Principal and Chief Executive

Salary: competitive
Contract type: permanent

The Role:

For over 120 years, the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art has been at the forefront of world‑leading conservatoire training, shaping generations of artists who define theatre, film and television globally. We remain committed to being world class in all that we do. At a pivotal moment in RADA’s evolution, we are now seeking an exceptional Principal and Chief Executive to lead the Academy confidently into its next chapter.This is a rare opportunity to steward one of the UK’s most respected cultural institutions, balancing deep respect for RADA’s craft‑based heritage with the vision and leadership required to ensure continued relevance, sustainability and impact within a rapidly changing creative and higher‑education landscape.The Principal and CEO combines academic and artistic leadership with executive accountability. Working in close partnership with the Chair and Council, you will lead RADA’s educational mission and artistic identity, while also providing strategic, financial and organisational leadership across the Academy and its commercial and philanthropic activities.We are seeking a leader of credibility, empathy and ambition, with senior executive experience gained within higher education, the creative or cultural sectors, or a closely aligned mission‑led environment. You will bring strong commercial and financial acumen, experience of working effectively with a governing board in a regulated context, and a genuine commitment to equity, inclusion and wellbeing. Above all, you will value people, partnership and purpose, leading change with care and clarity.RADA is committed to inclusive leadership and welcomes applications from candidates who are currently under‑represented at this level, including Black, Asian and Global Majority candidates, and D/deaf and disabled candidates.

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.

Applications are made here

How to apply

For a full application, we will need three elements:

A curriculum vitae (no more than three pages).
A structured application statement (no more than two pages) addressing the role profile and person specification.
A short video - using the link provided record a short video of up to three minutes in duration responding to the following:

Why do you wish to become RADA’s next Principal & CEO and what would you bring to the role?
Outline who you are as a leader and what you are most proud of in your career

Recruitment Timetable

Closing Date for Applications
Friday 5 June 2026, 9am

Preliminary Interviews with GatenbySanderson (Virtual)
w/c Monday 22 June 2026

Assessments, Due Diligence & Final Panel Process
w/c Monday 6 July 2026 & w/c Monday 13 July 2026