Programme Leader BA Production Arts

Guildhall School is a vibrant, international community of musicians, actors and production artists in the heart of the City of London. Ranked as number one in Arts, Drama & Music by the Complete University Guide 2025, and in the top four in the world for Music and Performing Arts by the QS World University Rankings 2025, we deliver world-class professional training in partnership with distinguished artists, companies and ensembles. A global leader in creative and professional practice, we promote innovation, experiment and research, and are also one of the UK’s leading providers of lifelong learning in the performing arts, offering inspiring training for children, young people, adult learners, and creative and business professionals.

We are seeking an outstanding individual to take up the post of Programme Leader, BA Production Arts. The Production Arts Department at Guildhall is responsible for the delivery of the BA Production Arts, BA Performance Design and MA Collaborative Performance Making. Across this portfolio of programmes, it addresses a wide range of performance making skills. The undergraduate programmes focus on skills in automation, costume, design, lighting, production management, prop making, scenic art, scenic construction, show control, sound, stage management, and video design and production. Students have substantial opportunities for learning in and through production projects – these are largely undertaken in collaboration with the Drama Department (plays), the Opera Studies department (operas, including excerpts and shorter-form pieces), Guildhall Production Studio (GPS, digital media projects) and external partners. The Department undertakes research, outreach, and industry engagement across its areas of specialism.

The Programme Leader, BA Production Arts works closely with the Director of Production Arts and senior colleagues to provide leadership of the BA Production Arts programme and across the department’s activities in the Guildhall School. This includes interactions with external stakeholders, including staff recruitment, student recruitment (including outreach, access, and participation), programme delivery, quality assurance, student experience, research, and industry engagement. They will have significant responsibility for successful programme delivery; the student experience in relation to all academic elements including the management of resources associated with programmes; and staffing, including line management of the Heads of Pathway, staff development, and engagement with industry and other external stakeholders.

The Programme Leader role will be combined with other duties in accordance with specialism and institutional need, as agreed with the Director of Production Arts and in accordance with a balanced workload overall.

The successful candidate will have significant experience of programme/education management within Higher Education settings; and theatre/performance practice in a range of settings. You will have the ability to contribute to the Department’s profile and public-facing activities (e.g. through research and/or professional practice, sector engagement, and external networks); demonstrate excellent interpersonal and organisational skills, and a commitment to equity and inclusion.

For further information, please see the Job Information Pack in the attachments section. For an informal discussion concerning the role, please contact Hansjörg Schmidt, Director of Production Arts, on hansjorg.schmidt@gsmd.ac.uk. Please note, if sufficient applications have been received we will close this role earlier than the closing date. To apply, please select the apply online button below. Alternatively, please contact 020 7332 3978 (24hr answerphone) quoting reference number GS9263. A minicom service for the hearing impaired is available on 020 7332 3732. Closing date for applications is Thursday, 15 January 2026 at 12.00 noon.

Guildhall School welcomes applications from people of all backgrounds and experiences. We are particularly keen to encourage interest from people with disabilities, LGBTQIA+, Black, Asian, and other global majority backgrounds who are currently under-represented at Guildhall School. In recognising the positive value of diversity, we want to better reflect and understand the communities we exist to serve. We are members of the Disability Confident Scheme and guarantee to interview all disabled candidates who would like to be considered under this scheme and who meet the minimum essential criteria for the role. We support and provide adjustments for people with disabilities – if you have a disability and need help with the application process please contact us.

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