Deputy Head of Stage (previously Deputy Master Carpenter), Playhouse Theatre, Northumberland Avenue

Deputy Head of Stage

You’ll report to the Head of Stage. You’ll also work closely with the Electrics and Technical & Buildings Manager. The Deputy Head of Stage will support the Head of Stage with the day-to-day running of the theatre from a technical perspective, working collaboratively with the venue Electrics team, Technical and Buildings Manager, and venue management to ensure the upkeep and maintenance of the venue to a high standard. This shall include assisting with the scheduling of maintenance and inspection work in line with both company Risk Management policy and relevant legislation, the facilitation and overseeing of external contractors, and the undertaking of regular maintenance and carpentry projects to support the venue’s needs. 

The Deputy Head of Stage shall also seek to maintain a good working relationship with the resident production, working closely with Company Management to ensure appropriate levels of support and oversight are provided to the production Stage Crew, and assisting the Stage Management team with crew scheduling and production maintenance when required. 

You will be working in a fast-paced environment, with no two days the same. There will be opportunities to support work across our West End estate of theatres, working with various parties to ensure smooth turnarounds between productions. 

This role involves regular evening and weekend working. And please note, your role may involve working with children or vulnerable people. 

Key responsibilities

Technical

• Assist the Head of Stage, and Technical & Buildings Manager, with the maintenance of all building fabric, including the stage, stage house, stage machinery, and back of house areas, ensuring their regular inspection and upkeep in line with ATG Entertainment’s Risk Management System, and relevant legislation.
• Assist the Head of Stage, and Technical & Buildings Manager, with the maintenance of all building fabric, including the stage, stage house, stage machinery, and back of house areas, ensuring their regular inspection and upkeep in line with ATG Entertainment’s Risk Management System, and relevant legislation.
• Carry out your duties in line with all relevant venue Risk Assessments and Method Statements relevant to the task.
• Assist with the get-in, fit-up and get-out of all venue productions and visiting events, ensuring all relevant staff are undertaking their work safely, and in line with venue Risk Assessment.
• As and when required, work across ATG’s West End estate, assisting with both production turnarounds and general venue maintenance. 

Compliance and Maintenance

• Working with the Head of Stage, and Technical & Buildings Manager, implement a comprehensive maintenance plan for the building, ensuring the venue remains compliant in its inspection and maintenance regime, and is consistently presented to the highest possible standard.
• Manage visiting contractors, following the Contractor Management Policy, to ensure all visitors operate in a safety conscious manner, reporting all issues as necessary.
• Utilise the Meridian building compliance software to ensure that all legislative and compliance-based inspections are carried out on time, and all associated actions are complete in the stated time frame.
• Support the Technical & Buildings Manager, Heads of Department, and General Manager in the delivery of repairs and capital investment projects to the building

Health and Safety

• Working with the Head of Stage, Technical & Buildings Manager, and Theatre Management team, ensure all operations relating to the technical department meet with current legislation, industry best practice and ATG Entertainment policies and procedures.
• Ensure that all relevant processes are completed to an agreed standard, and appropriately documented.
• Generate and review risk assessments relating to all technical activity as and when required, liaising with venue management and/or the Central Operations Team where appropriate support is required.
• Ensure the Contractor Management Policy is followed by all third-party visitors.
• Actively contribute to the annual Health and Safety audit, Environmental Management audit, and Fire Risk Assessment, ensuring all relevant actions are implemented within the assigned timeframe.
• Attend Health and Safety meetings and actively contribute to lowering the risk associated with the venue, and all associated works.
• Consistently behave in a manner which complies with the Company’s Health and Safety policy. 

Your skills, qualities, and experience.

If you are able to demonstrate many of the essential criteria, we encourage you to apply. We welcome transferable skills from other industries or backgrounds. We are able to provide training where necessary. 

Essential

• Experience of working in a stage role in a theatre environment.
• Experience working with counterweight flying systems and production rigging.
• Demonstrable carpentry skills.
• Understanding of health and safety legislation.
• Leadership skills and the ability to run fit ups and get outs. 

Desirable

• Basic metalworking skills.
• Working at height experience and training.
• Basic understanding of BMS and HVAC.
• Basic understanding of plumbing.
• Basic understanding of fire prevention systems (Fire Panel, Sprinklers, Safety curtain).
• Recognised Health and Safety at work qualification (IOSH or similar).
• First Aid training. 

About Us

Our values

ATG Entertainment’s values set the tone for how we work, how we treat one another, and the culture we continue to build across the UK and the wider organisation. 

• THRIVE doing what we love (with passion and dynamism)
• CONNECT through every act (with collaboration and kindness)
• DARE to do different (with curiosity and courage)
• PERFORM at our best (with customer focus and ownership) 

Our Corporate Social Responsibility pillars

Everyone at ATG Entertainment is expected to play their part in achieving our goals and upholding our Corporate Social Responsibility priorities: 

• Inclusion: Committing to creating and upholding a positive, inclusive culture that nurtures potential and supports well-being.
• Sustainability: Playing your part in reducing our environmental impact and finding more sustainable ways of working.
• Next Generations: Encouraging the next generation in live entertainment by contributing to our outreach and training programmes, including mentoring students and trainees, and supporting our Creative Learning and Community Partnerships work.

Our culture

You’ll help us uphold a positive culture around meeting our obligations, by having a positive attitude to health and safety, legal and insurance requirements and take care to understand our policies and procedures.

We are all expected to participate actively in the life of the company, and opportunities will arise for you to collaborate with others across the business. Everyone at ATG Entertainment is expected to be flexible and adapt as the needs of the business change, taking on new or different responsibilities as the need arises.

Our Inclusion, Diversity, Equity and Access Mission Statement - A Stage for Everyone


Our stages are a platform for compelling stories – stories that are for all, by all, and of all. We shine our spotlight on our differences and believe that understanding and celebrating these differences makes us better global citizens. We are passionate about the pursuit of true diversity and equality. We strive to make our venues beacons of these ideals in our communities. Onstage and off, we hold ourselves accountable for nurturing an inclusive culture, one in which everyone can bring their authentic selves. At ATG entertainment, we provide a stage for everyone.

We recognise that we do not have all the answers; but we strive to listen, to learn and to change in order to ensure ATG Entertainment becomes a truly inclusive organisation. We therefore welcome and encourage applications from individuals from the widest possible range of backgrounds and particularly welcome applications from those currently underrepresented in our workforce.

We are a Disability Confident Committed Employer, which means that we are taking action to ensure that people with disabilities and long-term health conditions feel supported, engaged and able to fulfil their potential in the workplace. We will offer an interview or recruitment event to disabled candidates who tell us they wish to participate in the scheme and who demonstrate in their application that they best meet the essential criteria for the role. Where we receive more applications than we are reasonably able to interview for any given role, we will retain applications for the next available interview opportunity wherever possible.

If you’d like to discuss accessibility prior to applying, please email [email protected] for a confidential discussion.