Head of Marketing Part Time

Huddersfield, Yorkshire
LAWRENCE BATLEY THEATRE

Head of Marketing & Communications

We are looking for an exceptional individual to lead the marketing and communications team at the Lawrence Batley Theatre. You will have a passion for marketing and audience development and a desire to play a key role part in the Senior Management team of the theatre. You will lead on all aspects of the Lawrence Batley Theatre’s marketing and communications, have a proven track record of setting and meeting ambitious sales targets, and you will work closely with the Chief Executive to evaluate and review data in order to improve the organisation from a marketing and communications point of view. You will be responsible to the Chief Executive, be responsible for the rest of the marketing team, and you will work closely with the other members of the Senior Management team as well as the theatre’s Board of Trustees.

About the Lawrence Batley Theatre

We are a mid-scale theatre in the heart of West Yorkshire, housed in a Grade II* listed building which was once the largest Wesleyan mission in the country. Within the building there are three performance spaces Рthe Main Auditorium seating 477 people, the Cellar Theatre with up to 120 seats and the Attic Theatre, with up to 60 seats Рas well as a number of meeting and function rooms, the newly opened Gallery space and our caf̩ bar, The Courtyard. The theatre is run by a team of approx. 90 full-time, part-time and casual staff and we are also incredibly proud and grateful to have an exceptionally loyal team of approx. 80 volunteers at the theatre.

In September we celebrated our 25 th Birthday with a large scale community production of ‘Henry V’ (with voiceover from Sir Kenneth Branagh), the opening of a brand new exhibition by world-renowned photographer Simon Annand, a one-off performance by drag icon Le Gateau Chocolat and an afternoon with Poet Laureate Simon Armitage. In terms of our programme we are primarily a receiving house – with a mix of drama, contemporary dance, opera, music, comedy, film and family work – but we also produce and commission work. We have been producing our own pantomime for the last four years – which over 60,000 people have now seen – and over the last six months we have co-commissioned ThickSkin Theatre’s ‘How Not To Drown’, which won a Fringe First and co-produced the first ever stage adaptation of ‘The Krumpus’ from Nikita Gill’s best-selling ‘Fierce Fairytales’. We have a longstanding and incredibly positive relationship with a number of amateur companies who regularly perform at the Lawrence Batley Theatre. In 2020 we shall also be co-commissioning two world premieres as well as launching a Talent Development programme at the theatre, focusing on drag and cabaret, producing and new writing. Participation is absolutely at the heart of the organisation, and we do a huge amount of work both at the theatre but also in Kirklees more widely – all of this work is seen through a lens of tackling isolation and ‘otherness’ as well as building a stronger sense of community.

The organisation is governed by Kirklees Theatre Trust, a company limited by guarantee with charitable status. The theatre currently receives revenue funding from Kirklees Council and Arts Council England, which makes up approximately 30% of the theatre’s overall income. The remainder is made up of box office income, project grants, sponsorship, room hires and earned income from our café and bars. The theatre’s annual turnover is over £1m and projected to grow over the coming years. The organisation was a recent beneficiary of Arts Council England’s Catalyst Evolve scheme, which we used to develop new sources of funding and support for the organisation, and we have also recently been awarded a capital grant of £499,999 from Arts Council England to redevelop our main auditorium, dressing rooms and front of house areas.

Key Responsibilities

• Effectively planning and managing the overall department budget, working with the Finance Department and Chief Executive.
• Planning and delivery of marketing campaigns, working with the Marketing & Communications Officers and Marketing Assistant.
• Liaising with visiting companies over marketing activity and budgets.
• Leading on the development and production of the theatre’s season brochure with support from the rest of the Marketing Team.
• Leading on organisational communication strategies with the Chief Executive as well as reviewing current schemes and introducing new schemes such as Membership and Under 26 initiatives.
• Acting as an ambassador for the Lawrence Batley Theatre with external stakeholders and visiting companies.

Experience & Skills

• At least 3 years’ marketing experience within an arts organisation, including (senior) management experience within an organisation.
• A proven track record of effectively managing considerable budgets.
• A demonstrable ability to set and achieve ambitious sales targets.
• A demonstrable passion for audience development.
• A demonstrable understanding of and passion for theatre or other live performance.
• Strong copywriting and proofreading skills.
• Experience of tendering processes and working with external suppliers.
• Experience of working with local and regional press.

Salary

Between £27,000 and £29,000 depending on experience.

Hours

Full time. Hours will be flexible and evening and work will occasionally be required.

Holidays

Annual holiday entitlement is 20 days per year plus bank holiday entitlement, increasing to 25 days per year after the first year of service.

All other terms and conditions of the Lawrence Batley Theatre apply.

Closing date is 5pm on Friday 3 January 2020. First round interviews will take place at the Lawrence Batley Theatre on Thursday 9 January 2020.