Job Summary
Nottingham Playhouse is seeking an outstanding Chief Operating Officer to join its Executive Team and help lead the organisation into its next phase by building on sustained artistic success and recent improvements in financial performance, income generation and organisational effectiveness.
Job Description
Nottingham Playhouse is looking for an outstanding leader to join our Executive Team as Chief Operating Officer.
We are in a strong position, with sustained significant artistic achievements as well as progress in our finances, income generation and the way the organisation works. We are looking for someone who can build on this and help us take the next step.
This is a wide-ranging role covering finance, commercial activity, people, systems, operations and our buildings. At its heart is a simple purpose - making sure Nottingham Playhouse has the resources, organisation and resilience to deliver its artistic ambitions and charitable purpose.
You will work closely with the Chief Executive as their principal strategic and operational partner, alongside the Artistic Director, Board and Senior Management Team. You will help turn our ambitions into clear and achievable plans and make sure we understand how we are performing, where the opportunities are and where action is needed.
You will lead experienced senior managers across Finance, Commercial, Operations and Facilities, People & Culture and IT. They will have the authority to run their areas. Your role is to set direction, support and challenge them and make sure the organisation delivers what it has agreed to do.
You might already be a COO, CFO, Finance Director or Commercial Director, or hold a senior leadership role in another complex organisation.
We are particularly interested in people with strong financial or commercial experience who can also think across a whole organisation. You will need good judgement, curiosity and the ability to lead people with expertise different from your own.
Job Requirements
Significant senior leadership experience in a complex organisation.
Experience of turning plans into action and taking responsibility for results.
Strong financial or commercial experience and the ability to understand evidence, ask the right questions and make balanced decisions.
Experience of leading senior managers, giving people the freedom to do their jobs while being clear about expectations and performance.
Good judgement when dealing with risk, investment and competing priorities.
The confidence to question assumptions, work effectively with a Board and explain complicated issues clearly.
An inclusive approach to leadership and an understanding that financial sustainability must support our artistic ambitions, public purpose, accessibility and environmental responsibilities.
Curiosity, resilience and the willingness to learn.
Experience in theatre, the arts or culture would be useful, but it is not essential.
Job Responsibilities
Turn our strategy into clear, achievable business plans and priorities.
Lead our long-term financial planning and help ensure the Playhouse remains financially secure.
Lead our approach to commercial development, looking for opportunities to grow income and make better use of our spaces and other assets.
Give the Chief Executive and Board clear and timely information about performance, opportunities, choices and risks.
Set clear expectations for senior managers, give them the authority to deliver and address problems when things are not going to plan.
Help shape the long-term future of our Grade II* listed building and wider estate, including major investment and capital projects.
Make sure our structure, people, technology and ways of working support what we are trying to achieve and are affordable.
Develop new income, partnerships and uses of our spaces and assets while protecting our artistic and charitable purpose.
Deputise for the Chief Executive when needed and
If this sounds like a role in which you could make a difference, we would like to hear from you.
Please do not rule yourself out because your experience is stronger in finance than commercial leadership, or stronger in commercial leadership than finance. We are interested in what you know, how you think, how you lead people and your ability to work across the whole organisation.
Tell us how your experience and approach would help you succeed in this role.
Nottingham Playhouse is committed to equality, diversity, inclusion and accessibility. We welcome applications from people with different backgrounds, perspectives and career paths. Please tell us if you need any adjustments or information in an alternative format at any stage of the recruitment process.
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Nottingham Playhouse employer: Arts Council England
Arts Council England is an exceptional employer, offering a supportive and inclusive work culture that values flexibility and employee well-being. With a focus on professional growth, employees benefit from generous annual leave, a final salary pension scheme, and opportunities to lead innovative digital projects in a collaborative environment. Located in Manchester, the role allows for hybrid working, ensuring a balanced approach to work and life while contributing to meaningful organisational change.
