Ballet Footwear Manager
Application Deadline: 5 January 2026
Department: Technical and Costume
Employment Type: Full Time
Location: London
Compensation: £40,000 - £45,000 / year
Description
Joining English National Ballet, you will find a community of artists, musicians, theatre and costume craftspeople, creatives, business and administration professionals, all working together to achieve a common goal: to open up the possibilities of ballet, to move more people in more ways. We are a multi-skilled, multi-cultural, open and inclusive organisation and we place a high value on diversity and diversity of thought in our teams.
About the role
English National Ballet are looking for a Ballet Footwear Manager to support the busy schedule of a touring ballet company.
You'll oversee the full provision of footwear for all dancers, artists and students performing with the company, from managing a full inventory and liaising large-scale orders from shoe suppliers, to carrying out alterations to shoes for the individual needs of each dancer and for the costume requirements of each performance.
The role combines first-class technical knowledge of ballet footwear with meticulous organisational skills in a key managerial role within English National Ballet's technical department.
Your main responsibilities as Ballet Footwear Manager will include:
* Coordinate and manage an effective service for measurements, fittings and timely provision of ballet footwear for all dancers, artists, character artists and students rehearsing or performing with the Company
* Liaise with choreographers, designers, and wardrobe staff to meet artistic needs
* Prepare and finish pointe shoes to individual dancer specifications
* Dye, paint, and alter shoes to meet costume and design requirements
* Manage an efficient stock monitoring and distribution system, track stock levels, anticipate requirements, and ensure timely reordering
* As ENB is a touring company, be prepared to travel as needed and work evenings and weekends during performance weeks for any production requirements
Key Selection Criteria
* Experience in wardrobe, costume, or footwear management, preferably in ballet or performing arts with strong knowledge of requirements for pointe shoes, ballet footwear, and character/theatrical shoes
* Ability to prepare ballet footwear to specified design and production needs, including dyeing, painting, reinforcing, and sewing
* Experience in working to a production schedule, with good planning skills and the ability to assess own workload capacity including planning orders, deliveries, distribution and lead times needed
* Strong ability to maintain positive working relations with dancers, artists, team members, creatives, Artistic team members and stakeholders
* Good negotiation skills and ability to manage supplier relationships