Wigs & Make-up Technician

Royal Academy Of Dance; City of Westminster; On-site; GBP 42,000; Full time

Job summary

A prestigious arts organization based in Covent Garden is seeking an experienced Wigs & Makeup Technician. The role requires skills in wig making and styling, hair cutting, and special effects for theatrical productions. Candidates must possess a track record of excellence in performance-related Wig and Makeup work and the ability to provide exceptional customer care in a professional theatre environment. Strong health and safety awareness is also essential.

Qualifications

• Proven track record in performance-related wig and make-up work.
• Background in wig and make-up preparation techniques.
• Experience with textured hair and styling.

Responsibilities

• Deliver technical excellence for every performance, rehearsal, and event.
• Involve in wig making, styling, hair cutting, and special effects.
• Contribute to risk assessments relevant to theatre.

Skills

Performance-related Wig and Make-up work

Wig making and styling

Hair cutting and styling

Make up and special effects

Customer care for professional theatre

Knowledge of Health and Safety legislation

Job description

Permanent Contract

Full time; 42.5 hours per week

£41,092.00 per annum

Based in: Covent Garden, London

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 appoint an experienced Wigs & Make Up Technician to join our busy team. The work involves wig making and styling; hair cutting and styling; make up and special effects for all theatrical, media and television productions of the Royal Ballet and Opera.

What you’ll bring:

• A proven track record in performance-related Wig and Make-up work for major companies.
• A proven background in wig and make-up preparation techniques including the ability to make wigs and facials.
• Practical hands‑on experience in Textured hair, e.g. Locks and braiding.
• Proven ability to realize make-up looks from an existing design, awareness of hair types and the latest hair and wig styling techniques and products.
• Demonstrable experience in running performances and providing excellent levels of customer care, for professional theatre.
• An understanding of Health and Safety legislation relevant to theatre and able to contribute to suitable risk assessments.

Although not essential, knowledge of opera and ballet repertoire, experience of presenting the arts forms and a keen interest in learning will be highly regarded.

Click here for more information and to apply

Closing date for applications: Midnight, 3rd December 2025

Interviews will be held the week of 15th December 2025.

The Royal Ballet and Opera is one of the UK’s leading arts organisations and our aim is to inspire imagination, ignite emotion and make the extraordinary for everyone. Equality, Diversity and Inclusion underpin all that we do. We want our people to be representative of the diversity in the UK. We understand the creativity and innovation that diversity can bring and strive to create an inclusive environment in which everyone can thrive.

We encourage applications from people with a wide range of backgrounds, experiences and skills to join our teams. We particularly welcome applications from those who are from a global majority background and/or those who are disabled, as they are under‑represented within our organisation.

We are a Disability Confident Employer, which means that we are actively working to ensure that candidates with disabilities and long‑term health conditions feel supported, engaged and able to fulfil their potential in the workplace. We will endeavour to offer an interview to candidates who tell us they wish to participate in the scheme and who demonstrate in their application that they meet the essential criteria for the role, though sometimes due to the volume of qualified candidates with declarations this is not possible.

The RBO is also committed to safeguarding and protecting all children, young people, and adults and we implement robust safer recruitment practices. Due to our safeguarding promise, certain roles will be subject to a DBS check before commencing employment with us, which will be indicated in the advertising.

For a list of potential reasonable adjustments, please review this guidance document. If you have any access requirements for your application, please contact the RBO Recruitment Team on [e-mail]

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