Company Administrator
We are seeking a part-time Company Administrator to support the delivery of all areas of our work. This is a revised role for Ensemble ‘84 as we start to develop our company in Co Durham.
The Basics
Reporting to: Executive Producer & Director
Location: Working from our base in Horden, County Durham
Key working relationships: Executive Producer, Director, Marketing & Comms Lead
Salary: up to £23,000 per annum, pro rata
Term: Fixed-term October 2024 - April 2025
Hours: 16 Hours per week (Tuesday - Friday, 9:30am - 1:30pm)
Holiday: 20 Days plus bank holidays (pro rata)
Pension: Statutory enrolment NEST
Timeline
Application Deadline: This is a rolling recruitment, meaning you can apply at any point and we may interview for this position whilst the recruitment remains live. If you are interested, please submit your application as soon as you are able.
Interview: ASAP
Start Date: ASAP
About us - Ensemble ‘84
We are Ensemble ‘84 - a new Theatre Company based in Horden Methodist Church, County Durham. Formed with the pioneering and transformation model of co-creation from Cape Town’s Isango Ensemble, Ensemble ‘84 will work exclusively with County Durham communities to form bold new theatre works for national audiences. From its home in Horden, Ensemble ‘84 will offer a core programme of skills development, training and mentoring, and above all a platform for hope, expression and positive change, amplifying unheard voices and harnessing untapped potential within our communities.
How we are approaching recruitment
Our work starts with bringing together our new team and form what will be Ensemble ‘84 a company formed of people from across Co.Durham. Over the coming months, we’ll start this journey – through offering workshops and learning opportunities. Our recruitment of our core team will take place across the next 6 months and ultimately will include both salaried staff employed on fixed-term contracts specifically for this project, freelance artists, writers, community organisers and advisors contracted on the project, and also individuals representing the partner organisations who are either seconded to work on the project, or who are delivering specific aspects.
What working with us will be like
We are a growing team who work from County Durham, committed to flexible and inclusive working practices. We will meet at our base in Horden, but also online and across the County as necessary. Travel expenses will be provided for all project team members to attend face-to-face meetings or site visits. Meetings will be scheduled to account for flexible working and caring responsibilities, and we pledge to avoid Zoom fatigue, building regular breaks and meeting-free periods into the working day.
We commit to engaging, learning, implementing actions and collaborating to ensure the project is inclusive at every level - from the way in which we work as a team, to the stories represented by our project, to the people who make, shape and experience the project. We believe our work will be stronger with greater diversity and welcome applications from people with diverse lived experiences, bringing fresh perspectives and ways of working. Our team encourages everyone to bring the whole person to work, and we understand that each of us bring distinctive knowledge, our backgrounds and our own unique lens to what we do. We are actively encouraging applications from a wide range of lived experience - including disabled, Deaf and neurodiverse-identifying individuals and individuals who identify with a range of protected characteristics.
What we are looking for
As Company Administrator you will be a key member of our core on-site Team. You will support the day-to-day administrative, meetings and diary management of the Team, primarily the Director. You will be the central point of internal communication between the wider team and oversee the building operations – carefully supporting the work that we do.
Our team is here to support you, and we’ll take into account your talents, interests and personal development objectives to shape the role and help you succeed. We will help you build your skills in areas you’re less confident in.
About You
Perhaps you have worked in theatre, film, in the public or corporate sector, or in a community context – these are all very transferable contexts to working with us. Or you may not have worked in a cultural organisation before but are interested in the arts – and are looking for a new challenge where you can demonstrate your organisational and administration skills, and ability to prioritise effectively together with a dynamic team.
Company Administrator: Job Description
Role Profile
The role will have operational responsibility for:
Administration
Building Operations
Company Relations / Internal Relations
Key Responsibilities
Support the Director and Exec Producer in all areas of the operational business which may include booking internal and external meetings, making travel and accommodation arrangements, and communicating with the wider project team, partners and stakeholders
Support the team with day to day operations within Horden Methodist Church - including supporting company members with individual daily needs
Ensure that Horden Methodist Church is a clean, safe and energising place of rehearsal and creation.
Coordinate operational elements - such as the cleaning of the building and annual audits
To undertake postal duties including any shipping required for projects and programmes
File and retrieve documents and reference materials when necessary
Conduct research and collate information when appropriate
Administrate all expenses and credit card statements
Support all financial operations - including liaison with the Finance Manager on invoices and payments and petty cash.
Support Marketing & Communications through distribution of physical marketing, such as flyers, leaflets and posters
Schedule, attend, record and distribute actions at the weekly team meeting
General
To provide a central point of contact for enquiries relating to the Company
To support data capture and report writing as required.
Future flexibility
As this project is currently under development, this contract will be required to show a flexible approach to working within our team – which may involve revisions around specific responsibilities and services.
Person Specification
Desirable skills
Good IT skills including Word, Excel, Zoom (or similar)
Good written and numerical skills
Attention to detail and good organisational skills
Able to communicate with a range of different people across phone, email and in person
Initiative and ability to tackle and solve problems independently
Experience in working within a busy team and on their own.
Commitment to inclusion and accessibility
Ability to be calm under pressure
Interest and enthusiasm for creative and cultural experiences
Personal attributes
A strong, empathetic communicator, able to listen and understand individuals’ needs
Ability to work flexibly across different contexts and locations
Passionate about Theatre creativity and the imagination
A strong commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion.
How to Apply
If you think you are a good fit for this position, please send us:
A letter of no more than two sides or maximum 3min recording* explaining why you are a good fit for this contract and how you would approach the role - you can record this on a phone or similar device - we want to listen to you, so don’t worry about high production values!
A current CV or 3min recording* telling us about your work experience to date - this should give us a sense of how your previous experience make you a good fit for this role.
The names and contact details for two referees including one from a current or prior employer - if you do not have a recent employer, please give us a referee who can offer to give an independent assessment of your skills
Responses (written or recorded) should be submitted via email to info@ensemble84.com.
*For emailing large files such as a film, please use We Transfer or Hightail.
Shortlisted candidates will be notified within 5 working days of submission if they will be called forward for interview. Interviews will be held by video call or in-person at a mutually agreeable time. Please inform us if you need any additional support for the interview if selected.
Privacy
The information you supply on the application form will be kept securely and will remain confidential. We will not retain this or any other personal information beyond the duration of the application process.
