COULD YOU BE OUR NEW GENERAL MANAGER?
Lead the future of Aotearoa’s most innovative theatre.
Do you dream of shaping the creative landscape? Are you driven by the challenge of empowering talent and fostering dynamic, inclusive arts spaces? The iconic BATS Theatre is searching for a highly driven and inspiring General Manager to guide us into an exciting new chapter.
BATS Theatre is a community, a launchpad, and a haven for experimentation in the arts. For 35 years, we’ve championed bold ideas, nurtured young and emerging practitioners, and connected audiences to the heart of innovation. Grounded in our kaupapa, we strive to uphold Te Tiriti o Waitangi, foster inclusivity, and provide a platform for diverse voices. Most importantly, we’re about lighting up lives with live art.
As General Manager, you’ll be responsible for:
- Leadership & People: Cultivating a workplace culture that aligns with BATS’ kaupapa. Mentoring staff, building professional development opportunities, and fostering a safe, inclusive environment.
- Programming Vision: Collaborating with the programming team to craft an artistic plan that captures BATS’ signature energy and explores new creative horizons.
- Business Development: Securing funding, forging partnerships, and diversifying revenue streams to ensure BATS thrives sustainably today and into the future.
- Sector Growth: Mentoring emerging practitioners, championing audience development, and positioning BATS as a leader in the arts sector.
- Cultural Capability: Advancing inclusivity, safe spaces, and cultural understanding, guided by our commitment to Te Tiriti o Waitangi and underrepresented communities.
- Strategic Renewal: Driving a refresh of BATS’ vision, strategy, and organisational structure, ensuring our relevance and sustainability in an evolving arts landscape.
The ideal candidate will have:
- Business acumen and/or creative sector expertise.
- Strong financial management and stakeholder relationship skills.
- A passion for the arts and a deep understanding of its transformative power.
- Proven leadership experience with the ability to inspire teams and cultivate talent.
- A vision for connecting diverse communities through innovative performance.
- An unwavering commitment to inclusivity, equity, and cultural capability.
- A hunger for driving change and achieving impact.
Why Join BATS?
- Lead a vibrant and beloved theatre in the heart of Wellington’s creative scene.
- Work with passionate, talented people in a dynamic and collaborative environment.
- Shape the future of performance and community engagement in Te-Whanganui-a-Tara/Wellington/Aotearoa.
- Be part of a kaupapa dedicated to lighting up lives with live art.
OPERATIONAL ACCOUNTABILITIES
PEOPLE
- Provide proactive and positive leadership for all BATS staff
- Support BATS staff to ensure the smooth day-to-day operation of the theatre
- Mentor staff in capability building and fostering a strong professional development culture
- In conjunction with the BATS Theatre Board, ensure all BATS policies are current and aligned to organisational vision
- In conjunction with the Technical & Facilities Manager be accountable for the health, safety and wellbeing for all BATS staff
- Foster a strong workplace culture that reflects the ‘BATS Kaupapa’ for staff, artists and audiences
- In collaboration with the BATS Theatre Board assist in the refresh of the BATS team structure
FINANCE
- Ensure the financial stability of BATS Theatre, including the management of BATS income
- Support relevant staff with payroll and accounting systems, utilising additional professional services as required
- Ensuring the timely delivery of BATS 2024 annual budget in consultation with all relevant staff and the board
- Support the delivery of renewed business plans
PROGRAMMING
- In conjunction with the programming team create and implement the BATS Artistic Plan for programming the season.
- Support the programming team to create and determine the style and content of the artistic programme by:
- Planning for transitions in the programme
- Investigating new ideas in the programme
- Generating the personality and energy of the BATS programme
BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT & STAKEHOLDER MANAGEMENT
- In conjunction with the BATS team ensure BATS Theatre is strong for the present and the future by:
- Seeking and securing new sources of income for BATS by way of sponsorships, partnerships, fundraising and general business development to augment Creative New Zealand (CNZ) and Wellington City Council’s (WCC) long standing support
- Ensuring the theatre is meeting core funding expectations and KPIs, including obligations aligned with CNZ and Aho Tini
- Oversee the writing and submitting funding applications to CNZ, WCC, and other funding bodies
- Establishing, maintaining and managing excellent relationships with stakeholders including sponsors, partners, funders etc
- Keeping up to date with funders’ and sponsors’ investment strategies, as well as developments and changes in the sector
- Input into regular reporting for BATS core funders
- Provide support to the activities of the BATS Theatre Board, as required
SECTOR DEVELOPMENT
- Open pathways for new engagement
- Mentor emerging practitioners and foster theatre development to meet funding expectations and KPIs
- Investigate best practice in audience development and new performance trends that could align with the BATS business model
- Script reading and critiquing as the senior practitioner at BATS
MARKETING AND PUBLICITY
- Support relevant BATS Staff in:
- Planning and implementing the BATS marketing strategy
- Overseeing all marketing and publicity activities to ensure they enhance the brand of BATS
- Communicating with the media about the BATS artistic vision.
- Overseeing all marketing and publicity activities to ensure they enhance the brand of BATS
- Ensuring BATS databases are managed and updated
- Ensuring regular audience survey data is gathered and analysed
FUNDRAISING
- Support the BATS teams with their fundraising responsibilities
- Make recommendations on the BATS fundraising strategy
- Maintain sponsor relationships
HEALTH, SAFETY & WELLBEING
- Retaining ultimate responsibility for compliance with all relevant Health & Safety legislation, overseeing all staff. The General Manager will ensure:
- Health and Safety practices are monitored, continuously improved and maintained
- All incidents are sufficiently investigated
- All staff follow health and safety policies and practices
KAUMATUA & CULTURAL CAPABILITY DEVELOPMENT
- Support the BATS kaumatua in their advisory capacity
- Foster relationships that build BATS capacity to hold safe spaces and drive greater inclusivity under Te Tiriti o Waitangi
- Foster relationships that build BATS capacity to hold safe spaces and drive greater inclusivity for all under-represented groups, including but not limited to Māori, and Moana Oceania communities, migrants, refugees, d/Deaf and disabled communities and the LGBTQIA+ community
STRATEGIC DEVELOPMENT
THE FUTURE OF BATS
- Lead a strategic refresh of the BATS vision and kaupapa
- Drive the redevelopment of BATS strategic, programming and business plans
- In consultation with the BATS Theatre Board, guide a redevelopment of revenue generation strategy
- Research international trends in theatre models
- Investigate and make recommendations on the BATS organisational structure in consultation with the BATS Theatre Board
- Oversee development opportunities.
- Guide BATS alignment to Creative New Zealand’s Investment Strategy Te Ara Whakamua
STAKEHOLDER RELATIONSHIPS
- Manage and build relationships with key stakeholders (Industry, community, suppliers, donors)
- Advocacy for BATS with Wellington’s arts and business communities, including participation at industry events and visibility at key opening nights
- Build new and maintain strong connections with key arts organisations nationally.
Matawhānui / Vision: Live art lighting-up lives.
Whai tikanga / Values to pursue the right way
Whakatakanga / Mission: To create safe spaces for artists and audiences to expand possibilities.
Aronga matua / Purpose: A trusted and unwavering catalyst for art creation.
Iwi / People: With a renewed commitment to Treaty partnership we seek to decolonise spaces and remove barriers to success through working openly together.
Whanaungatanga / Working together We build positive shared experiences that place belonging and hauora/wellbeing at the heart of our work.
Tangongitanga / Innovation: BATS champions new thinking, lifelong learning and diverse creativity.
Kauneke / Development: We enable emerging and experienced creative practitioners to take risks, as together we explore the potential of Live Art.
Manaakitanga / Care and respect: Trusted, welcoming and accessible we work to ensure affordable participation for everyone.
HOw to apply
If you’re ready to take the stage and lead BATS into its next act, we want to hear from you!
Please email [email protected] if you have any questions about the role.
Submit your CV and a cover letter outlining your vision for BATS Theatre to [email protected]
Applications close 21 January 2025.
