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Job Title: Communications Manager Maternity Cover (beginning mid-March 2014 for circa 9 months) Based in: Isis Education Centre, at the LookOut, Hyde Park Salary: £34,000 - 36,000 per year pro rata (according to experience) 25 days leave per annum pro rata, plus Public Holidays Reports to: Head of Programmes, Royal Parks Foundation Supervised by: Head of Major Events, Royal Parks Foundation
ROYAL PARKS FOUNDATION - WHO WE ARE:
The Royal Parks Foundation is the registered charity (no.1097545) that helps support the magic of London’s eight amazing Royal Parks for everyone to enjoy.
Established in 2003, the charity has helped raise more than £10m towards a wide variety of projects from wildlife conservation and heritage restoration, to community sport, education and the creative arts. Its projects include funding and building a £2.2m environmental education centre in Hyde Park, which opened in September 2011.
The small, energetic team of 17 people is based in the Isis Education Centre and works closely with The Royal Parks agency, the government body responsible for the day-to-day management of the Parks. The charity is supported by an active Chairman and Board of 12 Trustees.
The Royal Parks Foundation and its Trustees are committed to:
Help protect, support and enhance the past, present and future of London’s eight Royal Parks and their rare and special assets
Reach out to make the Parks more of people’s lives
Help improve the Parks’ financial future
The Foundation’s objectives are to:
Repair, restore, conserve and improve the Parks’ natural and built environment 2
Promote broader public access to and enjoyment of the Royal Parks
Educate, engage and inform the public about the past, present and future heritage of the Royal Parks and their role and value to society
Encourage the protection of wildlife and support and increase biodiversity and promote sustainability
THE ROLE
Working closely with Digital Projects Manager and PR Manager, the Communications Manager (maternity cover) will be responsible for the management, delivery and evaluation of all marketing and general communications activities across all programmes and single projects of the organisation. This will require: Strategic thinking
Hands-on management (in-house, plus external agencies)
Sensitive liaison with external partners
Lots of multi-tasking
Some “roll-your-sleeves-up” action
Keeping everyone informed of progress
Good plain English - no fluff and no jargon!
STRATEGIC OBJECTIVES OF THE POST:
The Communications Manager will: i) Work with the PR Manager and Digital Projects Manager to develop and implement the Foundation’s overall communications and marketing plan ii) Raise the profile of the Royal Parks Foundation and its CEO through creative, inspiring and effective communication and marketing campaigns, in particular for: a. The Half Marathon and Ultra events, liaising with our delivery partner and managing all communications and marketing activities throughout the year b. The Education & Community Engagement programme, liaising with the Education team and the Head of Programmes c. Single projects such as Deckchair Dreams, Hedgehogs survey, film screenings, etc. as well as any specific marketing campaigns that may arise 3
d. Park specific fundraising initiatives and appeals, liaising with the Head of Development iii) Manage working relationships with relevant teams at The Royal Parks Agency and other partners and stakeholders, acting as an ambassador of the Foundation at all times
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:
With the Communications team and with guidance from the Senior Management Team, develop a communications and marketing plan to raise awareness of and celebrate the success of the Foundation and its projects, and raise the profile of the Chief Executive
Act as a brand guardian focusing on the Foundation’s brand positioning with current and future audiences and stakeholders, to help maximise income-generation
Provide expert advice to the SMT and Foundation colleagues ensuring all communication activities are of the highest standards and in line with branding and key messages
Identify and implement an annual calendar of campaigns with key milestones and detailed activities and outputs to support the Foundation’s events and activities
Produce copy, edit and proof-read the Foundation’s print materials as required
Manage the design and print of promotional materials for:
- The Royal Parks Foundation Half Marathon and associated runs - The Isis Education Centre and The LookOut, Hyde Park - Support for Royal Parks Foundation (USA) - All foundation Merchandise (e.g. designer Tote Bags, Deckchairs) - Single projects (e.g. Hedgehogs research project) - Other fundraising appeals or awareness campaigns as required Maintain accurate and up to date budgets ensuring approval of proposals for all major expenditure on each project responsible for
With relevant colleagues regularly monitor and evaluate all communications and marketing campaigns across all platforms to assess their effectiveness and ROI
Build and manage strong and productive relationships with suppliers, sponsors and stakeholders, to help strengthen the Foundation’s profile and help increase its revenue streams
Represent the Foundation at meetings, external events and seminars as required
Support and contribute to Foundation events as and when required 4
PERSON SPECIFICATION:
The Royal Parks Foundation core values define the principles and ethos that are central to the way we operate as an organisation and the way we treat those with whom we come into contact. They inform what we do and how we do it; we expect every member of the team to commit to creating value for our supporters, partners and the communities we engage
Every member of the team should live up to the following values:
Responsibility Enjoy creativity High quality Can – do attitude Supportiveness Ambition Enjoyment Resourcefulness Dedication Flexibility
In practice this means that every member of our team show a willingness to be flexible, to support other colleagues, who may be under pressure, and to have a cheerful, optimistic outlook
In order to be considered for this post you will need to demonstrate that you already have the skills / experience shown overleaf. 5
Person Specification Criteria * Qualifications A relevant degree or qualification in Marketing & Communications OR equivalent E knowledge acquired through relevant work experience Evidence of recent and continuing professional development in your professional D field and its relevance to the post’s requirements Experience Minimum five years solid marketing and communications experience engaging a E range of clients and delivering campaigns or appeals Experience of agency management and evaluation E Experience of influencing and negotiating with stakeholders that have differing E priorities in order to achieve common goals Experience and ability to interpret market trends and to identify market E opportunities Project management experience with a track record for delivering multiple E communications / marketing projects on time and on budget Experience in charity communications; in particular developing strategies and D delivering campaigns for sports, wellbeing, wildlife, conservation and / or education Skills Excellent written / verbal communication skills (face-to-face and on the phone) E Proven skills in print production, copywriting and proof reading to a high standard E Understanding of integrated communications programmes, including PR, media E relations, advertising, marketing, social media and sales promotions Excellent operational use of CMS, Microsoft Office, image editing and design E software (including Photoshop C6 Creative Suite) Ability to prioritise a heavy workload, manage tasks simultaneously and perform E effectively under pressure Excellent interpersonal skills including problem solving, negotiating, team working E and a firm commitment to delivering exceptional customer care A good networker, confident and able to communicate at every level and build E strong collaborative relationships with a variety of stakeholders A spotless attention to detail, with an accurate and methodical approach to work E Target-driven, pro-active and resilient E A lateral thinker, with a creative and flexible approach to work E Willingness to “muck in” and be hands-on, even with the most tedious tasks E Passionate about and committed to the environment, heritage and culture, as well E as health/fitness, especially relating to the outdoors
* E: Essential. D: Desirable 6
OUTLINE OF TERMS & CONDITIONS:
Job title: Communications Manager
Maternity Cover (beginning mid-March 2014 for circa 9 months)
Hours: 40 hours per week plus 1 hour unpaid lunch worked over 5 days, Monday to Friday. Core hours of business are 10:00 to 16:00 with remaining working hours to be allocated before and or after this period based on the needs of the Foundation
Due to the nature of the work of the Royal Parks Foundation, members of the team support each other in the delivery of events and activities when needed and, if required, provide cover for evening and / or weekend work. Please note the Royal Parks Foundation applies a time ‘off in lieu’ policy
Salary: £34-36,000 per year pro rata, paid monthly
Probationary period: 1 month
Notice period: 1 week during probationary period, 1 month thereafter
Annual Leave: 25 days annual leave plus bank holidays pro rata
Pension: Eligible to join pension arrangements after 3 months
HOW TO APPLY:
Please apply with CV and cover letter, linking your experience and skills to the Job Description and Person Specification, and explain why you want to work for the Royal Parks Foundation. Please email your application to: [email protected]
Deadline for applications: midnight, Sunday 26th January 2014
The Royal Parks Foundation is committed to being an Equal Opportunities Employer