RECRUITMENT PACK CHRISTMAS DAY PROJECT PRODUCER

It’s an exciting time to get involved at Jacksons Lane. The newly refurbished building offers ever more opportunities for performers, audiences and our local community in Highgate, Haringey and beyond. We have an array of international circus partnerships and daring emerging artists ready to dangle from the rafters. Our participation programme reaches all ages across Haringey and beyond. We are particularly proud of our work with older adults, including a fifty-year tradition of hosting a Christmas day feast for those alone or in need. We are a much-loved hub in Haringey, with a strong partnership with the Council, and home to community groups, celebrations and local artists. We are keen to strengthen the connections between our artistic programming and our equally important outreach work in the community. Executive Director Hannah Cox has recently been joined by Angus MacKechnie as Creative Director, forming a dynamic new partnership to lead Jacksons Lane to a sustainable and exciting future.

Archive work revealed that circus has long been part of Jacksons Lane, and we now have established an international reputation which we are keen to maintain and strengthen. As a National Portfolio Organisation of Arts Council England, we are a leader in contemporary circus, offering artist development, high quality performance and engagement, all underpinned by a commitment to accessibility. We are proud of an eclectic programme, balancing creative and commercial circus and other art forms, including a popular programme of theatre for young people.

We manage a thriving building and venue which allows us to balance our own offer with external hires for everything from Strictly Come Dancing rehearsals to weddings and other celebrations.

As we look to the next fifty years, the ethos of the founders is as relevant as ever: fostering creativity, connection and confidence, particularly for disadvantaged communities, through access to contemporary circus and the Arts.

We welcome applications from people from all places and backgrounds. We hope you will join us on our journey.

Beth Chaudhary

Chair of Board of Trustees

Highgate Wesleyan Methodist church originally opened in 1905, and served it’s local area for many years, but by the early 1970s had closed and remained unoccupied. At the beginning of the 70s, a group of local residents shared a vision for the building to become a new central hub for the local area, and after several years of campaigning were granted a lease by the council.

Jacksons Lane opened to the public in 1975 with a varied programme of performances, classes and social activities for the local community, all led by a committed group of volunteers.

Not long after the opening, plans emerged to widen Archway Road. Activists once again came together and campaigned to save the building. Thankfully they succeeded and the building was given a Grade II listed status with Archway road also developed into a preservation area.

The venue continued to expand and grow, and in the 1980s work was carried out to create the new theatre auditorium. New rehearsal studios were also created and the venue hosted a wide range of activities including circus, comedy, drama, dance, music and even hosted one of the UKs first ever disability arts festival; Xposure.

Jump ahead to 2020, and another major refurbishment brought renewed life to the building. The project reimagined the layout of the entire venue to create a more accessible and futureproofed space with the facilities to see Jacksons Lane serving it’s community long into the future.

Nowadays, Jacksons Lane is a vital hub within Haringey and north London. We are open seven days a week for all those who need us and our foyer and café space has become a real meeting place for our local community. In the winter months we act as a warm welcome space, and have initiatives such as our wall of kindness to support those struggling with the cost of living crisis.

We present a programme of contemporary circus performance, and family theatre with audiences coming from across the UK. We work hard to also bring international work to our audiences, showcasing the talents of people from across the globe. By supporting developing artists with our artist residency and transmission programs we are nurturing the next generation of artists.

Community work has always been a key part of Jacksons Lane, ever since the beginning. We now lead a range of different activities including Jacksons Lane Youth Circus which we take to those from lower economic backgrounds across Haringey and Barnet, as well as a range of activities for older adults to increase confidence and reduce social isolation. The pinnacle of which is our Christmas Day project which began 50 years ago thanks to our founders.

The most recent redevelopment of the building has also given us fantastic facilities which we have available to hire for people to lead their own activities, workshops and celebrations. From photo and film shoots, to weddings, bar mitzvahs and everything in between we see it all. We even have a lightsaber club!

In January 2025 we launched a year of celebrations to commemorate our 50th anniversary. With a grant from National Lottery Heritage Fund and other generous supporters we have been to reflect on our past and champion our future with our community. As we come to the end of 2025 we are excited to embark on the next 50 years of Jacksons Lane working with and for our local, national and international communities the future is exciting.

With support from multiple embassies across the globe we are able to continue to showcase the best in contemporary circus from around the world and want to continue to grow our international relationships and reputation. We have an established reputation for artist development and for supporting new and emerging creative artists.

Environmental sustainability has always been a key drive for our work, and was a key focus for our founder Nicky Gavron. We are working towards becoming a more sustainable and environmentally friendly organisation in all aspects of our work.

Our venue is fast becoming a go to destination for Londoners to hirer for celebrations, activities and rehearsals year round and we are investing in this area to ensure we can continue to grow and develop to our full potential.

Working FOR Jacksons Lane

Working for Jacksons Lane is vibrant and exciting, with our work stretching across London as well as throughout the UK and internationally. Our small team is made up of a group of highly passionate and enthusiastic people, focused on making a real difference to those individuals that we work with. By recognising the strengths and unique qualities of each member of the team, we work with a generosity of spirit and a respect for each other, acknowledging that we are working towards the same goals and that it is only through a unified approach that we are able to achieve excellence in our work.

We also make sure to maintain a supportive ethos at Jacksons Lane that makes working here both enjoyable and exciting. We work with a variety of different organisations to support our staff.

• We have a private employee assistance programme who provide confidential and independent support when needed.

• We work with PIPA (Parent in Performing Arts) to ensure we are offering the best support to families who work for the organisation.

• We have an Enhanced Parental Leave policy, which is one the best examples across arts venues in the UK.

• We have a flexible working policy, allowing team members to work remotely when required and appropriate within their role. However we also meet regularly as a full team in person, to ensure that all members of the team feel connected and supported.

• We provide training including Disability Confidence, Trans Awareness, Anti-Racism, Unconscious Bias, and have action plans to support these areas of our work.

• We also offer free and discounted tickets to our productions in the venue, as well as discounts at our café bar and discounts on studio hire for personal use.

Job Description

Reports to: Head of Creative Engagement

Key relationships: Executive Director, General Manager, Community Engagement Manager, FOH Manager.

Responsible for: Christmas Day Volunteers

Contract period: Up to 48 days from 1st October 2026 to January 2027. This position requires working on Christmas Day. This position is entirely office based, with the occasional day working from home.

Fee: Up to £7,680

Address: Jacksons Lane, 269A Archway Road, N6 5AA

MAIN PURPOSE AND SCOPE OF THE JOB

The main purpose of this role is to produce Jacksons Lane’s Christmas Day project, ensuring the smooth planning, coordination and delivery to the highest standards of both the in-person event and associated delivery activity. Each year, we throw open our doors on 25th December for older and disabled people in the area who would otherwise be spending Christmas Day alone. Guests arrive through the generosity of volunteer drivers and enjoy a hot Christmas meal, a drink or two, some fantastic entertainment, gifts, and a visit from Santa.

Christmas Day has been held at Jacksons Lane for over 50 years - historically run entirely by a team of external volunteers. For many, helping out here has become as much of a tradition in their families as stockings, carols and cold turkey sandwiches on Boxing Day. Since the pandemic we have also been operating a delivery service alongside our popular in person event.

This year we will host up to 110 older adults in person at Jacksons Lane and deliver Christmas goodie bags to a further 100+ older adults. We will do this supported by a team of around 100 volunteers.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE ROLE

• To work collaboratively with the Christmas Day team at Jacksons Lane to plan, coordinate and deliver a successful Christmas Day project.

• To act as event producer for the Christmas Day in-person event at Jacksons Lane, overseeing delivery across the venue and guest experience.

• To coordinate the delivery service, including drivers, route planning and the organisation of Christmas goodie bags.

• To support data collection and evaluation to demonstrate project impact to partners and funders.

VOLUNTEER RECRUITMENT AND MANAGEMENT

• To recruit, train and support volunteers across all aspects of the project, both in advance and on the day.

• To ensure all volunteers are briefed on building processes and health and safety procedures.

• To act as the main point of contact for volunteer enquiries and recruitment.

• To build on and maintain Jacksons Lane’s existing relationships with volunteers associated with the event.

• To organise and facilitate volunteer meetings, rotas and schedules.

ADMINISTRATION & SCHEDULING

• To manage Christmas Day project administration, including scheduling and key communications.

• To store and manage volunteers’ personal data in line with Jacksons Lane’s Data Protection Policy.

• To maintain secure, up-to-date volunteer databases, including contact details, DBS information and dietary requirements, so they can be used in an emergency.

• To coordinate all guest travel to the event on the day, including accessible transport options and recruiting and scheduling volunteer drivers.

• To coordinate delivery of Christmas goodie bags to 100+ older adults across Haringey in the week leading to Christmas and map routes in advance.

• To produce and manage the in-person event, supporting guests, volunteers and the event team.

VENUE

• To ensure all necessary arrangements are in place for the delivery service, including booking and setting up spaces for goodie bag assembly and pick-up, and ensuring all spaces are clean and tidy after the event.

• To receive building and health and safety training in advance of the event.

• To work with the General Manager and event team to ensure high-quality, accessible and safe delivery, informed by Jacksons Lane’s Vulnerable Adults Safeguarding and Health and Safety policies, and to ensure all necessary risk assessments and procedures are in place.

• To liaise with FOH staff and the Duty Manager responsible for the building on the day.

GENERAL

• To lead monitoring and evaluation of the project, in relation

• To ensure relevant safeguarding procedures are in place to support a positive experience for all guests and older adults involved in the project.

• To promote the Christmas Day project to the wider Haringey and North London community, engaging older people and local community groups to participate in and support the project.

• To ensure older people’s interests are at the heart of the project and its outcomes.

• To create partnerships with local community organisations and housing associations to support participants engagement beyond Christmas Day.

• To work closely with the marketing and development teams to actively develop and promote fundraising initiatives related to Christmas Day.

• To research and activate new business partnerships for the event.

• To ensure the intentions and requirements of Jacksons Lane’s Equality and Diversity Policy are applied.

• To act as spokesperson for Jacksons Lane when needed in community-based dealings with the media.

JACKSONS LANE Person Specification

ESSENTIAL SKILLS

• Excellent project coordination and event production skills, with the ability to plan, schedule and deliver activity involving multiple people, tasks and deadlines.

• Strong organisational skills, with the ability to manage rotas, records, databases, communications and practical logistics accurately.

• Confident communication skills, including the ability to brief, support and motivate volunteers, staff, partners and community contacts.

• Good problem-solving skills and the ability to stay calm, practical and responsive in a busy live event environment.

• Good attention to detail, particularly in relation to safeguarding, data protection, accessibility, health and safety and volunteer information.

• Competent IT skills, including the ability to use spreadsheets, shared documents, email and databases to manage project information.

ESSENTIAL EXPERIENCE

• Experience of producing, coordinating or delivering events, community projects,

participation programmes or similar public-facing activity.

• Experience of recruiting, coordinating, supporting or supervising volunteers or casual teams.

• Experience of working with a range of people and stakeholders, including staff teams, volunteers, community organisations and members of the public.

• Experience of managing practical logistics, such as transport, deliveries, room set-ups, schedules, briefings or on-the-day coordination.

• Experience of working within safeguarding, health and safety, equality, diversity and inclusion, or data protection procedures.

• Experience of working with or supporting older people, disabled people or community groups would be an advantage.

PERSONAL ATTRIBUTES

• Warm, inclusive and people-focused, with a genuine commitment to creating a welcoming experience for older and disabled people.

• Calm under pressure, practical and solutions-focused, particularly when dealing with last-minute changes or competing priorities.

• Collaborative and confident working as part of a wider team, while also able to take initiative and make decisions when needed.

• Reliable, organised and proactive, with a strong sense of responsibility for delivering high-quality work.

• Sensitive, respectful and discreet when handling personal information or supporting people who may be vulnerable or isolated.

• Committed to Jacksons Lane’s values around inclusion, access, community, creativity and care.

JACKSONS LANE

Application Details

Jacksons Lane has a strong commitment to increasing the diversity of our staff. With this in mind, all candidates who indicate on the equal opportunities monitoring form that they are from an ethnically or culturally diverse background and/or are disabled and/or identify as LGBTQI+, and who meet the Essential Criteria of the Person Specification will be guaranteed an interview.

We are a PiPA (Parents and Carers in Performing Arts) charter partner. PiPA enables and empowers parents, carers and employers to achieve sustainable change in attitudes and practices in order to attract, support and retain a more diverse and flexible workforce. We are always happy to discuss solutions that allow people to balance their caring responsibilities with their working lives, for example through job shares or flexible working arrangements. We also have a children in the workplace policy to support parents and carers and offer and enhanced adoption, maternity and paternity leave policy.

To apply for the role please send a copy of your CV and a detailed covering letter (no more than 1000 words in size 12 font) or video/audio file (no more than 8 minutes in length) to recruitment@jacksonslane.org.uk, including your full name and 'Christmas Day Project Producer' in the subject line of the email. Should you wish to submit your application in another way please get in touch. We would also appreciate it if you could complete an Equal Opportunities form and include this with your application so that we can continue to monitor and increase the accessibility of our recruitment process. This form is available on our website, alongside this recruitment pack and includes our Equality & Diversity Statement.

If you wish to discuss the role before you apply, we are happy to offer an informal 1:1 chat with a
member of our team. To arrange an informal chat please email
recruitment@jacksonslane.org.uk

Application deadline

10am Tuesday 11 August 2026

Interviews

Week commencing 17 August 2026

We will respond to all applicants, after the closing date regardless of the outcome. First round interviews will be held online and second round interviews in-person at Jacksons Lane. Should you have any specific requirements for the interview process, please get in touch.