The Place, the UK’s premier centre for contemporary

dance, is where dance is going next

For over forty five years The Place has been a driving force for contemporary dance in England and Europe, and it remains one of the world's key resources for dance development. We are a home for dancers and dance-makers, nurturing artists from the earliest stage to mature world-class talent.

The Place’s work is divided into strands of activity:

  • London Contemporary Dance School: a world-leading dance conservatoire training around 180 students at undergraduate and postgraduate levels
  • Richard Alston Dance Company: an internationally renowned touring company led by Richard Aston
  • Recreational and Prevocational Dance: providing opportunities for people of all ages and abilities to participate in dance, and progression opportunities to realise talent
  • Theatre and Artist Development: presenting 150 performances each year from UK and international artists in the Robin Howard Dance Theatre, and providing extensive professional development support for dance artists

Our mix of activities creates an ecosystem for contemporary dance unlike any in the world, whilst the strong interdependence of our different strands of activity, co-existing within a single organisation, yields huge added value, both artistically and financially. The Place’s holistic, 360-degree range of activity creates a fertile artistic environment in which great dance can be developed and experienced by everyone.

The Place has a vital role to play in dance development in the UK. It is uniquely placed to enhance the sector’s ability to support independent dance artists. We provide the space and conditions they need to take the creative risks that keep the art form alive, and help them attain greater profile and integration within the UK and European dance communities.

The Place’s plans for the future build upon our history of achievement, underpinned by our flexible business model that draws on a range of public and private funding sources and self-generated income, enabling us to continually adapt our activity to meet the changing needs of the dance sector at all levels.

The Place currently employs 100 full and part-time staff – dancers, teachers, producers and administrators – and works with nearly 300 casual staff. Our annual turnover is in excess of £6.5million, with approximately two-thirds of our income from statutory funding, and one-third earned and fundraised income. The Place’s building, which incorporates 11 dance studios together with our theatre, is fully accessible to disabled people, and The Place has a firm commitment to equal opportunities for staff, students, artists and users of our building and services.

We are committed to developing new and enhanced ways of engaging participants and audiences whilst continuing to focus strongly on building a sustainable future for dance as the UK’s leading supporter of dance artists. Through all of our work we will continue to transform and enrich lives through dance and to shape where dance is going next.

Administrative Director – Theatre and Programmes

Job Specification

The Place is a world renowned dance organisation. Our Programming teams at The Place work together to present more than 150 performances a year in one of Europe’s busiest dance theatres and support choreographers to create new dance works by commissioning and producing shows that are seen in London, across the UK and all over the world. We run a class programmes attract over 20,000 children and adults each year and our creative learning team deepen and grow our connections to our audiences and local schools. All our teams are active members of many UK and international networks - National Dance network, European Dancehouse Network and the Aerowaves network and have ongoing projects with these and other national and international partners.

Major projects in 2017/18 include:

  • Resolution – An annual 6 week platform for new choreography featuring more than 75 companies
  • Performances by and for families and young people throughout the year including annual Family Dance Day
  • A unique associate artist scheme – Work Place
  • Pivot Dance – a European Union funded international project for choreographers, producers and audiences.
  • The Humane Body – a project to develop a new audience for contemporary dance performance amongst blind/partially-sighted people
  • Choreodrome and Touchwood - summer residencies and work –in-progress performances.
  • Ongoing Classes for Children and Adults including Summer Dance Courses
  • Get Camden Dancing – a project to deepen our connection to local schools and communities
  • Questions and Dancers – creating dance performance for primary school children in collaboration with London Contemporary Dance School
  • A collaboration with National Rural Touring Forum, Take Art and China Plate, funded through Arts Council England Strategic Touring Fund, to tour dance to rural locations across the UK.
  • Producing and co-producing new shows by Requardt & Rosenberg and Avant Garde Dance.
  • Ongoing expansion of our wraparound programmes (Spectator School) connecting our theatre’s work to even more of our local audience

Staff

The team has 23 core staff working on the theatre programme, producing and artist development, classes and courses, creative learning, technical operations and front of house/box office. They are supported by a team of freelance technicians, box office and front-of-house staff, teachers, accompanists, directors, and interns and many freelance artists.

Role of Administrative Director

The Administrative Director works closely with the Director and other colleagues at The Place to develop strategy, imagine new ideas and implement the resulting plans and budgets. S/he has particular responsibility for the successful overall administrative and operational management and success of the programmes - performances, classes and courses, productions, tours and artist development projects - ensuring they are delivered within budget and to the highest possible operational standards. The Administrative Director is part of The Place’s Senior Executive team and works closely with colleagues in Finance, Communications, Development and Premises teams to ensure the artistic programmes are effectively resourced and supported.

Reports to:Director, Theatre and Artist Development

Responsible for: Theatre Technical Manager; Theatre Front of House, Events and Box Office Manager; other staff as may be determined by the Director of Theatre and Artist Development.

Job Description

Strategy, Planning and Evaluation

With the Director of Theatre and Artist Development:

  • Imagine, initiate and formulate overall strategic plans
  • Develop financial strategies and budgets
  • Oversee the implementation and delivery of high quality, effective programmes in line with strategies and budgets.
  • Work with colleagues to develop the theatre’s artistic programme, classes and courses programme and the creative learning programme.
  • Develop new partnerships and projects that meet the Theatre’s objectives.
  • Lead on the evaluation of the departmental programmes
  • Attend performances at the place or elsewhere as necessary.
  • Maintain and share up-to-date knowledge of emerging trends, regulations and best practice in all relevant fields of theatre, arts and dance management.
  • Maintain and expand individual knowledge of the UK dance sector by researching and reading relevant material and by attending meetings and events.

Senior Management

As a member of The Place’s Senior Management team:

  • Play an active role in planning and implementing the Place’s business and artistic plans, including attending regular Directors meetings.
  • Take responsibility, as delegated, for decisions affecting the planning, delivery and implementation of Theatre and Artist Development programmes.
  • With the Director, pursue and develop partnerships and projects outside of The Place that meet the departments and The Place’s aims and objectives.
  • Deputize for the Director of Theatre and Artist Development, whenever necessary, at internal and external strategic meetings including Board and Senior Management and meetings of the National Dance Network, European Dancehouse Network and meetings with Arts Council England.
  • Advocate for and represent the department or The Place in all appropriate fora, including at national and international meetings.

Management

Programme and Projects

  • Undertake project management of designated Theatre and Artist Development projects and programmes.
  • Oversee the operational management of artist development projects for choreographers and dancers including delegation to and management of departmental staff who deliver these projects.
  • Oversee the operational management of the theatre programme, including the agreeing and negotiating of contracts, applying for foreign entertainers’ tax exemption, provision of financial reports and returns and ensuring that travel, accommodation, certificates of sponsorship, are procured in good time.
  • Oversee the operational management of in-house theatre productions including production budget management, production technical management, marketing, artist contracts and artist management.
  • With the Director of Finance, prepare theatre tax relief claims and contribute to the administration of the Place Productions Ltd trading subsidiary.
  • Oversee the management of the Classes and Courses programme including setting and monitoring of income and expenditure targets, the issuing of contracts and freelancer management.

Commercial Development

  • Identify opportunities for commercial income generation. E.g. theatre hire and events.
  • Devise plans, model and analyse, and implement strategies to develop commercial income from the assets and resources managed by the Theatre and Artist Development department.
  • Responsible for the commercial development of The Place Bar, through line management of the FOH & Box Office Manager.
  • Develop income through Classes and Courses programme, working with the Programme Manager, Classes and Courses.

Operations

Responsible for ensuring that the teams provide excellent customer service and ensure that:

  • all productions presented in the Robin Howard Dance Theatre are presented under the best conditions, front-of-house and backstage
  • the public are offered an excellent experience when visiting The Place, whatever their needs
  • dance artists are well served by the departments staff and programmes.

Responsible for Health and Safety ensuring:

  • With the Technical Manager, that the working practices of the theatres full-time and casual technicians adhere to all current Health and Safety legislation.
  • With the Front of House and Box Office Manager, the running of all public areas adhere to The Place’s Health and Safety and Access policies and procedures, in particular those set by legislation and the terms of The Place’s license.
  • With the Director, ensure The Place’s Safeguarding policies are adhered to across activities for young people or adults at risk.
  • With the FOH & Box Office Manager, ensure that The Place’s premises licence conditions are complied with, and – if required – act as Designated Premises Supervisor.
  • Ensure the department develops and maintains good administrative systems, including financial systems.
  • Responsible for liaising with the IT manager to ensure the effective operation of the department’s IT provision including Spectrix Box Office system.
  • Ensure the department’s programmes and projects adhere to The Place’s equality plan

Human Resources

  • Ensure good staff management practice across the team, including recruitment, induction and appraisals, in line with The Place’s policies and procedures.
  • Line manage staff for which s/he is responsible and provide advice, guidance and support to team managers within the department.
  • Deputize for the Director of Theatre and Artist Development as line manager for the Theatre Senior Producer, Classes and Courses Manager and Creative Learning Producers.

Financial

  • With the Director, develop, monitor and control budgets across theatre, producing, artist development classes and courses and creative learning programmes.
  • Responsible for the day-to-day financial management of the theatre department including: monitoring income and expenditure, preparing box-office targets and monitoring box-office performance.
  • Provide financial information to the Management Accountant for the preparation of management accounts and forecasts.
  • Attend Budget Holder’s meetings
  • Maintain good departmental financial systems in line with The Place policies.
  • Maximise income and minimise expenditure at all times.
  • With the Director and departmental teams, collaborate with the Development team in meeting agreed fundraising targets.
  • Provide financial statistics and reports for the Director, senior management, funders and board papers as necessary.

Marketing, Communications and Audience Development

  • With the Director and Departmental Teams, develop strategies for growth in audiences and participants across all programmes, setting and monitoring targets.
  • With the Director and Departmental teams, ensure the promotion of all Theatre and Artist Development programmes and projects by developing strategies with the Communications team.
  • Work alongside colleagues to ensure the implementation of The Place’s audience development strategy.

Other

Any other duties reasonably requested by the Director of Theatre and Artist Development.

Person Specification

Essential / Desirable
Experienced senior arts manager / Programming or producing experience
Passionate about contemporary dance and/or performance / Knowledge of contemporary dance in UK and internationally
Proven budget management and financial planning experience
Substantial experience of artist and/or venue management / Experience in venue management
Experience in and understanding of the practical presentation of theatre performances including:
•box office
•front of house and
•technical
•marketing
Experience in strategic and business planning / Experience of growing commercial revenue streams
Experience in producing and touring dance
Strong contract and negotiation skills / Fundraising/application writing experience
Strong staff management skills
Proven project management skills including a track record of starting new projects and refining existing ones
Up-to-date knowledge of regulations and best practice affecting the field, including licensing, health & safety and risk management / Experience in Health and Safety, Licensing and risk management
Personal Licence Holder
Experience of developing administrative systems and excellent administrative skills
Experience of evaluating projects and programmes
Enjoys finding creative solutions to unexpected challenges and working on own initiative
Excellent written and spoken English
Excellent communication and relational management
Willingness to work evenings and weekends and travel overseas

Salary, hours of work and benefits

Salary

The salary for this role will be £42,500.

Salaries are reviewed in April each year when any cost of living increases are made. No salary changes are made until the post holder has completed a six month probationary period.

Contract

This is an open ended permanent contract. Whilst in the six month probationary period the notice period will be two weeks. Once this period is successfully completed the post holder will be confirmed in post and the notice period will be three months.

Hours

This is a full time, permanent position, based on a 40 hour week. Normal office hours are Monday – Friday, 9.30-5.30pm, and there is some scope for flexible working. The postholder will be expected to undertake some overseas travel. Some evening and weekend work will be required for which time off in lieu will be given.

Benefits

All employees will be automatically enrolled in our pension scheme after three months service. This has a variety of contribution levels for both employee and employer. Other benefits include interest-free season ticket loan (after three months), theatre ticket allowance, free access (subject to availability) to The Place evening classes and subsidised café and bar prices. We operate a salary sacrifice scheme for the purchase of bicycles and childcare vouchers. We run a weekly subsidised staff yoga class and a staff choir.

Holiday

As a full time post, the holiday accrued is 25 days per year. This includes 5 days to be taken to as directed by the organisation in order to cover building shut downs e.g. between Christmas and New Year. The annual leave allocation runs from January to December each year.

How to Apply

Completed applications (comprising of completed application form and monitoring forms) (no CV’s)should be returned (preferably by email) by: 12 Noon Monday 9th April 2017

By email:

By post:

Laura Naldrett

Human Resources and Administration Manager

The Place

17 Dukes Road

London WC1H 9PY

Please ensure any attached sheets have your name and the post you are applying for clearly stated.

The Place is committed to equality and diversity and welcomes applications from all sections of the community. Monitoring information is collected and processed separately to applications, if you do not wish to disclose this information please return a blank monitoring form.

Interviews will be held onWednesday 19th Aprilat The Place.

The Place is an equal opportunities employer and we are keen to ensure everyone applying for employment has an equal experience when attending an interview. Should you have any queries about, or wish to make us aware of, any support required to attend an interview or to work at The Place or would like this pack in alternative format please contact Laura Naldrett, HR and Administration Manager who will be happy to discuss this with you in confidence on 020 7121 1002 or email:

We apologise that we are unable to respond to every application individually. If you have not heard from us by one month after the closing date please assume that your application has been unsuccessful.

Thank you for your interest in The Place.

March 2017

Date as download

Dear Candidate

Re: Application for post as advertised on the website

In accordance with our Equal Opportunities Policy I attach a form for you to complete and return to help us in monitoring our recruitment. Please would you complete and return the monitoring form along with the job application form, at the email address below, by the required closing date.