Senior Stage Manager - Ballet

Royal Ballet and Opera; Greater London; On-site; GBP 45,000 - 65,000; Full time

Job summary

The Royal Ballet and Opera seeks a Senior Stage Manager – Ballet to effectively run and lead the Ballet Stage Management team and to stage manage some shows at Covent Garden.

You will bring extensive ballet stage management experience in a major producing theatre, demonstrate leadership, stay calm under pressure, and uphold high production standards, with strong Health & Safety awareness and risk assessment experience.

Qualifications

• Experience leading stage management teams in a major producing theatre.
• Extensive ballet stage management experience in a major repertory house.
• Ability to project confidence and maintain diplomacy in relationships with choreographers, performers and creative teams.
• Knowledge of Health and Safety legislation relevant to theatre and experience of undertaking risk assessments.

Responsibilities

• Lead the Ballet Stage Management team and stage manage select performances.
• Collaborate with production and creative teams to ensure smooth technical execution.

Job description

The Royal Ballet and Opera continues to lead the way in opera, ballet, music and dance both live on stage and through multiple digital platforms, from live streaming to worldwide cinema screenings. Our Covent Garden theatre has been at the heart of London and British cultural life for three centuries. We are home to two world-class Companies: The Royal Ballet and The Royal Opera.

The Royal Opera House describes the place we work, not who we are. The whole is always more than the sum of its parts – we may be a House, but three quarters of our audiences experience what we do outside this building. While our Covent Garden theatre is the nerve centre, the impact and influence of the organisation can be felt in every corner of the country, and around the world.

The Role

Our Technical, Production and Costume Department plays a leading part in ensuring our performances are of the highest quality by delivering technical excellence for every performance, rehearsal, and event.

We are seeking to recruit a Senior Stage Manager – Ballet to effectively run and lead the Ballet Stage Management team as well as stage manage some shows.

What You’ll Bring

Our ideal candidate will be a dynamic leader and team player with significant stage management and theatre experience who can evidence the following:

• An excellent track record of team leadership in a major producing theatre including the staging of ballet productions.
• Substantial ballet stage management experience to an advanced level in a major producing theatre, preferably with experience in a major repertory house.
• An ability to project confidence and exercise tact and diplomacy in relationships with creative teams and artists.
• Proven experience of managing teams and projects with consistent high production standards.
• An ability to remain calm under pressure and work to tight deadlines with conflicting priorities.
• Demonstrable understanding of Health and Safety legislation relevant to theatre and experience of undertaking risk assessments.

Job Description

A full job description can be found here.

Closing date for applications: 11:59pm, Sunday 18th October 2026

Interviews will be held the week of 26th October.

To ensure a fair process, late applications will not be considered under any circumstances.

Applicants must have work authorisation for the UK. No agencies.