Producing Assistant

In terms of inspiration to enter the role, I’m quite different from many people in the theatre world, because a lot of them have been involved in theatre their whole lives in some way. I simply wanted a career within the creative industries, and my first job happened to be in a theatre. I found that I really loved it, so I’ve stayed within theatres ever since.

Hello, I’m Memory. I work at Birmingham Rep Theatre as a Producing Assistant. I manage the diaries for the Artistic Director and Deputy Artistic Director, and I support the producing team with whatever assistance they need.

To do my job, you don’t need specific qualifications. GCSEs, A‑levels, and a BA are useful, but the subject doesn’t have to be directly related. What you do need are organisational skills, good time management and prioritisation, strong communication skills, and a genuine desire to be helpful.

My standard schedule is Monday to Friday, 10am to 6pm. However, if there are events or shows that need extra support, I sometimes work later.

I work in an office environment with two screens, a keyboard, and a laptop – fairly standard. I spend about 60–70% of my time at my desk, but there are also many meetings in different spaces. If there’s an event or show, I may work in the stage areas or front‑of‑house spaces.

One of my main responsibilities is managing the Artistic Director’s diary. I respond to emails from people requesting meetings, or the Artistic Director will ask me to arrange meetings with certain people. I then coordinate diaries to find suitable times – they call it “diary wrangling.”

In addition, I handle contracting for creatives and actors for shows, as well as travel and accommodation bookings – essentially a lot of logistical support.