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The General Manager plays a pivotal role in the ongoing commercial and operational success of The Orchard Theatre. Reporting to the Theatre Director and acting as their deputy, they will provide visible leadership across the venue, ensuring exceptional customer experiences, operational excellence, and strong commercial performance. Drawing together teams across Front of House, Hospitality, Events and Customer Experience, the postholder will lead, motivate and develop colleagues to deliver outstanding service for audiences, visiting companies, event organisers and community partners. They will work closely with the Theatre Director and senior leadership team to drive revenue growth, maximise opportunities across hospitality and ancillary spaces, and deliver the theatre's strategic and financial objectives. With responsibility for operational oversight, compliance, health and safety, stakeholder relationships and team performance, the General Manager will champion a culture of collaboration, accountability and continuous improvement, ensuring The Orchard Theatre remains a vibrant, welcoming and successful venue at the heart of the local community.
We are looking for a dynamic, commercially minded and people-focused leader with a genuine passion for live entertainment and delivering exceptional audience experiences. You will bring significant leadership experience from a theatre, hospitality, visitor attraction or customer-facing environment, with a proven ability to balance operational excellence, financial performance, and outstanding customer service. An inspiring manager, you will motivate and develop high-performing teams, fostering a positive and inclusive culture while leading confidently in a fast-paced live events setting. You will possess strong commercial acumen, with experience of driving revenue growth, maximizing secondary spend and identifying opportunities to enhance both customer satisfaction and business performance. Adaptable, resilient, and highly organized, you will combine strategic thinking with a hands-on approach, ensuring consistently high standards across all areas of the operation. Excellent communication and relationship-building skills are essential, enabling you to work effectively with colleagues, visiting companies, contractors, stakeholders, and community partners. Above all, you will be passionate about creating a welcoming and memorable experience for every visitor, helping to ensure The Orchard Theatre remains a thriving cultural destination at the heart of the community.
Having opened in the 1980s, the Orchard Theatre in Dartford has gone on to establish itself as one of South East’s leading live entertainment venues with an eclectic programme of top-quality musicals, drama, comedy, dance, family shows, one-night events, and pantomime.
Co-founded by Sir Howard Panter and Dame Rosemary Squire in 2017, Trafalgar Entertainment is a premium international live entertainment business focused on new productions, venue ownership, Performing Arts education, theatre ticketing, the distribution of live-streaming innovative content and the provision of great theatres where people can come together to share in the experience of live entertainment. TE is home to Trafalgar Theatres, The Chiswick Cinema, Trafalgar Theatre Productions, Trafalgar Releasing, Trafalgar Tickets, Stagecoach Performing Arts, Drama Kids/Helen O’Grady Drama Academy, ticketing company London Theatre Direct, Stagedoor, Jonathan Church Theatre Productions, and Imagine Theatre.
Trafalgar Theatres is the venue-operating division of Trafalgar Entertainment (TE). We currently operate 21 venues; including the Trafalgar Theatre in London’s West End and the Theatre Royal in Sydney. We’re growing fast, we’re confident in what we do, and we’re ambitious about the future. There’s never been a better time to get onboard.
We are passionate about entertainment, audiences, and the live experience and we value Creativity, Collaboration, Excellence and Respect.
- Discounted theatre tickets
- Training and development plans
- Hundreds of savings across retailers with TE&ME
- Access to mental health resources
Eligibility criteria applies
Position Title
General Manager
Location
Orchard Theatre / Orchard West
Contract
Permanent Full Time
Hours
1816 per year, average of 40hrs per week
Job Description
Download a full Job Description (https://policies.trafalgar.global/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/GM-Job-Description-.docx)
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