Why work with us?

A career with Southend Theatres is never dull, often challenging but at the same time fun and rewarding.

• Our business model is unique and our specialisms are broad.  You will learn and grow with us. 
• Our teams are super people to work with – we know because they regularly tell us!
• We expect staff to express their views, to listen to ours and to be part of decision-making processes.
• We’re proactively committed to diversity and equal opportunity for all.
• We’re very supportive of our staff achieving a happy work-life balance.
• Our vision is quite simply to be the UK’s premier provider of live entertainment and hospitality and we know that our people are our most important asset.

Students

Working with the Southend Theatres is popular with students as we offer a range of casual opportunities within hospitality, technical and marketing that can work around your studies.

Types of Roles

Hospitality

Providing an innovative dining, drinking and conference facilities with theatrical flair requires a range of talented chefs and friendly servers over a range of levels and employment types.  

Box Office

The approachable Box Office team provide excellent customer service while proactively selling tickets in this customer-facing role offering fun and flexibility.

 

Technical

Often the hidden function of a theatre, these heroes make the show happen from assisting with the ‘get-in’ to managing the sound and lighting. 

 

Marketing

The award-winning marketing and promotions teams ensure our customers know about the broad-range of incredible events within the venues' many spaces.

 

Administration and Management

Off the stage, a gifted group of administrators, finance and management teams ensure the venues run smoothly. 

F/T Technician

Southend Theatres Ltd – Cliffs Pavilion and Palace Theatre
Salary range £21,000 - £22,000 commensurate with skills and experience

We are delighted to offer this opportunity to join our highly skilled technical team at Southend Theatres.

Southend Theatres consists of The Cliffs Pavilion and the Palace Theatre.  The Cliffs Pavilion is a number one touring house, playing host to West End musicals, rock gigs and everything in between.  The Palace Theatre is a traditional Edwardian theatre hosting plays, children’s theatre, live music and much more.  This is an opportunity to become part of the team behind the success!

As a Southend Theatres technician, you will work with a variety of people delivering fantastic shows and events and supporting a variety of departments.  You will be involved in all technical aspects of stage and events presentation, ensuring high standards of professionalism and presentation.  You will have the opportunity to put your skills and experience to good use and to learn and develop further in your trade. This position will be based at the Palace Theatre but will also be required to undertake duties at the Cliffs Pavilion.

The successful candidate will have an in-depth working knowledge of lighting and sound rigging and operation, gets ins and get outs, building sets, hemp flying, and technical health and safety. An understanding of fire safety, security requirements, and event planning is desirable.

A key requirement of this role is a genuine desire to contribute positively and pro-actively to the success that Southend Theatres enjoys year after year.  If you would like to join the Southend team, we would love to hear from you.

For an informal discussion about the role, please contact:
Michael Lewins, Technical Manager
01702 350456
michaell@southendtheatres.org.uk.   

Closing Date:  5pm on Thursday 9th September 2021

Interviews to be held – Thursday 16th September 2021

Download Job Description

How to apply: Please download and complete the application form and email with a covering letter

Cellar and Bar Assistant

Full Time

Salary: £19,500 per annum

Hours: 20 hours at the Cliffs Pavilion and 20 hours at the Palace totaling 40 per week over 5 days out of 7, subject to variation to meet business requirements.  Working hours will include evenings, weekends and Bank Holidays.

Work location: The post-holder will be based at The Cliffs Pavilion and The Palace Theatre, and other locations as required. Approved travel expenses will be reimbursed.

Purpose of the role:
To assist in the efficient running of the cellar operation in accordance to set procedures and policies.  Receive, take in and store deliveries of barrels, crates and other cellar stock as instructed.  Help maintain up-to-date and accurate stock control records whilst ensuring effective stock rotation to minimise wastage.  Ensure the highest standards of customer service are delivered, ensuring smooth service and consistency between departments.

Closing date: Sunday 12th Sept 2021
Interview date: Thursday 16th Sept 2021
Proposed start date: Monday 4th October 2021

Applicants must be able to attend the scheduled Interview date and in the case of an offer of employment, the scheduled Induction date.

Download Job Description

How to apply: Please download and complete the application form and email with a covering letter

Café Bar Team Member

Full Time

Salary: £18,500 per annum

We are looking for highly motivated and enthusiastic people to work in the Café Bar of the Cliffs Pavilion.

The Café Bar is a busy operation open seven days per week based in a large-scale entertainment venue.  If you would like to join the Cliffs Pavilion team and enjoy working in a public facing role, we’d like to hear from you. 

The successful candidate will be an enthusiastic, motivated and professional with a desire to work with the public in a hospitality setting.  Excellent communication skills and the ability to deliver consistently high standards is a must as is a genuine desire to build a career within the hospitality industry.

Hours will average 40 per week, usually over 5 days and will include weekend and Bank Holiday working, according to the demands of the business. 

Download Job Description

How to apply: Please download and complete the application form and email with a covering letter

Head Waiter/Waitress

Employment type: Full Time

Salary: £21,000 per annum

Hours: 20 hours at the Cliffs Pavilion and 20 hours at the Palace totaling 40 per week over 5 days out of 7, subject to variation to meet business requirements.  Working hours will include evenings, weekends and Bank Holidays.

Work location: The post-holder will be based at The Cliffs Pavilion and The Palace Theatre, and other locations as required. Approved travel expenses will be reimbursed.

Closing date: Fri 1st Oct 2021

Download Job Description

How to apply: Please download and complete the application form and email with a covering lette

Do You Love Theatre and the Arts

Have you ever considered volunteering?

There are lots of reasons why people volunteer. It may be that you want to make use of your skills (or learn new ones). Perhaps you would like to broaden your work experience, give something back to your community...or perhaps you simply want to meet people and make new friends. Whatever the reasons, volunteering with the Palace Theatre is a really rewarding experience!

As a Palace Theatre Volunteer Usher you’ll be the face of the theatre, meeting and greeting our guests and ensuring that they have a fantastic experience when they visit us. We’ll train, guide and support you so that you can volunteer for us with knowledge and confidence. We know that everyone has commitments in their lives, so we’re flexible about when you volunteer. 

Volunteering with the Palace Theatre is an opportunity to taste, first hand, life in a theatre environment. If you have time to spare and would like to find out more, we’d love to hear from you.

Apply via email

Meet the team

We’re committed to training and developing our staff, preparing them for their next step in whichever direction that might be. Here’s the proof.

Michael Rowley 

Michael started working for Southend Theatres in 2007 as a casual member of the front of house team and for the next 4 years went on to work in every department.  He then went on to enjoy four years as a technician at the Palace Theatre and Dixon Studio - which he managed before taking on the varied role of Building Support Manager across both Southend venues. He became the Buildings Manager in 2018.

Michael says ‘The opportunity I have had to expand my knowledge has been exceptional, I love a challenge and with no two days ever being the same I never get a chance to get bored!’

 

Anna Fordham

Anna started working at the Cliffs Pavilion in 2003 under the company of Sodexho before HQ Hospitality took over the theatre in 2007 working as a casual member of staff in the conference and events and the Pavilion Restaurant departments.  Anna worked her way up as supervisor, team leader, Conference and Events Assistant Manager and is now the Restaurant Manager. She has achieved an NVQ in Food & Drink and is near completion of Wedding Planner and Event Management level 3 with the Open Study College.

Anna says ‘I feel privileged to be working at the Cliffs Pavilion now as a Manager, Over the past years, the journey has been eventful and entertaining with a massive learning curve, I have made many friends along the way and I always feel there is support from these and also HQH. No day is ever the same whether it's helping to arrange a couples' dream wedding or the sound of laughter at an Only Fools And 3 Courses dinner as they get up to mischief. I could not ask for a better job and I hope that I can continue to progress through the company.’