Head of Production

Hours: 40 hours per week

Location: BKL Head Office, London (Paddington)

Salary Band: Commensurate with experience

Annual Leave: 25 Days holiday per annum, plus bank holidays

Reports To: Executive Director

Responsible for: Deputy Production Manager, Production Coordinator, Stores Manager, Store Supervisor, All production staff & stage management

Works with: Executive Producer, Producers, Programmer

Main Purpose

Bill Kenwright Ltd is looking to appoint an experienced, passionate, and established Head of Production to lead the production and technical departments, working across multiple theatre productions across the UK, West End and internationally.

The key elements of the role are:

• To deliver all productions on time and within budget ensuring high production values.
• To line manage all production and technical staff, both within the production department and on each production.
• To maintain and improve upon working practices, systems, and existing structures to ensure efficiency.
• To advise on feasibility and scheduling of future productions, providing technical and financial considerations around logistics, touring, production staffing and budgets.
• To review, propose and maintain subsequent and historical relationships with suppliers.
• To maintain strong working relationships with creative teams, production staff, and venues alongside technical HODs.
• Oversee the timely and effective communication of technical information and plans for each production whether touring, West End, Co‑productions or international.
• To be aware of changing Health and Safety and other key laws and legislation and ensure it is adhered to throughout all works.
• Oversee and work with the Stores manager and supervisor to ensure the suitable and safe storage of technical equipment, instruments, costumes, props, and scenery to allow for re‑use, including facilitating and overseeing the completion of the asset management system.
• Prepare technical and financial reports where required.
• To oversee all ongoing production spending in line with the technical HODs.
• Working closely with both the executive director, CFO and the producers, the role will lead on both the smooth delivery of existing planned productions as well as the development of new projects and productions both in the West End, on Tour and around the world.

The ideal candidate will have substantial experience in commercial theatre as a production manager with a demonstrable knowledge of delivering a range of productions from touring plays to large-scale musical, on time and within budget. Demonstrable experience of managing multiple productions at any one time is required. Some evening and weekend work is required, particularly with production weeks and show visits.

Responsibilities include:

• To plan, develop, budget, and deliver first-class theatre productions for both UK Touring, West End, and international markets, including undertaking feasibility studies and budget preparation for new productions, with suitable consideration of logistics, staffing, practical and financial considerations, with support from the Deputy Production Manager and Technical HODs.
• To manage and deliver each production within the timescale and budgets specified, ensuring that production values and good working practices are not compromised.
• To line manage all technical and production staff, ensuring development of skills and knowledge for career professional development through the appraisal process, including strong working relationships with the Deputy Production Manager and technical HODs.
• Recruit, line manage, and coordinate all production and show specific staff, working closely with both technical HODs and company managers to ensure good and timely communication to all departments.
• Be the key and lead on ensuring our internal processes and working practices are operating efficiently and effectively, ranging from the collation and distribution of technical information and riders to venues, site visits and production parameters with creative and production teams, to production payroll and timesheets, petty cash, and purchase orders / invoicing.
• Lead on ensuring that all production work is undertaken in line with the latest applicable H&S legislation, ensuring training and certification are undertaken as required. Utilizing support from our external H&S consultants to ensure the suitable planning, assessment and delivery of all activity in line with suitable safe working practices.
• Coordinate and lead the team on ensuring the timely and accurate distribution of technical information.
• Lead on the completion and ongoing delivery of the asset management system to ensure that our storage facilities are operated effectively and efficiently to maximise the ability to reuse stored equipment, costumes, instruments, props, scenery and staging.
• Working with the finance director to ensure budget monitoring and reporting on all production and department activity in a timely and suitable manner, including reporting at board level or directly to Managing Director.
• To ensure all production documentation is organized and stored in a suitable manner including archiving upon completion.
• To work alongside our venue technical and management teams at both Theatre Royal Windsor and The Other Palace as required.
• Attending and leading on fit-ups, production weeks and previews of productions as required in line with technical HODs attendance and requirements across all productions / the office.
• To maintain effective internal working relationships with other BKL departments, in addition to always acting as an ambassador for the company.
• Preparation of information for management meetings as needed in addition to reporting daily and weekly performance figures against KPIs set.
• Any other duties appropriate to the post and under the Equalities Act with due consideration to any employees with a "protected characteristic" and within the framework of equal opportunities.
• Lead on creating a culture of pride in the workplace by always ensuring clean and well-presented office.