Northern Performance Academy is looking for a highly organised, proactive and energetic Performing Arts Operations Coordinator to join our busy company.
Working across our main site on Anchor Road, Harrogate and The Harrogate Playhouse, this is a varied and important role supporting the day-to-day operations, administration, customer experience, communications, staffing and events across our performing arts school.
We are looking for someone who loves being organised, enjoys working with people and is naturally proactive. Someone who notices when something needs doing, takes ownership and just gets it done.
This isn't a traditional office-based admin role. You will betrained in all aspects of running our centre spaces and theatrical spaces, including stage management and front of house procedures.
You will be at the heart of a busy performing arts environment — helping the buildings, cafe-bars, teams, students, parents, courses and events run smoothly while also supporting our social media and communications.
If you're organised enough to manage a schedule, creative enough to make great social media content and practical enough to get stuck in when something needs doing, this could be the role for you.
About Us
We operate a busy and ambitious performing arts school offering classes, courses, workshops, performances, events and specialist training. Working closely with schools, businesses and individuals to create incredible talent and creative events. We serve a diverse community and we are looking for someone comfortable with communicating with anyone - from a celebrity, to a 3 year old!
We have a fantastic purpose-built environment including studios, performance spaces, a theatre, dance and yoga studios, sensory facilities, a café/bar and a range of creative studios.
We are passionate about giving our students and families an exceptional experience.
From the moment someone enquires with us, walks through the door, attends their first class or comes to an event, we want everything to be professional, welcoming, organised and exciting.
The Operations Coordinator will play a major part in making that happen.
The Role
You will work closely with the CEO and wider team to ensure the Academy operates efficiently and professionally every day.
Your responsibilities will cover five key areas:
Operations | Administration | Customer Experience | Social Media & Communications | Events & Staff Coordination
You will need to be comfortable moving between these different areas and managing competing priorities.
Operations & Facilities
A major part of your role will be helping to ensure the Academy is always clean, organised, well-presented, safe and ready for business.
Your responsibilities will include:
- Ensuring teaching, reception and shared spaces are maintained to a high standard.
- Checking rooms are clean, tidy and ready for classes and activities.
- Ensuring equipment is organised, stored correctly and returned after use.
- Helping staff and students maintain high standards throughout the building.
- Identifying maintenance, facilities or equipment issues and ensuring they are reported and followed up.
- Preparing spaces for classes, workshops, rehearsals and events.
- Helping with the practical set-up and clear-down of events.
- Keeping supplies, resources and operational materials organised.
- Supporting the smooth day-to-day running of the Academy.
- Being proactive in identifying things that need attention before they become problems.
We need someone who takes pride in the building and notices the details.
Administration
You will provide essential administrative support across the Academy.
This will include:
- Answering incoming calls and responding to emails.
- Managing general enquiries.
- Communicating with parents, students, staff and prospective customers.
- Keeping information and records organised and up to date.
- Preparing documents and course information.
- Creating and organising course materials.
- Supporting class and course administration.
- Helping coordinate staff information and schedules.
- Preparing information for teachers and practitioners.
- Supporting enrolment and new customer processes.
- Maintaining organised digital and physical filing systems.
- Assisting the CEO with administrative tasks and projects.
- Following up outstanding actions and helping ensure deadlines are met.
You will become someone the CEO and wider team can rely on to keep things moving.
Reception & Customer Experience
You will be an important part of the experience our students and families have when they visit us.
During busy periods you may be responsible for:
- Manning reception.
- Welcoming students and families into the building.
- Managing the doors and helping students enter safely.
- Greeting visitors and showing them where they need to go.
- Welcoming new students and helping them feel comfortable.
- Showing prospective customers around the Academy.
- Answering questions and directing enquiries to the appropriate team member.
- Supporting parents and families with day-to-day queries.
- Ensuring reception and customer-facing areas are professional and welcoming.
We want every person who walks through our doors to feel noticed, welcomed and looked after.
Social Media & Marketing
Social media will be an important part of the role.
You will help us showcase what happens at Northern Performance Academy and promote our courses, events and opportunities.
Responsibilities will include:
- Managing our day-to-day social media activity.
- Creating and scheduling social media posts.
- Creating promotional content for classes, courses and events.
- Taking photographs and video content around the Academy.
- Creating engaging Reels, Stories and other social content.
- Writing captions and promotional copy.
- Creating social media adverts and promotional campaigns.
- Keeping our social media channels active, current and engaging.
- Supporting the promotion of new courses and enrolment opportunities.
- Showcasing student achievements, performances and Academy activities.
- Working with teachers and the CEO to gather content.
- Monitoring engagement and helping us understand what content works.
- Supporting the development of our wider digital presence.
You don't need to be a professional marketing specialist, but you should be confident using social media, understand what makes engaging content and have a good eye for presentation.
Newsletters & Communications
You will also support our regular communication with families and customers.
This may include:
- Creating and sending newsletters.
- Gathering information from different departments.
- Writing and editing customer communications.
- Promoting upcoming courses, events and opportunities.
- Creating promotional materials.
- Ensuring information is accurate, clear and professionally presented.
- Helping maintain consistent communication across the Academy.
Staff Scheduling & Coordination of Hirers
Working closely with the CEO, you will help ensure our staff schedules and operational plans for external hires are organised and communicated effectively.
This will include:
- Supporting the creation and maintenance of staff schedules.
- Communicating schedule changes to staff.
- Helping coordinate staffing for events and special activities.
- Ensuring staff have the information they need.
- Supporting the CEO with staffing logistics.
- Identifying clashes or potential problems early.
- Helping ensure the right people are in the right place at the right time.
You will need to be highly organised and comfortable managing a changing schedule.
Events & Special Projects
We run a busy programme of performances, events, workshops, training days and special projects.
You will work closely with the CEO to help ensure these are planned, organised and delivered to a high standard.
You may support:
- Performances and showcases.
- Open days.
- Special training days.
- Workshops and intensive courses.
- Holiday programmes.
- Café/bar events.
- Staff events.
- Visiting artists and practitioners.
- Student experiences.
- Special Academy projects.
Your role could include preparing spaces, coordinating staff, communicating with customers, organising/ordering resources, supporting the café/bar activites, creating promotional content and helping ensure everything runs smoothly on the day.
The Person We're Looking For
We're looking for someone who is:
Organised
You can manage multiple tasks, keep track of details and stay on top of deadlines.
Proactive
You don't need to be constantly told what to do. You see what needs doing and take ownership.
Practical
You're happy getting involved with the physical running of the Academy — preparing spaces, moving equipment, setting up events and making sure everything is ready.
Creative
You have an eye for presentation and enjoy creating social media, newsletters and promotional content.
Professional
You understand that you're representing the Academy every time you speak to a parent, answer an email or welcome someone through the door.
Friendly
You enjoy working with people and can build positive relationships with students, parents, teachers and colleagues.
Calm Under Pressure
A busy performing arts school can be unpredictable! You need to be able to prioritise, solve problems and stay calm when several things are happening at once.
Detail-Focused
You notice when something is missing, a room isn't ready, a schedule doesn't make sense or an email needs following up.
A Team Player
You'll work closely with the CEO, teachers, practitioners and wider Academy team. We need someone who communicates well and understands that everyone contributes to making the Academy successful.
What Experience Would Be Useful?
Previous experience in areas such as:
- Administration
- Operations
- Education or school administration
- Performing arts
- Events
- Hospitality
- Customer service
- Marketing
- Social media
- Venue management
would be advantageous.
However, we are much more interested in the person than a perfect CV.
If you are organised, capable, enthusiastic and willing to learn, we would love to hear from you.
Why Join Us?
This is an opportunity to become a key part of a creative, ambitious and growing performing arts organisation.
You will gain experience across:
- Operations
- Administration
- Events
- Customer experience
- Social media
- Marketing
- Communications
- Staff coordination
- Venue management
- Performing arts
- Hospitality & Hosting
You will work closely with the CEO and have the opportunity to become an increasingly important part of the organisation as we grow.
We want someone who is ambitious and wants to progress, not someone who simply wants to complete a list of admin tasks.
The Person Who Will Thrive Here
The ideal person will probably be someone who enjoys having lots of plates spinning.
You might be answering an email, making a timetable, welcoming a new student, scheduling a social media post and preparing a room for an event — sometimes all within the same hour!
You need to enjoy that.
You need to be someone who thinks:
"Leave it with me — I'll sort it."
If you are organised, creative, practical, friendly and ambitious, we'd love to meet you.
The Practical Details
Position: Performing Arts Operations Coordinator
Location: Northern Performance Academy
Contract: Full-Time Permanent Contract
Hours: To be agreed but will include Saturdays and some evenings. Approx 40 hours a week.
Salary: £26,800 - £32,000 FTE
Ready to Join Us?
If you're looking for a varied role where no two days are the same, where you can combine administration and operations with creativity, social media and event management - we'd love to hear from you.
Come and help us keep the Academy organised, welcoming, exciting and running brilliantly.
Pay: £25,600.00-£30,800.00 per year
Benefits:
- Company events
- Company pension
- Cycle to work scheme
- Employee discount
- Free parking
- Health & wellbeing programme
- On-site parking
Work Location: In person
