University News Last updated 24 July
Head of Operations Jamie Suttle enjoys watching the progress of our Music and Acting students in their live performances and encourages everyone to check out the Events Calendar.
What are the core skills or areas of expertise that you bring to RBC?
With a focus on administrative functions, my years spent managing teams – both behind the scenes and front of house – have given me the experience required to provide staff and students with the support they need to succeed.
What have been your highlights since you started at RBC?
An ongoing highlight is collaborating with diverse groups of colleagues – something I continue to enjoy and learn from. Regular opportunities to witness the progress of our Music and Acting students in their live performances is an outstanding benefit of working here. I encourage everyone to explore our Events Calendar!
What have been the most challenging issues that you’ve had to discuss and take a view on so far?
It’s the obvious response: Adjusting to a new way of working when the pandemic struck was a significant undertaking. It felt like everything had been turned upside down, and we had to figure out how to get it all the right way up again as quickly as possible. Fortunately, the strength of knowledge and collaborative attitude across our teams allowed us to get through largely unscathed, and not only that, but also with a host of new skills and working methodologies we benefit from to this day.
What are your ambitions for RBC?
Global and national events have been painting a gloomy picture for the arts for some time. RBC has invested in inspiring outreach activities and in various initiatives that enhance representation. My ambition is that the combination of these workstreams will enable long-term excellence in arts education, research and cultural output, strengthening the sector not only in Birmingham but across the UK and beyond.
What do you do outside of the role when you are not working?
I love exercise, so I spend quite a bit of my spare time at the gym. These days, my main sporting activity is wrestling my three-year-old son. I have to take advantage while I can because at the rate he’s going, it won’t be long until he can easily beat me up.