Administration Assistant - Information Pack - New Vic Theatre

Administration Assistant
        Information Pack
                June 2021

Welcome
We are looking for an Administration Assistant to join the New Vic.
Situated in the main office, the Administration department is at the hub of
the company and is involved with every aspect of the theatre’s work.
Are you an excellent communicator and team player? Do you have good IT
and organisational skills, and an interest in theatre and the performing arts?
If so we want to hear from you.
The deadline for applications is Thursday 15 July 2021 at 10am.
Interviews will be held Friday 30 July 2021.
We hope that this pack will answer all your questions, but if there is
anything else you would like to know about the role or working at the
New Vic, please do get in touch on 01782 381371 or by email at
recruitment@newvictheatre.org.uk

Administration department
information
The New Vic Theatre is a non-profit organisation. The theatre
has an auditorium with an overall seating capacity of 605, a small
studio theatre, a Café, bar and shop. Alongside the main house
programme the theatre has an active Education department,
Outreach department Borderlines reaching 40,000 people a year
and the Appetite audience development programme.
Situated in the main office, the Administration department is at
the hub of the company and is involved with every aspect of the
theatre’s work. The team provides core office and administrative
services such as telephone/switchboard service, disseminating
information across the organisation, contracting staff and
suppliers and supporting with operational/staff issues. The team
are also involved in supporting New Vic shows and the casting
of actors. As such, Administration staff come into contact with
a wide range of people from customers, staff, suppliers, actors
and freelance artists (e.g. designers, directors). No two days
are the same and in a constantly changing environment, the
department has a flexible approach to prioritising their day to
day tasks. Core office hours are 9am to 5.30pm.
Based in the main office, the Administration department consists
of the Head of HR & General Management, Administration
Officer and Administration Assistant (job share). Further
administration support exists in other departments that you will
work alongside.

Administration Assistant                                             This is a job share role and although this post is part time, you
                                                                     effectively share a full-time role with another employee (job-
This role is offered on a part time, permanent basis as part of a    share partner). You may be required to work additional hours in
job share.                                                           case of emergencies from time to time to cover your job share
Salary                                                               partner’s short-term absences, such as annual leave and sickness
The salary for the post is £19,552 per annum pro rata (£9,776        absence.
for 20 hours part time role). The salary is paid monthly by credit   Holiday Entitlement
transfer on the last Friday of each month.                           Your annual holiday entitlement will be 112 hours per annum
Hours of Work                                                        including bank holidays pro rata. This equates to 4 weeks plus
The normal hours are 20 per week. Whilst flexibility is required     bank holidays pro rata. Following 3 years continuous service
regarding start and finish times your working hours will normally    this increases to 120 hours per annum including bank holidays
be;                                                                  and following 5 years continuous services will be 132 hours per
                                                                     annum including bank holidays.
 • Tuesday and Wednesday - Start at 9.00am and finish
   between 5.30pm and 6.00pm                                         The holiday year runs from 1 April to 31 March.
 • Thursday – Start at 10.00am and finish at 2.00pm                  Probationary & Notice Period
Any hours in addition to your normal hours are to be agreed          The probationary period for this post is 6 months. The notice
in advance by the Head of HR & General Management. Where             period during the probationary period is 2 weeks. Following
the number of hours worked in any 4 week period exceeds              successful completion of probationary the notice period is 4
the contractual hours then time off in lieu at single time will be   weeks.
given.                                                               General
In certain circumstances, we may ask you to work on Sundays          All eligible staff are automatically opted in for the New Vic’s
and Bank Holidays. If this is the case, you will be paid at double   basic pension scheme under auto enrolment legislation.
time for the hours worked.                                           All offers of employment are subject to the candidate being able
You are required to be flexible to work the hours required           to provide suitable proof of their eligibility to work in the UK
to meet the needs of the Administration operation of the             and references.
New Vic. All New Vic employees are expected to work some
evenings and Saturdays

Administration Assistant                                              • Restocking the office photocopier and contact maintenance
                                                                        providers in connection with office equipment
Role Purpose                                                          • Issue complimentary tickets to individuals/companies who
The Administration Assistant provides administrative support to         have supported the theatre and fundraising for charities
the theatre’s activities and facilitates the smooth running of the    • Maintain and update company databases
main office.                                                          • Order stationery and deal with stationery requests
                                                                      • Maintain stationery expenditure spreadsheet/records.
General Duties                                                          With the Head of HR & General Management meet
 • Facilitate smooth running of the office and ensure that day-         suppliers and negotiate prices
   to-day administrative duties are carried out, including office     • Co-ordinate and book travel and accommodation for all
   reception and answering the telephone, taking messages,              theatre staff (including freelance artistic staff and actors)
   fielding information, dealing with general enquiries, ordering     • Prepare and distribute documents to relevant staff (e.g.
   and receiving of goods, recycling, collection and delivery           scripts, staff information, production information etc)
   of standard and electronic mail, updating answerphone              • Deal with internal enquiries from staff, actors and freelance
   messages, general correspondence and filing                          artists
 • Provide daily assistance and administrative support to the
   Managing Director and Artistic Director including diary           Customer Service and Research
   management, co-ordinating meetings, setting up meeting             • General administration support for customer services
   rooms, dealing with correspondence, booking travel and               including dealing with correspondence and project research
   accommodation and creating travel itineraries as required.
 • Actively communicate and disseminate information across           Casting
   the organisation as required using appropriate channels and        • Assist with casting of professional actors for New Vic
   in accordance with data protection regulations                       productions including dealing with general casting enquiries,
 • Arrange and minute meetings including department                     arranging auditions, liaising with agents, directors, actors
   meetings, full company meetings, design meetings and               • Undertake availability checks and arrange auditions ensuring
   production debriefs                                                  that actors, agents and directors have relevant information
 • Produce letters/emails/reports on behalf of the Head of            • Ensure information packs and casting information available
   HR & General Management, Executive Staff or Heads of                 is updated regularly online and in hard copy
   Department                                                         • Recording equal opportunity statistics for all submissions

and auditions                                                  General
 • Maintain actor files and database
 • Support the Education Department with the Summer                • Support work done by other members of the
   School (the New Vic’s casting process for the Young               Administration team and covering work in their absence
   Company for our Christmas productions), including               • Maintain good communication with job share partner,
   distributing application forms, arranging auditions, sending      undertaking regular and efficient handovers to ensure that
   participants information and informing parents of casting         information is passed on and that tasks are completed
   decisions                                                         efficiently and on time
 • Assist with casting of children and non-professional actors     • Meet and greet visitors and all other contacts of the
                                                                     department and New Vic
New Vic Productions                                                • Attend training as required
                                                                   • Adhere and contribute to all company policies
 • Deal with acting company queries/issues (e.g.
                                                                     and procedures including Health and Safety, Equal
   making doctors / dental appointments, finding local
                                                                     Opportunities, Safeguarding and Data protection
   accommodation, sending information to actors)
                                                                   • To act always in the best interest of the New Vic
 • With the Head of HR & General Management, apply for
                                                                   • Any other duties as may reasonably be required by the
   performance licences for children involved with all New
                                                                     Head of HR & General Management
   Vic Productions and liaise with parents during production
   process. Arrange meetings regarding children’s licencing       The above accountabilities are not exhaustive and may
 • Distribute Cast/Artistic Team Lists                            vary without changing the character of the job or level of
 • Scan and correct scripts on the company folder. Distribute     responsibility.
   scripts as necessary
 • Organise Audio Describers for assisted performances
 • Support Administration Officer with the maintaining of
   local accommodation list
 • Provide Administration support for Producing staff such as
   distributing information and filing of contracts

Person specification
These are the qualities that we are looking for in our
Administration Assistant part time

Essential Criteria
 • Demonstrable administration experience in a busy office
   environment
 • Experience of team working
 • Working knowledge of Microsoft Outlook, Word and Excel
   or equivalent
 • Excellent English language written and verbal skills
 • Excellent communication skills face to face and on the
   telephone
 • Excellent organisational skills and ability to work accurately
   under pressure
 • Ability to maintain confidentiality at all times
 • Ability to deal with difficult telephone conversations

Preferred
 • Experience of minute taking
 • Interest in theatre/arts

New Vic Theatre
       ‘Staffordshire’s New Vic proves what a regional theatre
               with ambition and imagination can do’.
                            The Guardian

Our mission is to make excellent theatre in the round and be a force for
positive change in our region.
The New Vic is a 600 seat theatre. Built in 1986, it was the first purpose-
built theatre-in-the-round in all of Europe. The New Vic is one of the
country’s most successful producing theatres and a key part of the
region’s cultural life, engaging over 180,000 people each year. We deliver
a programme of international-class work made with local audiences in
mind, complemented by award-winning community programmes and
education work reaching around 40,000 people of all ages each year. We
seek through all our work to help make our local community a better,
safer and more inspiring place to live and work.
We explore new and exciting theatre through a continued programme of
investment in artistic development. Our busy programme includes both
award-winning, in-house work and touring productions. We produce
around 8 in-house or co-produced shows a year. We have in-house set,
props and costume workshops with permanent staff teams. Our in-
house programming includes our acclaimed Christmas show, drama and
new writing.
See our website at www.newvictheatre.org.uk to learn more about our
work.

As one of only a few local arts organisations,
   our award-winning New Vic Borderlines, and New Vic
     Education departments ensure we are key to the              “Standing ovation for this beautifully-executed
                 cultural life of the region.                          magnificently preposterous romp”
Alongside this the theatre leads Appetite, an Arts Council
England Creative People & Places programme, to engage more       The Independent for Around the World in 80 Days
people in North Staffordshire in the arts.
Other achievements include a successful UK tour of Around
the World in 80 Days (in partnership with Kenny Wax Family                  “A joyous family show...
Entertainment) and a transfer to New York in 2019, winning the   Stupidly ambitious and gorgeously inventive …”
2017 UK Theatre Award for Best Show for Children & Young
People for our production of The Snow Queen, and we were
awarded West Midlands’ Most Welcoming Theatre 2018 at the
UK Theatre Awards.                                               The Guardian for Astley’s Astounding Adventures
The New Vic is a registered charity with a turnover of £3.5
million and operates thanks to a unique partnership between
Arts Council England, Newcastle-under-Lyme Borough Council,            “One of the most impressive hours
Staffordshire County Council and Stoke-on-Trent City Council.              I’ve spent in the theatre”

                                                                            The Observer for Dracula

Applying
The New Vic aims to attract, develop and retain the best talent      In your application, please answer the questions by telling us
for all roles and will always appoint based on merit. We consider    about your relevant skills and experience, letting us know how
that diversity is good for the art we make, good for artists, good   you match the person specification.
for audiences, and good for the cultural sector.                     So you are aware, we separate Section 1 of the application form
The New Vic is an equal opportunities employer. We value             and the equal opportunities monitoring form before shortlisting.
diversity in our workforce and positively encourage applicants       The shortlisting panel will make their decisions based solely on
from all sections of the community, particularly applicants          Section 2, without access to any of your personal information.
under-represented across the arts workforce, especially              Further information on how we use and store the data provided
applicants with a disability, applicants who are LGBTQIA+ or         in your application form is available on our website.
applicants of African or Caribbean heritage, South, East and
South-East Asian heritage or anyone who experiences racism.
How to apply:
Complete our application form and equal opportunities form
(this is one document). You must fill in this form as CVs and
covering letters are not accepted. The deadline for applications
is Thursday 15 July 2021 at 10am. Interviews will be held
Friday 30 July 2021.
We want to make sure that our application process is accessible
to everyone, so please do tell us if you need any of this
information in another format (e.g. large print, audio).
Email your application form to recruitment@newvictheatre.
org.uk using the subject line Administration Assistant or post
the form to Administration, New Vic Theatre, Etruria Road,
Newcastle-under-Lyme, Staffordshire, ST5 0JG.

New Vic , Etruria Road, Newcastle-Under-Lyme, Staffordshire, ST5 0JG Stoke-on-Trent & North
Staffordshire Theatre Trust Ltd. Company registration number: 911924. Charity registration number: 253242.
   The New Vic operates thanks to partnership between the Arts Council England, Newcastle-Under-Lyme Borough
                     Council, Staffordshire County Council, and Stoke-on-Trent City Council.