Department:  Marketing

Reports to: Head of Marketing

About Us

At Theatre Royal, we’re a bold, creative, and collaborative team. We are always looking ahead – embracing new ideas and delivering with purpose.

We’re here to achieve the organisation’s strategy, and we believe everyone plays a part in shaping our success.

Our Values:

• Ambitious – We strive for excellence and quality in everything we do.
• Inclusive – We celebrate diversity and welcome different voices and perspectives.
• Collaborative – We build trust and work in partnership to achieve shared success.
• Creative – We nurture creativity and celebrate imagination and originality in everyone.
• Progressive – We’re forward-thinking, embracing change and looking to the future.

About the Role

This role exists to support Theatre Royal’s mission and strategy by contributing your skills, knowledge, and experience to deliver excellent outcomes for the organisation and our audiences.

While your key responsibilities are outlined below, our work evolves. We value flexibility and ask all colleagues to be willing to undertake reasonable duties within their skills and experience to help achieve our shared goals. You will also work in line with our policies, procedures, and legal requirements, including health and safety, safeguarding, and data protection.

The new External Relations and Communications Manager role will lead the development and delivery of a holistic external relations & advocacy strategy, ensuring it fully supports achievement of our strategic priorities. The role will deliver brand communications and activity which tells our story, increases engagement and extends the theatre’s outreach with external partners and stakeholders.

Key responsibilities:

Role specific

• Lead corporate relations and advocacy engagement activities.
• Establish and strengthen the presence of our Creative Engagement Programme (Creative Engagement, Futures and Growth) in communities, across the region and within the wider sector.
• Develop and deliver a comprehensive communication strategy to support producing and co-producing new work.
• Contribute to the development of fundraising and philanthropic initiatives.
• Manage the organisation’s profile within the broader cultural and political landscape.
• Manage media reputation, including positioning the theatre as a sector voice, risk mitigation, and crisis communications.
• Support the theatre’s ambition to operate as an inclusive public space, open to more people, more of the time.

General

• Carry out your role to a high standard, using your skills and knowledge to help achieve Theatre Royal’s goals.
• Work flexibly, adapting to changing priorities and supporting colleagues as needed.
• Follow all policies and procedures, including health and safety, safeguarding, and data protection.
• Report any concerns or incidents promptly and appropriately.
• Deliver excellent service to audiences, stakeholders, and colleagues.
• Actively engage with opportunities for learning and development.
• Contribute ideas and feedback to help improve our work and processes.

Duties as a member of the Theatre Royal team

• Provide clear leadership, direction, and support to your team.
• Oversee day-to-day operations, ensuring tasks are delivered effectively and efficiently.
• Manage and develop team members through regular feedback and coaching.
• Ensure team members comply with all relevant policies and procedures, including health and safety, safeguarding, and data protection.
• Report and manage any concerns or incidents in line with organisational processes.
• Support staff wellbeing and foster a positive, inclusive working environment.
• Contribute to process improvements and collaborative initiatives.
• Carry out your role to a high standard, using your skills and knowledge to help achieve Theatre Royal’s goals.
• Work flexibly, adapting to changing priorities and supporting colleagues as needed.
• Follow all policies and procedures, including health and safety, safeguarding, and data protection.
• Report any concerns or incidents promptly and appropriately.
• Deliver excellent service to audiences, stakeholders, and colleagues.
• Actively engage with opportunities for learning and development.
• Contribute ideas and feedback to help improve our work and processes.

Application deadline:

• Wednesday 3rd June 12noon. Please apply via the linked application form.

Interviews:

• Expected to take place on 15th/16th June

Start/ Training:

• ASAP

Hours

• We welcome applications from candidates seeking a minimum of 32 hours per week, up to full time 39 hours.  Individual preferences will be discussed upon appointment. 

Salary

The salary is £43,575 (FTE) for this role.

This salary reflects the initial positioning of the role within our current benchmarking.

We’re also in the process of developing a clearer pay progression structure across the organisation, as part of our commitment to fair and transparent reward. If you would like to discuss this further, please let us know.

EAP

• Employee Assistance Programme available to all staff and their household members

Annual Leave

• 27 days plus 8 bank holidays for those working 5 days per week.  Pro-rated for different working patterns.

Employee benefits

• Critical Illness and Death in Service Cover
• Employee Assistance Programme available to all staff and their household members
• Discounted Travel Scheme - discounted Metro and bus travel.
• Discounted Tickets - Access to staff discounted tickets for performances, subject to availability
• NE1 Discount card - Access to city centre discounts and activities.
• NGCV Discounts - Theatre Royal staff have access to discounts across 10 Newcastle Gateshead Cultural Venues.

Working at the Theatre

We aim to make everyone feel welcome at the Theatre. if you need any adjustments at the time of applying or within the role please let us know at any stage in the process by contacting: recruitment@theatreroyal.co.uk

Accessibility information

Information about access can be found here. Please contact us to discuss any specific needs or requirements.