Job Title: Communications Director Job Category: Support Department/Group: Marketing and Development Job Code COMSDIR2018 Location: Cambridge Travel Required: Yes UK Level/Salary Range: 45-50,000 (dependent on experience) Position Type: Full Time (or Part Time for the right candidate) HR Contact: David Butcher, CEO david.butcher@brittensinfonia.com Date posted: April 2018 Will Train Applicant(s): Yes Posting Expires: External posting URL: Internal posting URL: Applications Accepted By: Email applications only will be accepted recruitment@brittensinfonia.com Subject Line: Communications Director Job Description Background information Britten Sinfonia is a multi-award winning chamber orchestra, with a busy performance and Creative Learning programme that reaches over 100,000 people each year, and a further one million people through its broadcast partnership with BBC Radio 3. In 2017-18 it gave over 80 concerts across the UK and internationally. The organisation s income was just under 1.7m, of which almost 50% was derived from a fundraising programme that covers individual giving and philanthropy, trust and foundation grants, corporate sponsorship, and public subsidy. Britten Sinfonia is an Arts Council England National Portfolio Organisation for 2018-22. Britten Sinfonia is Associate Ensemble at the Barbican, London, and Resident Orchestra in Saffron Hall and Norwich. Concerts take place in small, local venues as well as in the world s most iconic concert halls, from St. Andrew s Hall Norwich to Lincoln Center New York. The orchestra eschews a music director, instead inviting some of the world s finest and innovative musicians and companies to collaborate on a range of project and music. Britten Sinfonia s work is propelled by the brilliance of its musicians, who comprise the finest and most versatile chamber musicians and soloists in the UK. They are adept at performing repertoire that in a typical season can include core classical repertoire, ambitious new commissions, cross-genre collaborations and programmes of the finest small-scale chamber repertoire ever written. Alongside its concert activity, Britten Sinfonia has a highly-regarded Creative Learning programme, which each year gives musical and participatory opportunities to 10,000 young people across the east of England. The programme is divided into three strands: Families and Communities, Schools, and Talent Development. Its flagship programme is the Britten Sinfonia Academy, a development ensemble for highly-talented young musicians aged 11-18 from the east region. Britten Sinfonia is a strategic partner with the Cambridgeshire, Norfolk and Peterborough Music Hubs, working with the Hubs to create inspiring and fully-inclusive projects across the region. Marketing and Development is well understood and supported by staff, Board of Trustees and musicians. The Communications Director is as exciting new position embracing and overseeing the orchestra s marketing and development strategy and implementation responsible to the Chief Executive and Artistic Director. The team comprises a full time Development Director, a Marketing Manager with a Communications Assistant. This role offer will be hugely rewarding for the right person. With many stellar national and international artistic projects in store over the coming years, the marketing and fundraising programme at Britten Sinfonia has never been more important to the organisation s continued development and success as one of the world s most innovative orchestral ensembles. Page 1 of 5
THE ROLE Location: Cambridge Reports to: Chief Executive and Artistic Director Direct Reports: Development Director; Marketing Manager; Communications Assistant; Press and PR consultant. Purpose: The Communications Director is a member of the Senior Management Team, and is responsible for Britten Sinfonia s branding, marketing, digital, audiences and fundraising strategies. MARKETING RESPONSIBILITIES Producing and monitoring Britten Sinfonia s branding, audience development, digital and media/press strategies. Developing and delivering a digital strategy to ensure that Britten Sinfonia remains at the forefront in the application of digital techniques and technologies. Overseeing Britten Sinfonia s press and PR work, liaising with Sophie Cohen (the orchestra s press consultant) on national and international campaigns, as well as planning regional press campaigns and advertising. Actively researching and keeping abreast of news and advances in marketing from both the arts/not-forprofit and commercial worlds, particularly in the areas of new technology and audience development. Producing and implementing marketing plans for Britten Sinfonia own-promotions in Cambridge, Norwich Saffron Hall and London, working alongside the relevant marketing partners of Norwich Theatre Royal, Saffron Hall, Cambridge Live, the Barbican and Wigmore Hall etc. Setting box office income targets and monitoring sales for own-promotions, adjusting marketing activity as appropriate. Setting and monitoring budgets for general marketing and own-promotions marketing, with reference to the Finance Manager and Chief Executive. Providing written copy for all marketing materials for BS own-promotions. Responsibility for the Britten Sinfonia website, including keeping the news and concerts sections up-todate, adding content provided by other staff and creatively expanding the website s potential for reaching new audiences and developing existing audiences as well as ensuring the site is an attractive and useful promotional corporate tool. Actively implementing a market research programme which will inform Britten Sinfonia activity and offer a greater understanding of audiences Actively seeking new mutually beneficial partnerships with targeted arts/charity organisations and relevant institutions, as well as commercial companies (particularly media, tourism and retail). Page 2 of 5
DEVELOPMENT RESPONSIBILITIES Responsible for the creation, planning and delivery of Britten Sinfonia s fundraising strategy. Setting annual fundraising targets relating to public funding, trusts and foundations, individual giving and corporate funding. Monitoring and evaluating the above. Overseeing and occasionally writing funding applications, reports and monitoring information on time and in the required formats, liaising with other Britten Sinfonia staff as required With reference to the CEO and Artistic Director, manage Britten Sinfonia s relationship with Arts Council England, the orchestra s Principal Funder, including overseeing writing applications for funding; ensuring monitoring reports and grant payment conditions are met and delivered on time; attending quarterly meetings with Britten Sinfonia s Relationship Manager alongside Britten Sinfonia s Chief Executive and Development Director; and keeping abreast of new public funding opportunities and cultural policy changes Create and manage departmental income and expenditure budgets, providing timely reports to the Finance Director and Chief Executive, and preparing quarterly Board reports Maintain an up-to-date knowledge of best fundraising practice, ensuring all fundraising activity complies with the Institute of Fundraising Code of Conduct, and provide leadership in terms of maximising gift aid claims, tax-efficient giving, and VAT General Prepare quarterly papers for board meetings and attend meetings to report on Marketing and Development activity. Attend internal and external meetings as required which may include, for instance, monthly staff and Heads of Department meetings; occasional liaison meetings with the Barbican marketing and fundraising teams; donor and trustee quarterly meetings; quarterly reviews with Arts Council England Attending concerts and events in support of Britten Sinfonia and its marketing and fundraising objectives, which usually take place outside of normal working hours Contribute to organisational effectiveness through positive and proactive team-working Represent Britten Sinfonia in a public-facing capacity Undertake any other duties that may reasonably be requested by the Chief Executive Have a flexible approach to working hours, in line with Britten Sinfonia organisation policies and Time Off In Lieu policies Page 3 of 5
PERSON SPECIFICATION Qualifications and Education Requirements Candidates should be educated to Degree Level Relevant Experience Significant experience of arts or music marketing and successful fundraising and income generation Experience of writing major funding bids from both trust/foundation and public funding sources Substantial people-management and audience / donor-management experience Personal Skill Level Financial literacy: the ability to write clear financial reports and income forecasts, and to contribute to excellent financial planning through setting, in consultation with colleagues, achievable and robust income targets The ability to write a target-driven strategic fundraising plan Competence in fundraising software (Britten Sinfonia uses Raiser s Edge) Competence in Microsoft Office, especially Word, Outlook and Excel Exceptional communication skills, with the ability to build and sustain excellent and positive relationships with a wide-range of organisational stakeholders, including donors at all levels Exceptional attention to detail, combined with first-class organisation and time management skills Disposition Work positively and proactively within a small, busy and successful team Be a natural leader, with a strategic mindset and a flair for innovation, whilst also committed to being a team player Active and passionate interest in the arts (a strong interest in music would be an advantage, but of central importance is that the post-holder is an enthusiast and advocate for culture of all types) Demonstrate the drive and determination to succeed, allied with creative and strategic thinking about how to engage with and attract new donors Demonstrate a high level of personal initiative and self-motivation, inspiring colleagues, Trustees, and donors through excellent leadership and people-skills Willingness to be a key member of the organisation hands-on, determined to achieve the best, as well as providing excellent (fundraising) leadership Sense of humour, persistence, reliability and resilience Reviewed By: David Butcher Date: April 2018 Approved By: David Butcher Date: April 2018 Last Updated By: David Butcher Date/Time: April 2018 Page 4 of 5
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