Fixed-term contract from Wednesday 11 June — Monday 25 August 2025, full-time.
£13.88 per hour, paid weekly in arrears by bank transfer (plus holiday pay).
This is an on-site role at the Edinburgh International Book Festival office on George Street, Edinburgh, and at our Festival site at the Edinburgh Futures Institute, Lauriston Place, Edinburgh.
This is an ideal development opportunity for candidates wishing to build on existing Box Office experience, either at supervisor or assistant level, in a world class festival environment. You will have exceptional customer service skills and the ability to effectively handle any queries or complaints. You'll also have previous experience of supervising, training and mentoring staff in customer-facing environment and a positive, calm manner under pressure.
Key duties and responsibilities
• Supervision of all daily operations, ensuring staff are well-supported and correct procedures are being followed at all times
• Assisting with training of Box Office staff
• Selling tickets using the Red61 ticketing system, often covering assistants’ breaks or providing extra cover on phones or counter as required
• Resolving customer queries by phone, email or in person, and providing excellent customer care at all times
• Administration of the Red61 ticketing system including changes to event data, set-up of new events or ticket offers, scheduling regular reports, and ensuring staff maintain high standards of accuracy in customer data entry
• Processing non-public bookings for groups such as sponsors, Festival participants, guests and industry professionals and corresponding with these bookers as required
• During the Festival, supervision of the Box Office counter, queue management, administration of returns queues for sold out events, and resolving customer issues occurring on-site.
An exciting opportunity to contribute to the shaping of a world leading cultural festival. The Administrator will be key member of the Operations team at the Book Festival. The Book Festival team is small and friendly, with several temporary staff members coming on board as in the April to August period.
Reporting to the Head of Operations & Finance, the role will include: office management, administration tasks, specific festival 2025 administration, HR support. You will act as a central point of liaison internally and externally, responding to queries promptly.
Full time, fixed-term contract from Tuesday 6 May — Monday 25 August 2025.
Rate of pay: £16.51 per hour
This is an on-site role at the Edinburgh International Book Festival office on George Street, Edinburgh, and at our Festival site at the Edinburgh Futures Institute, Lauriston Place, Edinburgh. During June the Box Office handles the Friends Advanced Booking period and the opening day of sales to the public. Once tickets are on sale, the role will be focused on assisting with sponsor, publisher, author and other complimentary ticket bookings. The role is based at our offices on George Street. in August, the Box Office team move to our Festival site at the Edinburgh Futures Institute on Lauriston Place, Edinburgh. From here we operate a box office counter and a telephone room. During the Festival the Box Office is usually open 09:30-21:00 daily, but occasionally stays open later depending on the timing of the last event.
This is an ideal development opportunity for candidates wishing to build on existing Box Office management experience, preferably at supervisor level, in a world class festival environment. You will have exceptional customer service skills and the ability to effectively handle any queries or complaints. You'll also have previous experience of supervising, training and mentoring staff in customer-facing environment and a positive, calm manner under pressure.
The Edinburgh International Book Festival began in 1983 and is now a key event in the August Festival season, celebrated annually in Scotland's capital city. Biennial at first, the Book Festival became a yearly celebration in 1997. Throughout its history, the Book Festival has grown in size and scope becoming one of the largest public celebrations of words and ideas in the world. Today, the Festival programmes around 600 events for adults, children and schools each August and produces a wide-ranging Communities Programme across the year.