Job Description

This is a senior leadership role for someone who wants to help grow the business as well as shape the technical solutions.
You’ll be a key figure in developing our client base, opening new markets and winning work – while also overseeing the quality of our stage engineering designs and delivery.

In this role, you will:
• Lead business development for stage engineering, identifying opportunities, nurturing relationships and helping to secure projects across the UK and internationally.
• Lead major stage engineering projects for new and existing theatres and opera houses, from concept through to delivery.
• Act as a trusted adviser to venue operators, producers, architects and project managers – understanding their strategic objectives and shaping Theatreplan’s response.
• Represent Theatreplan at industry events, conferences and networks, raising our profile and building a strong pipeline of future work.
• Supervise and mentor Stage Engineers, helping them grow their technical and client facing skills.
• Develop concepts for bespoke mechanical systems and collaborate with the team to model them in 3D.
• Attend site meetings and inspections worldwide, working closely with specialist stage engineering contractors.
• Contribute to Theatreplan’s broader strategy as part of the management team.

If you enjoy, building relationships and spotting opportunities, as much as you enjoy solving complex technical challenges, this role is for you.
We’re looking for an experienced stage engineering professional who is also a confident, commercial, client facing leader.

You’ll likely have at least 10+ years’ experience in operating, designing or specifying stage engineering systems, and may currently be:
• Head of Automation (fixed venue or touring)
• A Design Engineer specialising in stage engineering
• A Theatre Consultant with deep stage engineering experience
• A Technical or Production Manager with significant stage engineering responsibilities

You’ll bring:
• A strong engineering background and significant experience operating, managing or specifying stage engineering systems.
• A track record of building relationships with clients and collaborators and contributing to winning work or developing new services.
• Confidence in representing an organisation externally – presenting at meetings and events and engaging credibly with senior stakeholders.
• Proficiency in 2D CAD and some exposure to 3D modelling (or a willingness to develop this – we use Revit).
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including clear technical writing.
• Experience of leading, coaching or managing others.
• A genuine interest in the arts and live performance, and how venues function artistically, operationally and financially.
Experience in functional safety, control theory, software (e.g. Python/VBA) or the application of AI in consultancy would be an advantage but is not essential.

What we offer
• Competitive salary £80,000–£110,000, depending on experience.
• Hybrid working – central London office (Russell Square) Tue–Thu, home working Mon & Fri.
• Projects across the UK, Europe, Australia, Singapore, Hong Kong, China and the Middle East.
• Contributory pension and company bonus scheme.
• Season ticket loan and cycle scheme after one year’s service.
• Structured induction, targeted training and ongoing professional development.
• Potential for company sponsorship to work in the UK

Apply via theatreplan.com