BELGRADE THEATRE - JOB DESCRIPTION

Post:Communications Officer -Digital Content and PR

Employer:Belgrade Theatre

Department:Communications

Line Manager:Communications Manager

Reports to:Communications Manager

Grade:Officer

THE BELGRADE THEATRE’S VISION

Now established as one of England’s major producing houses, our mission is to grow the reach, excellence and engagement of all the work we produce and present.

We will provide a comprehensive performing arts service of the highest possible quality for Coventry and the surrounding regions and act as an ambassador for Coventry and the West Midlands when touring.

The Belgrade staff strive to be flexible, efficient and effective team workers.

Aim of post:

The Belgrade Theatre is looking for a creative and self-motivated Communications Officer - Digital Content and PR to work as part of its busyCommunications Team. The successful candidate will curate all the Theatre’s digital and social media channels, create engaging and effective digital content, and lead on all the Theatre’s Press and PR activity. The Communications Officer - Digital Content and PR will work with the Communications Manager to create and implement the Communications strategy to raise the Belgrade Theatre’s profile locally, regionally and nationally, in accordance with the overall marketing strategy.

Post Responsibilities:

Social media content, planning and delivery

  • Oversee the planning, creation and scheduling of all social media content on the Belgrade’s various platforms
  • Generate effective, high quality content (primarily text, photos, and video) that supports Belgrade Theatre productions and activities on all our social media platforms, and which follows the organisation’s tone of voice, whilst being relevant to the target demographics
  • Film, edit and distribute original video content on social media platforms
  • Liaise with visiting companies on generating creative and good quality content relating to their productions
  • Coordinate the sourcing of content from all internal departments and help lead the Theatre’s cross-departmental Social Media Champions group.
  • Identify online influencers and bloggers, cultivate relationships with them, and proactively explore opportunities to strengthen these links, through the exchange of content and reciprocal mentions
  • Monitor market trends for latest developments in content production and delivery, identifying potential new platforms to adopt, and integrate best practice into our content planning
  • Use iMovie and Photoshop to edit and create content
  • Transcribe audio and upload subtitles to maximise reach and improve accessibility
  • Support, advise, brief and collaborate with cross-departmental colleagues as required to develop digital content, and train colleagues as necessary

Press & PR

  • To create and issue media releases and listings pertaining to every aspect of the theatre’s work.
  • To identify and develop creative ideas for good social media and press stories.
  • To conceive, arrange and manage promotional events, launches and PR stunts
  • To foster and develop good relationships with all areas of the media and maintain up to date records of individual contacts.
  • Arrange media interviews and photocalls with actors and anyone else involved in the theatre’s work.
  • To identify and undertake or commission any video work required to promote the theatre.
  • To organise and host press nights.
  • To organise and archive the theatre’s photographic requirements.
  • To manage media partnerships and promotions including media competitions
  • Monitor and collate press cuttings relating to the Belgrade Theatre, in association with the theatre’s cuttings agency, ensuring they are displayed internally and distributed to the appropriate organisations

General:

  • To play an active role in the planning and implementation of all the theatre’s strategic and tactical communication and marketing activities
  • To help develop and deliver e-marketing campaigns and create and issue emails
  • To liaise with incoming touring companies, printers, designers, advertisers and other local organisations to maximise marketing and press opportunities
  • To help proof direct mail letters, advertising copy and co-ordinate any direct mail campaigns
  • To manage the day to day roles of Communications assistants, apprentices, interns and work experience staff when employed in order to carry out principle functions
  • To develop and understanding of Google Analytics and monitor the success of on-line activities
  • Attending training courses as required
  • To undertake and assist in other areas of the Communication Team’s work that may lie outside these principle functions
  • Undertake any other duties that are consistent with the function of the job
  • Attending training courses as required.
  • To undertake and assist in other areas of the Communication departments work that may lie outside these principle functions.
  • Undertake any other duties that are consistent with the function of the job

Person Specification

Essential:

•To be a creative and dynamic, self-motivated team player

•Have a passion for producing theatre and the role it can play in its local community

•To have been directly involved in press relations and/or digital communications in a professional theatre, arts venue or similar organisation, ideally for a minimum of 2 years

•Hold an appropriate-level qualification and/or have directly relevant experience in a similar role

•To have a flair for writing and communicating a story

•Experience of budget management

•To have a creative flair and an eye for detail

•A good working knowledge of the various social media platforms and a strong interest in digital communication

•Proficiency in the use of Word, Outlook and Excel and be computer literate: iMovie is used for video editing and the box office system is Spektrix

•Have excellent and demonstrable organisational skills and be a fast worker

•To be numerate and literate

•To be approachable with a can-do attitude

•Willingness to work evenings and occasional weekends as necessary

•Willingness to embrace the Belgrade Brand Values

Desirable:

•A local knowledge of Coventry and the surrounding region

•Have worked in a producing theatre

•Good personal presentation

•Commitment and flexible approach to working patterns

•Full, clean driving licence

Terms & Conditions

  • To start ASAP
  • This is a permanent, full time post and hours of work will be as many as may be required to meet the requirements of the post but are not less than 39 hours per week (excluding lunch) working Monday to Friday normally working at hours to be agreed between 9am and 6.30pm.
  • There will be regular evening and occasional weekend work (shows and events).
  • This is an Officer grade post. The salary after completion of probation will be £21,000 pa to £26,000 dependent on experience. Annual pay review in April
  • There is no paid overtime but work at weekends and on bank holidays will attract TOIL at single time. To be approved in advance with the Line Manager
  • There is a two month probation period
  • The notice period is two weeks rising to six weeks after confirmation of appointment but notice may not normally be given between 1 October and 1 December to avoid recruitment difficulties during the Theatre’s busiest time of year
  • Since April 2014 the Belgrade has run pension auto-enrolment and is currently making 1% employer contributions rising as per Government advice. Further details are available.
  • Holiday – 28 days per annum including Bank Holidays, rising by one day every complete year worked, to a maximum annual holiday entitlement of 35 days (including Bank Holidays).
  • Employees’ health and safety is of paramount importance, and Management insists that a Full Time employee must obtain written express permission to take on any paid work or other employment during periods of TOIL (Time Off In Lieu) or holiday. No permission will be given for the first 28 days of holiday as it is a statutory requirement that it is holiday.
  • The Belgrade operates a House Agreement based on the UK Theatre/BECTU (Broadcasting, Entertainment, Cinematograph and Theatre Union) Agreement and its Staff Hand Book outlines the terms on sick pay, maternity leave and pay, paternity leave and pay, grievance and discipline and other relevant staff matters.
  • Staff are entitled to tickets for shows at the Belgrade Theatre, subject to particular conditions and 10% discount at the Theatre’s Café Bar and Bars
  • On appointment the successful candidate must be able to provide the correct documents as proof of their right to work in the UK.
  • The candidate’s contract of employment with the Belgrade Theatre does not come into force until the first day of work

Application Schedule:

Deadline: Monday 4December 2017

Interviews: Tuesday 12 December 2017

Start date: ASAP

Application Information:

Please complete the application form below and return it as follows by email or Post

As an attachment by email

To:

Subject: Communications Officer - Digital Content and PRapplication

For the attention of: Denise Duncombe

By post

For the attention of: Denise Duncombe

Communications Officer - Digital Content and PRapplication

Belgrade Theatre,

Belgrade Square,

Coventry,

CV1 1GS

Please note that as part of our equal opportunities policy, CVs cannot be accepted instead of, or as part of applications, and all applications must be made by completing this form.

Recruitment will take place in two stages. First, a short-list of applicants will be drawn up and they will be invited to an interview. If you are invited to an interview we will contact you with more information and to find out whether you need us to make any access arrangements. We will pay reasonable domestic travel expenses for all interview candidates.

We will aim to reach a prompt decision after the interviews and aim to contact all short-listed applicants as soon as possible after a decision has been made. All applicants for jobs at the Belgrade Theatre will be contacted in writing whether or not they have been short-listed for interview.

If you are invited to an interview, please let us know if you have any access requirements so that we can accommodate your needs in advance.

BELGRADE THEATRE, COVENTRY - BACKGROUND INFORMATION

The Belgrade Theatre is the major arts and cultural facility in Coventry and the only building-based professional producing theatre company in the city. We aim to present a vibrant programme of produced, visiting and community work in our two auditoria and other spaces that is informed by an artistic policy designed to attract local and national attention, cater to and develop the different audiences in and around Coventry, lift the profile of the theatre as a producing theatre, bear witness to its community’s experiences, find a unique voice for the Belgrade in the context of the region, attract leading theatre artists – in short re-establish the vision, radicalism and internationalism that marked the opening of the theatre in 1958.

Now established as one of England’s major producing houses, the Belgrade’s mission is to grow the reach, excellence and engagement of all the work we produce and present.

The Belgrade is the only producing and presenting theatre in Coventry, England’s 11th most populous city and the second largest conurbation in the Midlands. We create theatre in the belief that it enriches its communities, and we work hard to include the city’s and region’s young people. We will provide a comprehensive performing arts service of the highest possible quality for city, regional, national and international audiences.

BELGRADE THEATRE, COVENTRY

Ref No:

APPLICATION FORM FOR THE POST OF: Digital Content & PR Officer

The form should be completed as fully as possible. Use additional sheets of paper if necessary.

Name:Address:

Telephone (Day):Telephone (Evening):

e-mail……………………………………………………………………………………………

Please give details of your education, with details of qualifications gained (e.g.

O-Level/GCSE, A-Level, BTEC, NVQ, other):

Please give details of any relevant training courses or seminars you have attended:

Please give details of your employment history (paid or voluntary), starting with your most recent post, giving job titles, responsibilities, period of service, and full name of the organisation:

Please list any other skills, qualifications, or interests, which may be appropriate for the post:

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Please explain why you would like this post, stating what qualities you think you can bring to the job, what hours you would be available to work and give any additional information you feel supports your application. This will enable us to see how your particular skills and experience matches up to the requirements of the job. It is, therefore, important that you tell us as much as possible about yourself in relation to the Job Description and the items listed in the Person Specification.

REFERENCES

Please give the names and addresses and telephone numbers of two referees, one of whom should be your present employer, if applicable:

NameName

AddressAddress

TelephoneTelephone

Your relationship to refereeYour relationship to referee

If you are in any way related to/have a personal relationship with either referee please declare this now:

May we request a reference before making an offer to work?

Referee 1 YES/NOReferee 2 YES/NO

DECLARATION

I declare that, to the best of my knowledge, the information given in this application is correct and I understand that it will be treated as part of any subsequent contract of employment.

SIGNED:DATE:

The Belgrade Theatre Staff Annual Diversity and Equal Opportunities Return

The Belgrade Theatre is committed to ensuring equal opportunities, aiming to attract and work with staff from a wide diverse pool. The information that you give us on this form will be treated confidentially and stored on our HR Data Base as statistical information only. This will be used to help monitor the diversity of applicants and to enable us to continue to develop policies and procedures regarding diversity and to submit required data to our funders. The information you supply WILL NOT be made available to anyone in any form other than anonymous data.

31 March 2016 Stats: 8,6% identified themselves as BAME; 6.2% as having a disability; 6.2% as gay, 13.5% heterosexual, 81.4% no response

Department ……………………………… Please circle one of the following: Full Time/Part Time/Casual/SMT

Please circle your age range 0 – 19 / 20-34 / 35-49 / 50-64 / 65 + Gender ……………….

(As at 31.3.2017)

The Disability Discrimination Act approaches disability as a condition that could impact on your ability to carry out normal day-to-day activities. The DDA defines disability as a physical or mental impairment which has substantial and long term (more than 12 months) adverse effects on a person’s ability to carry out normal day –to-day activities. Such disability may be invisible to others. Under this definition, would you say you have a disability?

☐ Yes☐ No

If you consider yourself to be disabled, please tick the options below that best describe your disability

☐ Mental Health condition ☐ Visual Impairment

☐ Cognitive or learning disabilities☐ Physical disabilities

☐ Deaf / Hearing impairment☐ Invisible disabilities

☐ Other long-term/chronic conditions

Ethnic Group

Please tick one option below. Ethnic origin questions are not about nationality, place of birth or citizenship, they are about colour, culture and ethnic groups and anyone from any country may belong to any of the groups indicated.

WhiteMixed / Multiple ethnic groups

☐ English / Welsh / Scottish / Northern Irish / British☐ White and Black Caribbean

☐ Irish☐ White and Black African

☐ Gypsy or Irish Traveller☐ White and Asian

☐ Any other White background, please ☐ Any other Mixed / Multiple ethnic

describe: ……………………………… background, please describe: …………………

Asian / Asian British Black / African / Caribbean / Black British

☐ Indian☐ African

☐ Pakistani☐ Caribbean

☐ Bangladeshi☐ Any other Black / African / Caribbean

☐ Chinesebackground, please describe: ……………………..

☐ Any other Asian background, please

describe: ………………………………

Other ethnic group

☐ Arab

☐ Any other ethnic group, please describe

Sexual Orientation

While we acknowledge that a genuine percentage of people will prefer to tick ‘Prefer not to say’ we would appreciate your honest response to this question, because without robust data we cannot successfully monitor the diversity of our organisation. Please tick one option below.

☐ Bisexual ☐ Gay Woman/Lesbian

☐ Gay Man ☐ Heterosexual/Straight

☐ Prefer not to say