Props and Creative Manager

Are you bursting with creative ideas, brilliant at bringing them to life, and just as comfortable leading a team as you are picking up a paintbrush, sourcing the perfect prop or transforming a space?

Audley End Enchanted Railway is looking for a talented and hands\-on Props \& Creative Manager to lead our Creative Team and help create the magical environments, characters and experiences that make a visit to the Railway so memorable.

This is a varied, practical and imaginative role. From developing concepts for our seasonal events and designing props and sets, to sourcing decorations, overseeing costumes and making sure every area looks fantastic before the gates open.

The Role

Reporting to the Head of Creative, you will take responsibility for the day\-to\-day management and delivery of our creative operation.

You’ll lead and organise the Creative Team, setting priorities, allocating work and ensuring projects are delivered to a high standard and on time. You’ll need to be a supportive and practical manager who is happy to work alongside the team and get stuck in when required.

A major part of the role will be taking creative concepts from an initial idea through to the finished experience. You’ll help design and develop props, sets, signage, decorations and interactive elements for our events, while balancing creativity with practical considerations including budgets, durability, storage, safety and operational requirements.

Responsibilities

• Leading the Creative Team – managing workloads, setting daily and project priorities, supporting and developing team members and ensuring consistently high standards of work.


• Designing and creating – developing and making props, scenery, signage, decorations and other creative elements for our seasonal events and attractions.


• Sourcing props and materials – researching and purchasing props, decorations, fabrics, craft materials and other creative supplies, building strong supplier relationships and identifying new products and ideas.


• Managing costumes – outsourcing our costumes, overseeing briefs, designs, timelines and budgets and ensuring costumes are practical, appropriate for our characters and performances, and delivered to the required standard.


• Supporting event development – contributing ideas for shows, performances, characters, activities and customer experiences, and working with the Performance Supervisor to ensure sets and environments complement scripts and performances.


• Maintaining standards – ensuring decorations, props and creative installations remain looking their best throughout each event and season.


• Managing stock and storage – maintaining appropriate stock levels for arts and crafts and creative supplies and ensuring props, costumes and decorations are properly recorded, photographed, packed, stored and maintained between events.


• Managing budgets – keeping projects within agreed budgets and finding practical solutions that deliver maximum visual impact.


• Planning ahead – creating clear installation, opening, closing and track\-walk documentation so operational teams know how creative elements should be set up, switched on, checked and put away.


• Finding inspiration – researching new ideas, suppliers and trends and attending relevant trade shows to source props, costumes, materials and inspiration.

You will ideally have:

• Experience managing or supervising a creative, production, events, props, theatre, visual merchandising or similar team.


• Strong practical creative skills and experience designing, making, adapting or installing props, sets, displays or decorations.


• Experience sourcing materials, props and creative products while working to a budget.


• The confidence to brief and manage freelancers and external suppliers, including costume designers and makers.


• Excellent organisation and project\-management skills, with the ability to manage multiple deadlines.


• A strong eye for detail and high standards of presentation.


• Good written and verbal communication skills.


• Confidence using standard computer packages for documents, correspondence and project administration.


• A practical, flexible attitude and willingness to work hands\-on alongside the team.


• An understanding of the importance of Health \& Safety and risk assessments within a busy visitor attraction.


• Experience within visitor attractions, theatre, events, entertainment, immersive experiences, visual merchandising or a similar creative environment would be particularly useful.

Pay: £32,000\.00\-£35,000\.00 per year

Work Location: In person

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