Communications Coordinator - Permanent Contract

Thank you for requesting information for the post of Communications Coordinator at Camden Arts Centre. Please find enclosed the following documents:

  • Camden Arts Centre Background and Further Information
  • Job Description, Person Specification and Terms and Conditions of Employment
  • Equal Opportunities Policy and Monitoring

The job description describes the main responsibilities of the post; the person specification relates directly to the job description and is a list of the skills and experience that we consider necessary for the post. Please read these documents carefully. The applicants who fit the person specification most closely will be shortlisted for interview so please make sure you tell us everything relevant to your application and that you complete all the sections of the application form. Please do not send CV’s.

Camden Arts Centre is committed to a policy of equal opportunities and we ensure that all applicants are treated fairly and equally. We should be grateful if you would complete the enclosed monitoring form to help us check that we are carrying out our policy of equal opportunities for all people. The information will be kept confidential and will be separated from your application upon receipt. It may be referred to after initial shortlisting in order to choose between candidates of equal merit, in order to support our aim to diversify our workforce for individuals with protected characteristics.

Camden Arts Centre is committed to meeting the needs of applicants with disabilities. The refurbished building is fully accessible to all.

Please send us your completed Application Form and Equal Opportunity Form to with ‘Communications Coordinator’ on the subject line.

Closing date for applications:Monday 19th February 2018 at 10 am

Interviews will take place on:Wednesday 28th February 2018

Please note that we are unable to consider any applications which are received after the deadline.Please note that if you cannot make an offered interview time we may not be able to give you an alternative. If you have not heard from us by this date, please assume that you have been unsuccessful on this occasion.

Information provided by you as part of your application will be used in the recruitment process. Any data about you will be held securely with access restricted to those involved in dealing with your application and in the recruitment process. Once this process is completed the data relating to unsuccessful applicants will be stored for a maximum of 6 months and then destroyed. If you are the successful candidate, your application form will be retained and form the basis of your personnel record.

Information provided by you on the Equal Opportunities Monitoring Form will be used to monitor the equal opportunities policy. Once received, it will be separated from your application and the information you give will be kept confidential from the selection panel. Data may be referred to after initial shortlisting in order to choose between candidates of equal merit, in order to support our aim to diversify our workforce for individuals with protected characteristics.

By signing and submitting your completed application form you are giving your consent to your data being stored and processed for the purposes of the recruitment process, equal opportunities monitoring and your personnel record if you are the successful candidate (Data Protection Act 1998)

May we take this opportunity to thank you for your interest in Camden Arts Centre and for your time in considering applying to work with us.

Background and Further Information

Camden Arts Centre is a place for world-class contemporary art exhibitions and education. With artists at the core of the programme, Camden Arts Centre strives to involve members of the public in the ideas and processes of today's artists, and the artists who inspire them. In addition to gallery spaces, the building includes studios which schools can use free of charge and in which people of all ages and abilities can learn skills in ceramics, painting, drawing and writing as part of the courses programme. We were delighted to maintain our status as an Arts Council England National Portfolio Organisation for 2018-22.

Previous Director Jenni Lomax OBE joined Camden Arts Centre in 1990, and has established an internationally acclaimed programme of exhibitions, residencies, education projects, and public events. Over the past 27 years the Centre has introduced London audiences to significant artists from abroad; Karin ‘Mamma’ Andersson, Mary Heilmann, Hilma af Klint, Kerry James Marshall, and Kara Walker are among those whose exhibitions at Camden Arts Centre were the first in the UK. We move into an exciting new chapter for Camden Arts Centre as Martin Clark, previously Director of Bergen Kunsthall hasjoined us as Director fromSeptember 2017.

Learn more about our previous exhibitions and projects on our online archive.

Mission Statement

Camden Arts Centre is a venue for contemporary visual art and education. Placing the artist at the core of the programme, Camden Arts Centre strives to involve members of the public in the ideas and processes of today’s artists, and the artists who inspire them.

The exhibition and education programmes are developed with equal importance and are continually intertwined. The year-round programme includes exhibitions, artist residencies, talks and events, school and artists’ projects, courses and off-site activities, ensuring Camden Arts Centre remains a dynamic place for seeing, making and talking about art.

Exhibitions feature emerging artists, international artists showing for the first time in London, significant historic figures who have inspired contemporary practice, and artist selected group shows relevant to current debate.

Residencies develop artists’ practices with practical support, resulting in new work and public participation.

Projects are initiatives to encourage people of all ages, abilities and areas of interest to engage with contemporary art.

Events engage audiences in a regular series of talks and discussions, film screenings and live art performances.

Courses teach creative and technical skills to people of all ages and abilities, in a range of specialist mediums.

Job Description
Education Programme Manager

Communications Coordinator

Employer: Camden Arts Centre
Place of work: Camden Arts Centre, Arkwright Road, London NW3 6DG
Reports to: Communications and PR Manager
Hours of Work:40 hours per week including one hours’ unpaid lunch break per day

Days of Work: Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday. (One weekend per month is not worked, with a Monday in lieu)
Contract: Permanent

General Information

Camden Arts Centre is an internationally renowned contemporary art venue with an ambitious programme characterised by discovery and risk-taking. We excel in projects that empower and engage communities, inspire children and young people and deliver a critically acclaimed combination of exhibitions, artists’ projects and educational activity. We are funded by Arts Council England as part of the National Portfolio for 2018-2022, and celebrated our 50th anniversary in 2015. The post holder will join the Centre at an exciting time as under the new directorship of Martin Clark from September 2017 we continue to develop our core programmes and seek new models of working to secure our future sustainability.

Purpose of Job

The purpose of this post is to support the Communications and PR Manager and together present a clear, welcoming and accessible picture of the Centre’s programme, with a particular focus on the digital realm. As the landscape for discovering art and artists changes, the candidate must be aware of technical developments and highly competent in digital media as they will largely be working on the website, social media platforms, email newsletters, audience analytics software and databases, as well as new digital projects. The role supports the Communications and PR Manager through developing in-house designed documents in line with brand identity, and with support for press and PR. There is flexibility for the focus of this support depending on applicants’ skills and interest, and the applicant must either have experience of press and PR or be proficient in InDesign and Photoshop. The post-holder must have experience working with databases and marketing.

The applicant will be familiar with Camden Arts Centre’s core mission and its role within the local area as well as within the wider art community, and will bear this in mind in all the work that they carry out, as the Centre strives to reach new audiences and maintain the high standard of its exhibitions and education programme through fundraising and earned income. The communications team works across all departments in the organisation and the post-holder will be expected to manage their time to support exhibitions, education, development and editions in equal measure.

The post supports all of Camden Arts Centre’s communications objectives with a key role in delivery against our Digital Action Plan, and opportunity to contribute to the Centre’s Audience Development Strategy. The post-holder will be responsible for the day to day management of Camden Arts Centre’s website and the way that it corresponds with the database, involving the creation of pages for all CAC’s activities, managing tickets and bookings for events and courses. The post also involves documentation of live events and archiving this alongside audio, video, broadcast links and images, quickly following an event. As information is gathered in the lead up to events or exhibitions, the Communications Coordinator will be responsible for updating the website and helping to collate information for digital newsletters to make sure that the audience is as well informed about CAC’s programme as possible.

Key Tasks and Responsibilities

Website

  1. Manage website pages, ensuring Camden Arts Centre’s online presence is kept up to date with appropriate images, video, broadcast and audio files. To update our archive micro-site ensuring a breadth of information and resources. To maximise optimisation and accessibility of our website (including alt tags for screen readers).
  2. Edit audio recordings of live events (using GarageBand or equivalent) for uploading onto website and social media.
  3. Edit video recordings of live events / CAC activities (using Final Cut Pro, iMovie or equivalent) for uploading onto the website and social media.
  4. Oversee course and event bookings taken through the website and support the Programme Curator; Residencies and Public Programme and Education Coordinator with planning.
  5. Oversee general functions of the online shop, and with the Communications and PR Manager and Bookshop and Editions Manager devise strategies to further drive sales.
  6. Create entries in IRIS Donor Strategy database for all Centre activities, including details of capacity and ticket costs when needed, which form the basis of each web-page.
  7. Troubleshoot website issues in collaboration with website developers Cog.

Newsletters and Social Media

  1. Keep up to date with new methods of email newsletter engagement, overseen by the Communications and PR Manager. Put together a regular schedule of email communications for the general mailing list as well as specialist mailing lists for families, courses, Patrons, Friends, events and bookshop VIPs, ensuring Camden Arts Centre’s audience is informed about the programme.
  2. Schedule newsletters and liaise with separate departments for content i.e. Development, Education, Bookshop, ensuring streamlined communications.
  3. Keep abreast of social media developments, upkeeping Camden Arts Centre’s Facebook, Twitter and Instagram accounts, ensuring that these platforms are delivered in the same tone of voice as the website, printed materials and front of house style at Camden Arts Centre. Research new social media platforms in discussion with the Communications and PR Manager.
  4. Working with the Communications and PR Manager, Programming and Education teams, devise social media and digital campaigns around the exhibitions, public programme and education programme which support the Centre’s Digital Policy, Digital Action Plan and Audience Development Strategy.
  5. Organise social media and newsletter swaps with other organisations to promote Camden Arts Centre’s exhibitions, education programme, events and family activities.

Content Generation, Design and Distribution

  1. Generate copy and other content for website and social media and various blogs including our Medium account which is focused on the exhibition, residency and education programmes, and the education blog to promote programme activity, ensuring visibility onsite and online.
  2. Lead on devising a schedule of live broadcasts through Facebook and Instagram streaming to enhance access to our programmes, and take responsibility for delivery.
  3. Schedule social media advertising included utilising video edits to drive audiences.
  4. Ensure all external listings and information channels (printed and digital) are kept up to date with CAC programme information.
  5. Design and manage production of in-house leaflets, event programmes, promotional flyers and invitations as required, ensuring CAC in-house style is maintained. Support the Communications and PR Manager with exhibition labels and maps.
  6. Compile the film reel for the Centre’s foyer screen, ensuring a balanced selection of programme and Centre information.

Press and PR

  1. Support the Communications and PR Manager with press communication, including drafting, editing and proofreading selected press releases and image sheets, making press packs, responding to image requests and providing further information as required.
  2. Support the Communications and PR Manager in representing Camden Arts Centre to the press at key events and openings, and with various press-related tasks when required.
  3. Contribute to press strategy and campaign planning as required.

Data Management and Analysis

  1. Accurately measure audience information for online visitors for reporting purposes. Regularly analyse this data to see how the Centre can increase its engagement with visitors, building on our audience development strategies.
  2. Create reports on social media campaigns for trustees, funders and other agencies on a quarterly basis or as required.
  3. Analyse data from audience segmentation for each exhibition and annually, in order to help build successful campaigns appealing to different demographics in line with CAC’s Audience Development Strategy. Participate in network discussions as appropriate.
  4. Coordinate the Audience Research Assistants for regular survey shifts as part of Audience Finder data gathering with assistance from the Front of House Coordinator, liaising with the Administration Manager for HR, and the Finance Manager to sign off timesheets.
  5. Manage and update all private mailing lists and e-lists through the database and work with the Communications and PR Manager to ensure the database is up-to-date and relevant, and managed in line with our Data Protection Policy.

General

  1. Photography of day to day activity including children’s courses, weekend activity (when working), events (when working). Manage the photography files both for CAC’s reference and for the public.
  2. Work with the Programme Curator; Education in supporting the digital activity of the CAC Youth Collective, taking place on regular Saturdays with special events.
  3. Digital image filing and administration in line with company policy.
  4. Proofreading and support with production of CAC’s printed material.
  5. Assist with the general smooth running of the Communications department, helping with signage, printed material, image sourcing, archiving and advertising when needed.
  6. To work with FOH Coordinator, Team Leaders and Volunteers on Centre initiatives including volunteer communication.
  7. Supporting the Communications and PR Manager in maintaining brand identity and use of company templates.
  8. Observe health and safety and equal opportunities policies and procedures.
  9. Participate in staff team activities and training.
  10. Undertake other duties as required to ensure the smooth running of Camden Arts Centre.

Person Specification

Communications Coordinator

Essential skills / experience / qualities:

  • Highly organised with meticulous attention to detail
  • Working knowledge of databases and an ability to pick up new software quickly
  • Strong proof reader
  • Keen interest in contemporary art and the artists that Camden Arts Centre works with
  • Experience with email newsletter software (ideally MailChimp) and communicating with large audiences
  • Experience of working with social media platforms (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram)
  • Experience of uploading digital content to online platforms such as Vimeo, YouTube, SoundCloud.
  • IT literate and able to think on your feet when faced with technical problems
  • Excellent level of written and spoken English
  • Flexible and positive outlook
  • Ability to work as part of a team
  • Keen social networker
  • Positive and supportive behaviour in the workplace
  • Proactive support for the artistic and business aims of Camden Arts Centre
  • A flexible and collaborative approach to working as part of a team
  • Honesty
  • Reliability
  • Punctuality

Either:

  • Knowledge of Adobe Creative Suite – particularly Photoshop, InDesign and Illustrator
  • Experience of working in the field of press and PR

Desirable skills / experience / qualities:

  • Experience with live stream features of social media platforms – Facebook Live, Instagram Live
  • Experience in editing sound files with GarageBand or equivalent
  • Knowledge and experience of IRIS Donor Strategy
  • Experience in editing video files
  • Knowledge of online tagging and search engine optimisation
  • Photography skills

Outline Conditions of Service

Communications Coordinator

Contract