EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR APPLICATION PACK
Photo credits clockwise left to right: Manuel Harlan, Johann Persson, Mark Douet, Johann Persson and Tristram
Kenton
Following Henny Finch’s appointment to Hofesh Shechter Company, Headlong now seeks
to appoint an exceptional individual to succeed her.
This is a senior executive position working alongside Headlong’s Artistic Director & CEO
Jeremy Herrin. The job requires close collaboration with Headlong’s Board to set the strategic
direction of the company, to oversee the delivery of its business objectives, and ensure that it
thrives both artistically and financially now and in the future.
This pack contains background information about Headlong, the post of Executive Director, a
job description and person specification, and Headlong’s most recent Statutory Accounts.
AN INTRODUCTION TO HEADLONG
Headlong creates exhilarating contemporary theatre: a provocative mix of innovative new
writing, reimagined classics and influential twentieth century plays that illuminate our world.
Touring exceptional theatre around the UK, Headlong also presents work on major London
stages and internationally, working alongside the best emerging artists and more established
talent to create exciting work. Placing digital innovation at the forefront of our activities,
Headlong builds inventive online content to sit alongside our productions, enriching
audiences’ understanding of the work.
Our productions have included People, Places and Things (National Theatre and West End),
The Glass Menagerie (UK tour), 1984 (UK and international tour and West End), The Nether
(Royal Court and West End), The Absence of War (UK tour), Spring Awakening (UK tour),
Chimerica (Almeida and West End), American Psycho (Almeida) and Enron (UK tour, West
End and Broadway). This year, 1984 visits Melbourne Festival, the Broad Stage Santa
Monica, Shakespeare Theatre Washington and ART Boston; and following its sell-out run at
the National Theatre, Duncan Macmillan’s People Places and Things moves into the West
End in March.
Last year Headlong played across the UK in cities including Bristol, Glasgow, Liverpool,
Leeds, Sheffield, Plymouth and London to audience numbers of more than 180,000.
Last year, two of our projects enjoyed sustained West End transfers, cementing
Headlong’s position as a producer of high-quality thrilling work for wide audiences.
1984 played for 17 weeks at the Playhouse and has gone on to an international tour this
year and The Nether transferred to the Duke of York’s where it ran for 12 weeks and
won an Olivier Award for Best Design.
Our highly successful business model is based on partnership, working in collaboration
with both commercial and subsided partners, which allows us to achieve significant
reach and to resource world-class production values.
During the last year a further 80,000 people have engaged with Headlong’s digital
work through our website.
HEADLONG TEAM
ARTISTIC DIRECTOR JEREMY HERRIN
Jeremy Herrin has been Artistic Director of Headlong since 2013. For Headlong, Jeremy has
directed a UK tour of The Absence of War, The Nether, which opened at the Royal Court and
transferred to the West End in 2015, and People, Places and Things, which transfers to the
West End this year following a sell-out run at the National Theatre.
Jeremy trained as a theatre director at both the National Theatre and the Royal Court, where
he became Deputy Artistic Director in 2008. Between 2000 and 2008 he was an Associate
Director at Live Theatre in Newcastle upon Tyne. In 2007, he directed the UK premiere of
David Hare's play, The Vertical Hour, as well as Polly Stenham's award-winning That Face at
the Royal Court. That Face later transferred to London's West End, where it starred Lindsay
Duncan and Matt Smith and was produced by Sonia Friedman. Two years later, in 2009,
Jeremy directed Polly's second play, Tusk Tusk for which he was nominated for an Evening
Standard Best Director Award. Other work at the Royal Court includes EV Crowe's Hero,
Richard Bean's The Heretic, Kin, Spur of the Moment, Off The Endz and The Priory, which
won an Olivier Award for best Comedy. In 2014 Jeremy directed the critically acclaimed
adaptations of Hilary Mantel's novels Wolf Hall and Bring up the Bodies for the RSC and was
nominated for an Olivier Award for Best Director. The productions transferred to the West End
at the end of 2014 and opened on Broadway in April 2015.
HEADLONG’S STAFF TEAM
Jeremy Herrin: Artistic Director
Henny Finch: Executive Director (outgoing)
Julie Renwick: Finance Manager
Fran du Pille: Administrative Producer
Liz Eddy: Associate Producer
Alecia Marshall: Producing Assistant
Martin Poile: Administrator
Amy Hodge: Creative Associate
Sarah Grochala: Associate Artist
Kym Bartlett: Marketing Consultant
Cliona Roberts: Press Agent
Kirstin Peltonen: Fundraising Consultant
Cath Bates: Production Manager
HEADLONG’S BOARD OF TRUSTEES
Mike Bartlett, Gemma Bodinetz, Dan Brooke, Sean Egan, Richard Huntrods, Nicola Jones,
Caroline Maude, Donna Munday, Robin Paxton (chair), Ben Power, Emma Stenning, Maggie
Whitlum, Lesley Wan
CRITICAL RESPONSES TO OUR WORK
People, Places and Things – Evening Standard ★★★★★
http://www.standard.co.uk/goingout/theatre/people-places-and-things-theatre-review-rehabdrama-s-fearless-star-denise-gough-has-us-hooked-a2925491.html
1984 – Financial Times ★★★★★
http://www.ft.com/cms/s/2/28725afe-9573-11e3-9fd6-00144feab7de.html#axzz2tZZuybfn
The Nether – Independent ★★★★★
http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/theatre-dance/reviews/the-nether-royalcourt-theatre-review-deeply-disturbing-and-provocative-9629576.html
The Glass Menagerie – The Guardian ★★★★
http://www.theguardian.com/stage/2015/sep/21/the-glass-menagerie-review-a-revival-toremember
The Nether 2015
Photo Credit: Johan Persson
GOVERNANCE AND FINANCE
HEADLONG GOVERNANCE AND STAFFING
Headlong is a registered charity and a company limited by guarantee overseen by a nonexecutive Board of Directors, which is chaired by Robin Paxton. The Board delegates day-today management of the company to its Executive Team, which currently comprises Jeremy
Herrin (Artistic Director and CEO) and Henny Finch (Executive Director). We have a talented
and dedicated team of 14 full and part-time employees and retained freelance staff, and also
work with many world-class artists on our projects.
HEADLONG FINANCES & FUNDRAISING
We have an annual turnover of approximately £1.5 million. Our work is funded through a
variety of sources including grant income from Arts Council England; box office income;
fundraising income from trusts & foundations and individual supporters; and commercial
investment in certain projects. We often work in co-production, securing investment in our
work from subsidised and commercial partners. Supported by a part-time Fundraising
Consultant, our fundraising capability is growing, and this year we are delighted to have
secured £25,000 from the Cockayne Foundation, as well as many grants and donations from
generous individuals.
STATUTORY ACCOUNTS
Please read Headlong’s statutory accounts here
People Places and Things 2015
Photo Credit: Alastair Muir
JOB DESCRIPTION
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Responsible to:
Artistic Director, and Board of Directors
Responsible for:
Administrative Producer, Finance Manager and
Associate Producer
Works with:
Headlong’s freelance Fundraising, Press, and
Marketing Consultants
Key Objectives of Post:
In collaboration with the Artistic Director, to maintain a leadership role within
Headlong and to be responsible to the board for the programme, policies and
management of the company.
RESPONSIBILITIES:
Strategic
1. Work alongside the Artistic Director and the Board to develop, articulate and
implement Headlong’s long-term strategic objectives.
2. Evolve Headlong's business model, produce strategic and business plans,
and monitor progress against them.
3. Develop the company's co-producing and touring policy.
4. Create and maintain strong relationships with touring venue managers, coproducers, partner theatres and potential institutions and partners.
5. Continue the development of Headlong's international touring profile and to
expand its international touring circuit.
6. Promote the company and its artistic policies to venues, funders, peers and
the wider theatre community as a member of Headlong's senior leadership
team.
7. Seek opportunities for further exploitation of all areas of the company's work,
including commercial transfers.
8. Represent the company at meetings and conferences of regional and national
bodies.
Producing
1. Collaborate with the Artistic Director and Creative Associate in evolving
Headlong’s artistic policy, suggesting artistic projects for production and
development as appropriate.
2. Plan and ensure appropriate resourcing of all productions nationally and
internationally, in London and on tour, establish co-production relationships
and negotiate with venues.
3. Secure rights and negotiate rights agreements, for both adaptations and
commissions.
4. Oversee the general management of all productions in regard to negotiation
with and contracting of the creative team, actors and stage management;
managing production budgets and ensuring that productions are well
resourced and run.
5. Maintain constructive and open relationships between Headlong and its
creative teams, acting companies and artists.
6. Schedule productions and develop shows in line with Headlong's strategic
objectives.
7. Investigate and pursue opportunities for exploitation of Headlong's artistic and
intellectual content into other contexts and forms.
8. Collaborate with the artistic team in developing and evolving Headlong's
digital policy.
Financial
1. Direct the finance function of Headlong. Create and manage, with the
Production Manager and the producers, all project and annual budgets
across the organisation.
2. Manage the Finance Manager in the timely and accurate preparation of
monthly management accounts, cash-flow reports and year end accounts.
3. Control expenditure and income within agreed budgets across all
departments.
4. Manage the Company's overall financial affairs within the rules of relevant
legislation and current statuary requirements. Maintain good relationships
with the Company’s auditors, bankers, and all national and governmental
agencies relating to the charity and the company.
Funding
1. Alongside the Artistic Director, maintain regular and positive relations with the
Arts Council, leading on NPO applications and regularly reporting to them via
the annual returns process as well as through formal and informal
communication.
2. With the fundraising consultant, lead the company's fundraising from trusts
and foundations, corporates and individuals. Maintain relationships with
existing funders and develop Headlong's fundraising strategy to secure short,
medium and long term funding.
3. Make additional applications to the Arts Council and any other statutory
funders for specific projects as required.
4. Drive Headlong's commercial strategy
5. Seek to maximise income from commercial transfers, general management,
tour guarantees, ticket sales and merchandising where appropriate.
Marketing
1. With the marketing consultant, take responsibility for building the company’s
brand through the management of long term initiatives and relationships both
with the general public and the theatre industry.
2. Ensure the company achieves maximum brand visibility when co-producing
projects.
3. Direct the freelance marketing and press personnel to ensure that each
production reaches its maximum audience.
Board of Directors
1. Maintain a strong relationship between Headlong and its Board of Directors.
2. Oversee the arrangement of board and committee meetings, prepare papers
and attend meetings for the presentation of financial information, written or
verbal reports.
3. Support and initiate board recruitment, undertake appropriate inductions of
the directors.
Personnel
1. Lead the team day-to-day driving projects forward to completion.
2. Lead on recruitment and appointment processes in support of Headlong's
strategic objectives.
3. Ensure that all policies relating to Headlong employees are legally compliant,
and that Headlong fulfils its duties as an employer in regard to its statutory
responsibilities. Ensure appropriate compliance for all freelance staff and
contractors; and lead on all complaints, grievance and disciplinary procedures
with direct involvement as required.
4. Work with the Administrative Producer to ensure staff are motivated, informed
and trained to do their jobs.
5. Maintain a positive, flexible and collaborative working culture at Headlong.
Education & Access
1. Work with the Artistic Director on the strategic development and
implementation of the company's policies and practice relating to education,
outreach and access.
Other
1. Strategically pursue greater ethnic, class and gender diversity within the
organisation and across all Headlong’s activity.
2. Any other duties of an executive nature as determined from time to time by
the Artistic Director and the Board.
PERSON SPECIFICATION:
Essential Experience and Skills
At least five years experience in senior performing arts management.
Extensive experience in producing theatre shows.
Experience in, or exposure to, executive leadership of a cultural organisation.
A thorough understanding of and networks in the UK’s theatre and arts
ecology.
A genuine interest and enthusiasm for Headlong and its objectives.
A collaborative approach and a desire to work in partnership with the Artistic
Director.
A flexible strategic thinker with a vision for the how Headlong could develop
over the next five years.
Ability to create effective partnerships.
Excellent financial management skills.
Experience of carrying financial responsibility for an organisation and
ensuring the delivery of financial targets.
Experience of successfully overseeing complex project and production
budgets.
An entrepreneurial approach and track record of generating income, for
example through previous successful involvement with fundraising.
An understanding of Headlong’s publicly funded context.
Experience in managing organisational change.
Strong leadership and interpersonal skills to deal effectively with internal and
external relationships.
Excellent people management and motivational skills and the ability to
resolve conflict.
Fluent communication skills, with the ability to present and debate issues
convincingly internally and externally, on public platforms and in the media.
The ability to work with creative talent and strong personalities.
Political acumen, along with the ability to command personal respect and
exert positive influence on Policy Makers, stake holders and the wider
performing arts sector.
A demonstrable commitment to equality.
Desirable Experience and Skills
Experience of the subsidised or charitable not-for-profit sector
Awareness of the British touring theatre environment
Experience of West End producing and/or commercial co-producing
An understanding of the legal requirements of a charitable organisation
Experience of working with a Board of voluntary trustees
Experience of touring work nationally and internationally
TERMS AND CONDITIONS:
Title of Job: Executive Director.
Employer: Headlong Theatre Ltd.
Salary: Depending on experience and commensurate with the seniority of the role.
Holidays: 25 working days plus 8 public holidays per year.
Time off in lieu (TOIL) applies, but you are paid at a level that reflects the need to
work the hours required to fulfill the duties required.
A contributory pension scheme is available.
APPLICATION PROCESS:
Applications should be made by submitting a letter explaining in no more than two
sides of A4 what attracts you to this position and evidence of your ability to meet the
criteria outlined in the Person Specification.
In addition, please include:
A CV
A completed Additional Information form
A completed Equal Opportunities Monitoring form
Applications should be emailed to [email protected]
First round interviews will take place w/c Monday 4th April. Candidates invited for
interview will be contacted by close of day Thursday 24th March.
The recruitment is being led by the Headlong’s Board and Artistic Director.
If you would like a confidential, informal, discussion about the position please contact
[email protected] who will schedule a time for you and Jeremy to speak.
HEADLONG - EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR - ADDITIONAL INFORMATION FORM
REFERENCES:
Please give details of two people whom we may contact for a reference. These referees
should have knowledge of you in a working environment, either paid or unpaid, and one
should be your current or last employer. We will not take up references without your
permission and do not intend to take up references before the later interview stages.
Reference 1
Name:
Job Title:
Address:
Telephone:
Email:
In what context do you know this reference?
Can we contact this reference in advance of a job offer?
Reference 2
Name:
Job Title:
Address:
Telephone:
Email:
In what context do you know this reference?
Can we contact this reference in advance of a job offer?
NOTICE PERIOD
Can you please indicate your notice period, if any, and when you would be able to take up the
position if you were successful.
Notice Period:
Start Date:
CURRENT SALARY
Can you please indicate your current or most recent salary and remuneration package.
Current Salary:
Pension:
Other:
CHECKLIST:
Please ensure you have included: Enclosed
Curriculum Vitae (CV)
Cover letter (no more than 2 sides of A4) explaining why you are interested in
this role and how your experience and skills match the Job Description and
Person Specification
Additional Information form
Equal Opportunities Monitoring form (optional)
STATEMENT:
I can confirm that: The information given on this form is correct and complete.
I possess all the qualifications, which I claim to hold.
I understand that all appointments are subject to satisfactory references,
proof of eligibility to work in the UK.
I understand that submitting false information or withholding relevant
information on this form may lead to my application being rejected or, if I
am appointed, will constitute grounds for dismissal.
Please note that Headlong treats all applicants for employment fairly and actively
promotes equality of opportunity and welcome applications from a wide range of
candidates.
Applications from unsuccessful applicants will be kept on file for twelve months
before being destroyed.
I confirm that the above information given by me is correct and that I consent to my
personal data being processed and kept for the purpose described above in
accordance with the Data Protection Act 1998.
Name…………………………………………………………………..
Signature………………………………………………………………
Date…………………………………………………………………….
HEADLONG - EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES MONITORING FORM
The completion of equal opportunities monitoring forms is optional and
anonymous. This information is purely for monitoring purposes and will
not form any part of the selection process.
Post applied for: Executive Director
I am:
White
Asian of British Asian
Black or British Black
Chinese
Mixed or Dual Heritage
Other (please state)
Not known/prefer not to say
Are you?
Female
Male
Do you consider yourself to have a disability?
Yes
No
prefer not to say
I am:
Under 19 years
20 – 34 years
35 – 49 years
50 – 64 years
65 + years
prefer not to say