Costume Buyer (NT Traineeship)

We are looking for  a  Costume Buyer (NT Traineeship) to join the National Theatre's Production Costume team

The Costume Buyer (Traineeship) will primarily work alongside the team gaining valuable experience through assisting and shadowing them in all aspects of their duties over the year. We hope that this can be tailored to the individual to provide a more personal experience, and to give them with an excellent ground to further develop a career within the industry. Throughout the entirety of the contract we will offer support and guidance for the more intangible aspects of the job, such as time management, facing new challenges and dealing with difficult scenarios.

You will receive regular one-to-ones with your line manager ( NT Costume Supervisor) to guide you through this and check progress. You will be provided with detailed feedback and targets to help you succeed.

The position will allow the trainee the opportunity to build their supplier contacts along with the chance to develop their skills and increase their knowledge and experience within a busy costume department.

The aim is that, after the year, the trainee will be able to go forward independently into the industry with enhanced skills and experience towards a future career in costume buying/assisting and supervising for theatre, film or TV.

What is involved?

The role is based at the National Theatre, Southbank, London with training given by the experienced employees of the Costume team. The position lasts for 12 months and is a full-time 40 hours per week, Monday to Friday traineeship.

The successful candidates will have the following:

• Recent experience of working within a costume or related environment.
• A strong desire to pursue a career in Costume Buying and Costume Supervising.
• Good textile and footwear knowledge along with a general interest and appreciation of costume history and contemporary trends.
• interest and appreciation of costume history and contemporary trends.
• Demonstration of good IT and finance Skills (primarily Word & Excel) with excellent organisational skills.
• Basic sewing skills and knowledge of costume construction are an advantage.

If that sounds like you, then we would love to hear from you!

We want to understand each candidates skills, experience, and perspectives, so we encourage you to complete your application using your own words. While generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) can be a useful tool for exploring ideas or structuring responses, applications that rely heavily on AI-generated content can appear generic and make it difficult for us to assess your individual experience.

If you choose to use AI during the application process, please use it only as a tool to help draft and structure your ideas, check your spelling and grammar, and guide your writing, while ensuring the personal experiences are entirely your own words. Responses that do not demonstrate your own voice may affect how your application is assessed and could result in it not being progressed

Working with us will give you..

• Complimentary staff tickets for shows and guided tours, subject to availability and policy
• 25 days annual leave increasing up to 32 with length of service (plus bank holidays)
• Development Programmes via e-learning platform, and specialist in-person training relating to role
• Access to interest-free season ticket loan and cycle scheme partnership
• Enhanced sick pay
• Family Friendly policies including Family leave and Support leave
• Family-friendly employer – we are a member of Parents and Carers in the Performing Arts (PiPA)
• Pension schemes with Legal & General and NEST
• Sabbatical option, subject to agreement and policy
• On-site staff canteen and social facilities
• On-site occupational health support
• In-house mental health and wellbeing advisors providing workplace counselling and support
• Wellbeing programme of events, including mental health awareness, financial wellbeing, skills sharing and opportunities to get active
• Exclusive staff talks to hear more about NT productions, past and present, from leading practitioners
• Discounted access to National Theatre at Home
• Volunteer leave – one paid day per year to volunteer for your chosen charity
• Discounts in the NT’s bars, cafés, restaurants, and bookshop, as well as in local businesses (from Wagamama to gyms), on and around the South Bank
• Access to retailer discounted gift cards and a cash-back-on-spending card

Please note

The closing date for the receipt of a completed application is Thursday 30 July 2026 at 12 noon

We reserve the right to close this vacancy early if we receive a sufficient number of applications. To avoid disappointment, we encourage you to submit your application at the earliest opportunity. Should you need support or additional time to submit an application please contact recruitment@nationaltheatre.org.uk.

In line with our commitment to Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI), we recognise that we need to address underrepresentation in our organisation. We actively welcome applications from individuals who are part of global majority, disabled and LGBTQ+ communities, and are committed to creating an environment where everyone can thrive.

We strive to promote inclusive and equitable practices in all areas of the NT. As a Disability Confident Employer, we guarantee to interview disabled applicants who meet our minimum requirements for our vacancies.

If you would like to speak to someone about any adjustments or have any questions about the recruitment process, you can email recruitment@nationaltheatre.org.uk or call us on 02074523834.