Head of Equality, Diversity, Inclusion and Wellbeing

The Royal Ballet and Opera continues to lead the way in opera, ballet, music and dance both live on stage and through multiple digital platforms, from live streaming to worldwide cinema screenings. Our Covent Garden theatre has been at the heart of London and British cultural life for three centuries. We are home to two world-class Companies: The Royal Ballet and The Royal Opera.

The Royal Opera House describes the place we work, not who we are. The whole is always more than the sum of its parts – we may be a House, but three quarters of our audiences experience what we do outside this building. While our Covent Garden theatre is the nerve centre, the impact and influence of the organisation can be felt in every corner of the country, and around the world.

None of this would be possible without the exceptional team of people who work here. People are centre stage of everything we do at RBO, and our Human Resources department work across the organisation, ensuring that in every department we have the right people in place who are supported to deliver their work to their fullest capacity.

We have a fantastic opportunity for a Head of Equality, Diversity, Inclusion and Wellbeing to join the team and really drive our strategy, RBO for everyone, forwards. Across the four critical areas of artistic work, audiences, wider impact, and people & culture, we are seeking an exceptional individual who is passionate about ensuring the RBO is both a great place to work and to visit and who will champion access to our art forms. Reporting to our Chief People Officer you will lead transformative and ambitious ED&I and wellbeing initiatives across the organisation and build strong working relationships with key stakeholders, staff and artist networks and the wider arts sector. 

You will have worked at a senior level in other purpose-driven organisations and achieved success in partnership with multiple stakeholders. We’re looking for someone skilled in managing and delivering projects and who can use data and insights to make a real impact. You will also be a collaborative leader, with strong influencing skills, stakeholder management expertise and the ability to inspire and effect change. A genuine passion for creating a positive and inclusive culture to encourage all to thrive and reach their potential is essential.

Can you demonstrate any of the following: 

• Proven experience in leading and delivering ED&I and Wellbeing initiatives from inception, in a complex organisation.
• Evidence of continued professional development, particularly in relation to equality, diversity and inclusion expertise.
• Strong knowledge and understanding of ED&I principles, key legislation, ED&I professional networks, and best practices.
• Strong analytical thinking and problem-solving skills and experience in data analysis and reporting; including workforce, data governance/GDPR literacy, and Board level reporting.
• Passion for creating a positive and inclusive workplace using strategies to support belonging and psychological safety.
• Ability to handle sensitive situations with discretion and professionalism.

The Royal Ballet and Opera is one of the UK’s leading arts organisations and our aim is to inspire imagination, ignite emotion and make the extraordinary for everyone. Equality, Diversity and Inclusion underpin all that we do. We want our people to be representative of the diversity in the UK. We understand the creativity and innovation that diversity can bring and strive to create an inclusive environment in which everyone can thrive.

We encourage applications from people with a wide range of backgrounds, experiences and skills to join our teams. We particularly welcome applications from those who are from a global majority background and/or those who are disabled, as they are under-represented within our organisation.

We are a Disability Confident Employer, which means that we are actively working to ensure that candidates with disabilities and long-term health conditions feel supported, engaged and able to fulfil their potential in the workplace. We will endeavour to offer an interview to candidates who tell us they wish to participate in the scheme and who demonstrate in their application that they meet the essential criteria for the role, though sometimes due to the volume of qualified candidates with declarations this is not possible.

The RBO is also committed to safeguarding and protecting all children, young people, and adults and we implement robust safer recruitment practices. Due to our safeguarding promise, certain roles will be subject to a DBS check before commencing employment with us, which will be indicated in the advertising.

Closing date for applications: 11:59pm, Monday 6th April 2026. 

To ensure a fair process, late applications will not be considered under any circumstances.

Applicants must have work authorisation for the UK.  No agencies.