Welsh language speaker/writer.

Responsibilities

• Make and assemble scenery in metal or carpentry materials.
• Follow projects from construction drawings and verbal instructions.
• Work from the workshops through to installation on stage or at other venues.
• Collaborate with CTS’s Scenic Art Department to deliver scenery for UK and international clients.

Skills

Workshop experience

Scenery construction

Carpentry and welding

Hand and machine tools

Communication skills

Teamwork

Attention to detail

Flexibility

Standing for long hours

Climb and balance

Lift heavy scenery

Operate workshop machinery

Arts/theatre knowledge

Welsh language

Tools

Carpentry tools

Metal shop equipment

Job description

This advert and the full job description are available in both English and Cymraeg. Candidates are welcome to submit applications and participate in interviews in either language.

Building the Opera Company of the future.

Welsh National Opera Cenedlaethol Cymru was born in the post-war spirit of democracy, fuelled by a national passion for human connection through song. In its 80th anniversary year, we are committed to reimagining the company as a contemporary opera company, fit for the 21st century, rooted in Wales but international in its ambition. We want to reimagine what opera can be today, positioning WNOCC as a pioneering, brave and joyful force in the UK’s live arts ecology. We want to champion increased diversity on our stages and in our audiences and prove that opera is the dynamic art form of our time.

Cardiff Theatrical Services (CTS) is a wholly owned subsidiary of Welsh National Opera. The construction department is made up of the Carpentry department, Welding and Fabrication department and the Drawing Office.

We are currently seeking Scenery Builders to make and assemble scenery in either metal or carpentry materials (or a combination of the two) to meet the standards required by the company and the client, working predominantly from construction drawings and occasionally by verbal instruction; to follow projects from the workshops through to installation on stage or at other venues. Dual Skilled workers will need to demonstrate their skill levels in both Carpentry and as a Welder Fabricator and be assessed to the level of those skills as they grow and develop on at least an annual basis.

Scenery Builders report directly to the Head of Construction for all personnel matters and liaise with the Construction and Project Management teams on a day-to-day and project basis. They will work as part of a team that includes CTS’s Scenic Art Department to produce first class scenery as contracted to CTS by various clients both in the UK and abroad.

• Relevant qualifications or considerable experience in a workshop environment.
• A high level of skill and ability in all aspects of scenery construction (to achieve particularly relating to either Carpentry or welding and fabrication techniques, with the commitment and drive themselves and to continue to build additional skills associate with the production of quality scenery.
• Highly proficient in the use of all relevant hand and machine tools in both Carpentry and Metal Shop’s
• Ability to prioritise a complex workload and work to tight deadlines.
• Excellent interpersonal, verbal, and written communication skills.
• Ability to work without supervision and to take initiative, but also to work within a team.
• Ability to pay attention to detail.
• Flexibility in working practice.
• Please note that Scenery Builders are expected to be on their feet for most of the working day.
• Whilst working on scenery an employee would/will be required to climb and/or balance, reach with their arms, stoop, kneel, crouch and crawl.
• Often expected to lift and manipulate heavy scenic items
• Scenery Builders (DS) need to be able to manipulate workshop machinery and hand tools, specialist equipment, and other objects with their hands.
• Good working knowledge of the arts, preferably opera, musicians and theatre.
• Experience of working with a diverse range of clients, partners, sub-contractors and suppliers.
• Welsh language speaker/writer.

Our Commitment to Diversity & Inclusion

We recognise that talented people sometimes hesitate to apply unless they meet every requirement. Research shows this is particularly true for women, LGBTQIA+ individuals, disabled and neurodivergent people, and those from working-class backgrounds. If this feels like your ideal role, even if your experience does not align perfectly with every criterion, we encourage you to apply anyway. Your perspective and experience could be exactly what we need to help build the opera company of the future.

Reasonable Adjustments

WNO is committed to an accessible and inclusive recruitment process. If you need any adjustments to support your application or interview, please email [e-mail]. We are committed to supporting you at every stage of the process.