Box Office & Membership Operations Manager

Garsington Opera is seeking an efficient, highly organised Box Office & Membership Operations Manager with excellent communication skills. This is a great opportunity to join a small, energetic team with the chance to be involved in a variety of tasks at a senior level at a time of expansion and development for the organisation.

SPECIFICATION Post: Box Office & Membership Operations Manager Reporting to: Director of Membership and Communications Salary: £30k-£35k depending on experience

BACKGROUND Garsington Opera runs a prestigious Opera Festival in the months of June and July each year at its spectacular Opera Pavilion on the Getty family’s beautiful estate at Wormsley, near Stokenchurch. Garsington Opera’s transformational Arts Hub facility is in the process of being built, bringing together all aspects of Garsington Opera’s operation, opening in 2023.

Garsington Opera sells over 80% of its tickets to Garsington members and supporters, and the remainder to its mailing list and general public. There are around 35 opera performances each season, with 600 seats in the auditorium. In addition, there are dress rehearsals for which tickets are allocated to local residents, the company and staff, pre- performance talks and Insight Talks prior to the season.

Our office hours are 9.30 - 5.30, Monday–Friday in the opera offices in Great Milton, except during the opera season when hours/days are extended and include evenings and weekends on site at Wormsley as well as occasional events in Oxford and London. Due to Covid-19 the office team will be working in a flexible hybrid home/office pattern for a while. The office will move to Wormsley in 2023 once the Arts Hub is complete.

JOB DESCRIPTION This is a full-time key appointment, reporting to the Director of Membership and Communications, with managerial responsibility for the Box Office team. The successful candidate will be required to regularly report to the Senior Management Team and the Board of Directors, to guide decision making for the charity and to help steer its growth.

The post-holder will manage the day-to-day running of all aspects of the busy Box Office and will ensure that the highest possible levels of customer service are met along with the needs of Garsington Opera’s loyal members.

Garsington Opera The Old Garage The Green Great Milton Oxford OX44 7NP • [email protected] 01865 368201 • 01865 361636 • www.garsingtonopera.org Founder Leonard Ingrams OBE • President Rosalind Ingrams • Chairman Bernard Taylor CBE DL • Artistic Director Douglas Boyd • Executive Director Nicola Creed Directors Miranda Curtis CMG (Deputy Chair) • Dr John Drysdale • Professor Jonathan Freeman-Attwood CBE Nigel Higgins • Catherine Ingrams • Neil King QC • Iain Mackinnon • Lady Marks • David Suratgar Garsington Opera Ltd registered in England no. 2567390 • Charitable registration no. 1003042 • VAT no. 225 1900 38

RESPONSIBILITIES INCLUDE • Maintaining all aspects of the tessitura database including introduction of updates and add-ons as required. • Building an industry wide network to ensure that Garsington Opera is always up-to- date with its best practices. • Managing Box Office staff. • Allocation of seats to members and ticket sales, including on-line sales, holds/comps and sponsors. • Allocation of Dress Rehearsal tickets. • Processing ticket sales: from receiving booking requests to taking payments and sending out ticket packs. • Reconciling ticket sales and other takings. • Administration of picnic tent bookings. • Operation of an in-person box office on performance days on a rota basis. • Keeping all necessary records, including the Box Office Tessitura database, up to date. • Management of all aspects of Garsington Opera’s Gift Aid processes, ensuring compliance and accurate records are kept. • Involvement in Senior Management Team meetings, when required. • Providing reports for the Board of Directors. • Maintaining and updating internal Policies including GDPR and IT Security. • Managing Hardware for the shop and programme sellers including POS and card machines. • In conjunction with other departments ensure marketing is accurate and relevant and facilitate segmentation of mailings as required. • Other tasks which might reasonably be requested from time to time.

ESSENTIAL • Significant knowledge of Tessitura, ideally with previous experience on this or another similar database. • Previous administrative experience, preferably in the arts. • Excellent administration, computer and Microsoft Excel skills. • Excellent written communication skills. • Excellent telephone manner, diplomacy and confidence in liaising with people. • Ability to work independently and as part of a team. • Excellent time management, with ability to multitask, balancing and prioritising workload. • A keen eye for detail. • A high level of numeracy. • Able to work flexible hours including some evenings and weekends as appropriate. • Own transport essential.

DESIRABLE • A knowledge of and passion for music. • Previous experience in a customer facing role.

• Experience of working for a charity/membership organisation.

APPLICATION DETAILS

Deadline for Applications: 10am 1 September 2021 Interviews: w/c 13 September 2021

Please send a CV and covering letter of no more than one page outlining why you are interested in the position and your relevant experience to [email protected] by 10am on 1 September 2021.

13.08.2021