Deputy Stage Manager - Ballet - WC2E 9DD in West End of London

Permanent position, 42.5 hours per week, £51,683.51 per annum. Based in: Covent Garden, London.

The Royal Ballet and Opera continues to lead the way in opera, ballet, music and dance both live on stage and through multiple digital platforms, from live streaming to worldwide cinema screenings. Our Covent Garden theatre has been at the heart of London and British cultural life for three centuries. We are home to two world-class Companies: The Royal Ballet and The Royal Opera.

We are seeking to recruit a Deputy Stage Manager to work with the Senior Stage Manager, Stage Manager, and two Assistant Stage Managers to ensure the smooth running of ballet rehearsals and performances in conjunction with all relevant departments. They will ensure that all activities are carried out to the highest possible standard of safety, efficiency, and quality.

Our ideal candidate will be a dynamic and highly organised individual with significant stage management and theatre experience who can evidence the following:

• Substantial ballet stage management experience, including as a DSM, in a major producing theatre, preferably with experience in a repertory house.
• Excellent orchestral score reading ability and good prompt book preparation skills.
• Ability to read and accurately interpret technical drawings.
• Excellent knowledge of mark out procedures.
• Demonstrable understanding of Health and Safety legislation relevant to theatre and able to undertake accurate and suitable risk assessments.
• A positive leadership style and the ability to project confidence and exercise tact in relationships with creative teams and artists.
• Good understanding of ballet repertoire.

The Royal Ballet and Opera is one of the UK's leading arts organisations and our aim is to inspire imagination, ignite emotion and make the extraordinary for everyone. Equality, Diversity and Inclusion underpin all that we do. We want our people to be representative of the diversity in the UK. We understand the creativity and innovation that diversity can bring and strive to create an inclusive environment in which everyone can thrive. We encourage applications from people with a wide range of backgrounds, experiences and skills to join our teams. We particularly welcome applications from those who are from a global majority background and/or those who are disabled, as they are under-represented within our organisation.

We are a Disability Confident Employer, which means that we are actively working to ensure that candidates with disabilities and long-term health conditions feel supported, engaged and able to fulfil their potential in the workplace. We will endeavour to offer an interview to candidates who tell us they wish to participate in the scheme and who demonstrate in their application that they meet the essential criteria for the role, though sometimes due to the volume of qualified candidates with declarations this is not possible.

The RBO is also committed to safeguarding and protecting all children, young people, and adults and we implement robust safer recruitment practices. Due to our safeguarding promise, certain roles will be subject to a DBS check before commencing employment with us, which will be indicated in the advertising.

Closing date for applications: 11:59pm, Sunday 2nd August 2026. Interviews will be held w/c 17th August 2026. To ensure a fair process, late applications will not be considered under any circumstances. Applicants must have work authorisation for the UK. No agencies.