Running Wardrobe Manager

As the Running Wardrobe Manager for F2027 at Chichester Festival Theatre you will provide first class support to visiting creative teams and their supervisors, and work collaboratively with the permanent Head of Costume to lead a team of assistants and dressers to alter and maintain costume and dress performers.

Running Wardrobe Manager

For Festival 2027 which runs between April and October

£711.00 per week (48 hours p/w)

In February we’ll announce our Festival 2027 programme which runs from April to October, and we’re looking for a brilliant backstage team to join us, with contracts of various lengths and start dates which can be discussed at interview.

The 2027 Festival season promises a fantastic mix of plays and musicals, including world premieres and new writing. We work with some of the UK’s most prominent theatrical creative teams in our two world class theatres, as well as a variety of other spaces across the Festival Season. We bring people – artists and those who support artistic work – together, in an environment where creatively they can flourish and where everyone is valued.

As the Running Wardrobe Manager you will provide first class support to visiting creative teams and their supervisors, and work collaboratively with the permanent Head of Costume to lead a team of assistants and dressers to alter and maintain costume and dress performers.

Full details of the role and the JD can be found on our website https://www.cft.org.uk/jobs

To apply please send your CV and a covering letter, or video, to recruitment@cft.org.uk by the deadline, quoting job reference: 2610RWM in the subject line. In your covering letter or video, please let us know why you are applying for the role, what excites you about joining CFT and how your experience and skills match the person specification.

We’d love to hear about what makes you a great fit in your own words. We encourage candidates not to rely on AI for their applications, as a more personalised approach gives us a better sense of who you are.

Please email recruitment@cft.org.uk if you’d like to arrange for an informal chat about the role before applying. We appreciate this may be a busy time – if you need more time to submit your application, please let us know.

Responsibilities include:

Work with the Head of Costume to provide first class support and guidance to designers,supervisors and creative team members for each production
Assist the Head of Costume and Wardrobe Deputy to ensure the efficient and effective management and administration of the department within budgetary constraints
Supervise and manage assistants and dressers ensuring show running plots are developed and carried outFacilitate costume requirements for all in house and visiting productions including pre- production, running and maintenance
Ensure the relevant dressing requirements and dressing room needs are met in an efficient, flexible and friendly manner at all times
Alter and repair costumes as required using personal creative skills, finding solutions to problems and employing different construction techniques where required
Ensure that the flow of information both within the department and to others is clear, accurate and timely
Make and maintain costumes and associated items as necessary using sewing machines and hand sewing techniques
Attend and note technical rehearsals, dress rehearsals and performances as required
Assist the actors with their costumes in performances, including quick changes
Set out every part of each costume, including accessories, in the dressing rooms and other parts of the Theatre where costume changes occur
Attend technical, dress and costume understudy rehearsals when requested and be available to the actors allocated to them on or off stage as appropriate
Write up and maintain clear and concise notes of all the costumes allocated to them. These notes will consist of costume plot, pre-set notes and daily laundry enabling Wardrobe staff to cover, without prior knowledge of the production. All these notes should be kept up to date and a copy held with the Head of Costume.
Ensure that all working and storage areas are kept safe and tidy
Ensure that equipment is left in a safe and secure condition at the end of each performance
Ensure a safe working environment is maintained in technical areas and in other areas
Attend and support EPK filming or other media-related events as required
Work collaboratively to reach the relevant Greenbook standard benchmark on productions as defined and be sustainably minded in all decisions