Samantha McCarthy has over 15 years of experience in customer service, recruitment, and arts education. She currently works as a Team Manager for Student Recruitment and Support at The Open University in Manchester, where she leads a team, provides coaching and mentoring, and ensures quality standards. Previously, she held various roles at The Lowry Centre in Salford including Box Office Duty Manager, Studio Supervisor, and Administrator for multiple departments. She also has experience as a freelance drama practitioner leading workshops. Samantha holds qualifications in Counselling and Arts Award Advising.

1. Samantha McCarthy
Flat 3, 17 Burford Road, Manchester, M16 8EW
07894 882 223 samanthamcc@hotmail.com
Key Skills:
Creative, engaging, leadership, problem solving, team working, organisation, reliable and punctual, motivated and
dedicated, computer literate, verbal communication, friendly and approachable, caring
Current Role
The Open University, Manchester, June 2015 – present
Team Manager, Student Recruitment & Support
Responsibilities: leading, coaching and developing a team of Student Recruitment Advisors, to ensure quality and service
standards are met; support and develop individuals by undertaking one to one sessions and providing coaching and mentoring;
communicate to individuals, teams and higher management to maximise productivity and quality; responding to complaints and
escalations; attending and actively participating in team manager meetings and development activities for continuous improvement
of team working and service provision; effectively and efficiently manage own time to ensure deadlines are met and service and
quality standards are maintained; working co-operatively across departments, higher management and within a team to achieve
organisational goals.
Student Recruitment Advisor
Responsibilities: providing proactive support, information, and advice to enquirers and students, enabling them to make a fully
informed decision about their studies; clarifying and interpreting complex procedures and detail for enquirers and students;
supporting enquirers and students on all aspects of the enrolment process, subsequently reserving and registering them onto
courses while adhering to Student Recruitment policy and practise; making outbound calls to students relating to their enquiries and
courses; communicating via telephone, email, letter and other mediums as necessary to other departments within the University
and to enquirers and students; using computerised database systems to maintain student, company and enquirer details, and also
course and programme records.
Previous Work Experience
The Lowry Centre, Salford, 2005 – June 2015
Corporate Hospitality, Bars and Catering Jan 05 – Jan 07
Responsibilities: working within a team to ensure corporate events and weddings run smoothly and to client satisfaction; front of
house drinks and food service including barista training; ensuring all areas are cleaned and presented to high standards; fulfilling
orders within tight deadlines and intervals; inventory checking and cash handling; opening/closing bar areas
Box Office Sales Assistant Jan 07 – Jan 09
Responsibilities: providing an efficient ticket selling service that meets and where possible exceeds customer expectations, in
person or over the phone; accurately record and maintain customer information ensuring that all aspects of the Data Protection Act
are complied with; be conversant with all aspects of the Lowry programme and facilities, and to promote them in a positive and
proactive way; ensure that the Box Office area is kept clear, tidy and secure at all times and where appropriate replenish and tidy
leaflet racks and displays; reconcile cash draws and monitor safe floats as requested, reporting any discrepancies immediately to
the Box Office Manager; answer incoming calls promptly and politely, forwarding to the appropriate departments or when
necessary, taking clear messages; report any accidents, incidents, customer complaints or comments immediately to the Front of
House and Box Office Manager; understanding the varied needs of customers with disabilities and communicating Lowry’s access
facilities to said customers to ensure a high standard of customer service for all visitors; work off-site for special events as required
by the Box Office Manager.
Box Office Duty Manager Jan 09 – Jun 15
Responsibilities: supervising, training and coaching the ticket sales team; producing and distributing reports; liaising with company
managers, internal departments and external suppliers to ensure smooth day-to-day running of the department and the highest
levels of client or customer satisfaction; daily banking and finance; managing incoming shows and intervals; resolving customer
service issues, requests and complaints; administration of internal systems

2. Various departments, Administrator Apr 12 – Jun 15
Responsibilities: collecting data from various departments and inputting into their analysis systems, varying depending upon the
needs of the relevant department; creating a seasonal access brochure for customers with access requirements; building
relationships with high profile patrons and donators of the theatre, ensuring they are happy with their memberships; organising
different systems and keeping an up to date record of different department needs.
Studio Supervisor Oct 13 – June15
Responsibilities: assist with the supervision of children and young people during activities and lunch and break times, ensuring their
safety and welfare in line with The Lowry’s Safeguarding Policy; supervise events and activities in the studio and classroom
spaces, ensuring events and activities are correctly set up and cleared to a high standard; work with the L&E team, other Lowry
departments and external customers to ensure all events and activities run smoothly both in the studio spaces and around the
building; assist the Studio Coordinator with the maintenance of C&E equipment and maintaining and ordering materials and
equipment as required; assist with gathering and recording participation information, evaluation and feedback in line with The
Lowry’s Data Protection systems, maintaining customer confidentiality; undertake basic administration tasks.
Freelance, Manchester, 2006 – 2015
Drama Practitioner
Responsibilities: lead and deliver sessions with various arts activities ensuring they are accessible to different groups in a fast
paced environment; offer support and guidance to children/young people and also any assistants working with me; plan sessions
based upon the needs and requirements of the group; communicate effectively the expectations of the project to staff and
participants; draw up risk assessments in a range of settings; take a lead in child protection practice and communicate to staff;
working effectively one on one and in a group setting to ensure each participant is engaging in the sessions; to work in
collaboration with other creative practitioners to deliver creative activities in various settings; ensure that all project delivery offers a
high quality creative opportunity for participants; that also demonstrates good Early Years arts practice; capture, document and
gather creative ideas from participants and then feedback this content to the project manager; meet and liaise regularly with the
project manager and other creative practitioners to plan, evaluate and document the process of each project.
Earlier Career
MAP, Manchester, Aug 2008
Care Assistant
Various Acting Roles in Television & Film, Jan 2003 - present
Actress
Springbank Florists/ TLC Events, Manchester, May - Sep 2002
Receptionist
Arts On The Move, Manchester, Aug 2000 - Aug 2001
Assistant Drama Teacher
Voluntary Experience
Moodswings, Manchester - ongoing
Acting workshop facilitator
Responsibilities: working with a group of people suffering with mental health issues and teaching them basic theatre skills;
organising activities; helping and assisting them to create their own piece of theatre; continually show a friendly and approachable
front.
Barnardos Play Scheme, Eccles, May – Sep 2002
Child Carer

3. Education & Qualifications
Manchester College
Counselling Concepts Level 2 Certificate (June 2015)
Counselling Skills Level 3 Certificate (June 2016)
Manchester High School for Girls, Sep 97 – Dec 02
10 GCSE (A*-C) including Maths English and Science
Professional Training
Trinity College, London
Discover & Explore Arts Award Advisor
Autism Awareness Training
Autism within the Arts – 1 day training
The Lowry
Child safeguarding – half day training
Diversity training – half day training
Referees:
Stella Molloy Lynsey O’Sullivan
Team Leader Student Recruitment Participation & Learning Manager
The Open University The Lowry
351 Altrincham Road Pier 8
Manchester Salford Quays
M22 4UN M50 3AZ
stella.molloy@open.ac.uk lynsey.osullivan@thelowry.com
0161 876 2039
Simon Sullivan Kate Fitzgerald
Director & Creative Practitioner Publication Manager
Stone Soup The Lowry
simon@wearestonesoup.co.uk Pier 8
07958 146 742 Salford Quays
M50 3AZ
Kate.fitzgerald@thelowry.com