COMMUNICATIONS MANAGER: WALTHAMSTOW

As we approach the opening of our new 1,000 seat venue in Walthamstow in late 2022, we are looking for a communications manager to deliver our strategy for the successful launch of this new cultural destination - ‘A Local Theatre with a National Profile’. This new role will require passion and commitment to Soho Theatre’s work in the borough as they implement communications, including audience development and sales.

SOHO THEATRE is London’s most vibrant producer for new theatre, comedy and cabaret. We pursue creative excellence, harnessing an artistic spirit that is based in our new writing roots, the radical ethos of the fringe and the traditions of punk culture and queer performance. We champion voices that challenge from outside of the mainstream, and sometimes from within it too. We value entertainment, accessibility and enjoy a good show. We are a registered charity and social enterprise and our audiences are diverse in age, background and outlook. We are mission driven and we measure our success in:

- the NEW WORK that we produce, present and facilitate

- the CREATIVE TALENT that we nurture with artists, in our participation work and with our own staff

- the DIVERSE AUDIENCES that we play to and engage

Bang in the creative heart of London, our home is one of the country’s busiest venues with a year-round festival programme and a buzzing bar. By day we’re a hive of writing, workshops, showcases, meetings and events and by night we’re stage to an average of six shows and a throng of audiences. Ordinarily our work plays to live audiences of 250,000 audiences a year in our Dean Street venue, at the Edinburgh Fringe and beyond. During our temporary closure due to Covid-19 we re-launched our online platform Soho Theatre On Demand, which hosted the phenomenally successful live recording of FLEABAG and recently released TYPICAL and SUNRISE. We’ve partnered with Amazon Prime Video (UK) for a three-series deal, bringing existing and new comedy shows to the platform (2021-22).

Our new venue in Walthamstow is currently under construction. Collaborating with Waltham Forest Council on a visionary £30m regeneration project transforming the former Granada/EMD into ‘a local theatre with a national profile’, inspired by a passionate grassroots community campaign which Soho Theatre’s involvement dating back over ten years and a London Borough of Culture legacy project for the Council. Filling a gap in the thriving London cultural scene for a 1,000 seater venue, specialising in comedy, the venue will be home to an auditorium where local, national and internationally renowned artists will perform, with new spaces for use by the local community and a vibrant participation programme for all ages. With bars, cafes and restaurants, the venue will create a major cultural hub whilst supporting economic regeneration, bringing jobs and businesses to the local and night-time economies and attracting visitors to Waltham Forest’s burgeoning cultural scene.

Soho Theatre’s board is chaired by Dame Heather Rabbatts DBE and the company is led by Executive Director Mark Godfrey and Creative Director David Luff.

sohotheatre.com | www.sohotheatreondemand.com | @sohotheatre

JOB SUMMARY

Closing date: Monday 30 August, 5pm

Interviews: w/c 6 September

Job title: Communications Manager

Responsible to: Co-Communications Directors

Works closely with: Audience & Communications Team

Location: London

Salary: £30,000 per annum

How to apply: Please ensure you complete the application form, answering every question relevant to you and make sure to read the person specification. We are really interested to hear about your qualities and transferrable skills, and how your experience could contribute to our work here at Soho.

Please also complete an online equal opportunities monitoring form – link here

Submitting an application: We prefer applications to be sent by email. Please send your completed forms to [email protected] with CMW2021 in the subject line.

If you would like to submit your application in another format, or you have any queries about this role, please contact HR on 020 7478 0105 or email [email protected] to discuss alternatives.

The deadline for submitting your application is 5pm, Monday 30 August 2021.

Interviews will be held w/c 6 September 2021. We will contact every candidate, whether they have been shortlisted for interview or not.

JOB DESCRIPTION

Job Title: COMMUNICATIONS MANAGER - WALTHAMSTOW

Reports to: Co-Audience & Communications Directors

Purpose of Job: Marketing and communications administration and management, including audience development and sales, in the lead up to and for Soho Theatre’s new venue in Walthamstow

Location: Primarily - Walthamstow, Hatherley Mews office. Occasionally - Dean Street, Soho.

DUTIES Management  As part of Soho Theatre’s Audience and Communications team, implement communications for all aspects of Soho Theatre’s work in the borough, in the lead up to and following the opening of its new venue in Walthamstow, including one-off events and its Creative Engagement activity  Foster and maintain excellent relationships with all Soho Theatre in Walthamstow partners including, but not limited to, Waltham Forest Council (including its communications team), suppliers, community groups and stakeholders  Liaise with the appointed branding agency to develop all facets of a new brand for Soho Theatre’s new venue, alongside managing the creation of a new website for the venue  Work with Press & Public Relations colleagues and freelancers to ensure campaigns are co-ordinated and complementary  Work closely with the programming team to ensure smooth and efficient on-sales for an opening programme of work  Manage the production, approvals and opinions of all publicity materials including drafting copy and liaising with designers and printers (including print, advertising, audience displays, promotions, direct mail campaigns, online sales and distribution)  Lead on a variety of campaign meetings for in-house and visiting company shows and events, from community-based events to panto; coordinating communication of the campaigns to colleagues  Monitor all budgetary expenditure and work with the Co Audiences & Communications Directors to ensure budgetary control

Audience Development  Devise and implement marketing strategies to raise the profile of Soho Theatre in Waltham Forest, and its work  Work with appointed agencies to develop audience demographics, datas and marketing and sales opportunities for the new venue  Managing marketing and segmenting audience data for targeted email campaigns  Maximise the use of the box office system for both data analysis and income optimisation.  Work closely with the Audiences Team, to ensure sales functions and processes are best placed to drive and maximise sales for the new venue  Regular monitoring of marketing activity and analysis of audience response and sales trends; including evaluating the effectiveness of marketing campaigns via database analysis and reports and reporting on this evaluation

 Research and maintain marketing databases and developing good contacts with other theatre companies and marketers, building relationships and networking on behalf of the Company

Administration  Implement the day-to-day delivery of marketing and promotional activities for Soho Theatre in Walthamstow and its creative programme  Liaise with the Creative Engagement Team to publicise all community engagement and participation work  Where applicable, appoint and engage with external press and marketing agencies to ensure campaigns are co-ordinated and complementary  Liaise with and support visiting artists, companies and comedy promoters on marketing activities and ensuring consistency of the brand across all publicity materials  Work closely with the Communications Manager: Digital Content to manage the production of digital marketing content such as trailers, interviews, vox pops  Where applicable, ensure brochure production and print deadlines are met by liaising with (event/artistic) programming  Support on promotion of food and drinks offers, ad hoc events and other projects in development where applicable  Liaise with all Soho Theatre departments on specific departmental publicity materials and to ensure that they are correctly represented, within brand guidelines, in generic print and on the website

General  Deputise for the Audience & Communications Directors when required  Support the aims and objectives of Soho Theatre both internally and externally  Act as a spokesperson for Soho Theatre and its new venue to contacts and the industry  Take an active part in first nights, press nights, sponsors’ evenings and other events Adhere to the theatre’s Equal Opportunities Policy and Health & Safety Policy at all times  Taking responsibility to be fully aware of the theatre’s activities and programme of events at all times  Attending meetings with the Audience and Communications Department  Any other duties that members of the Audience and Communications team may reasonably require

This is a guide to the nature of the work required of the Communications Manager: Walthamstow. It is not wholly comprehensive or restrictive and may be reviewed with the post holder and the line manager from time to time.

PERSON SPECIFICATION

Qualities  Ability to work in a fast paced, energetic and demanding environment  Excellent communicator  Flexible and creative approach to work  Highly organised and self-motivated  Friendly and approachable  A genuine understanding and support of Soho Theatre’s creative vision  A strong working knowledge of the arts sector  Interest in or knowledge of digital media and the marketing opportunities it creates  Ability to understand why audiences want to see a show

Skills  Excellent administrative and organisational skills  Excellent written and verbal communication skills – ability to communicate confidently and respectfully with colleagues, stakeholders and audiences face to face, over the phone and online  Excellent attention to detail, including copywriting and proofreading skills  High level of computer literacy  Excellent networking skills  Good research skills

Experience  Creative marketing and administrative experience – or demonstrable transferable experience  Demonstrable experience of engaging a wide-ranging audience, new and existing  Experience of managing digital applications, programmes and platforms  Experience of effectively managing budgets simultaneously across multiple campaigns  An understanding of digital applications including marketing programmes  Good working knowledge or experience of the design and print process

TERMS AND CONDITIONS

Equal Opportunities Running through the core of Soho Theatre are the values of equality of opportunity, diversity of background and inclusion and accessibility for all. Our artists, audience and staff reflect a diverse London, and we work hard to increase representation across cultures and experience.

Terms of Employment This is envisaged as a permanent, full time post.

Salary £30,000 per annum

Holiday entitlement The full paid entitlement is 20 days plus eight Public and Bank holidays and any other public holidays as declared from time to time. This entitlement increases to 25 days after one full year of continuous employment.

Hours Normal working week is 40 hours over a 5-day period, Monday to Friday, including a one-hour unpaid lunch break, however flexible working is part of our culture.

This is envisaged as one full-time role however we are open to discussing alternative working patterns such as a job share.

Occasional evening and weekend work may be required; there are no overtime payments but TOIL is negotiable with your line manager.

Pension The Company operates an auto-enrolment pension scheme, which you are eligible to join after three months of employment. This is at the rate of 3% from the employer and 5% from the employee on qualifying (banded) earnings. The Government will pay in 1% of qualifying earnings, which is tax relief. If you have made other arrangements, there is the option to opt out altogether.

Staff Benefits  Tickets for Soho shows (subject to availability)  Season ticket and Cycle to Work loans and other travel schemes  Employee Assistance Programme including health insurance  Seasonal flu jabs  Training and development opportunities  Discount at Soho Theatre Bar and other local businesses

July 2021