MERCURY

Finance Officer

Welcome from the Chief Executive

Thank you for your interest in the Mercury in Colchester and the role of Finance Officer.

As one of the most ambitious producing houses in the East, we pride ourselves on the highquality, relevant and inclusive nature of all of our work. We have an ambitious programme of activities with our local community, schools and creative talent in the region.

We are looking for a Finance Officer to join the team for between 18.75 to 22.5 hours per week. The successful candidate will have experience of sales and purchase ledger processes. This is an opportunity to use your existing skills in a fast-paced setting. The finance department interacts with every department at the theatre. The work will always be varied!

In this pack you will find:

• Background information on the Mercury Theatre, Colchester

• Job description and person specification

Information about how to apply.

Further information about the Mercury can be found on www.mercurytheatre.co.uk .

We recognise that these are challenging times for theatre, but we are committed to maintaining and building our audience, delivering artistic excellence, and growing the Mercury’s reputation as a launchpad for talent and innovation in the East of England and on tour across the UK.

We look forward to receiving your application.

Steve Mannix

Chief Executive

Introduction

The Mercury Theatre, designed by Norman Downie, was opened on 10th May in 1972. Since its foundation the Mercury has become one of the main centres of artistic excellence in the East of England, having built a large and diverse audience for its critically acclaimed programme of drama, musical theatre, family theatre and dance at home and on tour.

The Mercury reopened in June 2021 following capital investment of £14.2m with state-of-the-art facilities including a 532-seat theatre, a 98-seat studio, full on-site workshop and wardrobe facilities, rehearsal rooms, dance studio, dedicated creative learning space and a fully renovated café bar and front of house.

With an annual turnover of over £5m, the Mercury is a significant local employer and a major driver of Colchester’s creative economy. The theatre plays a key leadership and strategic role in the cultural life of Essex and the wider geographical area of East Anglia. It is the only full-time producing venue in Essex and one of only three in the eastern region.

In the recently nominated City of Colchester, we are a placemaking organisation for Essex. We seek to connect with and support artists, freelancers, performers and industry professionals across the region to ensure our work remains as accessible and inclusive as possible, reaching as many people as we can.

Mission

The Mercury creates and shares stories that are exhilarating, revelatory and relevant. Through the reinvention of classic texts and the creation of bold, new writing, we believe that the transformative power of theatre can enrich the lives of our community.

The Mercury is a significant regional developer of new talent, working with a range of partners across the arts, education and creative industries to deliver a studio programme and a learning, participation and professional development programme aimed at nurturing the next generation of theatre makers.

Everything we do is driven by our values of quality, innovation, diversity, and connection.

We are Colchester. We are for everyone.

Vision

Our vision is of the Mercury as a vibrant, welcoming artistic hub at the heart of the cultural life of Colchester and Essex; a place where the diverse communities of the city and its surrounding region can come together to experience exceptional live theatre and a rich programme of other performing arts; a place where anyone, regardless of background, can get involved with our creative processes and start to realise their own creative potential.

Our vision is of the Mercury as a strategically important part of the national theatre ecology and the wider creative sector, providing an important regional pipeline for creative and technical talent and contributing to the range and quality of middle-scale touring theatre, with a particular focus on drama and work for children and families.

Mercury Governance and Staffing

The Mercury is a registered charity and operates a group of limited companies. As such, we are overseen by a non-executive Board of Directors of 14 people which is chaired by Mark Hoult-Allen. The Board delegate day-to-day management of the theatre to Steve Mannix, the Chief Executive Officer, supported by the senior management team. We have a talented and dedicated team of around 70 full-time equivalent staff, and we employ numerous freelance artists, practitioners and casual staff.

Finance

The Mercury Theatre is a charitable, non-profit organisation that exists for the benefit of the local community. The finance department works across all areas of the organisation, ensuring that all finance aspects of the Mercury’s activities are recorded and paid in a timely and efficient manner.

Our activities include our own productions in the theatre and studio alongside performances that visit Colchester as part of their tours. We also run a café bar where we serve a wide selection of cakes, pastries, snacks and light meals, alongside a range of teas, coffees, soft drinks and alcoholic beverages. Alongside this we hire available spaces to community and commercial organisations for celebrations, conferences, meetings and showcases.

Throughout, we strive to offer a warm friendly welcome to everyone – whether they are coming in to book tickets, watch a show or visiting the town, our accessible café bar caters for all.

Job Description

Job Title	Finance Officer
Department	Finance
Responsible to	Finance Manager
Key working relationships	Finance Director
	Chief Executive
	Senior Management Team
	Senior Producer
	Head of Creative Engagement Head of Customer Experience

Purpose of the Post

The Finance Officer will assist in the smooth running of the finance department of the Mercury.

Main Duties

To be responsible for:

the accurate and timely usage of all finance systems - inputting data into PS Financials, cash handling, bank reconciliations

Maintenance of purchase and sales ledger transactions.

Responsibilities

work with the Finance Manager to ensure that all finance systems and spreadsheets are maintained, accurate and kept up to date,

• take responsibility for the daily inputting of accurate financial data on to PS Financials,

• ensure creative team and show related invoices are paid on time and as contracted,

• liaise with the Head of Creative Engagement on the monthly allocation of activity fees,

ensure monthly box office reconciliations are recorded,

• take responsibility for petty cash disbursements and reconciliation,

• ensure daily bank reconciliation is carried out and recorded,

• maintain the paperless filing system for all financial documents,

• take responsibility for BACS payments and credit card reconciliations,

• assist with accurate cash handling, float reconciliation and daily banking when required,

• carry out routine accounting tasks and provide support to the Finance Director.

• respond to correspondence on behalf of the Finance Department as necessary,

• assist with processing weekly and monthly payroll as required,

General duties

• be fully informed of all of the Mercury's products, services and facilities,

maintain an excellent working knowledge of the Mercury’s wider artistic programme, including its commercial activities, Creative Engagement and talent development activities.

• participate actively as a member of the Finance team,

• attend and contribute to staff meetings and/or training sessions,

maintain positive and effective relationships with colleagues across the organisation,

adhere to all Mercury policies including Safeguarding, Health and Safety and environmental policies,

• maximise income and minimise expenditure whilst ensuring high quality delivery,

deputise for other finance team members when necessary to ensure the effective and efficient delivery of all the team’s activities,

• undertake any further duties as may be reasonably requested.

This job description is a guide to the nature of the work required of this position. It is neither wholly comprehensive nor restrictive and does not preclude change or development that might be required in the future. It does not form part of the contract of employment.

Person Specification

Personal Qualities

Self-disciplined, organised and self-motivating

Ability to work in a team, contributing ideas, supporting other team members and taking on a lead role on projects as required,

• Adaptable and receptive to new ideas and initiatives

• Ability to work under pressure and manage competing deadlines,

Excellent interpersonal skills with an ability to listen, build rapport and communicate with people at all levels,

• A competent level of literacy and numeric skills

Excellent timekeeping

• Flexibility with regards to working hours

Professional Competencies

Essential

• Knowledge and experience of accountancy routines

• Experience of working with leading finance packages eg PSF/Iris, Sage, Quickbooks

Experience of bank and cash reconciliation

• Excellent IT literacy with knowledge of Microsoft Office (particularly Excel)

• Absolute trustworthiness in relation to the handling of cash

• Accurate and thorough approach to tasks and workload

Strong administrative and organisational skills

Desirable

Experience of PS Financials and Sage Payroll

• Knowledge of Spektrix or other Box Office software

• Knowledge of Artifax software

• Relevant experience of working in a charity, regional theatre or arts environment

• Clean driving license

• A strong interest in the theatre and/or the arts

• Knowledge of Data Protection laws

Outline of Terms and Conditions

Salary: Hours:	£26,474 (pro rata) per annum 18.75 to 22.5 hours per week over 3 - 4 days. Additional hours may be necessary in order to fulfil the post's requirements for which Time
Annual Leave:	Off in Lieu is available. Annual leave entitlement is 20 days for each holiday year plus statutory Bank Holidays, pro rata. When you complete one year of service, your holiday entitlement will increase by one day and each year thereafter to a maximum of 25 days per annum pro rata.
Probationary Period: Notice Period:	5 months Two months by either party in writing after an initial probationary period during which time the notice period is one week by either party.
DBS Check: Pension:	A DBS check may be required. Colchester Mercury Theatre Ltd operates an auto enrolment pension scheme. Full details of the scheme are available from the Finance

Discount on drinks and meals in the Mercury’s bar including access to the discounted staff menu
The company offers an interest free season ticket loan
The company encourages attendance at performances with an allocation of tickets to employees (subject to availability and the Mercury’s ticket policy)
A discount on specific Creative Engagement activities.

How to apply

To apply for this post, please send:

A letter of no more than 2 sides of A4, explaining what attracts you to this position, and evidence of your ability to meet the job description and person specification.

• Your CV.

Names and contact details for two employment/professional referees, one of which must be your current/most recent employer. We will not take up references until an offer has been made.

Applications should be submitted via Staffology: here by 10:00am on Monday, 8th June 2026.
Interviews will take place on Thursday, 18 June 2026.

The Mercury Theatre is an equal opportunities employer and actively promotes diversity in the staff team. We welcome applications from all suitably qualified persons regardless of their race, sex, disability, religion/belief, sexual orientation or age.

Please let us know if you need this information in a different format by contacting the recruitment team by phone on 01206 577006 or by email on: recruitment@mercurytheatre.co.uk