Head of Lighting & AV

At Derby Theatre, we are a charity and a National Portfolio organisation for Arts Council England, and we’re known for artistic excellence. We’re committed to education. And we believe that theatre can change your life.

Previously Derby Playhouse, we have a long and important theatrical history. As Derby Theatre, we work in partnership with the University of Derby and are a home for higher education students. We produce new plays and projects, collaborate with artists and local people, and offer training for young people too, with opportunities for learners of all ages. It’s all about empowering people to tap into their potential and achieve.

The Technical Department is part of the wider Production Department, led by the Technical Manager and comprises of the Head of Lighting & AV, Head of Sound, Head of Stage, and three multi-disciplinary Technicians. The department work on all Produced and Received shows, and on external hires and internal projects, including the theatre's large Youth Theatre and outreach events.

The department provides all aspects of technical theatre support, from set builds to show operation, fit-ups to get outs, workshops with school groups to assisting the university Theatre Arts students; if there's a technical part then we're part of it.

The Head of Lighting & AV line-manages the Lighting Department, overseeing the day-to-day duties of the team, ensuring their Health and Safety and welfare, and assessing any training and development needs.

Duties for Produced work will include working with designers to accurately and safely realise their plans, and the design and creation of practical effects. For Received work, duties will include liaising with incoming companies to match their requests to our equipment, and managing the rigging of lighting and AV in a safe and timely manner. All to the highest standards possible within the time and financial resources agreed and available.

The job involves both hands-on and office-based work, and regular evenings and weekends will be expected.

Anticipated interview date - 1st September 2026

You will have good experience in a lead Lighting and/or AV role in a professional theatre or entertainments venue, you will have solid knowledge and expertise of technical theatre, including producing shows.

You will have proven leadership skills, and have the ability to work with a wide range of people, personalities, and departments, sometimes under a great deal of time pressure.

You will be competent and confident in regards to industry Heath and Safety, accomplished and accurate in IT skills and record-keeping, and have an interest in supporting learners of all ages.

As this role involves working with young people, a full DBS check will be required.

What should I expect if I am invited to an interview?

We aim to make the interviews as accessible and engaging as possible, and we want you to talk about yourself and your work experience in a relaxed and friendly setting.

We believe an interview is a chance for you to find more information about the role, us as an organisation and for you to get a sense of whether this is the right environment for you.

With this in mind, we have designed an interview process which will enable potential candidates to meet members of the team and partners, see some of the spaces you might be working in, and of course a chance to talk about you and your work experience.

Please refer to the job description for Derby Theatre benefits.

Please note benefits from University of Derby do not apply.

The Theatre is unable to sponsor the employment of international workers under the Skilled Worker route for this role; however, applications are welcome from candidates who are able to demonstrate an alternative right to work in the UK.

This post is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (ROA) 1974 and is therefore subject to an enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check.

Any information you provide will be treated in confidence and only used when considering your suitability for the post.

To enable us to process your DBS check please ensure you are able to supply the documentation listed on the DBS website at interview stage.

At Derby Theatre we aim to actively champion and celebrate diversity in all its forms. We are committed to equality of opportunity for all of those we work with and applications from individuals are encouraged regardless of age, caring responsibilities, disability, gender, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief and sexual orientation.

We positively encourage disabled people, people of African or Caribbean heritage, South Asian heritage, East Asian heritage, West Asian heritage, Central Asian heritage, South East Asian heritage and people of Middle East and North African heritage and those who have experienced racism. By the term ‘those who have experienced racism’, we are referring to individuals who have experienced discrimination based on the colour of their skin, race and/or their culture.

We are a Disability Confident Committed Employer, demonstrating our commitment to disability inclusion, and invite applicants to highlight adjustments they may require to ensure equitable participation in our recruitment processes.

For more information please visit the Derby Theatre website.

At the University of Derby, we are passionate about embedding sustainability into everything that we do. We aim to bring environmental sustainability into all aspects of the University, including teaching, research and operational activities. In line with the University's strategic framework, we expect all our staff to embed sustainability into their working practices and support the University's objective to reach net zero carbon by 2050.