Watersmeet Theatre Manager
Rickmansworth, Hertfordshire
About Us
Three Rivers District in South West Hertfordshire straddles the north west corner of the M25 on the edge of Greater London. The district is a mixture of beautiful countryside, villages and small towns. The area has a diverse range of sectors and businesses and is a centre for the film industry with Warner Brothers at Leavesden forming part of a studio cluster along with Elstree and Pinewood at a short drive away.
At a glance
- 700 historic assets and 22 conservation areas with 77% of the district in the Green Belt
- 1,914 NNDR registered businesses with the economy providing 39,000 jobs
- Very low crime rate
- The district ranks highly for business registrations and start-ups with a highly skilled and trained workforce and high employment levels, with GVA and weekly earnings above average
We’re proud that so many people choose to live, work and visit here, and even prouder that our brilliant team loves working here too! In our latest staff survey, 88% said they find their work fulfilling and rewarding, over 90% said they can rely on their colleagues, and nearly 90% felt they have meaningful goals to aim for.
We are now looking for a Watersmeet Theatre Manager to join our team on a full-time, permanent basis.
The Benefits
- Salary of £38,325 - £40,197 per annum, including London Weighting
- 29 days’ holiday per annum
- Generous employer pension contribution
- Life assurance
- Flexible working
- Career development opportunities
- Free on-site parking
- Cycle-to-work scheme
- Discounted leisure centre membership
- Employee volunteering schemes
- Access to discounted activities and days out
This is a standout opportunity for an experienced arts venue leader with strong theatre programming and commercial insight experience to join our community-focused organisation.
You’ll have genuine scope to shape the future of a much-loved cultural venue, as you build exciting programmes that resonate with audiences, attract new visitors and keep Watersmeet thriving for years to come.
Above all, you will be able to build a lasting legacy, supported by a clear and credible body of work that will add real weight to your professional portfolio.
So, if you’re ready to take on a role where your experience and ideas can shape the future of a key cultural space, read on and apply today.
The Role
As the Watersmeet Theatre Manager, you will lead the day-to-day running and future development of Watersmeet, ensuring a vibrant programme of theatre, film, hires and events is delivered smoothly and successfully.
Specifically, you will shape the strategic direction of the venue, overseeing business planning, live theatre and film programming, pantomime delivery and funding opportunities. You will build strong relationships with promoters, producers and regional theatres to keep Watersmeet relevant, creative and financially sustainable.
Alongside this, you will manage people, budgets and operations, ensuring an excellent customer experience and safe, well-run events at all times.
Additionally, you will:
- Manage revenue and capital budgets, reporting performance and planning future investment
- Lead, recruit and develop permanent staff, casual staff and volunteers
- Oversee box office, ticket sales, staffing rotas and venue administration
- Manage health and safety compliance and act as Designated Premises Supervisor
- Co-ordinate capital projects and long-term building improvements
- Act as Duty Manager for events and support wider council initiatives when required
About You
To be considered as the Watersmeet Theatre Manager, you will need:
- At least three years’ experience in a senior management role within an arts or cultural venue
- Experience of live theatre programming and managing a busy venue
- Proven experience managing revenue and capital budgets
- Experience delivering capital projects on time and within budget
- Experience leading and developing staff and volunteers
- Strong negotiation, communication and relationship management skills
- Excellent written and presentation skills
- A strong eye for detail and audience experience
- Commercial awareness and strong organisational skills
- Confidence working within a local government context
- The ability to work flexibly, including unsocial hours when required
- A personal licence, or willingness to obtain one
The closing date for this role is 2nd February 2026.
Other organisations may call this role Theatre Director, Arts Venue Manager, Cultural Venue Manager, Performing Arts Manager or Theatre Operations Manager.
Webrecruit and Three Rivers District Council are equal opportunities employers, value diversity and are strongly committed to providing equal employment opportunities for all employees and all applicants for employment. Equal opportunities are the only acceptable way to conduct business, and we believe that the more inclusive our environments are, the better our work will be.
So, if you want to join us as the Watersmeet Theatre Manager, please apply via the button shown. This vacancy is being advertised by Webrecruit. The services advertised by Webrecruit are those of an Employment Agency