Brighton People's Theatre

Working closely with the CEO and Artistic Director (CEO) and the rest of the Brighton People’s Theatre team, the Company Manager role is pivotal within the company. As a part-time post of 2 days a week, working 7.5 hours a day, the Company Manager role will focus primarily on the areas of Operations, HR, Legal, Finance and Fundraising. The role is essential in ensuring the organisation has effective operational systems to deliver its work. It will ensure the smooth running of the administrative functions of the company, that the company meets its legal responsibilities and that there is an effective management framework for all our work. It is a mixed and varied role, with autonomy and responsibility, and a requirement to work flexibly as part of the team. Contract Terms Fixed-term contract to cover maternity leave - October 2026 to July 2027. The postholder will be required to work 2 days/15 hours a week at the Brighton People’s Theatre office in Central Brighton. Salary The salary for this role is £35,000 pro-rata. Location This role will be based at the company office at the Old Courthouse in central Brighton with attendance at workshops, performances and events at various locations including Friends Meeting House, ACCA and other community venues in Brighton and Hove and across Sussex where necessary. As the organisation develops, there will be the requirement to be flexible with working from alternative office space and delivery spaces. Holiday 28 days per year pro rata including public holidays, plus the Company is closed between Christmas and New Year. Pension Brighton People's Theatre operates a defined contribution pension scheme. All eligible staff members will be automatically enrolled after three months’ service, and contributions will be made at the current rates as set by the Pensions Regulator, which is 8% of qualifying earnings (3% employer/5% employee). For more details, please visit here. Probationary Period This role is subject to a two-month probationary period, which will be reviewed through an appraisal. Notice Period The notice period is two weeks during probation and then one month following a successful appraisal, for both parties. KEY AREAS OF RESPONSIBILITY Operations • Responsible for managing organisational systems, including IT and software, and maintaining an inventory of equipment and other assets, • Managing and updating the company handbook, staff and trustee contact sheets and other company information documents, • Lead on the annual review and update of all company policies and procedures with the CEO and the Trustees, • Organise the collection and processing of evaluation and learning data, generating ideas for improvement and collaborating with the CEO and external evaluator, • Working with the Communications Manager to manage the collection of monitoring data for members, audiences, participants, job applicants and freelance workers/artists, ensuring we adhere to the GDPR (General Data Protection Regulations) at all times, • Manage the office space and the day-to-day running of the office, including ordering office supplies, • To act as Designated Safeguarding Officer (the CEO is the Safeguarding Lead) and First Aider (the CEO and Deputy CEO are qualified Mental Health First Aiders), • Responsibility for implementing operational delivery of workshops and performances/events, securing appropriate locations and scheduling spaces, • If organisational delivery is threatened, ensure the CEO and Deputy CEO are informed and work collaboratively to resolve issues HR • Management and administration of company recruitment processes with the CEO, including the collation of recruitment and induction packs, collating applications and providing the paperwork for all interview processes, • Preparing contracts for artists/freelance workers and other contracted members of the team in line with ITC/Equity and other statutory staffing agreements, • Maintaining the Personnel filing system and ensuring the HR admin processes remain fit-for-purpose, including Annual Leave Processes for the PAYE staff team, • Manage the Access and Support Manager, enabling them to support the maintenance of the Way of Being and Way of Caring in all delivery spaces Legal • Service the Trustee meetings, including arranging and minuting meetings, distributing Board papers, collating Board papers and producing papers as directed by the CEO and/or Chair, • With the CEO ensuring the company’s compliance with HMRC and the Charity Commission, • Ensuring that the company is compliant with all legal requirements as covered by the relevant legislation, including Health and Safety, Insurance, Employers and Public Liabilities, Equality Act and Disability Discrimination Act, etc, through ongoing research and by updating company policy documents and ensuring the CEO and Trustees are aware of changes Finance and Fundraising Support • Support budgeting processes and cash flow predictions with the CEO and Freelance Finance Support, • To contribute to the creation of project and organisational budgets with the CEO, Deputy CEO and Freelance Finance Support, • Administering and collating the data and information needed for funding bids and reporting to funders, where necessary, • Writing small funding bids and sections of larger funding bids to support the CEO, • Maintaining an overview of progress against fundraising targets, funding reporting requirements and application deadlines and planning workload accordingly, • Maintain up-to-date records of funding bids and update the case for support, • Maintain a spreadsheet of quotes from evaluation and workshop reports that could be useful for fundraising Joint Team Responsibilities • To abide by the BPT Way of Being and Way of Caring, • Ensure that diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging remain at the heart of all aspects of Brighton People’s Theatre’s work., • To abide by the joint team responsibilities as outlined in the staff handbook, • Actively contribute to the co-creation of and learning of the organisation, sharing ideas and developing collaborative ways of working, • Representing the Company at public events, receptions, etc, where necessary PERSON SPECIFICATION Brighton People’s Theatre comprises a team of contracted salaried staff and freelancers, all of whom are highly skilled and committed to their roles. All staff members are expected to contribute as appropriate to the Company’s success. This post provides an ideal opportunity for someone to develop and strengthen their managerial responsibilities within a pivotal role in a small and supportive team. Essential Skills and Attributes • At least three years of paid management experience in an arts administration, community development organisation or charity, • Strong organisational skills:, • Orderly and systematic, • Able to prioritise own workload, • Problem solver, • Able to meet deadlines, • An excellent eye for detail, • Ability to multitask, • Excellent verbal and written communication skills and ability to establish rapport with a wide range of individuals and organisations, • Experience in managing budgets, • A commitment to the principles of inclusive ways of working and equal opportunities, • Experience in HR, preparing contracts and negotiating with a range of individuals and organisations, • Experience in managing processes and large projects successfully, including reporting to funders, • Commitment to working collaboratively within a small team, • Ability to work quickly and stay calm under pressure Desirable Skills and Attributes • Line management experience, • Knowledge of theatre and performance, and a desire to learn more, • Experience of producing theatre in a community setting, • Experience in fundraising, • Knowledge of Brighton and the surrounding communities and the people who live here, • Experience in managing recruitment processes, • Experience of working with Xero