Outreach & Audience Development Manager

Salary: £17,606.16 (£30,010.50 full-time equivalent)

Paignton Picture House are seeking a part-time Outreach & Audience Development Manager

Hours: Part-time, 3 days/22 hours per week
Contract: Two year project with aim to extend, funded by The National Lottery Heritage Fund

After more than 25 years in darkness, Paignton Picture House is reopening its doors as a beautifully restored, independent cinema and cultural hub. We’re looking for an experienced Outreach & Audience Development Manager to lead the organisation in developing an ambitious strategy to establish, grow and sustain an audience base for Paignton Picture House as it prepares for the next chapter in the story of one of the UK’s most historic cinemas. This is a rare opportunity to combine leadership, creativity, and community impact in a truly unique setting.

Paignton Picture House is a Grade II* listed cinema, first opened in 1914 and once a favourite of Agatha Christie. After closing in 1999, it has been carefully restored by the Paignton Picture House Trust and will reopen in 2026/2027 as an independent, community-led cinema and arts venue. Our programme will blend mainstream and community-led films with live events, heritage tours, and cultural activities – all delivered with inclusivity, sustainability, and collaboration at our heart.

As Outreach & Audience Development Manager, you will play a central role in shaping and delivering the outreach and audience development strategy for Paignton Picture House as it prepares for reopening in 2026/2027 and beyond. Reporting to the Senior Leadership Team, you will work closely with colleagues across the organisation to develop and deliver an audience development strategy that reflects the full breadth of our work — from cultural programming to heritage engagement. You will lead on projects, partnerships, and programming that broaden and diversify our audiences, strengthen community connections, and position the cinema as a welcoming, vibrant cultural space.

The role has a strong focus on project and people management, working collaboratively with artists, participants, community groups, and partner organisations. You will oversee outreach activity that is ambitious, inclusive, and responsive to local needs, ensuring best practice in cultural and heritage engagement throughout.

Role Priorities:

Strategy & Development

• Develop and deliver the organisation’s audience strategy plan to achieve goals approved by the Board of Directors
• Set annual priorities and identify specific audiences that need developing.
• Inspire, support, and motivate staff and volunteers recognise the value of Paignton Picture House on the local and national landscape.
• Set and monitor agreed targets for occupancy, income, and audience development, and motivate teams to achieve and exceed them.
• Manage budgets and resources allocated to the project.
• Take responsibility for safeguarding procedures and practice, and promote good safeguarding practice across the organisation.
• Identify and pursue opportunities for our programme and organisation to grow.
• Address challenges and develop solutions to ensure the organisation’s sustainability and long-term impact.
• Create and manage (alongside the Marketing Manager) compelling content across a range of platforms to connect with new and underrepresented audiences, ensuring that PPH’s visual identity, brand messaging, and tone of voice remain consistent, resonant, and adaptable throughout.

Cinema Programming & Events

• Design and deliver a range of outreach activity that will highlight the value of Paignton Picturehouse within the community and develop a solid audience base for when the cinema opens.
• Work with the Cinema Director to plan screenings and seasons, live events, and private hires, balancing community and commercial priorities.
• Develop and maintain strong relationships with distributors, suppliers, and partners.
• Ensure projects are adequately budgeted, planned and evaluated, with appropriate risk management in place.
• Line-manage any practitioners, freelance facilitators, and artists, ensuring all paperwork is completed.

Stakeholder Engagement

• Act as an ambassador for Paignton Picture House with stakeholders, community groups, media, and the wider film industry.
• Build strong relationships with local communities, partners, supporters, and audiences to amplify the reach and impact of Paignton Picture House’s work.
• Promote the organisation’s mission and programmes through effective communication and advocacy.
• Collaborate with various organisation stakeholders to design and implement tailored audience development plans that successfully engage communities.

Essential Person Specification:

• Proven experience in audience development and cultural engagement within the arts or cinema sector, particularly working with underrepresented or underserved communities.
• A strong understanding of the cultural relevance and social value of heritage and independent cinema, including community-based storytelling and participation.
• Experience of developing and delivering arts or film programming, including planning and managing participatory creative projects.
• Demonstrable passion for film, cinema, and widening access to arts and cultural experiences.
• A strategic thinker with creative flair, able to plan, deliver, and evaluate projects that are both data-informed and community-centred.
• Strong visual literacy and creative direction skills, with confidence in briefing and working with designers, videographers, and content creators to ensure quality and brand consistency.
• Experience working with grassroots organisations, community groups, and local partners to co-create meaningful activity.
• Experience of managing and supporting creative practitioners, including artists, facilitators, and workshop leaders.
• Confident and experienced in working collaboratively and creatively with young people and diverse communities.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, with the ability to build trust and effective partnerships.
• Strong project management and organisational skills, with the ability to manage multiple projects, timelines, budgets, and stakeholders simultaneously.
• Experience of managing budgets and monitoring expenditure effectively.
• Excellent attention to detail, with the ability to work autonomously, identify challenges, and develop practical solutions.
• Professional, self-motivated, and proactive, with the confidence to work independently and collaboratively in a fast-paced, mission-driven environment

Desirable Person Specification:

• Experience of working in a cinema, cultural venue or heritage setting
• Confident with IT, AV, and MS Office systems.
• Strong copywriting and content creation skills.
• Full, clean driving licence.
• Experience of preparing evaluation reports for funded arts projects
• Knowledge of Torbay and the surrounding communities
• A network of media, cultural, and exhibition contacts

To apply:

Please send your CV and a covering letter of no more than two pages explaining your interest in the role and how you meet the person specification to
marketing@paigntonpicturehouse.org

Optionally, please also complete and return the Equal Opportunities Monitoring Form.

Interviews: w/c 29 June 2026 in person

Start date: TBC, depending on notice period required

If you would like to discuss the role before applying, or require the full Job Description in another format, please contact marketing@paigntonpicturehouse.org

Paignton Picture House strives to promote equality and diversity at all levels of the team. They are committed to equality of opportunity, to being fair and inclusive in their ways of working, and to being a place where all belong. They particularly encourage applications from people underrepresented in the arts and culture sector. Reasonable adjustments are available throughout the recruitment process.

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The closing date for this position is 18/06/2026 at 23:59