THE WILTSHIRE MUSIC CENTRE TRUST LIMITED
HEAD OF CREATIVE LEARNING
Job Description and Person Specification
Accountability: The post-holder is an employee of The Wiltshire Music Centre Trust Limited and is directly accountable to the Artistic Director.
Location: The job is based at the Wiltshire Music Centre (WMC), Ashley Road, Bradford on Avon, from time to time involving work elsewhere in and outside the County.
Hours: The post is full time for a fixed term of 3 years and may involve out of hours work
Overall Purpose of the Post
WMC has been involved in music education work for many years and the Board have now decided to invest in this new post in order to make a step change in the scope and depth of the creative learning music education work we deliver.
The new post holder will be expected to take a fresh approach, explore new avenues and partnership opportunities and use their knowledge and contacts to deepen the impact of our creative learning work.
The post holder will design, develop and deliver an exciting programme of music education and community learning projects. This involves developing the creative learning strategy within the current business plan, in conjunction with the Artistic Director, which reflects and develops the artistic vision and programme of Wiltshire Music Centre. Whilst the focus of this work historically has always been on children and young people, it will also be important to consider age related and health and well-being related work.
The post holder will also contribute fully to the work of the Communications and Development team in securing resources to ensure the development and the sustainability of the programme.
The business objectives of Wiltshire Music Centre and the delivery principles supporting them govern all activities of the Centre as follows:
Objectives / Delivery principlesDevelopment of music education / - Excellence
- Diversity & inclusion
- Innovation
- Access & engagement
- Partnerships
Development of a high quality, varied and stimulating programme
Growth in participation and audience development
The specific aims and objectives of this role are as follows:
Aims
· To support and cultivate a lively and diverse regional music sector
· To raise musical aspirations for children and young people
· To use the professional programme as a catalyst to nurture emerging talent
· To diversify the user group of Wiltshire Music Centre through targeted programmes, in particular focusing on those who are under-represented
Objectives
· To provide opportunities for young people to be performers, music makers and audience for professional live performances in a professional venue
· To provide access to professional musicians from classical, world, jazz and folk traditions
· To work with key local partners, including Wiltshire Music Education Hub, Wiltshire Young Musicians, St Laurence School and all those regularly use the Centre
· To provide creative projects both within and outside of the formal education sector
· To provide professional development opportunities for musicians and those involved in music education
· To work across Wiltshire with a focus on the areas of greatest need, including Trowbridge and Chippenham, and other isolated rural areas , as well as on the key local towns of Bradford on Avon, Chippenham, Melksham, Warminster and Devizes
· To create an integrated artistic and creative learning programme
· To use digital technology to enrich and expand the musical learning opportunities available to young people.
The current Creative Learning strategy over the next period covers the following workstreams with some projects identified, at least in outline, in each area. The Board of trustees of WMC have recognised the opportunity to invest to develop the scope and range of the programme through creating a new post of Head of Creative Learning.
Key Specific Responsibilities
Strategy
Develop the Creative Learning strategy as part of the integrated business planning process. This must reflect and be integrated with the artistic vision and programme developed by the Artistic Director.
The strategy also needs to reflect the objectives of stakeholder organisations including Wiltshire Music Hub, Wiltshire Council, Wiltshire Youth Arts Partnerships, schools and other arts organisations and agencies across the area to ensure that developments at WMC are in line with local, regional and national priorities for children, families, schools and the wider community.
Partnerships and fundraising
Develop relationships with all key players in music education for children and young people in the county and local area as well as nationally. This will include secondary school Heads of Music, primary school Head Teachers and music leads; Music Hubs including Wiltshire Music Hub, Swindon Music Hub and B&NES Music Hub; a wide range of delivery partners locally and nationally including music teachers and artists; other venues and arts organisations in the region; other delivery institutions as appropriate to support the development and implementation of WMC’s strategy through project delivery and other collaborative activities. This will also involve extending the reach of WMC outside the venue and into the community with other partners.
Work closely with the Communications and Development team to identify and create funding bids to secure resources for the Creative Learning programme.
Programme Development and Delivery
Design and oversee the delivery of an annual programme of music Creative Learning projects in agreement with the Artistic Director which fulfils the objectives and priorities outlined in the business plan.
Ensure that the programme has adequate balance in projects so as to achieve accessibility for all areas of the community including disabled and learning disabled people, young people, BME communities and any hard to reach groups.
Deliver projects that will make WMC a leading centre of excellence in how to integrate Creative Learning with an artistic programme and help develop new audiences for projects and concerts.
Deliver these projects through the Creative Learning team consisting of the Creative Learning Co-ordinator (full time) and the Special Projects Intern (60% Creative Learning, 40% box office). Other staff members including the Events Co-ordinator and Facilities Co-ordinator will need to be involved in this.
Responsibility for delivery will also involve managing the input of other partner organisations and schools, as well as managing musicians, artists and other freelancers to ensure that all work is delivered to high standards and meets required deadlines.
Identify appropriate musicians and/or staff to lead elements of the programme, and oversee project delivery.
Working closely with partners and collaborators, develop a project scoping document for each project defining aims, objectives, outcomes, target participants, activity description, timetable, budget and evaluation framework.
Oversee all contractual arrangements with musicians and participating schools/groups to ensure they are in line with current industry practice.
Oversee correct and safe working practices by staff and freelancers, ensuring the welfare of all staff and participants is in line with WMC’s Health and Safety Policy.
Undertake full training and ensure that WMC’s Safeguarding Policy and Procedures are adhered to by everyone working on Creative learning projects, briefing and supporting colleagues and freelancers where necessary.
Line management
The Head of Creative Learning will line manage the Creative Learning Co-ordinator and the Special Projects Intern. This will involve planning and delegating work programmes, monitoring performance, regular review meetings and an annual Appraisal undertaken with the Artistic Director.
Finance
Take responsibility for the financial management of the Creative Learning projects including preparing budgets and monitoring actual income and expenditure against budgets in liaison with the Finance Manager.
Evaluation
Carry out thorough evaluation and reporting for all projects to ensure that a development path is identified and followed and that stakeholder and funder requirements are met.
Maintain an up-to-date knowledge of local, regional and national policy and practice, to ensure that WMC’s Creative Learning programme is developed in line with best practice.
Communication & Advocacy
Work closely with the Communications & Development Manager to ensure the widest possible external awareness of the Creative Learning work.
Represent WMC on local, regional and national working groups and committees, advocating the importance not only of WMC’s work but of music education & community arts more broadly.
Head of Creative Learning - Person specification:
The Head of Creative Learning is likely to have a degree or professional qualification and significant experience of running musical education projects in or with an arts organisation.
Skills / Essential (not in priority Order)· In depth knowledge of the highest quality creative learning projects in music education and how to deliver them
· Significant project development skills from ideas development through partnership creation to delivery and evaluation
· An understanding of what makes collaborative projects work well
· A deep understanding and appreciation of music as a means of delivering educational benefit in many ways
· Able to plan and deliver complex projects with different partners
· Strong communication and interpersonal skills and able to work with many different types of partner
· Strong organisational skills needed to manage projects
· Evaluation skills using current techniques and methodologies
· Highly developed writing skills to create strategies, project proposals, funding bids and board reports
· Good numeracy skills using excel spreadsheets to develop and manage budgets according to WMC’s financial systems
· Excellent networking skills
Personal Qualities / Essential ( not in priority order)
· a passion for and enthusiastic and infectious commitment to the Centre’s work
· the qualities needed to be part of a strong and skilled staff team
· customer focussed and results orientated
· initiative and self-motivation – able to work in a team and take responsibility on your own
· able to manage multiple priorities and work to and meet tight deadlines
· good humoured enthusiasm, commitment, tact and personality
· administratively self-supporting
· full driving licence and ready access to use of a car when required
August 2016