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Q. What is the difference between the scheme and an internship?

Our internships tend to be focussed on broad administration skills or specific technical roles, whereas this scheme is focussed on venue management and developing broad leadership skills. Our internship scheme is a highly regarded, successful programme in its own right and is not designed to lead on to the graduate scheme. You can find out more about our upcoming internship programmes, which are usually shorter than six months and based in our offices, here. The Management Training Scheme lasts for two years and is focussed specifically on leading towards senior venue management roles as the next step.

Both schemes include the opportunity to learn about the wide variety of work ATG does and the different roles available in the company but the resulting career paths are intended to be different. The internship is focussed on broad administrative skills that are relevant to all job roles, and at the end of the internship interns typically move on to junior roles in specialist ‘shared services’ departments or administrator roles in venues. Management trainees however must be focussed on theatre management and venue operations, but will learn about the different departments and functions so that they have a thorough understanding of how the business works as a whole. We think this will set trainees up well for senior venue management roles as these roles are ‘generalist’ and require you to have a good understanding of all elements of the business.

Q. What does ‘senior venue management’ mean?

Good question! These roles are about the overall management and oversight of a particular theatre. The roles we’re focussed on are ultimately responsible for a particular venue. The role will include management of a very varied team of people with different specialist skills, business planning and ensuring the theatre meets its financial and performance targets, developing new business and income streams and maintaining a positive reputation in the community, allocating resources effectively, contributing to programming decisions, taking responsibility for safety and risk management and the venue’s legal obligations, the training, support and development of your staff to ensure the theatre is run in the best way possible, always looking for ways to grow and improve. As you can see from the destinations of our previous trainees, usually we’d be looking for a trainee to progress to a deputy general management role or equivalent on completing the scheme but other roles may also be considered depending on the vacancies that arise at the end of your scheme.

Q. Why are there only two places?

Firstly, we felt it was important to have a small cohort so that we can ensure we offer the right level of support and resources for the trainees. Secondly, the scheme needs to be proportionate to the size of our company and the number of appropriate roles available in our business for trainees to progress to.

Finally, we aim to develop and recruit staff in a number of different ways, as this makes our business stronger; staff will come to management positions from a number of different routes, including working their way up through the company and moving to ATG after working elsewhere.

The scheme is not intended to be the only route into management roles in the company.

Q. Will I be guaranteed a job at the end of the scheme?

Successful applicants are offered a two year fixed term contract for the duration of the scheme, and a permanent contract isn’t guaranteed on starting. However, be reassured that we would certainly wish to retain anyone successfully completing the scheme.

Successful completion will mean you’ve worked hard, have demonstrated the qualities in our person specification and are suitably experienced and qualified to take a leading role in a venue. Our ideal candidate will be focussed on progressing to General Management roles in our venues, and beyond that to senior leadership or project roles, in venues or other business areas.

Although we know the kind of roles we’d like trainees to progress to, we can’t predict which roles will be available in two years as our business evolves very quickly! Therefore it’s not possible to guarantee exactly which role you’d be able to apply for.

Trainees will have support from their staff mentors to manage the next steps of their career.

Q. When would I start?

Trainees join the company in September. Recruitment for each intake usually takes place from January-April of the same year.

Q. What is the salary?

Graduate Trainees will be paid a competitive starting salary on a two-year fixed term contract, with a pay rise in the second year depending on performance.

Q. Where would I work?

ATG manages theatres up and down the UK, and has offices in central London and Woking. You could be working in any of them. The location of each placement will depend on current projects and where the best learning opportunity can be found. We are looking for people who are flexible about their work location and are excited by the chance to travel and experience the breadth of our UK operations; our ideal candidates will readily move home to chase the best opportunities. ATG offers a generous relocation package to enable this, for both existing and new employees.

If this could prevent you from applying, as a result of disability or caring responsibilities for example, please contact Cate Gordon on recruitment@theambassadors.com for further advice. 

Q. I already work for ATG, or I have completed an internship with the company. Does this exclude me from applying to the scheme?

If you fulfil the other characteristics in the person specification you are very welcome to apply. Whether or not you are an internal candidate does not score you additional points in the recruitment process.

Please note that our internships and this scheme are not intended to lead on to one another. They are separate routes into the company and are designed to lead to different kinds of role.

Q. I need a visa to work in the UK. Can ATG sponsor me?

No. ATG does not sponsor candidates. You must have the right to work in the UK in order to apply. We understand that Britain’s negotiations on leaving the EU cast some uncertainty on this matter; if you have eligibility to work in the UK under current rules you are eligible to apply.

Q. What is the recruitment process?

The recruitment process includes an application form, a telephone interview, an assessment day and a panel interview.

Each stage of the application process is assessed against the criteria set out in the person specification, by a team of staff from a range of ATG departments and roles. Application forms are marked by two independent members of staff and compared in order to make a shortlist to invite to the telephone interview stage.

The recruitment process is thorough and highly competitive for just two places; this shouldn’t put you off. If you are an ambitious person, passionate about commercial theatre management, learning new skills and taking on new challenges, then you should apply.

Q. How many applications do you receive?

We receive between 180 and 250 applications each year, equivalent to between 90 and 125 applications per place.

Unfortunately, as a result of the volume of applications we receive, we are unable to offer feedback on your application form if you are not invited to the assessment day, unless you already work for ATG.

Q. I want to work in theatre, but not in venue management. Where should I go?

There are many ways you can gain relevant experience or find relevant jobs in the industry.

At ATG you could:

We work closely with AKA, a leading marketing and advertising agency specialising in the arts and entertainment industries. You can find out more about careers with AKA including their graduate opportunities on their website.

For jobs and experience outside of ATG, you can find many opportunities on the following websites:

Q. Any other questions?

Email recruitment@theambassadors.com with your query!