Chief Executive Officer

Queen’s Theatre Hornchurch, the producing theatre serving Outer East London and South Essex, is seeking a visionary and dynamic individual to join them as Chief Executive Officer.

If you are passionate about the performing arts, value the Queen’s Theatre community, share our commitment to inclusivity and bring leadership skills and experience, we invite you to play a pivotal role in shaping the future of our award-winning theatre.

We are looking for an innovative, forward-thinking, strategic individual to join us as CEO to help oversee the next chapter in Queen’s Theatre Hornchurch’s history as we head towards our 75th anniversary year. This role is a board appointment and the successful candidate will lead a thriving and embedded cultural offer for the London Borough of Havering – we are seeking someone who is as ambitious as the theatre itself.

If you have the drive, skill set and enthusiasm to make a difference, then please read on.

Who we are

Queen’s Theatre Hornchurch objective:

“…to promote, maintain, improve and advance education and the Arts particularly by the production of plays and the encouragement of the Arts including the arts of drama, mime, dance, singing and music”.

Queen’s Theatre Hornchurch (QTH) is a mid-scale producing theatre serving Outer East London and South Essex, with a wider catchment area of 1 million+ people. Providing a focal point for our communities, over 220,000 people enjoy the programme and activities each year, including the best in homegrown theatre, visiting live entertainment and inspiring community projects. Beyond this, we are a pivotal employer and provide a vibrant and holistic resource for the people of the borough through our range of community activities and artist development programmes – across all ages, from baby sensory workshops and working with schools to our dementia-focused activities

This is an exciting moment in the theatre’s journey, as we head towards our 75th anniversary. Queen’s Theatre Hornchurch continues to strengthen its artistic reputation as a midscale producing theatre. We proudly produce and co-produce in our 507-seat auditorium. We create ambitious new and established dramas, musicals and comedy with a growing list of trusted local and national partners and co-producers.

The CEO will build on the strong foundations already established across a wide range of partnerships, while helping the organisation continue to grow its impact, strengthen its resilience and deepen its connection with communities across Havering, Outer East London and South Essex and beyond.

About the role

The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) reports to the Board, providing strategic leadership and overall direction as Queen’s Theatre Hornchurch (QTH) heads towards its 75th anniversary.

Working alongside a dedicated senior leadership team, the CEO is responsible for upholding QTH’s vision and ensuring financial resilience, artistic excellence and a supportive organisational culture.

By cultivating key stakeholder partnerships and driving both commercial and charitable growth, the CEO will expand QTH’s civic impact and deepen its connection with communities across Havering, Outer East London and South Essex.

Key responsibilities include:

Strategic and Financial Management
Developing long-term business plans, financial strategies and environmental targets while maximising income across commercial activities.

Artistic and Community Alignment
Overseeing programming alongside the Creative Director, leading in-house and co-productions and keeping community engagement fundamental to the theatre.

Governance and Stakeholder Advocacy
Serving as Company Secretary, ensuring statutory compliance and maintaining strong relations with Arts Council England, local authorities and national partners.

Who we are looking for

We are looking for an innovative, forward-thinking, strategic individual to join us as CEO to help oversee the next chapter in Queen’s Theatre Hornchurch’s history as we head towards our 75th anniversary year. This role is a board appointment and the successful candidate will lead a thriving and embedded cultural offer for the London Borough of Havering – we are seeking someone who is as ambitious as the theatre itself.

We are seeking a visionary, ambitious and resilient leader with substantial senior strategic experience within a theatre or comparable venue. The ideal candidate brings strong financial acumen combined with creative insight, balancing artistic risk-taking with sound commercial judgment.

As an inspiring communicator and advocate, you will motivate teams, build dynamic external networks and champion equality, diversity and inclusion across the organisation.

Key skills and experience include:

• Strategic Planning and Income Generation
  Proven track record in strategic business planning, contract negotiations, people management and meeting challenging financial targets
• Programming and Partnerships
  Significant experience in producing strategic programming and establishing artistic, commercial and local authority partnerships.
• Leadership and Advocacy
  Ability to lead through change, empower teams and advocate effectively with funders, decision-makers and the public.
• Equality and Inclusion
  A proactive commitment to embedding equality, diversity and inclusion while removing barriers to representation.

Closing date: 9 a.m. Monday 9th November