Head of Lighting
Head of Lighting
Salary: £54,652.21 per annum
Hours: Full time (37.5 hours)
Contract: Permanent
The Role:
Lead RADA’s Lighting Department and inspire the next generation.
We seek for an experienced stage lighting professional to share in the training of our technical theatre students through nurturing, dynamic and inspiring leadership of the Lighting Department.
The role is primarily focussed on the mentoring and monitoring of the development of our TTA students, giving regular assessments and feedback. The Head of Lighting oversees the organisation, management and upkeep of the infrastructure, physical assets and software that makes up the department.
A specialist whose expertise bridges lighting design, programming and production electrics, the post holder will foster success in trainees, aiming to deliver the highest quality contribution to RADA’s public productions, projects and showings.
RADA runs a two-year FdA course in Technical Theatre Arts and Stage Management, with an optional subsequent completion year to progress the award to a BA. We also train a small number of postgraduates on our MA in Performance Lighting Design. Teaching is distributed across all years.
Much of the tuition takes the form of mentoring the students as they work on public productions in our three theatres, with this taking place from the start of the course.
The role requires a committed, self-motivated person who works well in a team and can lead diplomatically, confidently and with care and attention to furthering RADA’s goals of creating dedicated, confident and skilled professionals.
Please see Job description for a full breakdown of duties.
The Team:
The Lighting Department consists of the Head of Lighting, Deputy Head of Lighting and regular freelance lighting designers, as well as a team of four regular associate tutors. The team liaise with other technical departments and are accountable to the Director of Technical Theatre Arts.
We are very interested in hearing from Black, Asian, and Global Majority candidates as well as candidates who identify as disabled. RADA is embarking on a journey to become an anti-racist institution and is committed to supporting candidates in their positions, ensuring that the workplace is safe and inclusive for all. If you require any support to be able to take part in the interview process, please let us know when you apply, and we will ensure our interview process is accessible for you.
About us:
Founded in 1904, RADA has an unparalleled record of success in training some of the world’s most renowned actors and technical specialists. Ours is an impressive history on which we are building an innovative future. RADA training is not only informed by the industry but also produces graduates who take their place at the vanguard of their profession working at the cutting edge of the dramatic arts. We have an ambitious strategy to encourage students from all circumstances and backgrounds to come to RADA.
We aim to be fair and equitable and enable dialogue in a world of rapidly changing demographics and evolving definitions of identity. Through our approach to teaching, learning and wider social engagement we foreground equitable and sustainable practice in a way that sets high standards and feeds expectations for fair and considerate behaviour both in RADA and beyond. Our access and participation programme aims to remove any barriers that students from underrepresented groups may encounter so they are able to access and succeed on our courses, and progress into the industry.
This is an exciting time to join us. We are developing a new vision and strategy for RADA, building on its existing successes to redefine training in the dramatic arts for the 21st century, focusing on key themes of training and student experience, growth, industry, and international dialogue and engagement.
In addition to our aims for our vocational training, we are working from our foundational strengths to grow our income streams through life-changing work, aligned with our core pedagogy and ethos. We aim to co-create with industry and other stakeholders to build on our reputation as a centre of excellence and innovation in our field.
Equity, diversity and inclusion:
We are very interested in hearing from Black, Asian, and Global Majority candidates as well as candidates who identify as D/deaf or disabled, who are under-represented at this level at RADA.
We are taking positive action by guaranteeing progress directly to the second interview stage of the process, to any applicant who self-identifies as being from a Black, Asian or Global Majority background, and/or who self-identifies as D/deaf or disabled, and has professional experience in a leadership role, either at a Conservatoire, in Higher education or in industry.
How to apply
1) send your updated CV and covering letter to hrapplications@rada.ac.uk
2) complete our equal opportunities monitoring form.
Your covering letter should show us how you meet the criteria for the role using evidence from your previous experience. Successful applicants will be shortlisted and invited for the interview
Closing date: 12 noon, Wednesday 18 February 2026
Interview date: Friday, 27 February 2026
If you have any questions please contact:
Vlada Ursachi
HR Administrator
hrapplications@rada.ac.uk
+44 (0)20 7908 4895
The Royal Academy of Dramatic Art is dedicated to Equal Opportunities in employment and seeks to achieve diversity amongst its staff to reflect the community it serves.