Chief Executive Officer

Key Responsibilities:

Strategic Leadership

• Develop and implement an ambitious long-term vision and strategy for The Bridgewater Hall.
• Lead the organisation in achieving its artistic, cultural, commercial, and charitable objectives.
• Identify opportunities for growth, innovation, partnership, and audience expansion.
• Ensure the Hall remains a leading destination for music, arts, and live events nationally and internationally.

Commercial & Financial Leadership

• Deliver sustainable financial performance and long-term organisational resilience.
• Lead income generation across ticketing, venue hire, sponsorship, partnerships, philanthropy, grants, and commercial activities.
• Oversee budgeting, forecasting, and financial planning processes.
• Ensure effective management of resources and prudent financial stewardship.

Cultural & Stakeholder Leadership

• Develop strong relationships with resident orchestras, artists, promoters, community organisations, and cultural partners.
• Manage the partnership between the venue and the Halle orchestra, ensuring delivery of a vibrant programme of orchestral events.
• Act as a leading ambassador for The Bridgewater Hall across local, regional, national, and international networks.
• Build productive relationships with Manchester City Council, Arts Council England, funders, donors, and corporate partners.
• Represent the organisation at key civic, cultural, and industry forums.

People & Organisational Leadership

• Lead and inspire a high-performing and inclusive organisational culture.
• Develop leadership capability and succession planning across the organisation.
• Foster an environment of collaboration, creativity, accountability, and continuous improvement.
• Champion diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility across all aspects of the organisation.

Audience & Community Engagement

• Ensure outstanding audience experiences and high levels of customer satisfaction.
• Broaden engagement with diverse communities and underrepresented audiences.
• Support the development of learning, participation, and outreach initiatives.
• Strengthen The Bridgewater Hall's civic impact and contribution to Manchester's communities.

Governance & Compliance

• Work closely with the Board of Trustees to ensure effective governance and strategic oversight.
• Ensure compliance with charity, employment, health and safety, and regulatory requirements.
• Lead risk management and business continuity planning.
• Maintain the highest standards of integrity, transparency, and accountability.

We are looking for someone with:

• Significant executive leadership experience, within the arts, culture, entertainment, events, visitor attraction, charity, or public sector environments.
• A strong knowledge of the UK and International concert hall market, including receiving and producing content, classical music programming, and cultural and financial trends in the market.
• Proven track record of developing and delivering organisational strategy.
• Experience managing complex budgets and delivering sustainable financial performance.
• Demonstrable success in income generation, fundraising, sponsorship, or partnership development.
• Experience engaging with Boards, public sector stakeholders, and external partners.
• Strategic thinker with strong operational delivery capability.
• Experience navigating complex governance environments.
• Inspirational and inclusive leader.
• Authentic, collaborative, and values-driven.
• Commercially astute while maintaining artistic and charitable integrity.
• Resilient and adaptable in a dynamic environment.
• Committed to diversity, accessibility, and social impact.
• Relevant leadership, business, cultural sector, or governance qualifications desirable.

Recruitment Process Outlined:

1. 1st Stage - Intro with TA Team
2. 2nd Stage - Interview with VP of Live Events
3. 3rd Stage - Panel Interview

Any offer of employment will be subject to satisfactory pre-employment checks. These may include verification of identity, proof of address, right to work, employment history, qualifications, and—where relevant to the role—a basic or enhanced DBS check. All checks will be carried out in line with data protection law and we will only request information that is necessary for the role.

Inclusive Workplace

At Legends Global, we are committed to leading the entertainment industry towards a greener, faster, and more innovative digital future. There’s never been a better time to join our team. We aim to be an inclusive organisation, trusted and admired by our colleagues, customers, and suppliers. Join us and make a significant impact from day one.

We are committed to active inclusion, diversity, and equal opportunities. This commitment begins with our recruitment and selection process. We welcome discussions about flexible working arrangements.

If you need reasonable adjustments at any stage of our recruitment process, please let us know in your application. We are dedicated to providing a fair and transparent assessment process and will do our utmost to accommodate your needs.

If you are interested in applying, we encourage you to submit your application as soon as possible to ensure it is considered. We will continue to review applications on a rolling basis and may close the advert before the closing date.