Events & Live Interpretation Manager

We’re looking for an experienced, imaginative producer to play a key role in our Learning & Participation Team. This is a hands-on leadership role responsible for shaping, managing and delivering a distinctive, high-profile programme of live events at the Royal Armouries in Leeds – from daily performances and combat demonstrations to the annual international Easter Joust.

The Royal Armouries cares for one of the world’s oldest museum collections, displayed across three sites: our flagship museum in Leeds, the Tower of London, and Fort Nelson in Hampshire. In Leeds, our live programme is central to how visitors encounter the collection: immediate, human, and responsive. This role exists to make that encounter happen – reliably, creatively, and at scale.

You will lead a talented and experienced team of performers, demonstrators and interpreters, supporting them to produce work that is both intellectually rigorous and publicly engaging. This will require a balance of clear direction and collaborative development: creating the conditions in which individuals can do their best work, while maintaining consistency, pace and professional standards across a busy, year-round programme.

The work is fast-moving and highly visible. Plans shift; audiences vary; ideas evolve in delivery. You will need to be comfortable making decisions in the moment, holding the line on quality while adapting to changing circumstances, and sustaining momentum through both peak delivery periods and quieter phases of development.

We’re looking for someone who combines strong organisational and planning skills with an instinct for performance and audience. You might come from a theatre, festival or heritage background, but above all you will understand how to support creative practitioners to deliver consistently excellent work in a public-facing environment.

If you have experience of managing complex live programmes, working with performers or creative teams, and balancing artistic ambition with operational reality, we would like to hear from you.

Hours

This position is a permanent contract, working full time, 36 hours per week, 5 days out of 7. Weekend, Bank Holiday and evening working will regularly be required, as will some travel.

The role will be predominantly Leeds office based with an option for some hybrid working as well as at the other RA sites.

Benefits

Access to the discounted bicycles via Bike2Work scheme
Access to free EAP services via the (Employee Assistance Program)
27.5 days holiday plus Bank Holidays
Generous company sick pay scheme
Generous family friendly leave
Access to discounted staff car parking
25% off staff shop
10% off food in on-site café (generous discounts on set meals, and reduce cost hot drinks)
Pension scheme max employer contribution is 9%
Access to free on-line learning
Season ticket loan
M-Card
A Police Check/ Disclosure will be requested in the event of a successful application. Please refer to the job description for the level of check required. A criminal record would not necessarily be a bar to employment.

Please note that all job offers are subject to the receipt of satisfactory references, DBS/Police checks and right to work documentation.

We reserve the right to close this vacancy early if we receive sufficient applications for this role.