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. 

Events, Bar and Restaurant Staff

£7.05-£7.50 per hour

• Are you a people person?
• Do you know what great service is all about?
• Do you want to really make a difference?

No two days are the same at Southend Theatres. We host an endless range of functions and events, including weddings, operate a bustling bar and coffee shop and offer a unique dining experience in our restaurant.  We are looking for vibrant personalities to join our team and add flavour, flair and fun to everything we do.

Benefits include:

• gain a broad range of hospitality experience
• meals on duty
• flexible hours
• great career development potential

Experience is preferred but not essential, training will be provided.  Our main requirements are that you are a good communicator, presentable and willing to meet and exceed the high standards of service we expect of our team.

Hours are offered on a casual basis and will include evening, weekend and Bank Holiday working.  As the post holder will be required to serve alcohol applicants must be over 18 years of age.

If you are interested in a career in hospitality, we’d like to talk to you!

Download Application Form

Download Job Description

Click here to submit your completed application

p/t Box Office Clerk 

£9,516.25 p.a. pro rata - £9,750 p.a. pro rata
(FTE £15,226 p.a. - £15,600 p.a.)

This varied and interesting team role focuses primarily on selling tickets and associated products for shows and events at the Cliffs Pavilion and Palace Theatre.  Particular emphasis is placed upon creating and maintaining good customer relations over the phone and face to face.  In addition you will assist in gathering, inputting and updating customer information on our sales database. 

You will be numerate with excellent verbal communication skills and the ability to assist our customers in a courteous, professional manner.  You will possess good keyboard and IT skills, previous cash handling experience in a customer service environment and the ability to undertake accurate financial and data recording procedures.  A knowledge of, or interest in theatre and the arts is desirable, as is previous experience in telephone or box office sales. 

The successful candidate will offer a flexible attitude as well as a genuine desire to contribute to the success and development of our business.
Basic hours of work:  3 - 8pm, 25 hours over 5 days per week plus Sundays as rostered

The hours and days you are rostered will be subject to variation to meet particular demands of business and will include evening, weekend and Bank Holiday working.

Download Job Description

Download Application Form

Click here to submit your completed application

Closing date:  19th June 2017

Part Time Box Office Supervisor 

£17,300 p.a. (£10,380 p.a. pro rata) rising to:
£17,819 p.a. (£10,631 p.a. pro rata)
following successful probation
Hours of work (subject to variation):
3pm – 9pm, 24 hours, 4 days per week
Monday to Saturday on a rolling rota, plus Sundays, Bank Holidays and over the Christmas period as required 

This is an interesting and busy customer-facing role assisting the Assistant Box Office Manager in the supervision of our large Box Office team and playing an active role in data management and maximising ticket sales.

 You will have a proven ability to organise and instruct staff, possessing good numeracy and IT skills and be competent in learning IT systems.  You will be an excellent communicator, both over the telephone and face to face.  Previous cash handling and reconciliation experience is essential, as is a proven track record of delivering excellent service in a busy and sometimes pressurised environment.  You will be required to work at the Cliffs Pavilion and Palace Theatre as rostered.

Download Job Description

Download Application Form

Click here to submit your completed application

Closing Date: 19th June 2017

Casual Food Preparation Assistant

£7.05 - £7.50 ph

HQ Hospitality caters for a wide range of high quality small to large scale functions and events, as well as providing a coffee shop, bar and restaurant service to our theatre patrons at the Cliffs Pavilion and Palace Theatre. 

We require a flexible and responsible person to assist the kitchen team in basic food preparation, stock control, wash up and cleaning as instructed. 

Previous professional food preparation experience is essential, preferably in a mid to large scale operation using fresh and perishable ingredients.  You will possess a flexible, honest and reliable attitude and must be able to cope in a calm and efficient manner within a pressurised working environment.  You will also demonstrate the ability to work effectively as part of a team, using your own initiative when required.

Possession of a basic Food Hygiene certificate is essential; previous stock control and/or record keeping would be an advantage.
Hours are offered on a casual basis as and when required and will include evenings, weekends and Bank Holidays.

Download a Job Description

Download an application form

Click here to submit your completed application

Closing Date:  5th June 2017

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.  Michael has recently taken on the varied role of Building Support Manager across both Southend venues. 

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 and is now Conference and Events Assistant Manager running varied events at Southend including weddings, conferences and auditorium award ceremonies catering up to 600 people, Anna 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.’