Job Vacancy: Technical & Buildings Manager

Job Title: Technical & Buildings Manager
Reports to: General Manager
Contract: Full time, permanent.
Salary: up to £42,000 per annum
Annual Leave & Benefits:

• 23 days annual leave plus bank holidays
• Additional paid day off for your birthday
• Two paid days per year to support fundraising or volunteering in aid of the Theatre’s Preservation Trust

About Tyne Theatre and Opera House 

Tyne Theatre and Opera House is an independent charitable trust and one of the North East’s most significant historic cultural venues. As a heritage asset in active public use, the Trust is committed to ensuring the theatre is valued, accessible and relevant to contemporary communities, now and in the future. 

Community engagement, participation and co-creation are central to the Trust’s mission and underpin its approach to long-term sustainability, skills development and public benefit, in line with the priorities of the National Lottery Heritage Fund. 

Role Overview 

The Technical and Buildings Manager is a senior leadership role with responsibility for the technical operation, maintenance, safety and stewardship of the Tyne Theatre & Opera House building and its performance infrastructure. 

The post holder will:

• Lead the technical and buildings teams 

• Ensure safe, compliant and high-quality technical delivery across all performances and events 

• Oversee the care and maintenance of a complex Grade I-listed building 

• Play an active role in capital, conservation and refurbishment projects. 

• Contribute strategically as a member of the wider leadership team 

This role combines operational excellence with long-term thinking about conservation, renewal and legacy. 

 

Key Responsibilities 

Leadership & Strategic Contribution 

• Act as a core member of the organisation’s leadership team, contributing to strategic planning and decision-making. 

• Lead, motivate and develop the technical and buildings team, including permanent staff, casual technicians and contractors. 

• Champion a culture of professionalism, collaboration and continuous improvement. 

Technical & Production Operations 

• Oversee all technical delivery for performances, rehearsals, hires and events. 

• Ensure effective planning, staffing and resourcing of technical activity. 

• Act as the principal point of contact for visiting companies and production teams. 

Buildings & Facilities Management 

• Manage the day-to-day care, maintenance and operation of the building, its fabric and services. 

• Develop and deliver planned and reactive maintenance programmes. 

• Oversee contractors, consultants and suppliers working within the building. 

Conservation, Development & Capital Events 

• Play a leading role in the delivery of conservation, restoration and refurbishment projects. 

• Work closely with heritage professionals, funders and project teams to ensure works are appropriate, compliant and well integrated into live operations. 

• Support fundraising activity through technical input, site engagement and advocacy. 

Health, Safety & Compliance 

• Hold responsibility for health and safety across technical and building operations. 

• Ensure compliance with all statutory, licensing and regulatory requirements. 

• Maintain robust systems for risk assessment, maintenance records and emergency planning. 

 

Person Specification 

Essential 

• Significant experience in technical and/or buildings management within a theatre, heritage venue or similarly complex operational environment. 

• Proven experience of leading teams and managing contractors. 

• Strong technical knowledge of theatre systems and building services. 

• Demonstrable expertise in health & safety management and compliance. 

• Excellent organisational, communication and problem-solving skills. 

• Ability to operate confidently at leadership level. 

Desirable 

• Experience working within a listed or historic building. 

• Experience contributing to capital, refurbishment or conservation projects. 

• Health & safety qualification (e.g. NEBOSH, IOSH). 

• Technical or professional qualifications relevant to theatre or facilities management. 

Our Values
We are: 

• Stewards – caring for a nationally significant heritage asset. 

• Collaborative – working across disciplines and communities. 

• Ambitious – striving for excellence and long-term sustainability. 

• Welcoming – open, inclusive and audience-focused. 

 

Core Competencies

Strategic & Commercial Awareness
Organisational Sustainability | Saving Heritage | Protecting the Environment 

• Long-term organisational resilience: Demonstrates the ability to plan for sustainable growth, diversify income and strengthen financial resilience. 

• Heritage informed decision making: Understands the needs, vulnerabilities and value of heritage assets and uses this insight to prioritise funding approaches that safeguard historic buildings, collections, stories and cultural memory. 

• Sustainability-conscious planning: Integrates environmental considerations into funding strategies, identifying opportunities that support conservation-led work, climate resilience, and sustainable operations. 

• Future-focused insight: Anticipates sector shifts, funding landscapes and community needs, ensuring heritage remains relevant, valued and protected for future generations. 

 

Collaboration
Technical Leadership | Heritage Building Stewardship | Cross-Team Coordination 

• Cross-sector partnership working: Builds strong working relationships with contractors, heritage specialists, technical suppliers, safety professionals and local community partners to ensure the building, stage systems and public areas support safe, accessible and engaging operations for all users. 

• Integrated venue coordination: Works collaboratively across technical, front-of-house, programming, conservation and administrative teams to ensure building management, maintenance planning and technical delivery support both heritage protection and artistic ambition. 

• Community-centred involvement: Supports community engagement by ensuring technical spaces and building facilities remain welcoming, safe and adaptable for a wide range of groups, enabling inclusive use of the heritage site. 

• Strengthening organisational capability: Develops networks and partnerships that support technical training, building conservation knowledge and skills development across the organisation, contributing to long-term sustainability and reducing skills gaps within heritage theatres. 

 

Commitment to Equality, Diversity & Inclusion (EDI)
Access | Participation | Inclusive Building Environments 

• Improving access: Ensures building management and technical operations actively reduce physical, sensory and procedural barriers, helping all audiences, staff and visiting companies experience the venue safely and comfortably. 

• Inclusive presentation and experience: Works with colleagues to ensure the building environment, technical delivery and public experience reflect the diverse communities the Theatre serves. 

• Ethical, equitable practice: Embeds inclusive thinking into operational planning, technical support, event delivery and contractor engagement—ensuring all users are treated fairly and respectfully. 

• Supporting diverse pathways: Encourages training, apprenticeships and volunteer opportunities within technical and building maintenance areas, helping broaden representation within heritage and backstage professions. 

 

Integrity & Governance
Operational Safety | Heritage Protection | Responsible Stewardship 

• Compliance and accountability: Maintains high standards of regulatory compliance across building safety, technical systems, health & safety legislation, fire regulations, environmental standards and data protection. Ensures documentation, inspections and reporting meet governance expectations. 

• Trust and professional credibility: Acts with transparency, fairness and consistency in decisionmaking, strengthening confidence among colleagues, contractors, partners and the public regarding the responsible management of a Grade I-listed theatre. 

• Responsible stewardship of resources: Uses budgets, materials and technical resources efficiently and ethically, ensuring all work supports the long-term preservation of the building’s historic fabric while meeting modern performance requirements. 

• Risk aware operational management: Identifies and mitigates building, technical, environmental and operational risks—protecting staff, audiences, performers and the long-term sustainability of the Theatre as a heritage venue 

 

Working Conditions 

Participation in donor events, performances, and community engagement opportunities ensures that fundraising activity remains closely connected to the Theatre’s mission, heritage value, and public impact. 

How to Apply

Please submit: 

• A CV  

• A covering letter (no more than two pages) explaining your suitability for the role and your interest in working at Tyne Theatre & Opera House 

Applications should be sent by email to: jobs@ttoh.uk with ‘TECHNICAL & BUILDINGS MANAGER’ in the subject line. 

Closing Date: 5pm Monday 2 March. 

Interviews: 1st round vis Teams week commencing 9 March. 2nd round in person at the theatre.