Resident Director - New Work

We are looking for  a Resident Director to join the National Theatre's New Work team on a 6 Month Fixed Term Contract.  

This role is part of the NT’s development opportunities for early to mid-career directors and offers the opportunity to deepen and broaden the director’s knowledge of actors working in the UK today. The role is embedded within the New Work department and casts all workshops and play readings, dealing directly with actors, creatives and agents, and liaising closely with NT’s Casting Department. The position offers directors a direct insight into how leading creatives develop their projects, particularly through the casting lens. This is primarily an administrative role where the Resident Director supports the activity of the New Work Department, printing scripts, creating contact sheets and making general preparations for incoming work, but there is creative engagement through reading, attending sharings and connecting with the projects that we are developing for our stages and taking part in the artistic conversations within the department.

The successful candidates will have the following:

• Demonstrable experience casting artists from all different backgrounds, and a commitment to keeping performers from historically underrepresented backgrounds visible and valued in the casting process.
• A good working knowledge of actors from different disciplines and with different abilities, including those with established theatre careers who may be working in leading roles around the country.
• Excellent organisational skills including the ability to work calmly under pressure. Knowledge of how to prioritise, multitask and to deliver work accurately and with attention to detail while respecting confidentiality and acting with discretion.
• A commitment to being a theatre director, with experience of having directed professional productions in studio and fringe venues over a number of years accruing a demonstrable body of work. (By professional we mean having had a 2-3 week public run with a paid creative team and company).
• Broad experience of working professionally as an Assistant and/or Associate Director on a range of scales of productions.

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

  Download the Job Description here.

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 Friday 25th September 2026 at 9:00am.

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.

Unfortunately, we are unable to progress an application for this role if you do not currently have (or would be able to obtain) an ongoing right to work in the UK. We cannot sponsor candidates under a work visa for this role because the role is ineligible for sponsorship under the UK government’s requirements for the Skilled Worker visa route. If you have any queries or would like to discuss this matter further, 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.