Chinese Arts Centre Job Description

Thank you for your interest in the post of Director (maternity cover) at Chinese Arts Centre. In this application pack you will find details of how to apply, background information on Chinese Arts Centre, together with a job description and person specification.

Overview Based in Manchester, Chinese Arts Centre is the leading organisation for the promotion of contemporary Chinese art in the UK. From April this year we received a significant uplift in funding from the Arts Council of England in recognition of our role and potential over the next few years. In order to meet our ambitious strategic aims we have created a number of new posts at the organisation.

This maternity cover post will be responsible for the overall strategic leadership of the organisation, will act as the lead representative for the organisation and will proactively identify and secure resources for the Centre and to manage stakeholder relations.

How to apply To apply for the post please send a CV of no more than 3 sides of A4 and a statement outlining how you meet the person specification and how your experience relates to the job description. If you would like an informal confidential conversation about the role please contact our Director Sally Lai on 0161 832 7271 or at [email protected]

Applications should be clearly marked ‘Director (maternity cover) application’ and should be sent to [email protected] or Recruitment, Chinese Arts Centre, Market Building, Thomas Street, Manchester, M4 1EU

Key dates The deadline for applications is 5pm on 23 January 2013. Please note that late applications will not be accepted.

Interviews will take place during the week commencing 4 February 2013 at Chinese Arts Centre.

The start date is as soon as possible after 18 February 2013. Background information on Chinese Arts Centre

Chinese Arts Centre is the leading organisation for the promotion of contemporary Chinese art in the UK. We recently successfully secured a significant increase, and continued funding until 2015, from Arts Council England’s National Portfolio programme and we now receive £300,000 annually until 2015. This makes us one of the highest funded visual arts organisations in the North West and one of the only East Asian arts organisations to receive Arts Council revenue funding.

We work with the best creative talent to run our year round public programme of exhibitions, residencies, engagement activity, festivals, international projects and events supporting innovation and reflecting the dynamism of contemporary Chinese art. We regularly attract in the region of 30,000 people a year to our programme.

Chinese Arts Centre believes in the importance of ongoing dialogue and exchange in shaping our understanding of the changing world, and the need for a diversity of perspectives in contemporary visual arts. We create meaningful encounters between artists, audiences, cultures and ideas that make contemporary art and culture relevant to diverse audiences.

Chinese Arts Centre responds to the increasing importance of China and Chinese culture in an international context with shifting centres and sets out to explore what this means for artists and audiences. Our ongoing commitment to an evolving definition of Chinese art uniquely positions us to track changes, recognise trends, and identify emerging artists bringing pertinent questions to the fore.

The Board and Chief Executive

Our Board currently comprises

 Peter Mearns, Acting Chair  Dr. Wessie Ling, Vice Chair  Jackie McNerney, Treasurer  Lewis Biggs OBE  Li Hsia Chan  Howard Rifkin  Richard Sobey  Dr. Shengke Zhi

Sally Lai is our Director and has been with the organisation since December 2008.

Brief history and achievements Chinese Arts Centre was established in 1986 by a group of Manchester based Chinese artists who were interested in raising the visibility of Chinese artists, with the North West’s Chinese heritage as a focal point. From this initial starting point Chinese Arts Centre grew as an organisation, became increasingly professional and managed to secure regular funding from Arts Council England.

One of the most significant developments was the opening of our new Centre in November 2003. Our premises, located in Manchester’s regenerated Northern Quarter, was the result of a £2.5 million award from Arts Council England’s Lottery fund. Chinese Arts Centre houses a gallery, a live/work residency studio, offices, a multi-functional space, a small resource area and front-of-house area. Since opening the new premises Chinese Arts Centre has programmed innovative changing exhibitions and residencies. Beyond the Centre we also programme work in partnership with other institutions, tour our exhibitions and deliver workshops in schools across the North West.

Going forward Over the next few years Chinese Arts Centre will continue to work with the best creative talent to bring the most dynamic and exciting contemporary visual culture to audiences. Chinese Arts Centre will extend our reach, develop new partnerships and deliver an innovative programme as well as building our national profile and develop strategic international collaborations. We are developing and strengthening our business model and staffing structure to make us less reliant on public subsidy and to increase our strategic impact locally, regionally and nationally. In order to support our ambitions and strategic aims over the next few years we recently recruited a number of new posts including a Deputy Director and Research Curator.

Funding Chinese Arts Centre currently receives regular funding from Arts Council England. In addition to this funding, Chinese Arts Centre raises income through fundraising initiatives, trusts and foundations, consultancy work, partnership funding, workshops and performances and in-kind support as well as levering in money for projects from international sources. Diversifying our funding sources over the next three or four years will be a priority for the organisation.

With the support of a grant from Arts Council England we are improving our building and hope to further develop our facilities in the next two to three years improving our gallery, residency and office spaces.

For more information on Chinese Arts Centre visit our website www.chinese-arts-centre.org Staff Structure effective from autumn 2012

Board of Trustees

Director

Deputy Director

Curator Research Curator

IT & Operations & Sales Programme & Engagement Communications Assistant Coordinator Assistant Director (maternity cover) Job Description

Job Title: Director (maternity cover) Salary Scale: £34,000 - £38,000 depending on experience Employment period: Minimum of 10 months starting as soon as possible after 18 February 2013 (subject to a 3 month probationary period) Responsible To: Chinese Arts Centre Board Reports To: Chair of the Board of Trustees Line Manager Of: Deputy Director, Curator, Research Curator

Main Purpose of the Role To provide strategic leadership of Chinese Arts Centre, to act as the lead representative for the organisation, to proactively identify and secure resources for the Centre and to manage stakeholder relations.

Strategic leadership and planning Provide strategic leadership, direction and vision for Chinese Arts Centre and to communicate this to a wide range of contacts both internal and external.

Provide artistic leadership and a planning framework for Chinese Arts Centre’s programme and to oversee its delivery. This includes short and medium term planning plus the creation and annual revision of the Centre’s 3 year business plan in conjunction with the Deputy Director. To maintain an overview of the artistic and business strategy of the organisation and support the staff team in delivering this.

Management Motivate and supervise the staff team making full use of management systems, such as one to one meetings, team meetings and appraisals. To create an environment where staff can operate to the best of their ability.

Manage consultants and external contractors as required, ensuring clear contractual arrangements are established, monitored and enforced to achieve the best possible outcome for the organisation.

Fundraising Seek, pursue and secure resources for Chinese Arts Centre’s development, especially in terms of funding and new relationships. To network with key individuals and build and develop partnerships that will benefit and position Chinese Arts Centre locally, regionally, nationally and internationally.

Advocacy Speak on behalf of Chinese Arts Centre at a wide range of events and advocate for the sector.

Governance Act as Company Secretary and ensure that the Charity and Limited Company fulfils its obligations in line with the law and prevailing good practice.

Work closely with the board on Chinese Arts Centre’s strategic planning and to ensure that board members are adequately briefed to undertake their duties effectively. To help the board to improve, develop and extend its membership on an on-going basis and to enable it to review its progress annually.

Financial management To oversee a financial strategy for and financial management of the organisation, with assistance from the Deputy Director. To ensure that budgets are set and monitored effectively with quarterly management accounts and budget reviews.

Marketing Monitor and review marketing plans for Chinese Arts Centre and ensure that they are successfully delivered by staff.

Person Specification for the Director

All posts at the Chinese Arts Centre require:  The right to work in the UK (usually UK Residency or valid working permit)  An ability to use basic applications on a computer, including word processing and any databases or spreadsheets that are specific to your role and a willingness to develop your computer knowledge and skills.  A high level of spoken and written English.  An understanding of and commitment to the Centre’s equalities ideals.  Reasonable flexibility in your working hours, depending on your role and subject to negotiation with you.

The following criteria are also essential for this post:

1. A minimum of 3 years experience of leading an arts organisation of a similar scale to Chinese Arts Centre.

2. An ability to lead, motivate and inspire a small team of staff and freelance contractors. You will have experience of managing staff on a day to day level including staff supervision, managing staff performance, recruitment and appraisals. You will be able to support other managers in their supervisory role and ensure proper contractual arrangements and monitoring mechanisms for freelancers. You will be able to use a range of management styles and understand the value of working with staff in a participative way, involving them where possible and appropriate in the decision making process

3. Direct experience of providing artistic leadership and have a track-record of successful programming with artistic and curatorial rationale, audiences and audience development potential, fundraising, marketing and PR.

4. Excellent networking and communication skills, seeking out potential partners for the organisation and able to communicate with people at all levels verbally and in writing using negotiating and influencing skills very effectively and appropriate to the situation. You will have good self awareness and understand the impact of your behaviour on people you come into contact with.

5. A broad range of fundraising experience in public funding and either Trusts or sponsorship or both plus a proven track record of securing and managing bids that have been instrumental in the development of your work in previous organisations. 6. An ability to write reports for a wide range of audiences in a manner appropriate to the reader including funders, staff, colleagues and artists and incorporating evaluative material, financial data, analysis and arguments to support a case effectively.

7. An ability to manage of budget of at least £350,000 and supervise staff implementing financial systems. You will be able to scrutinise financial data and review budgets to take account of changing financial circumstances. You will also have experience of delegating budgets to staff.

8. The ability to formulate, articulate, enthuse and persuade others about your strategic vision for the organisation which should take account of the operating context of the business. You must be able to translate this vision into long and short term realistic plans and deliver these with staff and the full resources at your disposal.

9. Speak effectively on behalf of the Chinese Arts constituency and Chinese Arts Centre at a range of public events. You will be keen to seek feedback on your public speaking ability and take steps to develop skills in this area where necessary.

10. An understanding of the legal responsibilities of the Director of a charity and its board members, how these affect the day to day running of the charity and knowing when to seek legal advice.

11. An ability to devise, develop and implement a marketing strategy with expert help if necessary. The strategy should incorporate audience development, press, publicity, visual identity, communication elements and any other relevant areas.

Desirable 1. Knowledge of Chinese contemporary art.

2. Knowledge of a Chinese language.