The Sales & Tour Booking Manager is a pivotal role, central to the continued success and growth of the company’s touring operations. The postholder will be responsible for securing UK bookings for the company’s productions across small-scale theatre venues, community settings, and schools, while cultivating and maintaining strong relationships with promoters and bookers. In addition, the role involves identifying and developing new UK touring opportunities, contributing to the strategic expansion of the company’s reach.
This is a dynamic and varied position, requiring close collaboration with colleagues across the company. Responsibilities range from negotiating and confirming bookings that deliver against financial targets, to overseeing contracting processes, planning tours that are both geographically efficient and environmentally sustainable and proactively generating new business leads.
The role demands excellent interpersonal and communication skills, alongside strong organisational ability, effective time management, and the drive and resilience to build successful and sustainable tours.
This is a newly defined position within the company. Previously combined with marketing and communications, it has been separated to allow a dedicated focus on touring and sales activity. The company has recently secured continued funding as a National Portfolio Organisation through Arts Council England for an extension year, with a strong likelihood of further extension through to March 2028. With the next funding application for 2028 onwards anticipated this autumn, this is an exciting moment to join the organisation and play a key role in shaping its next phase of development.
Job Description
Role: Sales and Tour Booking Manager
Responsible to: Artistic Director
Relating to: Executive Director, Admin & Operations Manager, Arts Engagement Coordinator, Finance Officer and freelancers
Key Responsibilities
* Proactively develop and maintain relationships with new and existing UK venue programmers across theatres, schools, and rural touring networks suitable for the company’s productions.
* Identify and secure new UK bookers for our work (UK school/venues and community settings) through active networking and industry engagement.
* Promote, sell, and secure bookings for the company’s productions in suitable theatre venues, schools, rural and community settings.
* Work closely with the Communications Manager to support the promotion and sale of productions, including contributing to social media initiatives and marketing materials.
Tour Planning & Coordination
* Schedule performance dates and tour routes that are geographically efficient, aligned with the company’s environmental values, and compliant with the Equity/ITC Fair Work Agreement.
* Prepare and distribute a technical information pack for productions to venues.
* Collect and review technical specifications from venues /schools and request completion of technical questionnaires. Liaise with the Admin & Operations Manager to confirm technical compatibility of shows and flag any potential issues.
Contracts, Fees & Administration
* Negotiate and agree performance fees with venues/ schools to meet the financial targets outlined in the approved annual budget.
* Secure and coordinate one or two Christmas performance runs (2–4 weeks) within a national UK tour, alongside presenting a second production as a UK premiere prior to international touring.
* Issue Deal Memos once bookings are confirmed, outlining the agreed terms.
* Read /prepare and distribute/return formal contracts between the company and bookers, including any relevant riders.
* Work closely with the Admin & Operations Manager on touring logistics and with the Executive Director on contractual and financial matters.
* Ensure the Finance Officer receives all necessary information regarding agreed fees and booking contacts for invoicing.
Industry Engagement
* Identify promotional and partnership opportunities for the company and attend relevant networking events when resources allow.
* Participate in the organisation’s planning meetings.
Data & Reporting
* Obtain box office reports after tours and feedback questionnaires
* Support the data collection strategy by inputting all data required into the data collection platform; Illuminate for productions and projects.
* Maintain and regularly update venue and booker contact records within the company database to ensure accuracy and accessibility of information and compliance with GDPR.
* Provide relevant data and reporting information to the Executive Director to support funding requirements for Arts Council England and Leeds City Council.
* Update and contribute relevant information to the company report for quarterly Trustee meetings
Other
* Be a key holder and lock and unlock the office on arrival and departure as required.
* Participate in a biannual work review and undertake continued professional development as identified.
* Adhere to all company policies, values and procedures relating to health and safety and safeguarding.
* Attend biannual team planning days.
* Contribute information for trustee report and Board meetings.
* Attend VIP performances of our productions.
Terms and Conditions
* Salary: £32,000 p.a. pro rata + 5% pension contribution. This means £12,800 p.a. when working a 2-day week (15 hours)
* Contract: Fixed Term: 1 st August 2026 – 31 st July 2027. Continuation beyond this date is funding dependent.
* Holiday: 25 days pro rata + statutory holidays rising to 30 days after 5 years of continuous service for those on employed PAYE contract.
* Hours: 2 days per week (15 hours working flexibly). Working days will be flexible around the core working hours and days of the team and subject to discussion with the successful applicant. Occasional evening and weekend work may be required.
* Based: We offer blended working, with a minimum of 1 day per week in the office at Hope House and some home-working. Hope House is a wheelchair accessible building. A desk and laptop will be provided.
* Notice Period: 3 months
* Access: We will make reasonable adjustments depending on the needs of the role-holder. For example: BSL Interpreter, level access, amended methods of communication and format, working times etc.
Equal Opportunities and Diversity Statement
We welcome diversity in all its forms and we positively encourage D/deaf and disabled people and/or people from the global majority* to apply. We guarantee an interview to any candidate with a disability or from the global majority who shows in their application that they have the skills, values and experience needed for this role.
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