Inbox & Communication

• Manage Nia’s inbox proactively; flagging, folderising, deleting, archiving, and drafting responses where appropriate. Identify priorities and ensure important correspondence never stalls.
• Brief Nia on key correspondence and recommend actions or responses where appropriate.
• Draft correspondence in Nia's tone and style where appropriate.
• Ensure communication flows smoothly between investors, creative teams, and all external stakeholders.
• Take a pivotal role in communicating information across the Directors, Managing Director, and Finance Director.
• Manage invitations, RSVPs, and follow-up communications.
• Maintain accurate contact databases and filing systems.
• Answer and screen telephone calls, taking accurate messages and handling any general enquiries with the Playful team.

Production Knowledge & Support

• Develop and maintain an in-depth understanding of Playful’s and Nia’s slates of productions.
• Develop a comprehensive understanding of Playful's productions and key stakeholders in order to anticipate needs and provide seamless support.
• Understand the lifecycle of commercial theatre productions from development through to closure.
• Understand the requirements of key production milestones including readings, workshops, auditions, rehearsals, technical rehearsals, previews, press nights, running periods, recasts, and closings.
• Anticipate production requirements before they become urgent.
• Maintain awareness of theatre industry developments, new productions, and emerging talent.
• Work collaboratively across all Playful departments to support company-wide initiatives, events, and production activity as required.
• Keep abreast of new talent in the industry, productions opening, and general trends in the West End.

Stakeholder Relationships

• Represent Nia and Playful professionally at all times.
• Build trusted relationships with producers, general managers, company managers, theatre owners, investors, creative teams, agents, lawyers, marketing teams, press representatives, and members of the Playful team.
• Become a reliable first point of contact for key external relationships.
• Coordinate gifts, hospitality, and relationship-management activity for key stakeholders.

Digital & Social Media

• Manage Nia’s professional social media accounts. Draft, schedule, and coordinate content for social media accounts.
• Maintain biographies, proof the website, and professional profiles.
• Respond to general enquiries from artists, agents, writers, and other industry contacts on behalf of Nia where appropriate.

General

• Develop an in-depth understanding of Nia’s working style, priorities, and preferences to provide seamless support.
• Maintain an up-to-date understanding of Nia’s wider activities, responsibilities, and external commitments in order to provide proactive support.
• Provide excellent judgement when prioritising competing demands.
• Manage VIP invitations, guest lists, and special events as required.
• Support the planning and delivery of press nights, readings, workshops, investor events, special projects, VIP visits, and industry engagements.
• Take minutes and record actions at meetings where required.
• Coordinate couriers and ad hoc logistical arrangements where required.
• Embody Playful's values of Respect, Collaboration, Hard Work, High Standards, Success, and Playfulness.
• Undertake other duties appropriate to the role.
• Provide ad hoc personal support as and when required.

Person Specification

Essential Attributes

• Extensive experience supporting a senior executive/leader 1:1, ideally in commercial theatre, entertainment, or a comparable fast-paced environment.
• Outstanding diary and inbox management.
• Exceptional organisational ability with meticulous attention to detail.
• Excellent written, verbal, and interpersonal communication.
• Proven ability to manage upwards with confidence and tact.
• Naturally proactive with the ability to anticipate needs several steps ahead.
• Excellent stakeholder management and relationship-building skills.
• Demonstrable understanding of the commercial theatre industry, its stakeholders, and production processes.
• Calm under pressure with excellent judgement.
• High levels of integrity and discretion.
• Advanced Microsoft Office and Google Workspace skills.
• Experience managing professional social media accounts.
• A genuine interest in building a long-term career in executive support within the creative industries.

Desirable Attributes

• Experience supporting a commercial theatre producer or senior creative leader.
• Knowledge of the West End, Broadway, and commercial theatre producing.
• Experience of proofreading.
• Experience of liaising with artists.

Hours and Place of Work

• 09.00 - 19.00 Monday to Friday with one hour for lunch.
• The successful candidate will be expected to work flexibly, including occasional evenings and weekends, and to provide support outside standard office hours where operationally required.
• The Executive Assistant will be based in the Playful office and might also be expected to accompany Nia to meetings, events, and rehearsals as required.

Benefits

• Annual Holiday: 20 days' holiday during each holiday year, rising to 22 days after two years and 25 days after five years of service, in addition to Bank and Public Holidays.
• Contract: Permanent.
• Salary: Competitive and according to experience.

Requirements

• All applicants must be eligible to work in the UK.
• This job description may be amended from time to time to reflect the evolving needs of Playful Productions and its production portfolio.